Francisco Griéguez Explained

Francisco Griéguez
Birth Name:Francisco Griéguez Pina
Birth Date:25 October 1918
Birth Place:Murcia, Spain
Death Place:Gardanne, France
Spouse:Juana
Allegiance:Republican faction
Battles:Spanish Civil War
World War II

Francisco Griéguez Pina (25 October 1918 – 20 June 2018) was a Spanish soldier from Murcia who fought in the Spanish Civil War and World War II. He was the last survivor of the Nazi concentration camps from Murcia.

Francisco Griéguez was born 25 October 1918 in Murcia. As a young man, he worked in a toy factory before the Spanish Civil War began. At age 17, Griéguez enlisted as a Republican volunteer.[1]

In 1939, following the Catalonia Offensive by the Nationalists, Griéguez went into exile in France. There, he joined the 27th Company of Spanish Workers, which was bound to defend the Maginot Line from German forces. In June 1940, Griéguez was arrested by the Gestapo.[2] He was sent to Stalag XII-D, a prisoner-of-war camp in Trier. On 3 April 1941, he was transferred to the Mauthausen concentration camp. On 5 May 1945, over four years later, Mauthausen was liberated by US forces. Griéguez returned to France, where he settled in Gardanne.

In 1975, following the death of Francisco Franco, Griéguez was able to visit Spain, although he continued living in Gardanne.

By 2017, Griéguez was the last living Murcian survivor of the Nazi concentration camps.[3]

Griéguez died 20 June 2018 in Gardanne at the age of 99. He was survived by his wife Juana.

Notes and References

  1. News: Peñalber . Víctor . 20 June 2018 . Fallece Francisco Griéguez, el murciano superviviente de Mauthausen . es . . 22 June 2018.
  2. News: 21 June 2018 . Fallece el murciano Francisco Griéguez, uno de los prisioneros de Mauthausen . es . . Vocento . 23 June 2018.
  3. Web site: Hernández . Carlos . 2017-06-29 . La ciudad de Murcia aprueba reconocer y homenajear a sus vecinos deportados a los campos nazis . 2022-11-08 . elDiario.es . es.