Mohamed Meziane

Mohammed Meziane (Full name: Mohamed Belkacem Zahraoui Meziane; February 1, 1897 - May 1, 1975) was a Moroccan general from Beni Ensar (near Nador). He served for a long period in the Spanish Francoist army during the Protectorate-era. In 1970, He was made a Field marshal (mushir) and is the only person to have ever held that title in the Moroccan army.

Conduct in war

The behaviour of the Regulares troops he commanded is seen as a prime example of the stereotypes of Moorish behaviour that still persists in the Spanish oral tradition from the time of Al-Andalus. American historian, John Wittaker, wrote that he "attended horrified in helpless anger" when Meziane stated that two women who had been brought to him by his men "will not live more than four hours" once at the hands of his troops. On July 17, 1936 he initiated the first battle of the Spanish civil war against the seaplane base of Atalayón in Melilla. Even though the loyalist troops defending the post surrendered, the base commanders, Commander Virgilio Leret Ruiz and Second Lieutenants, Armando Gonzalez Corral and Luis Calvo Calavia, were still executed the following morning, their place of burial remaining unknown ^{[1] [2][3]}

Museum

In 2006 a museum was opened in Rabat, near the United Kingdom embassy, dedicated to Mohamed Meziane. The museum project was an initiative from his daughter who lived and died in Spain. The architect who was in charge of the project is a well-known architect from Casablanca, Mohamed Lamnaouar. ^[2][3]

References