Greeks, Macedonians, Albanians in International Brigades?

bools · Post by **bools** » 30 May 2007 19:55

Does anyone know of any Greeks, Macedonians or Albanians in the IB? There are several mentions of them in the Dimitrovs and Tchapaievs but I can find no names or numbers (except for Petro Marko the Macedonian author). Were there any Jewish or Muslim volunteers from these lands? Did any of these return to join/form resistance groups in WWII? Grateful for any advice.
Regards B.

bools · Post by **bools** » 30 May 2007 20:47

Sorry - I realise that Marko was an Albanian.

Balrog · Post by **Balrog** » 31 May 2007 04:38

Mehmet Shehu, an Albanian, fought in the International Brigades. He was a Muslim volunteer. He was a member of the Garibaldi Brigade. He served as a combat officer.

Before the SCW he had been a cadet at an Italian military academy , but was expelled when his involvement in Communist activities was discovered.

He was a hardcore Stalinist. He had a reputation for cruelty on and off the battlefield.. He escaped into France at the end of the Spanish Civil War. Eventually he ended up back in Albania and a Communist commander fighting against the Italians and the Germans. He had an excellent combat record as a guerilla fighter. He came into conflict with three British operatives air dropped into Albania during ww2, but that is a different story...

He survived the war and became Enver Hoxha's right hand man for several decades. In the early 1980's he was involved in a power struggle with Hoxha over succession. He died in 1981. Some say he committed suicide and others say he was murdered. I read once that he was shot dead at a cabinet meeting.

Sitzkrieg · Post by **Sitzkrieg** » 31 May 2007 12:11

There is no "Macedonian" nation, bools. Back then the place you refer to was called Vardarska. Tito was the first to use the name "Macedonia" for Yugoslavia's southernmost region, i.e. post WW-II and that so as to press territorial claims against Greece. The reason that it stuck until today is that the successive Greek governments declined to make a fuss about it in the interests of the general (NATO) good, as Tito was favored by the West given his break with the USSR.

bools · Post by **bools** » 31 May 2007 14:44

Balrog, many thanks for this lead. I'll certainly follow it up. If you can point me in the direction of publications (PhD theses, books, papers, documents, press etc) I'd be extremely grateful. I'm due at the Imperial War Museum and The National Archive (both London) over the next couple of months but previous experience tells me that whilst these are fantastic resources there is little about volunteers from the southern Balkans or the Islands etc (with the exception of the Cypriots, many of whom came to, or from, the UK). It may, of course, be that I have missed these in previous visits.

Sitzkreig, thanks also for your reply. I was aware that Macedonia was not a sovereign nation state at this time but that it did exist as a reconisable (if disputed) tract of land. I was careful to use the word 'land' rather than nation/country/state. As a regular visitor to Greece I am conscious of the sensitivities - although my research is making me more aware of the reasons which lie behind these sensitivities! That said I have seen mention of International Brigaders who considered themselves to be Macedonian. See page 80 of the following (http://www.oshchima.com/Historical%20Do ... /hdoc1.pdf) which claims to be quoting the 'Dimitrovac' newsletter of the Dimitrovs. This is the first time I have come across this source so will treat it carefully until it is verified. However, we do know that most battalions at the Front produced such newsletters.

Once again thanks to both of you and anyone else who has any information which may be of interest please let me know.

Regards

B

camarada_j · Post by **camarada_j** » 26 Aug 2007 10:34

There is an article in the International Brigade Memorial Trust (IBMT) newsletter from earilier in the year (on page 8) about Cypriot volunteers in the British Battalion and Lincoln - Washington Battalion of the International Brigade.

It can be viewed online at http://www.international-brigades.org.u ... 2007_1.pdf

Interestingly though there were only 50 to 60 Cypriot voluteers in the IB, the islands population at the time was 350,000 this makes Cyprus the country with
the highest percentage of volunteers in the Spanish Civil War.

James

Chinaski1917 · Post by **Chinaski1917** » 17 Sep 2007 20:56

I have the list of the Greeks in the Civil war. If you like i can scan it is however obviously in Greek.

