Spanish Civil War Research Articles

Wpływ wojny domowej w Hiszpanii na aktywność terenową Komunistycznej Partii Zachodniej Białorusi i jej sympatyków w latach 1936–1939

The Spanish Civil War (1936–1939) activated many political circles operating in the Second Republic. It also influenced the activity of the communist movement and, after the dissolution of its structures in 1938, its former activists and sympathisers. The article is devoted to the manifestations of the field activity of communist structures and the influence of the Iberian Peninsula conflict on that part of the Belarusian society which favourably received the message formulated by local communists or coming directly from the USSR. Issues such as the propaganda illumination of the war in Spain, the reception of recruitment slogans for the army of the Republic, and the problem of inspiring a financial effort in its favour are addressed. The echoes of the Spanish conflict, considered in the context of the functioning of the KPZB and its supporters, make it possible to conclude that this was an important but not a priority direction in the Communists’ activities. At the same time, they were part of the trend of growing pro-Soviet sentiments observable among the Belarusian community of the Second Republic.

Spain in Our Ears: International Musical Responses in Support of the Republic during the Spanish Civil War. Ed. by Igor Contreras Zubillaga and Eva Moreda Rodríguez

<i>Spain in Our Ears: International Musical Responses in Support of the Republic during the Spanish Civil War</i>. Ed. by Igor Contreras Zubillaga and Eva Moreda Rodríguez

A place for laughs in Hell. Martínez de León’s cartoons: republican humour in the Spanish Civil War

In this article, we analyse the cartoons of Andrés Martínez de León, published in El Sol during the Spanish Civil War. Despite the war’s brutality, humour emerged as a vital tool, serving both as propaganda and a connection to pre-war normalcy. Martínez de León’s cartoons exhibit sharp satire, offering profound insights into the conflict. Our primary goal is to resurrect the work of this influential Andalusian graphic journalist and explore the narrative and visual techniques he employed. Through content analysis, we uncover how humour became a daily means of resistance, providing solace and commentary amidst the chaos and fear of war.

The War Routes in the European Tourist Market During the Spanish Civil War

The War Routes in the European Tourist Market During the Spanish Civil War

Book Review: Crosses of Memory and Oblivion: The Monuments to the Fallen in the Spanish Civil War (1936–2022) by Miguel Ángel del Arco Blanco

Book Review: <i>Crosses of Memory and Oblivion: The Monuments to the Fallen in the Spanish Civil War (1936–2022)</i> by Miguel Ángel del Arco Blanco

Fighting Fascism on Empire’s Doorstep

Abstract From 1936 to 1939, the Cuban magazine Mediodía brought together Communists, socialists, and other progressives in a common battle against fascism, imperialism, and racism. Published in Havana, Mediodía was centrally concerned with Cuban domestic politics, in particular with struggles for democratic representation and for racial and gender equality. But for the magazine’s editors, these battles could not be disconnected from the broader turbulence afflicting the world in the 1930s, from the Spanish Civil War to the Japanese occupation of China and the Nazi threat in Europe. As a case study in imaginative radical publishing, Mediodía would be worthy enough of scholarly attention. But it also provides a compelling window onto Cuba’s Popular Front politics of the 1930s. Not only were the antifascist, antiracist convergences reflected in Mediodía’s pages formative for a generation of Cubans; they also anticipated the ideological alliances that shaped the island’s trajectory after the 1959 revolution.

The Narrative Rhetoric of the Spanish Civil War: Examples from the Works of Three Left-wing Artists During the War

The Spanish Civil War, which broke out on July 17, 1936, has great significance throughout history. This civil war was a rehearsal for the Second World War that broke out later. Different national forces and different ideologies clashed and collided fiercely in Spain. This article will start with three left-wing artists who participated in the Spanish Civil War in different ways, Pablo Picasso, Ernest Hemingway, and Robert Capa, and analyze how these artists' works spread the special narrative of the Spanish Civil War. This article will use a documentary analysis approach to analyze the connotations that these three artists want to express through their different works. This article will also analyze how these artists played an important role in consolidating anti-fascist and anti-war consensus through their unique media.

Edward K. Barsky (1897–1975): Surgery, activism, and the Spanish Civil War

Edward K. Barsky (1897–1975) was born and raised in New York City and became a surgeon at Beth Israel Hospital. During the political upheaval of the 1930s, Barsky became passionate about the cause of the Spanish Republic during the Spanish Civil War, as the democratically elected government came under siege by insurrectionists led by General Francisco Franco. Barsky transformed his beliefs into action as a founder of the American Medical Bureau to Aid Spanish Democracy, where he led a medical mission to the Spanish frontlines from 1937 to 1939. In Spain, Barsky organized American hospitals and operated under fire, contributing to significant advances in battlefield medicine. After the fall of the Republic in 1939, Barsky returned to the United States and his career as a surgeon in New York while also dedicating himself to the cause of Spanish refugees. His political activities, however, made him a target of political persecution by the House Un-American Activities Committee, and he ultimately lost both his freedom and his medical licence. Barsky was a surgeon, scientist, humanitarian, and activist, and his life illustrates the often complicated ties between politics and the practice of medicine.

