Los polacos en la Guerra Civil española (1936-1939): durante el conflicto y después

Jacek Pietrzak

doi:10.5209/chco.78176

Abstract

Polish citizens and people of Polish descent played a considerably significant role in the Spanish Civil War. They fought on both sides of the conflict, however, most of them in the Republican Army (4,500-5,000 among ca. 35,000 soldiers of the International Brigades). Approximately 75% of them comprised of immigrants, mainly from France, who were predominantly either activists or supporters of the French Communist Party. Only 600-800, or according to some sources 1200 individuals, the majority of whom were communists (80% or more), were believed to come directly from Poland. The highest number of volunteers fought within the ranks of 13th Brigade “Jarosław Dąbrowski”, which took part in the major key operations and suffered huge losses amounting to 30-40%. A few dozens of Poles fought in the Gen. F. Franco’s National Army. Most of them were professional soldiers of the Spanish Foreign Legion, who had joined it before the war broke out, so their participation in the war was not dictated by ideological reasons. The author adopts synthesizing approach to portray the Polish soldiers fighting for each side of the conflict, including their background and involvement in the most important military operations. The article pays an attention to the fates of Polish veterans of the International Brigades referred to as “Dąbrowszczacy” during the World War II and, following this, an attempt to demonstrate the specific role and changes “Dąbrowszczacy” were undergoing within the political system of the Polish People’s Republic (PRL).

Highlights

Polish citizens and people of Polish descent played a considerably significant role in the Spanish Civil War. They fought on both sides of the conflict, most of them in the Republican Army (4,500-5,000 among ca. 35,000 soldiers of the International Brigades)
During the period of the Polish People’s Republic (PRL), many books and articles attached the topic of Poles in the International Brigades, but almost all of them followed the typical propaganda line of that period
This article presents a general outline of the problem and author’s attempt to portray Polish citizens fighting on both sides of the conflict, including their background and involvement in the main military operations

Summary

Introduction

The participation of Polish citizens and people of Polish descent in the Spanish Civil War did not raise wide academic interest of historians in Poland after the political transformations at the turn of 1980s and 1990s. During the period of the Polish People’s Republic (PRL), many books and articles attached the topic of Poles in the International Brigades, but almost all of them followed the typical propaganda line of that period. A few interesting monographies appeared but with the focus on the attitude of the authorities of the Second Polish Republic towards the conflict as well as its records in Polish writings and public debate. The post-war fates of Polish soldiers of the International Brigades as well as the role of their legend in the PRL’s propaganda and historical policy has been researched. This article presents a general outline of the problem and author’s attempt to portray Polish citizens fighting on both sides of the conflict, including their background and involvement in the main military operations. An attention is paid to the post-war fates of veterans, including their role during the World War II as well as in the political system of PRL

Fighting for the Republic

The “Dąbrowszczacy” after the Spanish War

In the Rebel Army

56 Among the imprisoned were

Findings

Conclusion