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p The heroic struggle of the Spanish people in 1936-39 for national independence, democracy and progress found widespread support in Rumania. The working class, the progressive intelligentsia and all the country’s democratic forces expressed their sympathy with Republican Spain and their solidarity with its heroic defenders.

p Operating in extremely difficult conditions as an underground movement, the Rumanian Communist Party was the motive force and organiser of the solidarity movement. From the very beginning of the war the Party voiced its protest against the military fascist revolt, the armed intervention of Hitler and Mussolini and the “non-intervention” policy of the British, French and United States governments. Under its guidance democratic forces in Rumania made their contribution to the international movement of solidarity with the Spanish people’s struggle. The Party stressed the great danger which fascism represented to the Spanish people and the peoples of the whole world. In documents prepared by the Central Committee, in the illegal Party press and the legal democratic press, in pamphlets and appeals to the masses, the Party revealed the significance of the fighting in Spain and the just, national-revolutionary nature of the war which the Spanish people were waging in defence of the Republic.

p The fifth extended plenary meeting of the Party’s Central Committee held in August 1936 sent a message of greeting to the Spanish Communist Party, the true leader of the Spanish people in its struggle for freedom and democracy. At the same time the Party addressed an appeal to the Rumanian people calling on the working population to support the Spanish people and its lawful government. One of the pamphlets said that the struggle in Spain "coincides with the Rumanian people’s struggle for the right to work, bread, land, peace and freedom.. .”. "Workers, peasants, 257 BANOU TBOREtlC ALCOMITETUtUI CENTRAL At PARTKWtUI! .’.’*/" ’ DIN ROMANIA ’ .’".’.’ ’ ’ ’ > (Stctlune a ln!<rni|io««Ief ComuiiiMc) Mil Wo, » P.ftul tfi 10 flld 1fA«I» 51 SARCINILE PftWETAmATULUI WN WJMAWft Vicloiia FiOfliulw Populir din atcgMilt din 16 rrtHu.iK t. i dobOin flat inSpanla, S’» atUl g«»ti»«l Frontulul Popufai cjit * da< «mni»lif<ciwi4la M*ltM:ioti Mlif<K4tii »i tHptlluiil ««glii frttabKiiii Oklatur.i in 1934 , imp.OpofUiifta ’ *M$iU * tiiMdat » obtijat pt »».« captiatt»ii a plateau* wmt dwlit (HHBcilon * paUOiM. iniff |lfMM *i mottcii , * I»CUBOKUI

The article “Events in Spain and the Tasks of the Rumanian
Proletariat" published in Lupta de Clasa, the theoretical organ of the
Central Committee of the Rumanian Communist Party
citizens!" wrote the Rumanian Communists. “Hold rallies, organise meetings and demonstrations of protest against the help which German, Italian and Portuguese fascism is giving to the Spanish counter-revolution! Pass resolutions of support, send telegrams of solidarity to the heroic Spanish people who, by fighting for their life and liberty, are defending peace the whole world over.”  [257•1 

p On September 1, 1936, Scinteia (The Spark), the central organ of the Rumanian Communist Party, pointed to the need to set up joint committees of workers and democratic social organisations in Rumania to give assistance to the Spanish people.

p The same month the theoretical organ of the Party s Central Committee, a journal entitled Lupta de Clasa (The Class Struggle) in an article entitled “Events in Spain and the Tasks ot the Rumanian Proletariat" appealed to the Rumanian public to direct all its efforts “to the struggle against the threat of war and fascism, to the defence of the Spanish people!" The Party pointed 258 out the community of interests between Spanish, German and Italian fascists and reactionary circles in Rumania. A brochure entitled The Fate of Peace and Freedom Is Being Decided in Spain said: "We, politically conscious workers, we, honest democrats, have realised that the fate of the independence of weaker countries threatened with fascist occupation is being decided in Spain. In Spain, too, the independence of Rumania, the freedom of its citizens, and the lives of its children are also at stake.”

p The Rumanian working class was at the forefront of the solidarity movement with the Spanish Republic. The delegates at the Congress of the General Union of Railway Trade Unions, held in the summer of 1936, sent warm greetings to the fighters of Spain on behalf of the railway workers. Shortly after the outbreak of the Spanish war the Communists organised numerous events in support of the Spanish Republic, including a large demonstration outside the Spanish Embassy. On May 1, 1937, in Bucharest, Cluj, Jassy, Braila, Targul-Mures, Timisoara, Tulcea, Brasov and other towns anti-fascist rallies and meetings of solidarity with the Spanish people were held. Not only workers took part in this movement, but all progressive intellectuals, craftsmen, peasants, students, young people, and members of the democratically-inclined bourgeoisie.

