Friends and Families of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade at the unveiling of the UCM Memorial.
On December 24, 1936, 92 Americans boarded the Normandie in New York City and headed for Cherbourg, France. Within a month, they were in Spain, the first of nearly 2600 Americans who went to fight for the Republican government. Nearly half of those Americans remained under Spanish soil, some without any hope of their families finding the mass graves they were buried in.
The Spanish Civil War lasted until 1939 and augured the disaster that was to befall Europe. Franco, who led the rebel forces which attacked and defeated the Republic of Spain, would never have succeeded without Hitler's Condor Legions and Mussolini's Black Shirt troops and tanks. Spain was the first battle in the Second World War.
JekyllinHyde wrote a wonderful two part review on the war in Part I and Part II.
In 2011, a memorial (see the photo above) was placed at the University Complutense de Madrid to the Brigidistas who fought there. Within days, the memorial was defaced with red paint and the word "Rojas" or "Reds". Also within days, Miguel Garcia, a right wing lawyer, had filed a suit to have the monument removed based on a technicality... the local government had not approved the mounting of the monument at the University.
Yesterday, the Tribunal Superior de Madrid ruled. The sad news is over the fold.
The Court ruled that the International Brigade memorial at the UCM must be removed. The University has 10 days to respond and 90 days to remove the memorial. El Mundo article is here.
This has gotten some coverage in the Guardian newpaper in London, but nothing in the US Press.
In response, the Association of the Amigos of the Brigadas Internationales (AABI) has started a petition to protest the ruling and to get the Spanish Government to intervene.
I would ask Kossacks to consider adding your names to this petition. In the first 24 hours, 6500 names have been added to the petition.
In England, the International Brigades Memorial Trust is sponsoring letters to the Spanish Ambassador to Great Britian.
In the US, the Abraham Lincoln Brigades Archives and the Friends and Families of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade are making similar representations to the Spanish Ambassador to the US. Concern over this can be addressed to the Spanish Embassy in Washington at emb.washington@maec.es.
Regardless of what you think (or don't think) about the Spanish Civil War, this attack on the memory of the International Brigades is nothing less than kicking over gravestones in a cemetery. It is shameful on the part of Spain and hurtful to the families of the Brigadiers. I know since my Father fought in Spain.
This petty and vindictive attack on the memory of the Brigade will not stand. No pasarons!