The Spanish Ministry of Culture has awarded the National History Prize for 2026 to Miguel Ángel del Arco Blanco for his book La hambruna española: victoria y muerte en la posguerra (Editorial Crítica). The jury praised the work as a significant historical research effort that offers a renewed and revealing perspective on the famine during the early years of Franco's regime.
The prize, which carries a monetary award of €30,000, was announced following a jury meeting. The jury highlighted the book's rigorous analysis and deep understanding of the subject, noting that it effectively debunks the justifications presented by the Franco regime for the so-called “years of hunger” from 1939 to 1952, which were attributed to war disasters, international isolation, and a supposed “persistent drought.”
In their evaluation, the jury remarked that Del Arco Blanco employs a strong analytical prose that delves into the devastating famine that afflicted Spain, comparable to other European crises, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of thousands in the immediate post-war period. They described the famine as a catastrophe driven by a stagnant economic model and the dynamics of a dictatorial regime.
The jury further noted that La hambruna española: victoria y muerte en la posguerra is a fundamental historical work for understanding the effects of autarky and the consequences of using hunger as a mechanism of domination and punishment against the defeated in Spain.
In the previous edition of the prize, Juan Francisco Fuentes Aragonés was honoured, joining a distinguished list of past recipients that includes Encarnación Lemus, Ofelia Rey Castelao, and Santiago Muñoz Machado.
About the author
Miguel Ángel del Arco Blanco, born in Granada in 1978, is a professor at the University of Granada. His research focuses on the Spanish Civil War, the post-war period, and fascism, addressing themes such as political attitudes, repression, memory, and the Francoist famine. He has published works in both English and Spanish, including Los años del hambre. Historia y memoria de la posguerra franquista (2020) and Cruces de memoria y olvido (2022). His research has appeared in various national and international academic journals.
The jury
The jury was chaired by Jesús González González, Deputy Director General for the Promotion of Books, Reading, and Spanish Literature at the Ministry of Culture. Other members included representatives from various prestigious institutions, such as the Royal Academy of History and the Conference of Rectors of Spanish Universities (CRUE).
