The Association for the Recovery of Masonic Historical Memory was born in Santa Cruz de Tenerife on September 16, with a regional vocation, as demonstrated by the balance of its board of directors, made up of six people from this Island and another six from Gran Canaria. It is chaired by Emilio Fresco, who clarifies that “in this group there are both Freemasons and those who are not.” And he adds: “We do not want to be a Masonic Lodge either, but only a group of people, men and women, whose objective is to recover the rich Masonic historical memory.”
Freemasonry in Canary Islands, assesses Fresco, «it has had an important and undeniable role that has left the imprint of its principles in the society of the Islands, which we consider very interesting. But Freemasons and their legitimate representatives in the lodges have to deal with Freemasonry. There are different obediences and, as the saying of the Carthaginians says, the Carthaginians speak».
They seek to reveal the historical role that many of these people have had in Canary Islands and Tenerife society when it comes to embodying their principles of “equality, freedom and fraternity as well as their values of tolerance and solidarity. That’s what attracts us.” Fresco highlights “the integration of many women interested in this.”
AND
Canary Islands.
The collective works “closely” with the associations of Historical Memory of Tenerife and Arucas, in Gran Canaria. The first is run by Mercedes Pérez Schwartz, the granddaughter of José Carlos Schwartz, the last Republican mayor of Santa Cruz. Mason, “according to what they say,” says Emilio Fresco. His body was never found and that has made him a symbol of a repression that “made hundreds of Tenerife people disappear”.
These entities, he explains, “defend memory in a broader way, but we extend ourselves in time in the sense that Freemasonry has had a history, before and after, that of the period of the dictatorship, despite the fact that it was very significant for the persecution.” Questioned about the trend politics of the Masons, Fresco responds that «there were divergences, because there were soldiers or people from the right as well as from the left. They say that in the lodges they don’t talk about politics.
AND
Multidisciplinary.
Fresco states that “we seek to highlight those anonymous and unknown people today who embodied the principles of Freemasonry” in medicine, law, education or politics, because they stood out in many fields. He gives examples: Emiliano Díaz Castro, José Gerardo Martín Herrera, Ernesto Castro… In their work “they shaped that imprint”, Fresco adds. «For us it is the most interesting, although we must recognize those who suffered persecution for being Freemasons. Today nobody thinks of asking if you are a Catholic or a Mormon, but you are a Freemason».
The association focuses on recovering the Masonic legacy through documentary references or the oral testimony of people still alive, especially families. A path to research and an academic structure with which they want to collaborate.
AND
Justice.
A reflection: «It seems fair to us to do this with those who, between the persecution and a certain secrecy that surrounds the Masonic world, have gone into anonymity without having the social recognition they deserve». Emilio Fresco also considers that “what attracts, in general, is the anecdote of the secret and not the substantial part, that imprint that, we insist, have left on society, its principles and values.” He highlights “the task of helping and solidarity towards others, not in the conference or politics, but in everyday life, on a day-to-day basis. That is the richest part of Freemasonry.
AND
Symbol.
Fresco explains that “there was also a Masonic temple in Gran Canaria that was not preserved nor did it have the artistic beauty of the one on Calle San Lucas.”
The association understands that “the great success of the Santa Cruz City Council was to acquire the building from the Ministry of Defense when it was up for auction.” “The future of the property will depend on what the Consistory does, but the normal thing is that it was a meeting place and a museum,” he says.
AND
Memory.
The association understands that the Temple of San Lucas could be the monument to the historical memory of the entire Canary Islands, not only of Freemasonry (they have already transferred the petition to the Canarian Government). “Because it is the only one left and it would be a regional reference.” The Canarian Historical Memory Law considers the specific figure as a symbol and the association values that “it would be the ideal”. It would bring together all the memories of that memory, including the documents kept in the Salamanca Archive, which have not yet returned to the Islands, despite promises. “At least the copies,” says Fresco.
The president of the group adds that the temple could be the virtual center of the Memory that also contemplates the norm. “A general meeting point and of the Masonic one, in particular”, he sums up. He points out that repair and maintenance would correspond to the administrations, always from the concept of the public, “for everyone and specialists.” The association is in the period of establishing contacts. For example, with universities. There has been “a response from society and academic interest,” concludes Fresco.
The repression of Freemasons and Freemasonry during the Franco regime was “brutal,” Fresco points out. Everything that sounded like that “became anathema and the simple fact of being so was already punished.” The Historical Memory is “necessary, especially so as not to repeat it”, he stresses before adding: “I understand what is done when there are two trenches, as in the Civil War, but in a place like this where there was no war, the repression was totally disproportionate in the search for the extermination of the opponent. Hence not repeating it.” Emilio Fresco (Santa Cruz de Tenerife, 1951) is an industrial engineer and retired civil servant from the Government of the Canary Islands, Head of the regional Energy Service for more than three decades, as well as councilor of the Cabildo and councilor in Santa Cruz. In other words, with experience in all administrations. He also serves as secretary of another recently created entity, the Energy Forum
Object of “brutal” repression
. | JDM
