XII International Brigade Garibaldi Brigade | |
---|---|
Active | 1936–1939 |
Country | Mostly Italian |
Allegiance | Spain |
Branch | International Brigades |
Type | Mixed Brigade - Infantry |
Role | Home Defence |
Part of | 14th Division (1937) 11th Division (1937) 35th Division (1937) 45th Division (1937–1939) |
Garrison/HQ | Albacete, Barcelona |
Nickname(s) | Brigada Garibaldi |
Engagements | Spanish Civil War |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | Máté Zalka Randolfo Pacciardi |
The XII International Brigade was mustered on 7 November 1936 at Albacete, Spain. It was formerly named the Garibaldi Brigade, after the most famous and inspiring leader in the Italian Independence Wars, General Giuseppe Garibaldi.
Its first commanding officer was a Soviet advisor of Hungarian origin, Gen. "Pavol Lukács" (Máté Zalka), who went on to command the 45th Division of the Spanish Republican Army (he was killed during the Huesca Offensive), and its first political commisar was Gustav Regler. [1]
The brigade included, among others, the following battalions: [2] [3] [4]
The Brigade fought in the battles of Madrid, [7] the Corunna Road, [8] Guadalajara, [9] Guadarrama [10] and Brunete. [11]
The Battle of the Ebro was the longest and largest battle of the Spanish Civil War and the greatest, in terms of manpower, logistics and material ever fought on Spanish soil. It took place between July and November 1938, with fighting mainly concentrated in two areas on the lower course of the Ebro River, the Terra Alta comarca of Catalonia, and the Auts area close to Fayón (Faió) in the lower Matarranya, Eastern Lower Aragon. These sparsely populated areas saw the largest array of armies in the war. The battle was disastrous for the Second Spanish Republic, with tens of thousands left dead or wounded and little effect on the advance of the Nationalists.
Juan Guilloto León, usually referred to as Modesto or Juan Modesto, was a Republican army officer during the Spanish Civil War.
Enrique Líster Forján was a Spanish communist politician and military officer.
The Second Battle of the Corunna Road was a battle of the Spanish Civil War that took place from 13 December 1936 to 15 January 1937, northwest of Madrid. In December 1936, the Nationalists launched an offensive in order to cut the Corunna Road and isolate Madrid, but a Republican counter-offensive stopped the Nationalist advance. The Nationalists cut the Corunna road but failed to encircle Madrid.
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The XI International Brigade fought for the Spanish Second Republic in the Spanish Civil War.
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The Huesca Offensive was an ill-fated Republican army thrust toward Huesca between 12 and 19 June 1937, during the Spanish Civil War. Hungarian writer and communist commander Máté Zalka was killed in the course of the battle.
The Battle of Alfambra took place near Alfambra from 5 to 8 February 1938, during the Spanish Civil War. This battle was a part of the Battle of Teruel. After, the conquest of Teruel by the Republican army, the Nationalists started a counteroffensive in order to reocuppy Teruel. On 5 February a huge nationalist force broke the republican lines north of Teruel towards the Alfambra river, taking 7,000 republican prisoners and threatening the Republican forces in Teruel.
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The Servicio de Información Militar or SIM was the political police of the Spanish Republican Armed Forces from August 1937 to the end of the Spanish Civil War.
Fernando Barrón y Ortiz (1892–1952) was a Spanish military officer. One of the five commanders of the natives troops in Africa, he supported the military coup of July 1936 which started the Spanish Civil War. Later, he was one of the commanders of the Spanish Army of Africa in its advance towards Madrid. In November 1936 led the nationalist attack against the Madrid's suburb of Carabanchel. In December 1936 he led one of General Varela's mobile columns in the Second battle of the Corunna Road. In January 1937 he led a brigade in the Battle of Jarama. In May 1937, he took part in the nationalist counteroffensive during the Segovia Offensive. In June 1937, he led the 13th division in the Battle of Brunete in August in the Battle of Belchite and in March 1938 in the Battle of Caspe. During the Battle of the Ebro he led the Nationalist defense of the town of Gandesa. After the war, he was a minister of the Francoist government.
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