Beyond pain and sorrow: Dysphemistic use in wartime funeral cards

As little attention has been paid to dysphemism in death-related discourse, the goal of this study is to analyze the dysphemistic language in a sample of funeral cards, i.e., personalized keepsakes distributed at memorial or funeral services, of Nationalist Spaniards, including both combatants and civilians, who were killed in the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) and, by doing so, have access to the motivations and purposes underlying dysphemistic use in wartime funeral cards. The inductive, “bottom-up” analysis carried out demonstrates that dysphemism is used to express a negative evaluation of the political enemy through intense and emotionally charged language that refers to the cause and circumstances of the death, on the one hand, and to those responsible for the death, on the other. In this way, dysphemism creates a narrative atmosphere charged with contempt and hatred toward the political enemy and thus becomes a strategic tool of ideological propaganda.

Political discontent in Spain, diagnosis and solutions

The starting point is the presence of a widespread feeling of political confrontation and division among Spanish citizens. This is compounded by dissatisfaction with and distrust in a system that is perceived by many as elitist and out of touch with real needs. Several factors related to this perception of politics are explained and quantified. On the one hand, there are economic elements, such as the stagnation of GDP per capita, the persistence of a relatively high at-risk-of-poverty rate, and the rates of material deprivation. And in all these elements, a significant territorial inequality can be observed. There are significant differences between Spain, France and Germany over the period considered. On the other hand, political factors determine much of the public debate in Spain: Historical memory and the Spanish Civil War, as well as the terrorism of ETA and other terrorist groups. The emergence of new parties is analyzed, especially VOX. Finally, the enormous difficulty of finding a territorial structure of political power that would bring together the consensus of most political forces. It is necessary to find formulas for fiscal federalism that will make it possible to move away from the current decentralization of spending without the Autonomous Communities having their own tax capacity. This study concludes by pointing out the relevance of all these problems and the need to find solutions through democratic debate and deliberation with agreements.

The role of women during the Spanish Civil War

This study explores the multifaceted roles of women during the Spanish Civil War, examining the diverse perspectives delineated in academic literature. Leveraging scholarly articles sourced from Web of Science and Scopus spanning from 2013 to 2022, we analyse temporal trends, author demographics, scholarly impact, journal prominence, and thematic content. Our investigation culminates in the classification of contributions into six overarching themes: humanitarian aid and healthcare, biographical narratives, communication dynamics, experiences of exile and refugee communities, women’s mobilisation and ideological engagement, and the harrowing realities of repression and violence inflicted upon women. Furthermore, our findings reveal that research predominantly originates from Spain and is disseminated through Spanish-language journals. However, there exists a notable interconnection with the United States, evidenced by the participation of prominent North American authors and publication in non-Spanish journals. This research offers insights into the multifaceted roles of women during the Spanish Civil War and their academic representation.

Balancing efficiency and equity. Consumer cooperatives in Barcelona (Spain), 1898–1936: An economic and financial-ratio analysis

Economic theory tends to link the emergence of cooperatives with moments of economic crisis, and to regard them as less efficient than investor-owned firms. This work aims to test these premises by analysing the economic and financial performance of fourteen consumer cooperatives in Barcelona (Spain) from the late nineteenth century to the beginning of the Spanish Civil War in 1936. Economic and financial ratios are analysed, based on the cooperatives’ balance sheets, in order to identify strengths and weaknesses. The main conclusion is that these organisations could operate efficiently, although they found it difficult to grow and become more competitive.

The “Indios” of Spain and the Mexican Revolution: Racial Ideologies and the Labor of Internationalist Solidarity

This article examines the influence of the Mexican Revolution (1906–40) on Spanish anarchists’ views on racial and class solidarity. Whereas recent transnational studies of the Spanish Civil War (1936–39) have highlighted the conflict's lingering imprint on Latin American politics and society, this essay explores why Spanish anarchists interpreted the Mexican Revolution as an insurrection led by Mexico's Indigenous communities. It argues that such readings of the conflict, most of which were advanced by non-Indigenous revolutionaries, both challenged and reinforced racialized notions of social and political upheaval. This article therefore demonstrates how these views challenged orthodox interpretations of social revolution while exposing the obstacles to building internationalist solidarity among laboring classes in postimperial and postcolonial societies.

Heritage Education of Memory: Gamification to Raise Awareness of the Cultural Heritage of War

This study focused on the use of gamification, specifically the UrbanGame activity, to enhance heritage education related to the bombings of the Spanish Civil War in Alicante. The research aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of active methodologies in raising cultural heritage awareness among university students, particularly those in primary and secondary teacher training programs. The methods included the design and implementation of the UrbanGame, followed by surveys to collect quantitative and qualitative data on students’ perceptions, satisfaction, and learning outcomes. The results indicated that meaningful learning showed a positive trend towards content comprehension, and that motivation and concentration significantly influenced learning outcomes. Additionally, the UrbanGame activity promoted memory and cultural heritage by emotionally connecting students with local history, providing future teachers with innovative pedagogical tools for their teaching.

