Catalogue Number
NMLH.1993.661
Object Name
Banner
Title
'£5000 given by printers to aid Spain.'
Place
Spain, UK
People
Printers Union, SOGAT
Events
Spanish Civil War
Date
1936-1938
Description
A red, yellow and violet striped banner representing the Spanish Republican tricolour, with text in white and black declaring '£5000 given by printers to aid Spain.'
The colour of the banner represents the official Spanish flag before Franco's facist victory in the Civil War, when it was banned. The flag remains a contentious symbol in Spain today. This banner illustrates the assistance sent by union members in the printing trades to Spain's left-wing Popular Front government. Spanish printers were among the first to fight against Franco, which motivated trade unions in Britain to send aid to Spain. Britain had signed a Non-Intervention Act, meaning they were not supposed to send arms or resources to Spain in support of either side. Trade Unionists and anti-fascists demanded Britain arm Spain were repeated throughout the War, but Britain never broke the Act.
With the state refusing to help, many Trade Unionists throughout Britain took it upon themselves to help the left-wing Popular Front government, both by travelling to Spain to fight in the International Brigades and by sending monetary aid. When this banner was in use, printers had donated £5000 (over £334,000 in today's money). Trade Unions also helped to raise money for Spanish refugees - though the government were hesitant about accepting them, worrying that it would be seen as a breach of the non-intervention policy. Following the bombing of Guernica in April 1937, calls to accept refugees intensified and the government conceded to the campaigners. Nearly 4,000 children were evacuated to Britain, and most returned to Spain following the end of the war in 1938.
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