Special Collections Spanish Civil War source list
Please note this source list only contains a selection of titles found in the Special Collections
at the University of Strathclyde on the Spanish Civil War. Search the special collections on the
library’s online catalogue.
Suggested keyword search: Spain – History – Civil War – 1936-1939
(refine using ‘special collections’ on left menu of results page)
Prieto, C. (1936) Spanish front. London: Nelson and Sons.
National Council of Labour Colleges Collection
This source analyses Spain and the Spanish; The Civil War, Its Cause, Events, Significance for
England and Europe.
‘The author knows his Spain from end to end, and his book not only has permanent value as a brief survey of
Spanish history and of events leading up to the civil war – it is also a shrewd study of the country and the people,
and a clear, authoritative statement on a burning question of the hour.’
Montseny, F. (1937) Militant anarchism and the reality in Spain. Glasgow: Anti-Parliamentary Communist
Federation
Aldred Collection
Quoted from a speech by Federica Montseny, Minister of Public Health, at C.N.T.-F.A.I (National Confederation
of Trabajo and Federation Anarquist Iberica) propaganda conference February 1937. The speech is pro
Communist.
Oliveira, A.R. (1937) The Spanish people’s fight for liberty. London: The Press Department of the Spanish
Embassy in London.
Sutherland Collection
This source contains a collection of photographs taken mainly at the beginning of the war. The photographs
depict civilians, soldiers and bomb damaged buildings. The captions and text are in Spanish; however, the
preface has been translated into English.
YOUR
YOUR
LIBRARY
LIBRARY
YOUR
YOUR
LEARNING…
LEARNING…
Héricourt, P. (c1937) Arms for red Spain. London: Burns Oates and Washbourne Ltd.
Aldred Collection
This narrative expresses the author’s views and opinions on the war. Héricourt mentions throughout that he has
visited Spain during the conflict and interviewed many of those involved in the fighting. This source is also very
useful as Héricourt explores the actions and motives of the other countries involved in the war.
Hernández, J. and Comorera, J. (c1937) Spain organises for victory: the Communist Party of Spain explained
London: Communist Party of Great Britain.
Aldred Collection
The policy of the Communist Party of Spain is explained in this source. The pamphlet consists of speeches made
by Comrades Jesús Hernández (Communist Minister of Education) in Valencia, May 28, 1937, and Joan
Comorara (General Secretary, United Socialist Party of Catalonia) at Barcelona, June 1, 1937, together with an
Open Letter from the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of Spain. The pamphlet has a pro Communist
stance.
McGovern, J. (c1937) Terror in Spain, how the Communist International has destroyed working class unity,
undermined the fight against Franco and suppressed the social revolution. London: Independent Labour Party
Aldred Collection
Terror in Spain was compiled by John McGovern of the Independent Labour Party (ILP). McGovern visited Spain
to interview members of the Government. His task was to petition for the release of members of the POUM
(Marxist Party of Workers Unity [Spanish I.L.P]) and urge an amnesty for all anti-Fascist prisoners. McGovern
condemns the Communists and describes the atrocities committed, views which are collaborated by George
Orwell in Homage to Catalonia.
Duchess of Atholl, (1938) Searchlight on Spain, Harmondsworth: Penguin Books
Labour History Collection
The Duchess of Atholl, Scotland’s first elected female MP, visited Spain during 1937 and presented her
findings in Searchlight on Spain. The Duchess was initially interested in the humanitarian struggle and
considered the impact of the war on women and children in the book. Her support for the Republican side earned
her the title of the ‘Red Duchess’ in the press. She also criticized the British government’s policy of nonintervention.
This source is relatively long, 346 pages, however it is split into 18 chapters. The foreword to the book reads:
‘This book is therefore an attempt to give the main facts leading up to the war from the fall of the Monarchy in
1931, and to examine as objectively as possible the main points in the war itself around which controversy has
gathered.’
McNair, J. (c1936-1937) What I saw in Spain
Aldred Collection
This article was written by John McNair who travelled to Spain with John McGovern (see above). McNair was
appointed the Independent Labour Party’s (ILP) National Organising Secretary and international
representative. The source explores in detail the workers’ struggle and includes a section by Fenner Brockway on
what British people could do to help the Spanish workers.
Conze, E. (1936) Spain to-day: revolution and counter revolution London: Martin Secker and Warburg Ltd.
National Council of Labour Colleges Collection (NCLC)
The second edition of this work, Conze has added an additional chapter dealing with the Rebellion and events to
October 1936. The source gives a useful overview of the events leading up to 1936 and includes a list of notable
persons, a table of the political forces in the context of right and left allegiance and maps of Spain.
Duff, C. (1945) Freedom for Spain London: International Publishing Company
Aldred Collection
This pamphlet written in 1945 examines the key events of the conflict and also examines Spain after the Civil
War. This source contains essays on the following subjects; The Spanish agrarian system, by A. M. Codina.--The
indivisibility of freedom, by Arturo Barea.--Theocracy in Spain, by Edith Moore.--Spanish anarchism, by Garcia
Pradas.--The future of the Spanish labour movement, by Wenceslao Carrillo.
Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy have invaded Spain. (1938) London: Labour Party (Great Britain)
Aldred Collection
This pamphlet is a very useful example of the Labour Party’s policy towards the Spanish Civil War. By 1937, The
Labour Party was not in agreement with the British government and opposed the policy of non-intervention. The
pamphlet contains copies of documents used as evidence to the arguments discussed, mainly whether or not the
Italians and Germans involved in the Spanish Civil War were volunteers.
In Spain with the International Brigade (1938) London: Burns Oates and Washbourne Ltd.
Aldred Collection
This firsthand account of the war through the experiences of an English working man who served with the
International Brigade from January 1937 is an invaluable resource. The author recalls that he was badly treated
by the Spanish government and discourages others from joining the International Brigade.
15th July 1938 Spain and the World Volume 2 (37)
Aldred Collection
This newspaper was a fortnightly publication ‘dedicated to the anti:Fascist struggle and the Social Revolution in
Spain’. The newspaper contains articles discussing Propaganda and the Spanish Workers Cause; the death of
Tom Keell (editor of Freedom) and Noble prize winner Benavente’s Defiance of Fascism. The newspaper has a
distinctly pro anarchy stance.