According to historical sources, 19 Spanish pilots buried in Ganja's Cemetery No. 4 played an exceptional role in the life-or-death struggle against German fascism during World War II, in the airspace of Moscow, Leningrad, Odesa, the Caucasus, and especially Baku.
The arrival of Spanish pilots in Ganja, however, predates World War II. During the Spanish Civil War, which began in 1936, military training schools for Spaniards were opened in the former USSR, which supported the Republicans. One such school was in Ganja, where pilots were trained.
The building of Ganja City's Martyr Vugar Veysalov Full Secondary School No. 30 operated as USSR's Pilots School No. 20 from 1937 to 1939. During this period, Spanish pilots were also involved in various training and educational processes in the building.
Currently, a memorial museum for Spanish aviators operates in one of the school's classrooms. It features their photographs, military uniforms of cadets and instructors, airplane models, as well as newspaper articles about them.
According to historical sources, approximately 500 Spanish cadets were educated in Ganja, 193 of whom participated in battles against German fascism. Of those who died, 19 were buried in Ganja. This place, where a plaque inscribed with the words "Spanish and Soviet aviators who died while performing their duties" is located, is also an example of tolerance and an indicator of friendship between the Azerbaijani and Spanish peoples.