Bombing of Durango

The Bombing of Durango took place on 31 March 1937, during the Spanish Civil War. On 31 March 1937 the Nationalists started their offensive against the Republican held province of Biscay. The same day the Legion Condor and the Aviazione Legionaria bombed the town of Durango. Around 250 civilians died, among them one priest and fourteen nuns. Durango was the first defenseless European city bombed. The Nationalists never acknowledged their guilt.

Background
On 31 March 1937, the Nationalist forces, led by Emilio Mola, started the offensive against the Republican held, Vizcaya Province. Mola said that: "I have decided to terminate rapidly the war in the north: those not guilty of assassinations and who surrender their arms will have their lives and property spared. But, if submission is not immediate, I will raze all Vizcaya to the ground, beginning with the industries of war". The same day the Nationalist bombed the towns of Durango and Elorrio.

The bombing
Durango a town of 10,000 inhabitants was a road and railway junction between Bilbao and the front. It had no air defenses or any form of military presence. On 31 March, heavy bombers (German Ju-52 and Italian Savoia-Marchetti SM.81) from the Condor Legion and the Aviazione Legionaria bombed the town in relays. Two churches were bombed during the celebration of mass, killing 14 nuns and the officiated priest. Furthermore, Heinkel He 51 fighters strafed fleeing civilians. Altogether, around 250 civilians (Thomas:248; Beevor:250 and Preston: 258 ) died in the attack. Durango became the first defenseless European city bombed, twenty days before the town of Guernica.

Aftermath
On 28 April, Durango fell to the nationalists. The nationalists never acknowledged their guilt in the death of civilians. They said that the priest and the nuns were killed and burned by the reds. Queipo de llano said that: "our planes bombed military objectives in Durango, and later communists and socialists locked up the priests and nuns, shooting without pity and burning the churches".