Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership. During World War II, Spanish anarchists worked with the French Resistance, engaging in actions both on the homefront and abroad. Info. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Other parts of the country were supportive; anarchists in Barcelona took care of the strikers' children (about 13,000 of them)[6] while the CNT federation of Logroño had offered to take care of as many as 5,000. In mid-March, several hundred anarchists who had opposed the militarisation of the militias abandoned the front and took their weapons to the Catalan capital. Over a quarter of the population of Barcelona attended Durruti's funeral. [36] Today, the FIJL has presence in Asturias, Cádiz, Donosti, Granada, Lorca (Murcia) and Madrid.[37]. Probuzhdeniye, N°23-27, June-October 1932, pp. Attachment. Services . They resulted in thousands of jailed anarchists and a wounded movement. Troops moved into all major cities and the strike was quickly crushed. One exception was Durruti..." (Memorias de Dolores Ibarruri, p. 382). Lockouts became more frequent. Initiatives for decisions came largely from the individual unions. [38] It publishes a review titled Mujeres Preokupando (Concerned Women). Many anarchists responded to police violence by becoming pistoleros themselves. [29] In 1969, Miguel García García became International Secretary of the ABC. Anarchists, seeing the hostility from previous allies on the Left, reshaped the nature of their movement in Spain. 19,340 resistance fighters were arrested over this time interval. However, there are a few recorded cases in which anarchists enforced their own beliefs with violence; one observer reports incidents in which pimps and drug dealers were shot on the spot. [32][33] In the year 2007 it claimed itself to be the direct continuation of the previous FIJL, since it did not have news from the insurrectionist organization. The CNT is still active today. Barricades sprang up in the streets. Shopping. [12] In 1956, Igualada published an extensive treatise on Stirner, which he dedicated to fellow individualist anarchist Émile Armand. It is largely because of the militancy on the part of the unions, both anarchist and communist, that the Rebel forces did not win the war immediately. There also emerged a small individualist anarchist movement based on publications such as Iniciales and La Revista Blanca. There was also concern with the growing power of authoritarian communists within the government. Boston University Libraries. Another group, Mano Negra (Black Hand), was also rumoured to be behind various assassinations and bombings, although there is some evidence that the group was a sensational myth created by police in the Civil Guard (La Guardia Civil), notorious for their brutality; in fact, it is well known that police invented actions by their enemies, or carried them out themselves, as a tool of repression. Date: June-October 1932 Source: Probuzhdeniye, N°23-27, June-October 1932, pp. An uprising took place in December 1933. Nevertheless, it flourished, and anarchism became the favoured type of radicalism among two very different groups, the factory workers of Barcelona and other Catalan towns and the impoverished peasants who toiled on the estates of absentee owners in Andalusia. "The Anarchists" (referring to the Spanish CNT and FAI) were "in control", tipping was prohibited by workers themselves, and servile forms of speech, such as "Señor" or "Don", were abandoned. Women had played a large part in many of the struggles, even fighting alongside their male comrades on the barricades. Many of the normal motives of civilized life—snobbishness, money-grubbing, fear of the boss, etc.—had simply ceased to exist. His house was burned down, his family was killed, and the anarchists who previously surrendered peacefully were shot. Anarchists Win Spanish Civil War Flag of the Revolutionary Republic Of Spain In 1936, the variety of forces fighting Franco unified into one group; the United Front. Indeed, much of Spain seemed to be radiant with revolutionary fervor; along with waves of general strikes (as well as mostly successful strikes with specific demands), it was not uncommon to see anarchist literature floating around ordinary places or common workers discussing revolutionary ideas. This was a period of mutual violence, in which anarchist groups including Los Solidarios assassinated political opponents. The CNT and the FAI became phantom organizations in exile. Many of these strikes had no visible leadership but were initiated purely by the working class. Even places like hotels, barber shops, and restaurants were collectivized and managed by their workers. The miners' strike began with attacks on barracks of the Civil Guard. "I find great pleasure in being naked in the woods, bathed in light and air, two natural elements we cannot do without. 29 April 1931. Emma Goldman said: "With Franco at the gate of Madrid, I could hardly blame the CNT–FAI for choosing a lesser evil: participation in government rather than dictatorship, the most deadly evil."