Garibaldi Battalion
Encyclopedia
The Garibaldi Battalion was a group of mostly Italian volunteers that fought in the Spanish Civil War
from October 1936 to 1938. It was named after Giuseppe Garibaldi
, an Italian military and political figure and was one of the battalions of the International Brigades
who participated in the defense of the Spanish Second Republic.
between Italian republicans, socialists and communists . Since the beginning it was headed by the Republican commander Randolfo Pacciardi
and the communist political commissars Roasio Antonio, Luigi Longo
and socialist Amedeo Azzi. It was part of the XII International Brigade
along with André Marty
Battalion and Dimitrov Battalion
. It had a baptisme of fire on the November 13, 1936 at Cerro de los Ángeles
during the Siege of Madrid, then the battalion fought by the University of Madrid
, at Pozuelo
, Boadilla del Monte
, Mirabueno
, Majadahonda
and Jarama
. During the Battle of Jarama, Pacciardi was wounded, so Ilio Barontini has taken the command of the battalion during the Battle of Guadalajara
. Pacciardi was again the commander at Huesca
and Villanueva del Pardillo
.
In late of April 1937, it was dissolved to form the skeleton of the Garibaldi Brigade, formally established on May 1. Brigade was strengthened by the arrival of the soldiers of Dimitrov battalion and by the volunteers of the dissolved Italian column, and other Italian groups from other formations and many others new volunteers who continue to turn to Spain. The Garibaldi Brigade remains part of the XII International Brigade, under the direction of Randolfo Pacciardi until August 1937; it consisted of four battalions. Then there were five commanders until its dissolution on September 24, 1938. In addition to operations in the north of the current Community of Madrid and parts of Aragon
, his most prominent role it played in the Battle of the Ebro
.
Mehmet Shehu
, future Prime Minister of Albania, was among the volunteers. Other notable albanian members include Petro Marko
, Thimio Gogozoto and Asim Vokshi
, one of the staff officers of the battalion.
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
from October 1936 to 1938. It was named after Giuseppe Garibaldi
Giuseppe Garibaldi
Giuseppe Garibaldi was an Italian military and political figure. In his twenties, he joined the Carbonari Italian patriot revolutionaries, and fled Italy after a failed insurrection. Garibaldi took part in the War of the Farrapos and the Uruguayan Civil War leading the Italian Legion, and...
, an Italian military and political figure and was one of the battalions of the International Brigades
International Brigades
The International Brigades were military units made up of volunteers from different countries, who traveled to Spain to defend the Second Spanish Republic in the Spanish Civil War between 1936 and 1939....
who participated in the defense of the Spanish Second Republic.
History
The Italian Legion was born in October 27, 1936, through an agreement signed in ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
between Italian republicans, socialists and communists . Since the beginning it was headed by the Republican commander Randolfo Pacciardi
Randolfo Pacciardi
Randolfo Pacciardi was an Italian politician, a member of the Italian Republican Party . He was also an officer who fought during World War I and in the Spanish Civil War.-Biography:...
and the communist political commissars Roasio Antonio, Luigi Longo
Luigi Longo
thumb|right|Luigi Longo portrayed on a 1981 [[USSR]] postage stamp.Luigi Longo , also known as Gallo, was an Italian communist politician and secretary of the Italian Communist Party from 1964 to 1972.-Early life:...
and socialist Amedeo Azzi. It was part of the XII International Brigade
XII International Brigade
The XII International Brigade was mustered on 7 November 1936 at Albacete, Spain. It was formally 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...
along with André Marty
André Marty
André Marty was a leading figure in the French Communist Party, the PCF, for nearly thirty years. He was also a member of the National Assembly, with some interruptions, from 1924 to 1955; Secretary of Comintern from 1935 to 1944; and Political Commissar of the International Brigades during the...
Battalion and Dimitrov Battalion
Dimitrov Battalion
The Dimitrov Battalion was part of the International Brigades during the Spanish Civil War. It was the 18th battalion formed, and was named after Georgi Dimitrov, a Bulgarian communist and General Secretary of the Comintern in that period....
