The Civil War marked the 1930s in Spain to the core. The conflict was felt in their society, in the culture, the economy, demographics and also in something as deep-rooted (and seemingly innocuous) as the Christmas Lottery. In fact, the war influenced the draw to such an extent that it left a unique chapter in its history, one that continues to arouse astonishment almost nine decades later: the December 22, 1938 Two El Gordo draws were held, two practically simultaneous ceremonies separated by 500 kilometers.
A reflection of the division of the country.
Two Christmas Lotteries? That’s how it is. The origins of the Lottery date back to 1812 and the ‘Christmas Raffle’ (as such) began to become popular around 1892, which has a very long history full of anecdotes behind it. One of the most surprising came in one of the most tragic episodes in the recent history of our country: in December 1938, in the middle of the Civil War, when a fragmented Spain saw how it was organized two different draws.
When and how? Both were celebrated on the same day: Thursday, December 22. Although between one draw and another there were actually a good handful of kilometers. One was organized in Burgos. The other in Barcelona, more specifically in the Café Lyon d’Or of the Rambla, in the ground floor of the Main Theater.
The coincidence of dates did not transfer to the drums either. That day they were lucky two numbers very different: in the Burgos draw the number 36,758 was awarded, which fell in Andalusia, Málaga more specifically. In Barcelona the winning figure was 22,655, sold in Barcelona itself.
But… What was the reason? What happened in Barcelona and Burgos actually has little mystery. In 1938 two Christmas draws were held because there were basically two Spains: the national one, which was the one that held the Burgos draw; and the republican, promoter of the Barcelona Lottery. In fact, once the war was over, in 1939, the draw returned to Madrid.
What were they looking for? The most curious thing is that in theory both the national and republican draws seek exactly the same thing: to appropriate one of the country’s Christmas traditions, play a propaganda trick and, in the process, raise funds in times of war. It is still ironic because it is often pointed out that the Christmas raffle itself was created in Cádiz, in 1812, with a war purpose: obtain resources with which to fight the French troops.
“In Cádiz, the Lottery was used to cover expenses, care for refugees and pay for the war. Apparently it was the Captain General of Cádiz, Gervasio Gasca, who proposed the implementation of the Lottery in order to find resources to alleviate the situation of the displaced and strengthen the resistance,” explained years ago to The Country Manuel Moreno, professor of history.
At the end of 1938 the scenario was quite different in Spain, but both the rebel and republican sides could use a resource injection.
Did the war affect the Lottery? For three years the shadow of war loomed over practically every facet of Spanish life. And the Lottery was no exception. The diary ABC remember that before the conflict the draw had been organized in Madrid, but after the uprising the Republic decided to move it to Valencia. The following year (1937) it was taken to Barcelona, where a raffle was even held in January 1939days before the arrival of Franco’s troops.
The rebellious side also ended up becoming interested in the Lottery, its symbolic value and sales. There are those who even slide that the shadow of the war and the division of the country was felt beyond the drawing of December 22, 1938, in the prizes distributed. At the end of the day, the winners of that edition were in a turbulent context that affected monetary policy and the economy.
Was it a special chapter? Yes. Although how they recognize from State Lotteries and Betting (Selae), if something is not missing in the history of El Gordo, it is special chapters. In 1938 two draws may have been held on the same day, but in 1837 “two first prizes of equal amount”. Another curious fact is that El Gordo was not always sung on December 22, as it is now.
Perhaps one of the greatest curiosities of the draw is that there are combinations that have come out lucky on several occasions. For example, 15.640 gave joy to those who played it in 1956 and then again in 1978. And something similar happened with 20.297, although on much more separate dates: in 1903 and 2006. At the opposite pole there are endings very ‘unattractive’like 09, 21 or 82.
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