[jwi]

I'm sure those of you who are frequently visiting Siurana have heard rumours about “The Belgian Nazis”.

The big villa in the background of the picture below is now a nice hotel, but it used to be owned by a Belgian couple. Word on the street in Cornudella was that the husband used to be in Waffen SS and that they fled Belgium after the war, and also that General Franco helped them acquire the house.



The Belgian “Juan” Busye and his wife Anita Salden arrived just after the war, when there still was no electricity, no phone and no road to Siurana (a forest road from Prades was constructed in 1952 and the road to Cornudella was build in 1969) and it was said that the couple lived there in solitude because of their love of nature.

The journalist Toni Orensanz met Anita in 2002 to interview her about alpinism and the book she wrote with her late husband about the 3000-meter peaks of the Pyrenees. He then found out that she had burned all the photos and all documents stored in the villa after her husbands death. Orensanz began to investigate and the result is found in the book “El Nazi de Siurana”. Since Juan Busye is pictured wearing a Waffen SS uniform on the front cover of the book, I suppose there was something to the rumour after all....

[Source: http://www.cornudellablog.cat/el-nazi-de-siurana-desvetlla…/ {it's in Catalan, so all misrepresentations are mine, obviously}]

[duncan]

Fascinating! I had no idea about the history but we had jokingly referred to it as the James Bond villain's lair. Seems we were not so far from the truth. It would have been a great spot to keep a low profile if you didn't feel the need to go as far as Paraguay.

[jwi]

Siurana is a fascinating place as the last castle in Catalonia to fall during the reconquista. I find the story about the jump of the last moorish queen oddly touching.

[mrjonathanr]

Your timing is good. Tomirrow is Holocaust Memorial Day: 
http://hmd.org.uk

[Falling Down]

I've stayed there with my partner for a weekend before going to Primavera festival.  Nice place - but now I've read this I can see a certain "Eagles Nest" in the building and grounds.  It'd be interesting to read a translation of the book. 

[joel182]

Super fascinating, thanks for sharing, jwi!

[GazM]

Siurana is a fascinating place as the last castle in Catalonia to fall during the reconquista. I find the story about the jump of the last moorish queen oddly touching.

Forgive my ignorance, buts what's the story of the last moorish queen?

[jwi]

Siurana was the last Moorish stronghold in Catalonia. Held by the Muslims for more than two hundred years during the Reconquista, Siurana did not fall back into the hands of the Christians until 1153.

When the fortress fell, queen Abdelàzia — known for her outstanding beauty — rode her horse in despair over the cliffs edge. It is said that she still haunts the mountain, and can be heard during the darkest nights.

The cliff is still called “El Salto de la Reina Mora”

[GazM]

Yowzer.  Cheers for that, really interesting.  Do any route names around there reflect this? My Spanish is rudimentary at best so I wouldn't know.  There's a route called La Reina Mora, right? 

[SA Chris]

Siurana is a fascinating place as the last castle in Catalonia to fall during the reconquista. I find the story about the jump of the last moorish queen oddly touching.

Forgive my ignorance, buts what's the story of the last moorish queen?

She was very tasty?

[lagerstarfish]

couldn't get enough of her, just had to keep going back for more?

[GazM]

Or she was heathery?

[SA Chris]

couldn't get enough of her, just had to keep going back for more?

Exactly the point I was trying to make, only badly put.

[duncan]

The hotel has closed and the villa is is up for sale. POA.

Includes an 'Armoured Door', just the thing if you're a fugitive from justice.

[Teaboy]

This says built in 2008, is this the actual Nazi house or one built nearby?

[Fultonius]

This says built in 2008, is this the actual Nazi house or one built nearby?

I spotted that too - maybe renovated in 2008? The outside construction doesn't look very 2008...