Matteotti Battalion
Encyclopedia
The Matteotti Battalion or "Centuria Giustizia e Libertà
" or Italian Column was an Italian
radical and anarchist exile group which fought with the Spanish Republicans
during the Spanish Civil War
. The group was named after Giacomo Matteotti
, an Italian socialist leader, killed by Benito Mussolini
's Fascists
in 1924.
with Gilioli Rivoluzio, Romagno Castagnoli and perhaps also Antonio Cieri, met at Berneri's home in exile, to plan the creation of an anarchist column to fight in Spain. This developed into a more ecumenical, non-communist unit organized by Berneri, radicals Carlo Rosselli
, Mario Angeloni, Umberto Calosso and the Spanish anarchist Diego Abad de Santillán
.
This Italian column was officially constituted a month after the beginning of the fascist rising on 17 August.
Upon reaching Barcelona, the Italian volunteers were attached to the Ascaso Column Formation of the CNT
-FAI
anarchists. The Column Francisco Ascaso
had been named in memory of an anarchist fighter killed on 20 July in Barcelona during the seizure of the Atarazanas barracks.
The first military formation of the Italians, a battalion of 150 volunteers, left Barcelona headed for the Aragon front the day of its formation and participated in the Battle of Monte Pelato
.
This first engagement assumed particular meaning because it was the first push on the Aragon front and because the republicans overcame a much larger and better trained and equipped force.
About 3500 http://www.digilander.libero.it/gaudiantoni/Gabry_Guerra_spagna.htm Italian expatriates fought on the republican side in the Spanish Civil War.
Giustizia e Libertà
Giustizia e Libertà was an Italian anti-fascist organization, active from 1929 to 1945.- Italian anti-fascist organization :The anti-fascist organization Giustizia e Libertà was founded in Paris in 1929 by the Italian refugees Carlo Rosselli, Emilio Lussu, Alberto Tarchiani, and Ernesto Rossi...
" or Italian Column was an Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
radical and anarchist exile group which fought with the Spanish Republicans
Second Spanish Republic
The Second Spanish Republic was the government of Spain between April 14 1931, and its destruction by a military rebellion, led by General Francisco Franco....
during the Spanish Civil War
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...
. The group was named after Giacomo Matteotti
Giacomo Matteotti
Giacomo Matteotti was an Italian socialist politician. On 30 May 1924, he openly spoke in the Italian Parliament alleging the Fascists committed fraud in the recently held elections, and denounced the violence they used to gain votes...
, an Italian socialist leader, killed by Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
's Fascists
National Fascist Party
The National Fascist Party was an Italian political party, created by Benito Mussolini as the political expression of fascism...
in 1924.
History
Following the attempted coup d'état by the Spanish army on 19 July 1936, Camillo BerneriCamillo Berneri
Camillo Berneri was an Italian professor of philosophy, anarchist militant, propagandist and theorist....
with Gilioli Rivoluzio, Romagno Castagnoli and perhaps also Antonio Cieri, met at Berneri's home in exile, to plan the creation of an anarchist column to fight in Spain. This developed into a more ecumenical, non-communist unit organized by Berneri, radicals Carlo Rosselli
Carlo Rosselli
Carlo Rosselli was an Italian political leader, journalist, historian and anti-fascist activist, first in Italy then abroad...
, Mario Angeloni, Umberto Calosso and the Spanish anarchist Diego Abad de Santillán
Diego Abad de Santillán
Diego Abad de Santillán , born Sinesio Vaudilio García Fernández, was an author, economist and leading figure in the Spanish and Argentine anarchist movements.-Early years:...
.
This Italian column was officially constituted a month after the beginning of the fascist rising on 17 August.
Upon reaching Barcelona, the Italian volunteers were attached to the Ascaso Column Formation of the CNT
Confederación Nacional del Trabajo
The Confederación Nacional del Trabajo is a Spanish confederation of anarcho-syndicalist labor unions affiliated with the International Workers Association . When working with the latter group it is also known as CNT-AIT...
-FAI
Federación Anarquista Ibérica
The Federación Anarquista Ibérica is a Spanish organization of anarchist militants active within affinity groups inside the Confederación Nacional del Trabajo trade union. It is often abbreviated as CNT-FAI because of the close relationship between the two organizations...
anarchists. The Column Francisco Ascaso
Francisco Ascaso
Francisco Ascaso Abadía was a prominent Anarcho-syndicalist figure in Spain.A baker and waiter, Ascaso joined the Confederación Nacional del Trabajo and one of its armed groups, Los Justicieros...
had been named in memory of an anarchist fighter killed on 20 July in Barcelona during the seizure of the Atarazanas barracks.
The first military formation of the Italians, a battalion of 150 volunteers, left Barcelona headed for the Aragon front the day of its formation and participated in the Battle of Monte Pelato
Battle of Monte Pelato
The Battle of Monte Pelato was an engagement of the Spanish Civil War fought on 28 August 1936. It was notable as the first major engagement of the Italian Republican volunteers of the Matteotti Battalion....
.
This first engagement assumed particular meaning because it was the first push on the Aragon front and because the republicans overcame a much larger and better trained and equipped force.
About 3500 http://www.digilander.libero.it/gaudiantoni/Gabry_Guerra_spagna.htm Italian expatriates fought on the republican side in the Spanish Civil War.