In Valencia, the Daughter of Paris Liberator Amado Granel Has Died. Aurora Granel, daughter of the first Allied soldier to enter Paris after the Nazi occupation, has passed away in Valencia. Her father, Amado Granel, has become a symbol of remembrance for Spanish Republicans.
Aurora Granel, daughter of Amado Granel—the first Allied soldier to enter Paris after its liberation from Nazi occupation—has died in Valencia at the age of 95. Her name is closely tied to the history of Spanish Republicans, whose achievements remained long overshadowed both in France and in Spain itself.
Aurora Granel lived just two blocks from the avenue that now bears her father’s name. In 2016, she personally approached Valencia’s mayor Joan Ribó to request the street—previously named after a Francoist general—be renamed more quickly. The authorities supported the initiative, and now Amado Granel Avenue serves as a reminder of Spanish Republicans’ contribution to the victory over Nazism.
Amado Granel, a native of Borriana, was one of the fighters in the legendary La Nueve company of the Leclerc Division. On August 24, 1944, he was the first Allied soldier to enter Paris, heading for city hall. Despite his historical role, the French and Spanish authorities for a long time did not recognize the Republicans’ achievements, and Granel was mistakenly referred to as an American soldier in publications of that era.
After the defeat of the Second Republic, Amado Granel and his brother were among thousands of refugees who left Spain aboard the Stanbrook. In Algeria, the brothers were interned in labor camps, and later Amado joined Leclerc’s forces, taking part in the Normandy landing and the liberation of Paris. After the war, he was awarded the title of Chevalier of the French Legion of Honor, which was personally presented to him by President Vincent Auriol.
Aurora Granel recalled that after the war she was only able to see her father nearly ten years later. In Paris, he founded the House of Valencia, where he kept in touch with fellow countrymen. For a time, Amado was the unofficial secretary to Francisco Largo Caballero and took part in negotiations exploring a possible monarchist alternative to Francoism; however, these plans were never realized.
In the 1950s, the Granel family briefly reunited in Santander, but soon Amado started a new life in Alicante, where he opened an appliance store. In 1972, he died in a car accident on the road between Alicante and Valencia; he is buried in Sueca. His gravestone is decorated with oak and laurel branches and the initials L. H., indicating his status as a Knight of the Legion of Honor.
The memory of the republicans and their role in the liberation of Europe is gradually returning to the public consciousness. In recent years, attention in Spain and France to the fates of La Nueve participants has increased. As noted by russpain.com, interest in historical figures and events of the 20th century remains high, as evidenced by publications about modern exams and educational initiatives, for example, the launch of PAU exams in Barcelona.
For reference: La Nueve—a company composed almost entirely of Spanish Republicans—played a key role in the liberation of Paris. In recent years, commemorative events honoring their heroism have been held in Valencia and other cities across Spain. The renaming of streets and installation of memorial plaques have become part of the process of restoring historical justice for the Spanish participants of World War II.