p Among the many Rumanian intellectuals who expressed their sympathy with Republican Spain’s noble struggle were the politician Dr Petru Groza, the active members of the workingclass movement M. Gh. Bujor and P. Constantinescu-Iasi, the journalists and publicists Al. Sahia, Al. C. Constantinescu, Jeo Bogza, Scarlat Callimachi, Zaharia Stancu, Ilie Cristea, Demostene Botez, and lozsa Bela, the eminent scholars C. I. Parhon, Nicolae Jorga, Gh. Marinescu, Traian Savulescu, the composer George Enescu, the conductor George Georgescu, the actor and producer Tony Bulandra, the authors Mihail Sadoveanu, George Calinescu, Victor Eftimiu, N. D. Cocea, Ion Calugaru and Eugen Jebeleanu.

p In the face of the growing nazi danger, which threatened the very existence of Rumania as a state, a number of eminent bourgeois political leaders, for example, Dr Nicolae Lupu, Grigore lunian, Dem. Dobrescu, Grigore Filipescu and others, supported the Spanish Republic.

p The Rumanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nicolae Titulescu, dismissed from the government in August 1936, was a far-seeing politician and advocate of collective security in Europe. He spoke out in favour of assisting the lawful Spanish Government and played an active part in the Rumanian Peace Committee as its Honorary President.

p At international anti-fascist congresses the representatives of this committee, which was run by Nicolae Lupu, and of other antifascist committees and mass organisations joined their votes to 259 those of the delegates of other peoples in support of the antifascist struggle of the Spanish people.

p The anti-Hitler stance of a section of the Rumanian bourgeoisie explains to a certain extent the sale of oil to the Spanish Government at the beginning of the war. In the latter half of 1936 and the early months of 1937, the Spanish tankers Compero and Remedios and others left Constanta loaded with oil products. The growth of fascist elements in the Rumanian monarchical government put an end to these trade operations. But subsequently, on the initiative of the Rumanian Communist Party, committees of aid to Republican Spain were set up throughout the country. Right at the beginning of the war a Joint Committee was set up in Bucharest to co-ordinate aid to Spain. It was composed of representatives of the Communist, Socialist and Independent Socialist parties, the Democratic Students’ Front, anti-fascist defence committees, the Independent Socialist Youth Union, the General Association of Private Employees and various trade-union and other public organisations.

p The Aid Spain committees operated illegally and were subject to persecution and repression by the authorities and also to attacks by fascist elements. In spite of these difficult conditions, the committees disseminated brochures, newspapers and pamphlets telling the truth about the Spanish people’s struggle, and collected funds, food, clothing and medicaments. The trade unions, IRA and other organisations played an active part in this work. In October 1936, the first ambulance purchased with funds raised by the Aid Spain committees was sent to Spain.

p The public and the authorities of the Spanish Republic frequently expressed their gratitude to the Rumanian people for the help to their country. Thus, a letter of November 30, 1937 from Catalonia to the editors of the Bucharest newspaper Zorile (Dawn) conveyed warm thanks for supporting the struggle of the Spanish people.

p The Communist Party was the initiator and organiser of sending volunteers to the Spanish Republic. Its appeal was answered by anti-fascists—workers, peasants, students and intellectuals. The participation of about 500 Rumanian volunteers in the armed struggle side by side with Spanish troops and volunteers from many other countries became the noblest expression of the Rumanian people’s solidarity with the people of Spain.

p Continuing the finest revolutionary traditions of their people, the Rumanian volunteers contributed new and glorious pages to the history of its struggle for freedom. On March 15, 1937, in an address to the Rumanian people, they wrote: “Our struggle here, in Spain, is none other than the struggle of the Rumanian people for peace and freedom. We are proud that, side by side with the Spanish people, we can bear aloft the banner of our ancestors 260 Avram lancu, Horia, Closca, Crisan, Tudor Vladimirescu and all those who perished in the struggle against social oppression for the free development of all the peoples of the world.” The Rumanian patriots’ profound love of their country was organically linked with an awareness of their internationalist duty, which can be seen from the words on their banner: "For your freedom and ours”. The envoys of the Rumanian people fought valiantly on all the fronts of the Spanish Republic, showing the deep devotion of Rumanian anti-fascists to the cause of the Spanish people’s freedom.

