Spanish in French Labour Camps

Anrtwerp and Flushing, 1811-1814

Abstract

The Spanish War of Independence anticipated certain elements of the total war characteristic of the twentieth century, particularly in the way prisoners of war were treated. This article is a micro-historical reconstruction of the circumstances of the route followed by the defenders of Ciudad Rodrigo when they were deported to Imperial France in 1810-1811, as well as their living conditions in the labour camps of the region around the mouth of the Schelde river, where many of them were confined from 1811 to 1814. Finally, a comparison is made of the cases of Antwerp and Flusing, which used two partially different management systems for these kinds of camps.