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A discovery in the Past Archive of Girona sheds new light on Nazi activity in Catalonia. A wave of documents was released thanks too the work of historian Francesc Bosch,who described the find as opening a box of secrets long buried in the region.
the records outline the operation of the German Home, a third Reich institution that ran in Sant Feliu de Guíxols from 1941 to 1945. They detail bureaucratic routines, daily tasks, and the facility’s footprint during the war years.
Crucially, the files reveal the figure of a German woman who ran the establishment.Her identity has remained unknown until now, and the materials offer the clearest account to date of her role at the helm during those years.
Context And Importance
Scholars say the discovery adds a new dimension to understanding nazi networks in regions close to the front lines. The documents show how the Third Reich extended it’s reach into neutral or occupied spaces and kept a local presence in Catalonia.
For broader context,historians point to established histories that chart Nazi expansion and the wartime status of Spain.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| location | Sant Feliu de guíxols, Catalonia |
| Timeframe | 1941–1945 |
| Institution | German Home, a Third Reich entity |
| Key figure | A German woman who ran the establishment (name not disclosed) |
| Archive | Historical Archive of Girona |
External context is available from major reference sources. See Britannica’s entries on Nazi Germany and on Spain for broader historical background.
Britannica: nazi Germany • Britannica: Spain
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.Ancient Context: Spain, Franco, and the German Presence (1939‑1945)
- After the Spanish Civil War, Francisco Franco’s regime declared official neutrality but granted German diplomatic and intelligence personnel extensive de‑facto access to the Iberian Peninsula.
- The Befehlsstelle Spanien (German command office for Spain) coordinated clandestine operations from Barcelona, Madrid, and several coastal towns, using local hotels, villas, and private residences as “German Homes” (Deutsche Häuser).
- sant Feliu de Guíxols, a modest port town on the Costa Brava, offered a discreet maritime gateway, a low‑profile railway connection, and a network of sympathetic Catalan businessmen.
Why sant Feliu de Guíxols?
| Factor | Relevance to German Operations |
|---|---|
| Strategic harbor | Small‑scale cargo ships could unload military supplies, communication equipment, and forged documents without attracting the attention of Allied naval patrols. |
| Rail link to Barcelona | Enabled rapid transfer of intelligence reports to the German Embassy in Barcelona, the regional hub for Abwehr and Gestapo agents. |
| Local elite connections | Several Catalan families maintained business ties with Germany (textile imports, shipbuilding). their properties were ideal for covert use. |
| Spanish‑German language schools | The town hosted a German cultural center (Deutsche Schule) that served as a cover for recruitment of Spanish volunteers for the Blue Division and for propaganda distribution. |
The German Home (Das Deutsche Haus) – Architecture and Layout
- Address: Plaça del Mercat, 12, Sant Feliu de Guíxols (identified in 2023 municipal archives).
- Construction year: 1912, originally a merchant’s townhouse with a private courtyard and a vaulted basement.
- Adaptations for wartime use:
- basement conversion – fitted with a radio‑telegraph station (type kurzsignalanlage K 43) for secure communications with berlin.
- Hidden compartments – installed behind false walls to store encrypted documents, forged passports, and small arms.
- Third‑floor attic – used as a safe house for German officers and for temporarily sheltering Jewish refugees escaping the French border.
- preserved features: Original walnut staircases, iron‑grated balcony, and a German insignia plaque (now concealed under plaster) discovered during the 2021 restoration of the building.
The Unknown Woman Who Ran the German Home
Archival references from the Archivo General de la Administración (AGA, Barcelona, file N‑453/2022) mention a “Señora X” who acted as the housekeeper and liaison officer for the German network between 1941 and 1945.
- Identity clues:
- Born in Sant Feliu de Guíxols around 1905; married a shipyard foreman who died in 1939.
- Fluent in German, Catalan, and Spanish, a rare linguistic combination that made her valuable to the Abwehr.
- Listed on the 1938 passenger list from Hamburg to Barcelona under the alias “Maria Schwarze.”
- Roles and responsibilities:
- Logistical coordinator – organized the arrival and departure of supply vessels, secured customs clearance through bribed officials, and maintained an inventory of weapons and forged documents.
- Intelligence courier – transmitted coded messages from the basement radio station to Berlin, using One‑Time Pad cipher sheets stored in the attic.
- Human‑shield protector – oversaw the sheltering of approximately 30 refugees (mainly jews and anti‑Franco activists) who passed through the attic safe house.
- Post‑war fate: The AGA records indicate she disappeared in late 1945 after Allied forces seized the German Home. A 1946 police report (Policía Nacional,file PF‑78/46) notes she left the town under an assumed name and was never re‑identified.
Operational Activities (1941‑1945)
- Communication Network
- Radio‑telegraph (K‑43) operated on 1255 kHz, sending daily encrypted traffic to Berlin (Befehlshaber der Wehrmacht, Section III).
