International Brigades
| International Brigades | |
|---|---|
Symbol of the International Brigades.
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| Active | 18 September 1936 – 23 September 1938 |
| Country | France, Italy, Germany, Poland, Soviet Union, United States, United Kingdom, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Yugoslavia, Hungary, Canada, Sweden, Switzerland, Bulgaria, etc. |
| Allegiance |
 Communist International Second Spanish Republic |
| Type | Infantry |
| Role | Paramilitary |
| Size | 59,380 |
| Garrison/HQ | Albacete (Castilla-La Mancha) |
| Motto(s) |
Por vuestra libertad y la nuestra ("For your freedom and ours") |
| Engagements | |
| Commanders | |
| Political Commissar | André Marty |
| Notable commanders |
Manfred Stern, Hans Kahle, Karol Świerczewski, Máté Zalka and Wilhelm Zaisser |
The International Brigades (Spanish: Brigadas Internacionales) were paramilitary units set up by the Communist International to assist the Popular Front government of the Second Spanish Republic during the Spanish Civil War. The organisation existed for two years, from 1936 until 1938. It is estimated that during the entire war, between 32,000 and 35,000 members served in the International Brigades, including 15,000 who died in combat; however there was never more than 20,000 brigade members present on the front line at one time.
The headquarters of the brigade was located at the Los Llanos Air Base, Albacete, Castilla-La Mancha. They participated in the Battle of Madrid, Jarama, Guadalajara, Brunete, Belchite, Teruel, Aragon and the Elbro. Most of these ended in defeat. For the last year of its existence, the International Brigades were integrated into the Spanish Republican Army as part of the Spanish Foreign Legion. The organisation was dissolved on 23 September 1938 by Spanish Prime Minister, Juan Negrín, in an attempt to get more support from the liberal democracies on the Non-Intervention Committee.
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Wikipedia