The publication of the comic "Stolen Lessons" has become one of the most unique projects about historical memory in the Spanish educational field. Born in the classroom and now brought to the language of comics, this collective work brings together real testimonies of the Civil War and the Franco dictatorship, with special attention to the experiences of women who for decades were left out of the official narrative.
With performances in cities like In Jerez and Cartagena, the project aims to reach both the educational community and the general public.Using comics as a teaching tool to examine Spain's recent past, the work is part of a series of initiatives that seek to combat historical amnesia, challenge the propaganda inherited from the dictatorship, and open spaces for debate in schools.
A collaborative comic about historical memory
"Stolen Lessons. The Comic" adapts a previous educational project into a comic strip format. Focused on recovering family histories linked to 20th-century Spain, this is a collaborative work that intertwines stories about the Civil War, Francoist repression, and the democratic transition, always from the perspective of those who experienced these events firsthand.
The book includes real testimonies from grandmothers and great-grandmothersas well as those of others who suffered the consequences of political violence and censorship. Many of these voices had remained in the private sphere, whispered or barely shared within the family. The comic aims precisely to bring these silenced memories to light and place them in a public and educational space.
Posted by Vinatea Publishing HouseThe book is presented as a tool for understanding recent Spanish history beyond traditional textbooks. Its pages address topics that the Franco regime attempted to suppress. hide, distort or buryFrom the repression in the post-war period to the construction of an official narrative that left out a large part of the population.
One of the objectives emphasized by its promoters is to offer a "teaching of silenced history"It brings to the forefront uncomfortable or under-discussed episodes in school curricula. In this way, the comic not only tells stories from the past, but also invites reflection on how that past has been told and whose voices have had the right to be heard.
The project is also conceived as a tool against ignorance of the democratic past. in educational centers. In contrast to simplification or forgetting, "Stolen Lessons" advocates a more critical and nuanced approach, where students can compare versions, listen to direct testimonies and build their own opinion.
More than 30 authors in a collective work
The creation of "Stolen Lessons: The Comic" has brought together More than 30 cartoonists and scriptwriters from all over the State and even from outside Spain, combining the experience of established professionals with the drive of young talent. This diversity translates into very different graphic styles, but all articulated around the same common thread: the recovery of historical memory.
Among the most prominent names is the cartoonist Carlos Giménez, one of the great figures in comics about the Spanish post-war periodwho heads the cast of participants. Alongside him, the work features such renowned names as Paco Roca, FermÃn SolÃs, and Luis Chamizo, authors accustomed to working with themes of memory, identity, and the recent past.
In the case of Paco RocaHis contribution is part of a creative trajectory in which memory has been a recurring theme. The author has stated on several occasions that he is interested in telling stories that have not been told, or that have only been told from an official perspective. His participation reinforces the reflective and documentary nature of the project.
The comic is conceived as a work of a collective nature and social vocationAs explained in their presentations, the proceeds go to social projects through the Vinatea Foundation, adding a charitable dimension to the creative work. It's not just about disseminating historical memory, but also about supporting initiatives that work with vulnerable groups.
In addition to established firms, Young authors participate, contributing fresh perspectives and contemporary narrative resources.This generational balance allows historical narratives to connect with audiences of different ages, especially with students accustomed to visual languages ​​and graphic formats.
Origin: the educational project Books with Memory
The comic was born from the project "Books with Memory", coordinated by Geography and History professor Luis Vivaswho worked for almost three decades teaching Social Sciences. This project originated in Quart de Poblet (Valencia) as a school initiative based on direct student research.
The proposal was that The students will interview their relatives about his experience during the 20th century, especially in relation to the Civil War, the dictatorship, and the political and social changes that took place in Spain. From these conversations, texts and materials were developed that eventually formed the basis of a first book.
Among the works developed are proposals such as "Lessons from our grandparents" and "Stolen lessons. Why did we lose our memory?"These projects, developed in collaboration with alumni, refined a methodology focused on... oral history, the active involvement of the students and the connection between the family sphere and the classroom.
Over time, "Books with Memory" became established as a model for teaching recent historyIt has received awards for Education and Memory and has several published editions. The approach combines historical rigor with an emotional and ethical exploration of memory, emphasizing the importance of listening to those who lived through the events.
The transformation of this project into a comic book responds to the desire of expand the reach and adapt the content to formats that are more appealing to young audiences.The language of comics allows for the visual representation of scenes, emotions, and contexts that are sometimes more difficult to convey with text alone, offering a more accessible entry point to complex topics.
