1930s: A republic governs Spain for the first time since the collapse of the Roman Empire. The liberal Spanish Republic fails to maintain order among provincial and political groups, however, and it falls to a military coup in 1936.

Today: Spain is a parliamentary monarchy with democratically elected leaders, but the government in Madrid continues to be in conflict with separatists from the Basque country in the north.

1930s: Francisco Franco's forces execute thousands of intellectuals, liberals, and "undesirables" without trial.

Today: The death penalty and imprisonment without due process are illegal in the European Union, of which Spain is a member state.

1930s: Spain is enjoying a period of cultural achievement and literary prosperity, producing a new generation of poets, writers, and artists extremely important to the world literary scene.

Today: Spanish literature has blossomed since the death of Francisco Franco, but writings from...