New booklet on Wales and the Spanish Civil War

A new booklet which details the role of Wales in the Spanish Civil War has been produced and is now available to purchase through the IBMT. 'Wales and the Spanish Anti-Fascist War' was written by Robert Griffiths, the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Britain. It is produced in both English and Welsh and published by the Welsh Communist Party.

The booklet details the background of the Spanish Civil War, then more specifically looks at the responses to this crisis in Wales. It pays particular attention to the role of working-class Welsh people in providing support for the Spanish Republic. This was achieved through the 'Aid for Spain' initiative, formed to raise food and funds for the Spanish people, and through Welsh homes being opened to look after Basque refugee children, including one in Caerleon. Griffiths demonstrates how these efforts succeeded because Welsh people worked together within their own communities, such as the South Wales Miners Federation.

There is also an analysis of the estimated 200 Welsh volunteers who went to fight in Spain for the International Brigades. It is notable that many of the Welsh Brigaders came from similar regions in South Wales and were often unemployed miners. Griffiths observes that these people held shared experiences which spurred them on to join the cause of the Spanish Republic. 

The booklet further focuses on the failure of the Welsh National Party to support either the Basque struggle or the Spanish Republic, in contrast to the Welsh working people. It ends with emphasising the importance of building unity across national divides, as demonstrated by the Welsh actions during the Spanish Civil War. 

As of 27 September 2017, there are no copies left to purchase from the IBMT. We apologise for this inconvenience. 

Originally posted on 5 September 2017 (re-posted on 12 September, edited on 27 September).