Memory, grandmothers and the teaching of silenced history
One of the most striking features of "Stolen Lessons" is the prominence given to grandmothers and great-grandmothers as guardians of family memory. In many homes, they were the ones who kept alive the memories of war, repression, or exile, although they often did so cautiously out of fear or pain.
The comic focuses on those Experiences of women who suffered political violence, poverty, and discriminationBut they rarely appeared in history books. Their accounts not only provide facts, but also an everyday perspective on how the dictatorship was experienced in towns, neighborhoods, and homes.
From a pedagogical point of view, the project is presented as an attempt to combat the lack of knowledge about the democratic past among younger generations. Its proponents point out that, in many schools, the period of the Second Republic, the Civil War, and the Franco regime is addressed hastily or superficially, or is barely touched upon.
By working with direct testimonies and graphic materials, The aim is to spark students' interest and promote critical thinkingThe stories told by elders allow us to put a face to major historical processes and connect dates and events with specific personal experiences.
In this sense, "Stolen Lessons" falls in line with Other initiatives for democratic memory that attempt to bring debates present in society into the classroomsuch as the recognition of the victims of repression, the exhumation of mass graves, and the re-examination of Francoist symbols in public spaces. The comic does not aim to close the debate, but rather to open it.
Presentations in Jerez and Cartagena: the project is making its way across Spain
The public tour of "Stolen Lessons: The Comic" includes presentation events in various Spanish citieswhere book promotion is combined with spaces for conversation about historical memory. Two recent stops have been Jerez (Andalusia) and Cartagena (Region of Murcia).
In Jerez, the work is presented at the School of Art and Higher Design, at 54 Porvera StreetThe event, scheduled for Wednesday, April 8th at 19:00 PM, is organized by Marea Verde in collaboration with the Jerez Memorial Group and the School of Art itself, emphasizing the role of the educational community in transmitting memory.
The Jerez meeting has been conceived as a an opportunity to reflect on historical memory from a local perspectiveConnecting the stories in the comic with the experiences of local families, the aim is for the audience, especially teachers and students, to identify echoes of their own family history within its pages.
In Cartagena, comics are part of the program "Cartagena Thinks"a series of cultural and critical thinking activities. The presentation takes place at the auditorium of the Roman Theatre Museum, on June 11, 2026 at 19:00 p.m., in an event co-organized by the Cartagena Historical Memory Association.
This meeting involves Luis Vivas Ramos, project coordinator, and two students who participated in the creation of the contentThey explain how they interviewed their elders and transformed those conversations into educational materials. The students' own presence underscores the participatory nature of the project and its integration into the classroom.
Both acts show how "Stolen Lessons" is not just a book, but becomes a space for intergenerational encounter.where senior citizens, teachers, students, and the general public share perspectives on the past and present. The presentations thus function as living extensions of the comic's content.
A teaching resource for thinking about the recent past
Beyond its literary and graphic merits, "Stolen Lessons" has established itself as a pedagogical resource for working on historical memory in SpainIts school origins and its adaptation to the comic book format make it especially suitable for use in secondary schools and educational centers.
The project is committed to a active methodology, in which the students become researchers from their own family and community history. By interviewing grandparents and other witnesses, students not only gather information, but also learn to listen, to formulate questions and to compare versions.
The comic works as Supporting material to introduce into the classroom debates that are often considered sensitivesuch as repression, censorship, and the lack of freedoms during the dictatorship. Because it is told through personal stories and vignettes, the distance between historical events and the students' everyday reality is reduced.
In addition, the work offers a counterpoint to the sugarcoated or simplified image of the dictatorship that still persists in certain discoursesContrary to the idea of ​​an era of order or progress, the pages of "Stolen Lessons" show the concrete consequences of political violence, fear, and silence in the lives of thousands of families.
For teachers, the book is presented as a flexible tool It can be used in subjects such as History, Ethics, or even Language and Literature, working on the analysis of testimonies, graphic storytelling, and the construction of collective memory. Its accessible style and collaborative approach facilitate its adaptation to different educational levels.
Overall, "Stolen Lessons. The Comic" has been carving out a niche for itself as An example of how comics and education can go hand in hand to address complex issues without sacrificing rigor or sensitivity. Starting as a project in a Valencian high school, the initiative has grown to become a benchmark for those seeking new ways to tell and understand Spain's recent history, giving a voice to those who were silenced for far too long.
