Catalogue Number
NMLH.1994.168.146.10
Object Name
Poster
Title
Portfolio collection of Spanish Civil War posters - What are you doing to stop this? Esperantists of the world, put your strength against international fascism?
People
Francisco Franco, Rafael Alberti, Maria Teresa Leon
Events
The Spanish Civil War
Date
1968
Description
Large Spanish Civil war poster - says "kion vi faras por eviti tion. Geesperantistoj El La Tuta Mondo Agu Energie Kontrau La Internacia Fasimo.!" Ths translates to What are you doing to stop this? Esperantists of the world, put your strength against international fascism." The poster shows a drawing of hands rising out of Germany and Italy from map of Europe; both hands are clutching daggers that are poised to strike at Spain. two red clenched fists prepare to stab bloodied daggers into the Iberian Peninsula. The two fists are emerging out of Italy and Germany and they bear the symbols of the fascist movements in those countries on their wrists. The image serves as a graphic representation of the role of Italy and Germany in the Spanish Civil War through their support of Franco and Nationalist Spain. It also reflects the fear that the battle for Spain was merely the next step in a fascist take over of Europe.
The text on the poster is written in Esperanto, an artificial language created by Lazar L. Zamenhof in 1887 in an attempt to develop a truly international language that belonged to no one people or nation. Given the presence of groups of soldiers and volunteers from other European nations, this poster, in using Esperanto, may have been an attempt to create solidarity among the various international groups contributing to the defence of the Spanish Republic. The use of Esperanto may have also helped to mediate between the different language groups within Republican Spain, which initially included much of Cataluña where Catalan is spoken, in order to motivate people in the struggle against fascism in Spain.
Shows two fists with daggers aimed at Spain (on map of Europe), one marked with a swastika and the other with the hatchet and bundled arrows symbol of the Spanish fascists. This portfolio collection considers the Spanish Civil War, which was from 1936-1939. In July 1936,General Franco launched a coup de ta against the left wing, democratically elected government. The fascist army were assisted by Germany and Italy, and the forces of the republic were weak in comparison - but they were provided with some weapons by the Soviet Union. Atrocities were committed by both sides and the war death toll was up to 500,000 people. The war saw republicans loyal to the left-leaning popular front government of the Second Spanish Republic, in alliance with both communist and syndicalist anarchists, fought against an insurrection by the nationalists, an alliance of Falangists, monarchists, conservatives and traditionalists. The war involved class struggle, religious struggle, struggles between dictatorships and democracy, fascism and communism and revolution. The Nationalists won the wore, who were led by Franco. During the war he commanded Spain's African colonial army. After he won the civil war, his dictatorship became cemented across Spain, enforced through the repression of political opponents, the use of forced labour, concentration camps and executions.
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