Ciudad Real, October 6, 2026 - Carmen Teresa Olmedo, the Deputy Minister of Culture of Castilla-La Mancha, visited the exhibition “Vivir y resistir: Intrahistoria de la ocupación francesa en el Archivo Histórico y los archivos municipales de la provincia de Ciudad Real (1808-1815)” on Tuesday. The exhibition is currently held at the Provincial Historical Archive of Ciudad Real and offers citizens access to previously unpublished documents and testimonies about daily life during the years of French occupation.
The exhibition aims to provide a closer look at the years of the Peninsular War, also known as the War of Independence in Spain, through documents preserved in both the Provincial Historical Archive and various municipal archives across the province. Olmedo emphasized the concept of “intrahistoria,” which focuses on the everyday experiences of the local population during a time characterized by occupation, uncertainty, and resistance.
“What we know about this period is often centered around great figures, major battles, politicians, and military leaders. However, we lacked knowledge about the intrahistory, the daily lives of the men and women in Ciudad Real, whose only purpose was to rise in the morning, work in the fields, and endure the hardships caused by war and scarcity while trying to support their families,”
Olmedo remarked.
She concluded by commending the team at the Provincial Historical Archive, stating that they are the custodians of the collective memory of the region. She also expressed gratitude to the municipal archives that contributed to the exhibition, which includes documents from Alcázar de San Juan, Campo de Criptana, Socuéllamos, Torralba de Calatrava, Almagro, and Almadén.
The exhibition will remain at the Provincial Historical Archive of Ciudad Real until September 2026 and will subsequently tour various municipalities in the province that request its presence. This initiative aims to bring documentary heritage closer to a wider audience.
Specifically, the exhibition will travel to Almadén in the second half of October, Alhambra in the first half of November, and San Carlos del Valle in the second half of November. It will continue to Granátula de Calatrava in early December, Almagro in the second half of December until January 10, Manzanares in late January, and Bolaños de Calatrava in early February. The exhibition will then move to Torre de Juan Abad in late February, Pedro Muñoz in early April, Almodóvar del Campo in late April, Fuente el Fresno in early May, Malagón in late May, and finally Valdepeñas, which will host the exhibition in early June, concluding its tour.
