Fredbargate

The Government of Gibraltar noted the 30th anniversary of the partial opening of the border by Spain on December 15 1982 by reminding the people of Gibraltar, especially the younger generations, that on that day “the frontier between Gibraltar and Spain was opened for the first time after 13 years of total blockade”.

http://www.chronicle.gi/headlines_details.php?id=27218

Today it is still only partially open.

Pocaloca

Celebrations on the Spanish side too.

La Línea celebra los 30 años de la reapertura de la Verja con Gibraltar

The closure was a horrible, spiteful, cynical act by Franco which split up families and cause a lot of hardship on both sides. It's one of the reasons Spanish Gibraltarians hate Spain so much and want it to remain British.

Fredbargate

There are no Spanish Gibraltarians they are either Gibraltarian or not, although there are Spaniards living in Gibraltar as there were even in the closed frontier days.

Pocaloca

There's a very good documentary film about it, called La Roca - It is based on interviews with people who lived under the effects of the closure, on both sides of the border. See it if you can! It has English subtitles.

"In 1969 the only fascist dictator who survived WWII, Francisco Franco of Spain, closed the entrance to the British territory of Gibraltar, isolating 30,000 people without food, water, or telephone lines. In his words, the Rock will fall like ripe fruit. La Roca is an epic Romeo and Juliet-type love story between the massive Rock of Gibraltar and its neighboring Spanish city of La Linea. Despite being declared enemies by their countries, they used to be inseparable. Eventually, indoctrination on both sides forced the separation of thousands of mixed families. Over 13 years families met at the border every Sunday to look through binoculars at their estranged lovers, brothers, parents and babies - screaming, Daddy loves you, from a distance. "

Pocaloca

How very egalitarian of you! I hope you feel the same way about British-born Asians.