Semenov · Post by **Semenov** » 18 Sep 2007 19:53

Hi,
Do you have list Greek pro Franco vols?

bools · Post by **bools** » 26 Oct 2007 21:54

Chinaski1917 wrote:I have the list of the Greeks in the Civil war. If you like i can scan it is however obviously in Greek.

Hi Chinaski,

Many thanks for letting me know. Sorry for taking so long to reply. I would very much like to see the list you have if you could scan it for me. It may take me a little time but I'll translate it with the help of friends.

Do you have any other information on the Greek volunteers or sources in Greece? I will be visiting Greece soon.

Thanks once again.

Regards

Bools

bools · Post by **bools** » 26 Oct 2007 21:56

camarada_j wrote:There is an article in the International Brigade Memorial Trust (IBMT) newsletter from earilier in the year (on page 8) about Cypriot volunteers in the British Battalion and Lincoln - Washington Battalion of the International Brigade.

It can be viewed online at http://www.international-brigades.org.u ... 2007_1.pdf

Interestingly though there were only 50 to 60 Cypriot voluteers in the IB, the islands population at the time was 350,000 this makes Cyprus the country with
the highest percentage of volunteers in the Spanish Civil War.

James

Hi James,

Many thanks for directing me to the IBMT newsletter. I met with some of the Cypriot volunteers many years ago in Spain. An honour!!

Anything else please let me know.

All the best.

Barry

Chinaski1917 · Post by **Chinaski1917** » 26 Oct 2007 22:21

"bools" there are many books on the Greek volunteers in the Spanish Civil war.

Yes that's right ON the greek volunteers themselves. I found 6 books.

1.Λαγάνας Χριστόφ: «Ποτσορρύμπη, ο Εμφύλιος Πόλεμος στην Ισπανία, Αμοιβαιότητες του ελληνικού Δεκέμβρη, Ο λόχος Ζαχαριάδη. Από το ημερολόγιο της 113ης Μπριγκάντας», 1957.

2.Παλαιολογόπουλος Δημήτρης: «Ελληνες αντιφασίστες εθελοντές στον Ισπανικό Εμφύλιο Πόλεμο 1936–1939», εκδ. Φιλιππότη, 1986.

3.Στέφανος Τσερμέγκας, Λευτέρης Τσιρμιράκης: «No Pasaran – Ελληνες αντιφασίστες εθελοντές στην Ισπανία», εκδ. Σύγχρονη Εποχή, 1987.

4. Πίττας Κώστας: «Ισπανία 1936: Η επανάσταση ενάντια στο Φασισμό», εκδ. Εργατική Δημοκρατία, 1999.

5.Σφήκας Θανάσης: «Η Ελλάδα και ο Ισπανικός Εμφύλιος: Ιδεολογία, Οικονομία, Διπλωματία», εκδ. Στάχυ, 2000.

6. Χρήστος Λάζος: «Πεθαίνοντας στη Μαδρίτη – Η συμμετοχή των Ελλήνων στον Ισπανικό Εμφύλιο Πόλεμο», εκδ. Αίολος, 2001.

You can easily find 5 and 6. Why and when are you coming in Greece ?, maybe I can show you around some Greek bookstores.

Chinaski1917 · Post by **Chinaski1917** » 27 Oct 2007 16:18

list of Greek volunteers in International Brigades who died in battle. The adte refers to the date of death.

Chinaski1917 · Post by **Chinaski1917** » 27 Oct 2007 16:20

oh no the forum cut a piece at the left side of the list.!!! I have to downsample it.

Chinaski1917 · Post by **Chinaski1917** » 27 Oct 2007 16:22

There were about 300 Greek who fought with the IB.

In Greek press (this article mentions) there were 43 names of those who died and 101 other fighters.

Chinaski1917 · Post by **Chinaski1917** » 27 Oct 2007 16:28

List of "Other Fighters".

Caps is the NAME and there is info on where he came from and sometimes other info like type of job.

Axis History Forum

Greeks, Macedonians, Albanians in International Brigades?

Greeks, Macedonians, Albanians in International Brigades?

re

yes there is

list