Activist, Search and Support Organizations
Los Ninos Robados – The Stolen Children
Last year the Spanish press reported an investigation of reports that thousands of children had been trafficked for adoption during the Franco regime (and beyond) facilitated by the Catholic Church, hospitals, clinics, civil servants. Parents we4re informed that their babies died shortly after birth, and in some cases bodies were presented to them. Some of the children were born out of wedlock, others were the children of political dissidents. Although the investigation centers n Madrid, trafficking appears to have operated throughout the country. Below are selected news stories about the investigation. The real meat of the accusations can be found in the Spanish language press. These stories are easily translatable through Google or other online translation services. Those stories also contain photos of individuals who were trafficked, and videos of protests by adoptee and parent activists.
English Language
- Lost children of Francoism, Wiki, nd
- Spain look back on dark chapter of adoption, NBC News, March 1, 2009
- Where are the ‘lost children’ of the Franco regime?, Expatica, April 1, 2009
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On the trail of Spain’s stolen children, El Pais, March 7, 2011
- Spain’s stolen babies and the families who lived a lie. BBC, October 18, 2011
- A Good Overview of Los Ninos Robodos culture and history: The Children From the Franco Era: , Homeless, Landless...The Prisma, Dec 26, 2011
- Spain investigates tragedy of “stolen” newborn babies, BBC, March 30, 2011
- dreds of Spanish babies “stolen” from clinics and sold for adoption, the Guardian, Jan. 27, 2011
- 300,000 babies stolen from their parents: BBC documentary exposes 50-year scandal of baby trafficking by Catholic church in Spain, Daily Mail, Oct 16, 2011
- Did a Spanish nun steal thousands of newborns? PRI, April 3, 2012
- Spain to set up DNA database to track “stolen babies. Expatica, April 12 2012
- Spain’s four-decade baby snatching nightmare: What motivated the abductions? CBS Evening News, May 17, 2012
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40 years after Franco’s death, Spanish families look for stolen babies, Tico Times, November 20, 2015
- Film Reviews: Franco ’s Forgotten Childrenand Give Me Back My Child! Genocide Studies and Prevention. 2016
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Spain’s Lost Children. The British Academy, July 4, 2017
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First person to go to jail over Spain’s Franco-era baby-snatching scandal to be alleged victim. TheTelegraph, November 17, 2017
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Spanish authorities agree to open ‘stolen’ baby archives, BBC, May 24, 2018
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The ‘stolen babies’ trial in Spain finally shines a light on a scandal that cannot be forgotten, The Conversation, June 13, 2018
- The Past and Future of Spanish Catholicism, American Conservative December 30, 2018
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Babies were stolen from Spanish mothers and given to Franco allies; the first trial over the scandal is underway, CNN, June 26, 2018
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Spain to Begin the First Ever Franco-Era ‘Stolen Babies’ Trial. Time, June 26, 2018
- Franco’s ‘stolen babies’ speak out: ‘An apology is not enough’, EuroNews, June 28, 2018
- How Spanish Women Were Allegedly Targeted In ‘Stolen Babies’ Cases For Decades. NPR, August 17, 2018
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The Lost Children of the Spanish Civil War, Revista Vinculando, August 21, 2018
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In Spain’s ‘Stolen-Babies’ Scandal, Doctor Escapes Punishment, New York Times, October 8, 2018
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First of Spain’s confirmed “stolen babies” finds family through DNA bank, El Pais, July 11, 2019
Spanish Language
- Sor maria se niega a declarar ante el juez que investiga la causa de los “ninos robados,” El Economista, Dec 4, 2011
- Galicia investiga nueve denuncia de supuestos ninos robados y otra decenaha sido archivada, El Econonista, Mar 20, 2011
- La Policia nacional investiga mas de 80 denuncias de posibles nino robados en Malaga, El Economista, Mar 27, 2012.
- Un nuevo caso de ninos robados en un hospital de Madrid apunta sor Maria, , El Diario de Leon, May 5, 2012
- El “muro de la verguenza” de los ninos robados. El Mundo, May 5, 2012
- Asociaciones de ninos robados piden responsabilidad y honestidad a lost medios de comunicacion. El Economista, May 8, 2012
- Un juez investiga otro caso de “ninos robados” en el figura sor Maria, El Economista, May 8, 2012
- Ricardo Cortes denuncia en la EU el caso de los ninos robados y anima al Gobierno espanol a que “redoble los esfuerzos” La Informacion, May 20, 2012
Gobierno y Fascalia ponen sobre la mesa los casos de los ninos robados, Estrella Digital, May 22, 2012 - El cemetario colaborara con los ninos robados, Levante.emv.com
- El presidente de ACAL ve necesaria una mayor permisividad para que lqas familias de ninos robados ac cedan a los archivos, 20 Minutos, May 24, 2012
- Bastard Nation
- Los Ninos Robados: Spain’s Catholic Church accused of selling thousands into adoption, June 2, 2012
Videos
Updated June 2, 2019
My mum was born in Barcelona in 1940 and previous to her birth, her mother gave birth to a baby boy a year earlier to that, again in Barcelona. She was told that her child died after birth, she was a single mum and never married. I am wondering whether her son was one of these stolen children? Is there any way that I could find out if this was the case. I live in England and my mum settled in England when she was 18 years old.
Sorry I missed your post until now. I believe there is an organizationin Spain that iwsworking on this. I will look around to see if I can find more information. I was on their mailing list, but haven’t received anything for years.