Death Squad

work by Sastre

Also known as: “Escuadra hacia la muerte”

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Last updated

July 17, 2026

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The term "death squad" refers to extremist groups whose members kill suspected political adversaries and criminals.1

Alfonso Sastre, a Spanish playwright, wrote a play titled Escuadra hacia la muerte (1953), translated as Death Squad. This drama is set during the Cold War and depicts soldiers accused of offenses, condemned to guard a no-man's-land where they await an unknown enemy and face certain death. Sastre's work often presents individuals trapped in bureaucratic systems, struggling against overwhelming odds.2

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Spanish literature
Theatre
…Escuadra hacia la muerte (1953; Death Squad), a disturbing Cold War drama, presents soldiers who have been accused of “unpardonable” offenses and condemned to stand guard in a no-man’s-land where they await the advance of an unknown enemy and face almost certain death. Other plays demonstrate the socially committed individual’s…
Read More
…Escuadra hacia la muerte (1953; Death Squad), a disturbing Cold War drama, presents soldiers who have been accused of “unpardonable” offenses and condemned to stand guard in a no-man’s-land where they await the advance of an unknown enemy and face almost certain death. Other plays demonstrate the socially committed individual’s…
Read More