Spain

Activist, Search and Support Organizations

SOS Bebes Robados
National Association of Irregular Adoptions (ANADIR)

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
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
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
Spain’s Lost Children. The British Academy, July 4, 2017
First person to go to jail over Spain’s Franco-era baby-snatching scandal to be alleged victim. TheTelegraph, November 17, 2017
Spanish authorities agree to open ‘stolen’ baby archives, BBC, May 24, 2018
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
Babies were stolen from Spanish mothers and given to Franco allies; the first trial over the scandal is underway, CNN, June 26, 2018
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
The Lost Children of the Spanish Civil War, Revista Vinculando, August 21, 2018
In Spain’s ‘Stolen-Babies’ Scandal, Doctor Escapes Punishment, New York Times, October 8, 2018
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