The Battle for Madrid and the Splintering of Families, 1936–1939

The Spanish Civil War displaced and split families, destroyed support networks, forced families into poverty, and led to a surge in family disputes. As a result, child removal and separation became the lot of much greater numbers of people. Widows of husbands lost to violence behind the lines formed one highly vulnerable group. Refugees and evacuees also frequently found their families split apart and poor families proved especially at risk. The mass evacuation of children also led to a surge in custody disputes. Despite the disruption of the war, the Madrid Juvenile Court pressed ahead with its work and many of its conservative members continued to exert a hold over the institution despite a strong shift in sentiment towards the left during the conflict. These officials continued to enforce traditional notions of morality and gender roles and savvy relatives could exploit this situation in custody disputes.