The innocent patriotic students of medicine

Abstract

Introduction: The tragic events of November 27^th, 1871, in which eight medical students lost their lives, marked the historical development of the Cuban nation.

Objective: To pay tribute to the fallen youth.

Methods: A qualitative methodology was followed, using historical-logical and documentary analysis as theoretical methods. Relevant information on the subject was consulted in primary and secondary sources.

Results: This obscure event was an exemplary lesson that Spain wanted to give in the face of the insurrectionary development that was growing on the island. For the first time in Cuban history, two courts martial were held in a case involving multiple defendants. In addition to the above, and as a singularity, although the alleged desecration was of a civilian nature, General Romualdo Crespo authorised a court martial in the field for them, which in the end resulted in two. Of the 45 accused students, 8 were sentenced to death, 2 were acquitted and another 35 sentenced to lesser penalties.

Conclusions: While the students were demonstrably innocent of the crime for which they were charged, they were not oblivious to the political atmosphere in the country. Both the abominable crime, and the inconceivable judicial process that preceded it, contributed to strengthening the independence sentiment of Cubans. The execution, faced with a courage worthy of their Cuban character, became a palpable symbol of the abyss that separated Cubans from the governmental mechanisms of the Peninsula and, by extension, of the imperious need for independence of the Antilles.