p In the International Brigades of the Republican Army separate units were formed consisting predominantly of Rumanians. These units were named after famous politicians and heroic events in the Rumanian people’s struggle for freedom. In the llth International Brigade an artillery battalion was set up named after Anna Pauker (with which the Tudor Vladimirescu Battery was subsequently merged); in Estremadura an artillery group named after Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej in the Slav Artillery Battalion; in Aragon and Levante a machine-gun company and the Grivita rifle company in the Djakovic Battalion of the 129th International Brigade; and on the Ebro a company of the separate Divisionario Battalion of the 45th Division.

p The Anna Pauker Battalion, formed from two batteries of field artillery in Murcia in January 1937, included Rumanians and volunteers from other countries alongside the French and Belgians. A firm friendship grew up between the troops of the various nationalities. The Rumanian volunteer Valter Roman was appointed battalion commander.

p The battalion received its baptism of fire at the beginning of the battle of the Jarama in the closing of the fascist breach. The battalion’s heavy bombardment supported the llth International Brigade, which was having difficulty in containing the enemy onslaught. The gun barrels became too hot to touch from constant firing.

p The enemy then went over to the attack towards the villages of Morata de Tajuna and Arganda. On the initiative of the battalion command the brigade commander decided, contrary to the traditional tactics, to open massed artillery fire on the fascist positions and concentrations at night. The fascists, were caught unawares. Prisoners captured on the following day admitted that the artillery bombardment of the previous night had thrown the fascist command into confusion and caused heavy losses in men and equipment.

p The same day the battalion’s artillery put out of action five of the sixteen fascist tanks attacking the sector of the front occupied by the llth International Brigade. This enabled the latter to launch a counter-attack and regain its lost positions.

261

p For exemplary execution of its combat assignment the com* mander of the llth International Brigade, Colonel Hans Kahle, thanked the battalion in an order of the day which read: “The Anna Pauker Artillery Battalion composed of French and FrancoBelgian batteries, fought in an exemplary manner during these days and earned the highest praise. It completely destroyed an enemy battery and its ammunition depot. Moreover it bombarded enemy trenches, inflicting considerable losses on Moroccan units, neutralised a number of machine-gun nests and flame-throwers, destroyed five enemy tanks with direct hits, and repulsed a violent enemy attack yesterday evening with heavy artillery fire—-"  [261•1 

p March 1937 was a month of great victory for the Republicans at Guadalajara. After some gruelling days and nights of stubborn bloody defence the Republican troops went over to a counterattack and routed the Italian fascist divisions. In this counterattack the artillery battalion supported the operations of the Spanish units and battalions of the llth International Brigade. After heavy bombardment by Republican aircraft and artillery fire, the Republican troops supported by tanks broke through the Italian defence line.

p The battalion was ordered to help the Paris Commune Battalion attack the fascists’ fortified centre of resistance in the stone buildings of the Casa del Cobo.

p The battalion’s firing was directed from the bell-tower of the small town of Trijueque which had just been captured from the enemy. Realising this, the enemy opened fire on the tower, but the artillery officers did not abandon their observation post. The Republican troops went over to the offensive and the panicstricken fascists rushed out of the Casa del Cobo. The Paris Commune Battalion cut off the Italian fascists’ line of retreat with a bayonet assault and captured many prisoners.

p After the Guadalajara operation the Anna Pauker Battalion was reinforced with captured Italian guns and ammunition and some Italian armoured cars. As part of the 35th International Division the artillery battalion was shortly to take part in the first large Republican offensive on Brunete, in particular, the heavy fighting that preceded the capture of the village of Quijorna and the resistance to enemy counter-attacks on Brunete.

p In the course of the battle of Brunete the Rumanian Valter Roman was appointed artillery officer of the 35th Division which included the llth International Brigade.

p Particularly memorable are the successful operations of a group of artillerymen during the 35th Division’s offensive on the Aragon Front near Zaragoza. In their attack on the strongly fortified village of Quinto the Republican infantry was having trouble in capturing an important point of enemy resistance—a cemetery. 262 A group of artillerymen with a truck-drawn cannon got to within 400-500 metres of the enemy positions and began firing pointblank on the fascist trenches. Caught unawares, the enemy turned tail and fled. To quote General Walter (Karol Swierczewski), commander of the 35th International Division, “this cannon not only helped our infantry to capture the enemy positions, but—even more important—convinced the Spanish gunners who were watching of the possibility and advantages of point-blank artillery firing".  [262•1  This military experience was put to good use by the Republicans in the subsequent fighting for Quinto and Belchite.