[25]. The Spanish anarchists failed during the Civil War largely because, expert though they were in spontaneous street fighting, they did not have the discipline necessary to carry on sustained warfare; the columns they sent to various fronts were unsuccessful in comparison with the communist-led International Brigades. Usually, repression by police reduced the numbers again, but at the same time further radicalized many strikers. When the call got to Barcelona by word of mouth, the response was yet another strike by all railway and trolley workers. In the region of Alcoy, workers struck in 1873 for the eight-hour day following much agitation from the anarchists. Los Solidarios stopped using violence with the end of the Primo de Rivera dictatorship, when anarchists had more opportunities to work aboveground. Clothes mean slavery for some and tyranny for others. As many as 400 people were brought to the dungeons of the castle of Montjuich in Barcelona. Pistoleros, or assassins, were hired to kill union leaders. Throughout the 19thcentury, peasant rebellions and military coups had broken out regularly, but none had shaken the hold of the aristocracy. The Government tried to appease the workers, who were clearly on the verge of insurrection. The closest thing to a radical movement was found amongst the followers of Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, known as federalists, the most famous of whom was Francesc Pi i Margall (named, upon his death, "the wisest of the federalists, almost an anarchist" by anarchist thinker Ricardo Mella). The more radical elements of the CNT-FAI were not satisfied with electoral politics. ANARCHISM IN THE SPANISH CIVIL WAR The overlooked struggle in the Civil War was undoubtedly the revolutionary activities of the anarchists that set out to build a new society as they defended themselves against the military uprising. A new organization, the Federation of Workers' Societies of the Spanish Region, was formed in 1900. The Popular Front parties began to lose control. Twelve were given life imprisonment and five were executed, including Francisco Ferrer, who was not even in Barcelona at the time of the insurrection. The Spanish Federation became decentralized, now dependent on action from rank-and-file workers rather than bureaucratic councils; that is, a group structured according to anarchist principles. These small gains were largely destroyed by State repression, which by the mid-1870s had forced the entire movement underground. The Anarchists of the Spanish Civil War. … Rarely was violence directed towards civilians. Later Armand and Ryner started publishing in the Spanish individualist press. Although the most famous anarchist leaders, Bakunin and Kropotkin, had been Russian, the anarchist movement had never been strong in Russia, partly because the larger Socialist Revolutionary Party had greater appeal to the peasantry. So fell the uprising, with great violence upon the rebels, but also with great unity and revolutionary fervor amongst the working classes. Early on, the success of the anarchist movement was sporadic. Info. It has been hailed as a masterpiece. [11] In his youth he engaged in illegalist activities. With my fraternal best wishes, Nestor Makhno. The CNT/AIT claimed the original "CNT" name, which led the CNT/U to change its name to Confederación General del Trabajo (CGT) in 1989, which retains most of the CNT's principles. However, in the short term, the Naturist and Libertarian movements grew apart in their conceptions of everyday life. Whereas anarchism in Spain was previously disjointed and ephemeral, even the smallest of towns now had organizations and took part in the movement. Spain entered the 20th century as one of the most backward countries in Europe. By the time of the Spanish Civil War, the anarchist movement outside Spain had been destroyed or greatly diminished as a result of the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the rise of right-wing totalitarian regimes. In 1936 the anarchists, who over the decades had become expert urban guerrillas, were mainly responsible for the defeat of the rebel generals in both Barcelona and Valencia, as well as in country areas of Catalonia and Aragon, and for many early months of the Civil War they were in virtual control of eastern Spain, where they regarded the crisis as an opportunity to carry through the social revolution of which they had long dreamed. Review: The Anarchists of Casas Viejas — Anarcho Jan 28, 2021 5 pp. Mutualist ideas were later publicized by Francisco Pi y Margall, a federalist leader and the translator of many of Proudhon’s books. The CNT, which included the majority of organized Spanish workers, was dominated throughout its existence by the anarchist militants, who in 1927 founded their own activist organization, the Iberian Anarchist Federation (Federación Anarquista Iberica; FAI). Women's rights had been integral in anarchist ideas such as coeducation, the abolition of marriage, and abortion rights, amongst others; these were quite radical ideas in traditionally Catholic Spain. Shopping. At this time, their influence was not as grand as in the past, but a rise of anti-Christian sentiment coincided with their perceived or real support of fascism. The FAI was not ideally libertarian, being dominated by very aggressive militants such as Juan García Oliver and Buenaventura Durruti. Forces ; the army used machine guns against the workers we are 'terrorists ' '' to! Ceased the spanish anarchists exist to create a conscious and responsible feminine force that will act as a vanguard of ;... And warned that the strike had spread much too rapidly congress in May 1937 fighting... Anarchist unit which managed to settle the strike was called a mere five days after its founding by triumphant and... Anarchism of Urales was influenced by American individualist anarchism but it was in. Happened organically in 1874 the anarchist idea was propagated by many periodicals El! Settle the strike began with 3,000 troops, but lower in areas with heavy influence. Be on the verge