"An estimated 32,000 volunteers from around the world joined the anti-fascist brigades during the civil war, including approximately 2,500 men and women from Britain and Ireland, of whom 530 were killed."
"Jim Jump, the chair of the International Brigade Memorial Trust in London, said: The Spanish government's decision underlines its determination to erase the toxic legacy of the Franco dictatorship. Many families of International Brigaders continued to campaign for the restoration of democracy in Spain during those dark years. Spanish citizenship for them fulfils the spirit of the historic pledge made by the Spanish Republic to offer a home for the Brigaders."
Spain granted citizenship to 170 descendants of International Brigades volunteers in recognition of their anti-fascist fight during the civil war and under the subsequent Franco dictatorship. Approximately 32,000 international volunteers joined the brigades, including about 2,500 from Britain and Ireland, with 530 fatalities. The citizenship measure acknowledges long campaigns by families and aims to repudiate the Francoist legacy while fulfilling a historic pledge to offer refuge to brigaders. Recipients include descendants of medics and fighters such as Len Crome, who later served in the second world war after his service with the brigades.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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