p The capture of Quinto brought with it a great deal of equipment including guns. Ten of them were repaired. In this way the artillery battalion replenished its equipment. In the harsh winter of 1937/38 the Rumanian artillery took part in the second phase of the Teruel operation. The Republican units took by storm the town of Teruel. The enemy gathered its superior forces, however, and launched a counter-attack. The 35th Division was transferred to the most threatened sector. The llth and 15th brigades and the artillery battalion engaged in heavy defensive fighting with the fascists. One of the batteries, which was supporting positions on the Muleton Hill, became cut off. With great difficulty the artillerymen managed to break out. As a result of this fighting all the battalion’s guns were destroyed.

p After receiving new guns, the Rumanian artillery took part in the large offensive on the Ebro. The Tudor Vladimirescu Battery crossed the river under heavy aerial bombardment and immediately attacked the enemy. Right up to September 23, 1938—when the international volunteers were recalled from the front—each artilleryman did his duty honourably.

p Another group of Rumanian artillerymen operated on the Estremadura Front as part of a Slav heavy artillery battalion. The battery was covering a large sector of the front. It frequently had to change its firing positions. The Rumanian volunteers showed initiative and ingenuity. They improvised a device for rapid loading and unloading of the guns on lorries and found a way of making the gun wheels steadier. This made it four times as quick for the battery to change position and move the guns from one sector to another. As a result the battalion was able to confuse the fascist command as to the real strength of the Republican artillery on this sector of the front.

p The self-sacrifice and initiative of the Rumanian artillerymen was frequently mentioned in command orders to the battalion.

p The names shall never be forgotten of the heroic gunners Nicolae Cristea, a metalworker from Galati and former secretary 263

Volunteers of the Tudor Vladimirescu Battery
of the Bucharest Party Committee, who commanded the Tudor Vladimirescu Battery in Spain and died a hero’s death in the French Resistance; Nicolae Pop, a worker and Communist from Sibiu, one of the first Rumanian volunteers in Spain, who gave his life for his people’s cause in the Second World War; Andrei Sas Dragos, the engineer lancu Zilberman, and Alexandra Lazar, who lost their lives in the French Resistance; and Matias Ludovic, killed in action in the Second World War. The following were among those who fought in the battle of the Ebro: Mihail Florescu, Grigore Gheza Vida (now a people’s artist of the Socialist Republic of Rumania), Nikolae Moraru, Vasile Calugaru, Andrei Roman (commissar of the Tudor Vladimirescu Battery), Ion Sachelarie, Vasile Costiniuc, Mihai Bojku, Traian Bujor, and Gheorghe Adorian. Side by side with the Rumanian volunteers fought the sons of other peoples, including such fine soldiers and unforgettable comrades as the French battery commanders, Gaston Carre and Samuel Arbousset; Paul Richard, battalion commander and hero of the French Resistance; the Spaniards Ricardo Camarillo and Angel Marotto, the Italian Giuseppe Calisuri, the Czech Zdenek Pribyl and many others.

p Rumanian volunteers also served in infantry units. Everywhere they fought bravely and selflessly. One of the first Rumanian volunteers, Mihai Ardeleanu, son of a Transylvanian peasant, died a hero’s death in the defence of Madrid.

p After bitter fighting on one of the sectors of the Madrid Front the enemy managed to break through Republican positions. It was 264 necessary to inform command of this immediately, but the road was under enemy bombardment. Mihai Ardeleanu volunteered to deliver the dispatch. He leapt on a horse and galloped off, watched anxiously by his comrades who remained at their positions. He reached his goal safely, but was caught by a round of machine-gun fire on the way back. Hanging on to his horse’s neck he managed to get back to the trenches, but when his comrades rushed to meet him there was nothing more they could do for him.

p In the south of Spam, in Andalucia, a group of Rumanian railway workers had their first taste of fighting in the 9th Battalion of the 14th International Brigade around Montoro.

p Formed in December 1936, the 9th Battalion arrived at the Andalucian Front before the other units and received orders to check the advance of the enemy who had broken through the front and was advancing without encountering any resistance. Before they had time to deploy for combat and take up positions, the battalion’s companies suddenly came under heavy enemy cross fire from the surrounding hills. Shortly afterwards enemy aircraft appeared, which bombed and strafed the volunteers. Lacking military training and in their first operation on the front, the volunteers panicked. At this critical point a young Rumanian Communist and railway worker by the name of Gonstantin Burca, an M.G. platoon commander, set up a machine-gun and opened fire on the fascists. The most difficult moment had been overcome. The machine- gunners and several infantry platoons managed to hold back the enemy until nightfall, enabling the rest of the battalion to retreat. Constantin Burca died a hero’s death. The volunteer Leontin Dorohoi from Moldavia was killed in this fighting, while covering the battalion’s retreat over the Guadalquivir. With the arrival of the other battalions, the 14th Brigade carried out its mission and the fascist advance was checked.

