The unmistakable aim of Francoism was to strip Catalonia of its nationhood. The Catalan language was restricted to use in private. Signs, the media, monuments and other symbols of the Catalan identity were dismantled or put at the service of the pro-Spanish nationalist discourse. Publishing in the Catalan language was outlawed and could only be done clandestinely. The history of the country was removed from text books and school curricula. Many teachers were subject to political cleansing. The leading cultural institutions were closed down or operated illegally in insecure circumstances.