The “New Spain” and the Spanish Falange in Portugal During the Spanish Civil War: Information and Propaganda

This article aims to recover some of the most interesting aspects of the propaganda activity of the Spanish Falange in Portugal during the Spanish Civil War. The Spanish fascist organization, integrated into Franco's National Movement, developed a rearguard strategy to legitimize the military coup against the Second Spanish Republic. It recruited volunteer fighters for the insurgent army and fund-raising campaigns to finance its cause against Spanish democracy. Through a qualitative methodology and using primary sources of a diplomatic and newspaper nature, both Spanish and Portuguese, the functioning and media projection of the Falange in Portugal is analyzed and described.

¿“Arquitectura fascista” en España? Una discusión sobre su pertinencia conceptual y sobre su desarrollo fáctico en la posguerra española.

The historiography of 20th-century architecture has systematically avoided using the term “fascist architecture” in the case of Spain, unlike its counterparts “Nazi architecture” in Germany or “Fascist architecture” in Italy. A discussion is held on whether or not this conceptualisation is relevant, and four approaches to the problem are proposed: ultra-nationalism, palingenesis, totalitarianism, and Catholicism. The results show that Spanish architecture between 1931 and 1953 provides theoretical and material evidence of the process of fascistisation before and during the Spanish Civil War, and subsequently its slow de-fascistisation thanks to professional contact with the international environment and to the singular factor of national Catholicism.

La Narrativa Española de Posguerra

With the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), a new era began in Spanish literature. New promotions undertook the hard and difficult task of rebuilding the cultural life of the country even if they had to face different kinds of obstacles. The new poetic or novel productions were, without a doubt, the work of another generation. However, the literature of the first post-war years cannot be reduced to the production of those who joined it after 1939, given the invaluable contribution of highly distinguished personalities belonging to previous generations. If during the first post-war years, poetry had reached a certain development, the novel, already little cultivated in the preceding stage, remained stagnant in Spain until approximately 1945, at which time, for a series of reasons, among which we could mention the establishment of several literary awards, it began to replace translations of foreign authors. The political, economic, social and ideological consequences, in addition to the difficulties imposed by censorship, will influence the literary work of the moment and will, undoubtedly, constrain the creation of the novel

Urban Regeneration Assessment in Castilla and León (Spain): A Comparative Study of Proposals in Homogeneous Residential Neighborhoods Built Up during Developmentalism

Urban regeneration is perceived as an efficient solution addressing multiple problems in today’s cities, offering answers to the social, economic, physical, and environmental challenges faced by consolidated fabrics. This paper utilizes the assessment tool developed in the Urban Regeneration Strategy of Castilla and León to conduct a comparative analysis of proposals formulated since 2014 in neighborhoods built after the Spanish Civil War in this region. The aim is to validate the effectiveness of this methodology to establish the quality and sustainability of these initiatives and to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the cases analyzed. The results obtained endorse the operability of this evaluation process since it makes it possible to assess the scope of the planned measures at an early stage. This makes it possible to introduce improvements during the implementation phase or in future interventions, which will have a positive impact on their outcome. In any case, it is necessary to complement this study with analyses at later stages in order to establish an overall diagnosis of the real relevance of these operations.

Life on the Margins

Abstract This article examines a group of Polish, Jewish, and Polish Jewish women who volunteered in the auxiliary forces of the International Brigades in the Spanish Civil War. They traveled to Spain from various west European states, such as Belgium and France, and from Czechoslovakia, Poland, and Palestine. Although only a small percentage of these women traveled directly from Poland, in official documents they were categorized as Polish regardless of what country they traveled from. The article compiles the available fragments of historical knowledge on these women, addressing the various routes, reasons, and circumstances that led them to Spain. Their participation in the war was not an obvious outcome, but the discrimination and poverty they experienced in Poland made them more open to global leftist movements that encouraged their service in the International Brigades. These women represented the margins of many communities, as women, as representatives of the Jewish minority in Poland who had a complicated relationship with the Polish state, and as members or sympathizers of various left-leaning groups. Their lives were marked by multiple borders and often open hostilities that they encountered on their way to and from Spain. Their stories – as stories of people from the margins who left behind only fragmentary sources – remain largely forgotten and unclaimed by historiographies of the Spanish Civil War. This article aims to piece together fragments of the existing documents to begin telling their story.

Antifascist Atlantic: Anticolonial imaginations and the Spanish Civil War

ABSTRACT The Spanish Civil War (1936–1939) is a conflict widely characterized as international in its scale and Spanish or European in its causes, without much attention given to the conflict’s colonial implications. However, there are reasons to argue that the conflict, at the level of both causes and consequences, was connected to issues of Spanish imperialism in Latin America and North Africa as it was to the strictly European factors at play. In this essay, I privilege a perspective from the Global South rather than a Euro-Spanish understanding of this conflict. To that end, I write about the writings of Langston Hughes and Nicolás Guillén during the Spanish Civil War, both through their contact with well-known Republican leaders and with each other. Through these dialogues, Hughes and Guillén theorize the possibility of a Global North antifascism that, taken to its logical conclusion, becomes coherent and allied with Global South anticolonialism.