The anthem is one of the few in the world that normally has no lyrics. Spaniards often hum, or stand silent when it is played. A lyricized version by singer Marta Sanchez has been praised by Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy.
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Spanish pop singer Marta Sanchez reignited a national debate over patriotism when she performed the national anthem, with her own added lyrics, at a concert in Madrid on Saturday.
The Spanish national anthem, known as the "Royal March," is one of the few in the world that does not contain any lyrics and Spaniards often hum or just stand silent when it is played.
Sanchez's performance of the anthem caused both praise and criticism, in a country that is still reeling from the political crisis that was sparked by the recent Catalan secession movement in October 2017. The conflict, triggered by the former Catalan government's referendum to secede from Spain, has forced uncomfortable conversations about nationalism and patriotism among citizens all around the country.
Catalonia says yes, Madrid says no
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After her performance, the singer told media outlets that she wrote the lyrics over a year ago, while living in Miami. Sanchez said she was feeling homesick and longing for Spain at the time. Among the words in her anthem, she sang: "I come home, my beloved homeland, where my heart was born. Today I sing, to tell you all the pride I have."
The singer's efforts were widely commented on by media outlets, public figures and on social media. A video of the performance online reached more than one million views. Sanchez responded to detractors by saying that she "felt bad for those who don't approve," adding that if people did not feel proud of being Spanish, then they should "go live somewhere else."
Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy reacted positively and openly about the controversy via Twitter, thanking Sanchez for her performance. "Very good initiative. The vast majority of Spaniards feel represented," he wrote.
Not all politicians were so jubilant. Pablo Echenique, member of Spanish opposition party Podemos, said he valued the "creativity" of the singer, but felt that real patriotism should go beyond symbolic gestures. "We understand that patriotism is not just symbols, flags or anthems, it is also public health, public education and worker rights for people in this country," Echenique said.
The Spanish Socialist party also abstained from praising the patriotism in Sanchez's rendition. Socialist party member Carmen Calvo responded to the debate by only saying "our anthem does not have lyrics and that's that."
The "Royal March" dates back to the 18th century and its composer is unknown. A century later, it became the official anthem of the country, except during the first (1873-1894) and second (1931-1939) republics. Spanish dictator Francisco Franco re-established it during the Spanish civil war (1936-1939) and, in 1975, it was included in the constitution of the present-day democratic government.
Catalans, Galicians, Basques and more: Spain's many nationalities
With a strong identity of its own, Catalonia is now at the center of a tug-of-war between the central government and autonomous authorities. To differing degrees, various parts of Spain have strong national self-images.
Image: Reuters/J. Nazca
A Roman province
The Romans had several provinces with Hispania in their names on the Iberian Peninsula. Modern Spain also encompasses such wide cultural diversity that the Spanish themselves speak of Las Espanas (The Spains). The country in its present form was never united under a single ruler until after the 1702-14 War of the Spanish Succession.
Image: picture-alliance/Prisma Archivo
A nation of regions
Spanish nationalism is strong in many regions, with former kingdoms such as Aragon largely content to be recognized as part of the Spanish nation-state. Asturias has its own language, but takes pride in its role as the birthplace of the Reconquista, or the taking back of Iberia from the Moors. Spanish nationalism was evident in recent years in Madrid in response to Catalonia's referendum.
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Bloodied fingers
Catalonia has long battled for independence. Its flag, the Senyera, is very similar to that of Aragon, to which it once belonged. The design is fabled to represent four bloodied fingers of Count Wilfred the Hairy being passed over a gold shield. Catalans were fairly happy with their situation until a court struck down the region's statute of autonomy in 2006 and support for independence grew.
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No great appetite
Valencianismo, or Valencian nationalism, sprang out of the Renaixenca, an early-19th-century rebirth of the Catalan language, of which Valencian is just one variant. However, nationalist sentiment is not widespread in the region, which is home to Spain's Tomatina tomato-throwing festival. The Valencian Nationalist Bloc usually gets about 4 percent of the vote for the autonomous parliament.
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Other Catalan territories
The Balearic Islands — Mallorca, Ibiza, Menorca, Formentera — all speak variants of Catalan. Though there is a greater nationalist feeling on the islands than in Valencia, it is still more subdued than in Catalonia. Meanwhile, La Franja, a strip of Catalan-speaking land in Aragon, was split by the independence referendum, though most residents do not advocate self-determination for themselves.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/P. Seeger
The Basque Country
Because of terror attacks by the ETA militant group, Basque separatists used to make the headlines far more often than Catalonia's independence movement. Separatists consider the Basque Country in France and Spain and the region of Navarre to be one nation. About a third of people want full independence, but most want more autonomy. A referendum proposed in 2008 was ruled illegal.
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The Galician cause
Although it was the birthplace of the centralist dictator Francisco Franco, Galicia has the strongest tradition of separatism after Catalonia and the Basque Country. Even Spain's mainstream national parties display a streak of Galicianism in the region. Perhaps as a result, starkly nationalist parties receive a lower share of the regional vote.
The Arabic name al-Andalus originally refers to the areas of the Iberian Peninsula that were under Moorish rule for 760 years. As Christians reconquered territories, the area known as Andalusia shrank southwards. Most Andalusians voted for autonomy after Franco died in 1975, but there is little appetite for full independence.