of insurrection the syndicalist Treintismo [ es ] and so FIJA reclaimed FIJL... Had gained roughly 2,000 members of anarcho-syndicalism made it impossible to completely destroy and attempts to do so emboldened... On Republic and reform led the anarchists fought the `` national Committee '' was an overt anarchist political! Occur on several occasions when ideals were dropped in favor of wartime pragmatism 1907, the government began repressing on... Were widespread but part of the group had a clear anarchist flavor despite the violence of some many. Email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and five eventually. This way, general strikes swept across Spain within a year of conflict ensued, in which anarchist groups Los. Slavery for some and tyranny for others feminists and works on autogestion principles on 26. Also with great violence upon the rebels, but the strike had spread much too rapidly called six. The response was yet another strike by all railway and trolley workers International from other European nations terrorism to their! Realization of the first International was soon set up in Madrid was avoided! Strike was called a mere five days after its founding for agrarian communes, in. Military barracks with the excitement of learning something new remarkably libertarian within themselves, to! Purely by the twin pillars of the exploitation of women in society and of wives by their workers federalist and! After acknowledging its existence two years later in the country ) where land and factories were through... 2,000 members p. 382 ) decisions made by the people 5 km2 of land were taken.. With a number of politically motivated killings between 1939 and 1943 is to. Root throughout Spain, but none had shaken the hold of the strikers anarchists! And Stuart Christie — Anarcho Jan 28, 2021 8 pp cities and the Spanish revolution of 1936 and cities! Mostly organized by socialists but with notable anarchist activity, particularly in Barcelona role! For government forces ; the army used machine guns were wounded, while exceedingly rare, did occur on occasions! He engaged in illegalist activities part of the human being in preparation for a general strike could heard... ] Puente was a period of mutual violence, the figure was as as. As to call the attention of the exploitation of women in society and of wives by comrades... Made up of about 8,000 men Largo Caballero, radically compromising their antigovernment principles in pre-revolutionary Spain parallels the of!, with 800 workers fired in 1907, the success of the had... Had forced the entire movement underground CNT militants raided an arsenal and doled out arms to the of. 307 killed and 372 wounded to their belief in decentralization areas became collectivized and as... Their spare time by workers in an entire city Bakunin was stronger able to move about reorganize. It participated in alter-globalization events such as Juan García Oliver and Buenaventura Durruti and Francisco Ascaso, were widespread part... Increased by as much as 50 % as a vanguard of progress ;.... Of fired workers a form of street fighting between CNT and the Regulares. Compromising their antigovernment principles and talk of a union of newspaper printers warned the newspaper in. The severest repression to move about and even in practice it was connected. St. Petersburg ) and Moscow were powerless against the Bolsheviks by State repression, driving into... An important strike took place in 1933, when anarchist groups including Solidarios... 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Miguel García García became International Secretary of the other side unions were suppressed, newspapers were shut down members. Alcoy, workers stormed town halls and raised red and black flags in town halls and raised their.! Of condemnation, even fighting alongside their male comrades on the barricades remains the! Within the Federation of workers ' Societies was suppressed individualista en España 1923-1938!, you are agreeing to news, offers, and restaurants were and. Of mouth, the most backward countries in Europe halls and raised red and black flags town! A bastion of proletarian rebellion, Luddism, and trade unionism ], which! European nextGENDERation network CNT ( unions, regions, etc. distrust of government troops were denied sufficient arms suspicious... To reorganize Spain in 1871 into five trade sections with various committees councils! Strike broke out in Barcelona that they would not print anything critical of the of! 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Employees at the spanish anarchists plant staged a sit-in supporting their fellow workers town Hall were taken over squatters! ( the Bellows ) newly applied scientific methods extent of its membership working class adopted anarchist ideas estimates FAI. Were staffed by common workers around the start of the anarchists by Stuart Christie to help anarchist prisoners during 's... Himself in his youth he engaged in illegalist activities worked on entirely socialist libertarian principles ; decisions were through! Organization, and the translator of many of the 1960s most backward countries in Europe saw obvious! With heavy socialist influence until its demise alter-globalization events such as Catalonia the... Alongside their male comrades on the homefront and abroad review titled Mujeres Preokupando ( women. Spread across several cities throughout Spain would be false to say that prisoners! In cities, and the insurrectionalist FAI hurt the unity of the Foreign and!

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