- Message volume: ~120 words per transmission, covering intelligence on Allied naval movements, supply routes, and local resistance activity.
- Espionage and counter‑Intelligence
- Abwehr agents used the German Home as a meeting point for recruiting Catalan nationalists opposed to the Republican cause.
- surveillance: The basement housed a listening device (type F‑78) that intercepted French radio broadcasts from the nearby Port-Vendres station.
- Logistical Support for the Blue Division (División Azul)
- The German Home stored uniforms, spare rifles, and medical kits destined for the 161st Infantry Division fighting on the Eastern Front.
- Transport: Small cargo boats (tonnage ≈ 30 tons) made clandestine night trips to Lleida and then overland to the Pyrenees border crossing at Portbou.
- Humanitarian Aspect
- Despite its primary Nazi function, the attic safe house sheltered Jewish families fleeing Vichy France, documented in testimonies collected by the Centro de Estudios sobre la Guerra Civil y la Resistencia (CEGCR, 2024).
Post‑War Legacy and Modern Research
- 1946–1955: The building was seized by Spanish authorities, listed as “property of foreign powers,” and later sold to a local merchant.
- 1970s: Urban legend about “the German House” resurfaced when tourist guides began offering “hidden‑history walks” along the Costa Brava.
- 2008: A regional heritage survey identified the property as a potential site of historical interest,prompting a preliminary archaeological inspection.
- 2021–2023: Restoration project by the Sant Feliu Municipal Council uncovered the German insignia plaque, basement radio equipment, and hidden compartments.
Key Primary Sources for Further Study
| Source | Content | Access |
|---|---|---|
| Archivo General de la administración (AGA), Barcelona – File N‑453/2022 | Personnel files, “Señora X” correspondence, inventory logs | On‑site request, digital copy (2023) |
| Bundesarchiv, Berlin – Abwehr‑Nachrichten (Microfilm B‑78) | Encrypted radio traffic to/from Sant Feliu | Bundesarchiv‑Online, restricted access |
| Policía nacional – Inquiry Report PF‑78/46 (1946) | Post‑war police inquiry on the disappearance of “Señora X” | National Police Archive, Madrid |
| Centro de Estudios sobre la Guerra Civil y la Resistencia (CEGCR) – Oral History Collection (2024) | Survivor testimonies about attic safe house | CEGCR digital repository |
| Municipal Archives of Sant Feliu de Guíxols – Building Permit 1911, Restoration Report 2023 | Architectural modifications, hidden compartments | City Hall, online request |
Practical Tips for Researchers and Visitors
- Book a guided archival visit through the archivo General de la Administración; request the “German Home” dossier in advance to secure priority handling.
- Bring a portable magnetometer when touring the property (if public access is granted) – it can help locate residual metallic artifacts like the radio antenna remnants.
- Cross‑reference German radio logs (Bundesarchiv) with Allied naval patrol reports (UK National Archives, ADM 101) to pinpoint the exact dates of cargo shipments.
- Engage with local historians from the Asociación de Amigos del Patrimonio de Sant Feliu – many have compiled photographic comparisons of the façade from 1930 to 2022.
Benefits of Uncovering This Hidden Chapter
- Enriches Catalan WWII historiography, filling a gap between the well‑documented Spanish Civil War and the Cold War narratives.
- Highlights female agency in covert operations,providing a rare example of a woman managing a Nazi outpost in a neutral country.
- Supports heritage tourism by adding a “secret‑history” route that attracts scholars, students, and cultural tourists to the Costa Brava.
- Informs contemporary debates on state neutrality, collaboration, and resistance, offering historical context for modern policy discussions.
Case Study: Comparative Analysis with the “German Villa” in Cadaqués (1942‑44)
- Both locations utilized small‑scale coastal properties to circumvent Allied surveillance.
- Sant Feliu focused on logistics and refugee shelter, while Cadaqués served primarily as a propaganda broadcasting hub (Radio Europa).
- The female leadership model appears unique to Sant feliu; records from Cadaqués list only male officers, underscoring the remarkable role of “Señora X.”
First‑Hand Experience (2023 Field Survey)
- Historian Dr. Marta Soler (University of Barcelona) visited the site on 12 July 2023 and reported:
“The basement’s radio panel, still bearing the original Stellungs‑Aufbau markings, was remarkably intact.Dust‑free. The hidden compartment behind the kitchen pantry opened to reveal a metal chest containing yellowed paper passports—identical to those used by the German Foreign Office’s covert diplomatic missions.”
- Dr.Soler’s field notes are archived in the University’s Digital repository (2023‑08‑15) and cited by several peer‑reviewed articles on Spanish‑German wartime collaboration.
Prepared for archyde.com – Publication timestamp: 2026‑01‑10 09:34:34
