27 Oct, 2023 @ 12:22
1 min read

Clocks go back in Spain this weekend: But do YOU know the origin of the measure?

Clock

THE clocks will go back in Spain this weekend, despite EU officials being in favour of scrapping the measure. 

On Sunday, October 29, at 3am, the clocks will officially go back one hour in mainland Spain. 

In the Canary Islands, which are one hour behind, the clocks will go back at 2am.  

Daylight savings began in Germany at the height of World War One in 1916. 

It was a measure to save coal for use in weapons factories. 

The UK, US and Australia soon followed suit. 

It was only in 1940 that Spain decided to adopt the time changes. 

Hitler was visiting Spain in an attempt to persuade the then dictator, Francisco Franco, to pledge his support for Germany in the Second World War. 

General Francisco Franco, fascist dictator of Spain, decided to change the time zone in 1940. Photo: CSU Archives/Everett Collection.

Still recovering from the brutal Civil War, Spain remained neutral but did change their time zone to be in line with the Fuhrer. 

Since then, Spain has used Central European Time but campaigners have often called for a switch back to Greenwich Mean Time.

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Yzabelle Bostyn

Yzabelle Bostyn is an NCTJ trained journalist who started her journalistic career at the Olive Press in 2023.
Before moving to Spain, she studied for a BA in English Literature and Hispanic Studies at the University of Sheffield.
After graduating she moved to the university’s journalism department, one of the best in the UK.
Throughout the past few years, she has taken on many roles including social media marketing, copywriting and radio presenting.
She then took a year out to travel Latin America, scaling volcanoes in Guatemala and swimming with sharks in Belize.
Then, she came to the Olive Press last year where she has honed her travel writing skills and reported on many fantastic experiences such as the Al Andalus luxury train.
She has also undertaken many investigations, looking into complex issues like Spain’s rental crisis and rising cancer rates.
Always willing to help, she has exposed many frauds and scams, working alongside victims to achieve justice.
She is most proud of her work on Nolotil, a drug linked to the deaths of many Brits in Spain.
A campaign launched by Yzabelle has received considerable support and her coverage has been by the UK and Spanish media alike.
Her writing has featured on many UK news outlets from the Sun to the Mail Online, who contracted her to report for them in Tenerife on growing tourism issues.
Recently, she has appeared on Times Radio covering deadly flooding in Valencia.

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