. It had a baptisme of fire on the November 13, 1936 at Cerro de los Ángeles
Cerro de los Ángeles
The Cerro de los Ángeles is a famous hill located in Getafe, Spain, about south of Madrid. The site is famous for being considered the geographic centre of the Iberian Peninsula...
during the Siege of Madrid, then the battalion fought by the University of Madrid
University of Madrid
The Complutense University of Madrid is a public university in Madrid, Spain, and one of the oldest universities in the world.The University of Madrid may also refer to:* The Autonomous University of Madrid, a public university founded in 1968...
, at Pozuelo
Pozuelo
Pozuelo is a municipality in Albacete, Castile-La Mancha, Spain. It has a population of 672....
, Boadilla del Monte
Boadilla del Monte
Boadilla del Monte is a town in Spain. It is located in the center of the Community of Madrid. It had a population of 41,807 in 2008.-External links:* * *...
, Mirabueno
Mirabueno
Mirabueno is a municipality located in the province of Guadalajara, Castile-La Mancha, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 111 inhabitants....
, Majadahonda
Majadahonda
Majadahonda is a municipality in Spain, situated 16 km northwest of Madrid, in the Community of Madrid. In 2009 the population was 66,585 inhabitants .It lies alongside the motorway A6 Madrid-A Coruña....
and Jarama
Battle of Jarama
The Battle of Jarama was an attempt by General Franco's Nationalists to dislodge the Republican lines along the river Jarama, just east of Madrid, during the Spanish Civil War...
. During the Battle of Jarama, Pacciardi was wounded, so Ilio Barontini has taken the command of the battalion during the Battle of Guadalajara
Battle of Guadalajara
The Battle of Guadalajara saw the Republican People's Army defeat Italian and Nationalist forces attempting to encircle Madrid during the Spanish Civil War...
. Pacciardi was again the commander at Huesca
Huesca
Huesca is a city in north-eastern Spain, within the autonomous community of Aragon. It is also the capital of the Spanish province of the same name and the comarca of Hoya de Huesca....
and Villanueva del Pardillo
Villanueva del Pardillo
Villanueva del Pardillo is a municipality of the Community of Madrid, Spain....
.
In late of April 1937, it was dissolved to form the skeleton of the Garibaldi Brigade, formally established on May 1. Brigade was strengthened by the arrival of the soldiers of Dimitrov battalion and by the volunteers of the dissolved Italian column, and other Italian groups from other formations and many others new volunteers who continue to turn to Spain. The Garibaldi Brigade remains part of the XII International Brigade, under the direction of Randolfo Pacciardi until August 1937; it consisted of four battalions. Then there were five commanders until its dissolution on September 24, 1938. In addition to operations in the north of the current Community of Madrid and parts of Aragon
Aragon
Aragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...
, his most prominent role it played in the Battle of the Ebro
Battle of the Ebro
The Battle of the Ebro was the longest and bloodiest battle of the Spanish Civil War...
.
Mehmet Shehu
Mehmet Shehu
Mehmet Ismail Shehu was an Albanian communist politician who served as premier of Albania from 1954 to 1981...
, future Prime Minister of Albania, was among the volunteers. Other notable albanian members include Petro Marko
Petro Marko
Petro Marko was an Albanian writer. His best-known novel is titled Hasta la vista and recounts his experiences as a volunteer of the Republican forces during the Spanish Civil War. Petro Marko is widely regarded as one of the founding fathers of modern Albanian prose.- Life :Petro Marko was born...
, Thimio Gogozoto and Asim Vokshi
Asim Vokshi
Asim Vokshi was a staff officer of the "Garibaldi Battalion" in the International Brigades during the Spanish Civil War.He was an Albanian Kosovar from Đakovica, Kosovo Province, Ottoman Empire. He studied at a military academy in Italy....
, one of the staff officers of the battalion.