Madrid commemorates the International Brigades
Tribute to the International Brigades, Madrid, November 2012.
Severiano Montero of the Association of Friends of the International Brigades reports:
Dear friends:
We inform you that the week dedicated to the Defense of Madrid and the participation in it of the IB was successful.
On Tuesday 6th, at the Faculty of History (within the Conference on War and the Franco organized by UHP), our colleague Mirta Nunez spoke in an auditorium full of students about the Battle of Madrid and the role played by the IB. It was a clear statement that promoted a great interest and passionate debate.
On Wednesday 7, at the Ateneo de Madrid, became a great tribute to the defenders of Madrid on the 76th anniversary of that feat. David Lomon, a British brigader come from London specifically for these events, was at the head of the act, and was paid with affectionate greetings and applause.
On Thursday 8th, at the Caum, we launched “The Places of IB in Madrid”, a useful guide to approach the presence and activities of interbrigadistas in this city. In face of an audience among whom was David Lomon and family, Ken O’Keefe, the author, remarked some of the landmarks, while Victor Grossman had the opportunity to present his interesting book Madrid du wunderbare! that is waiting editor. You can order the book “Places …” through our website or by mail:aabi@brigadasinternacionales.org, although Ken O’Keefe is preparing the english version.
On Friday 9th we did the XI IB explained walk. It started from the Atocha railstation, to continue down the street from Atocha to Sol and Telefónica, finishing the ride in the Plaza de España. In successive stops Vicente González was explaining the meaning of the various places in its relationship with the Ibs, while the brigader David Solomon, who accompanied us on foot most of the walk gave more significance to the walk. The group had a large attendance that exceeded the 50 participants.
British IB vet David Lomon and Vicente González during the IB walk on November 9, 2012.
On Saturday 10th, at 11:00 we continued the previous day’s ride walking from Moncloa to monument of BI through battle places at the University City. After that, at 12:00, the great tribute to the International Brigades and defenders of Madrid began. Exciting words were heard: Isabel Pinar, president of the AABI, Andrés Burbano, student member of the UHP (union of progressive historians), Ludivine Garcia, who spoke on behalf of the Coordinator of Madrid democratic memory, Elizabeth Donatello, member ANPI-Spain (National Association of Italian Partisans) and Victor Grossman, American antifascist fighter based in Berlin. At the end of this intense and emotional ceremony Lomon David described the reasons that led him to come to fight with the Spanish people to stop Fascism. An offering of Republican coloured flowers which starred David himself, a moment of silence and the singing of the Internationale, the great song of solidarity, closed the ceremony.
Finally, when we left, a partner coming from Valencia, Marisa, was to greet David and thank him for what he did, then he said: “No need to thank me, I did what It came out of the heart (pointing with his hand). It came out of my heart. “
We want to thank the colleagues and Paco and Iñaki, who proceeded to clean the monument after the last assault committed last week by a fascist group.
We also sent a few links to testify these days’ activities, but you can also visit our website:
Álvaro Minguito Photoalbum about the ride and the tribute on Saturday 10 N
http://www.alvarominguito.net/Homenaje-a-las-Brigadas,59.html
The Alejandro Torrus articles at the journal Publico
http://www.publico.es/espana/445148/solomon-hay-que-seguir-luchando-pero-esta-vez-solo-con-palabras-y-argumentos
http://www.publico.es/espana/445194/las-brigadas-internacionales-vuelven-al-frente-76-anos-despues
With this program we have inaugurated an annual celebration we want to continue to grow in participation in the coming years. We encourage everyone to join us in these activities that we consider necessary for a duty to those brigaders.
¡Salud y República!