p In the three weeks of fighting on the Jarama, the constant attacks and counter-attacks frequently turned into bayonet assaults. The following two Rumanian infantrymen distinguished themselves here: a worker by the name of Mihai Cristov, who fought in the Georgy Dimitrov Battalion, and Emil Sneiberg, a Communist student from Jassy, who died a hero’s death fighting in the French Battalion. When all the officers were out of action he took command of the unit until he was struck down by an enemy bullet. French anti-fascists remember his name with respect to this very day.

p In the Brunete operation Rumanian volunteers fought in the Balkan Djakovic" Battalion and other military units. George Ciul was killed on this front, and Constantin Cimpeanu wounded, to mention but a couple.

p By the end of summer 1937 the first infantry unit consisting mainly of Rumanians had been set up—a machine-gun company 265 of the Djakovic Battalion. The company commander was Mihai Burca.

p The company was formed in Samper de Calanda, in Aragon, where a large group of new Rumanian volunteers had arrived. It was a truly international one, including Rumanians, Yugoslavs, Spaniards, Bulgarians and Greeks. It received its baptism of fire in autumn 1937 in the fighting on the Fuentes de Ebro sector near Zaragoza. Machine-gunner Anghel Haralambie was wounded, but did not leave his post. Command made mention of the company for its fortitude and bravery. In November the 45th Division was sent to Estremadura. Here a new international brigade was formed —the 129th. It included the Slav and Balkan Dimitrov, Masaryk and Djakovic battalions. The latter was commanded by the Yugoslav Baumann and his deputy at one time was the Rumanian Petre Borila who was subsequently seriously wounded. In autumn 1937 Mihai Burca took command of the battalion after Baumann. The arrival of yet another group of Rumanians and the formation of an infantry company bearing the illustrious name of Grivita  [265•1  was a great event for the Rumanian volunteers. A short respite in Chillon was used by the Djakovic Battalion and other units of the 129th Brigade for military training, political instruction and strengthening friendly relations with the local population.

p The hour of greatest tribulation for the Rumanian units of the 129th International Brigade came in the spring of 1938 on the Aragon and Levante fronts. The Republican Army on the Aragon Front was shuddering under the blows of superior enemy forces. The fascist troops were approaching the Mediterranean, threatening to divide Republican territory into two. Enemy motorised units were cutting off and encircling Republican formations in lightning assaults. It was becoming increasingly difficult to determine the new lines of resistance. Republican reserve brigades marched into battle under the constant risk of being encircled. Yet the Spanish troops and the men of the International Brigades showed heroic determination in these difficult conditions.

p The 129th Brigade took part in the bitter fighting against the fascists on the Monroyo-Morella-Poblete sector and suffered heavy casualties.

p The Djakovic Battalion was ordered to cover the retreat of the neighbouring division. On the sector of the front where the Rumanian units were positioned only three lorries managed to get through to the lines laid down in the order. The rest encountered heavy enemy firing and were forced to seek for a bypass route. The men in the first three lorries took up positions and held them, in spite of strong enemy pressure, until the other battalion companies 266 arrived. A little later the enemy encircled this group almost entirely. Platoon Commander Garcia was killed by a bullet, and several men were badly wounded. Communication with the battalion command was broken. Stefan Megheri, a member of the Central Committee of the Union of Rumanian Communist Youth, was sent with a dispatch to the battalion command post. He managed to crawl through the sector under enemy fire and to get back to the front with an order from the battalion command.

p In Monroyo the Grivita Company’s position was heavily bombarded by enemy artillery for 45 minutes, after which hundreds of bombs were dropped on it in a series of air raids. Assuming that it would not meet with any resistance, the fascist infantry went into attack. The volunteers let the fascists get close, then opened fire on a signal from their commander and the enemy was driven back.

p Stefan Megheri was killed, fighting the enemy to his last breath. The commander of the Grivita Company, Horia Moldoveanu, was badly wounded in the fighting on this sector.

p At Poblete the fascists again sent a hail of shells and bombs on the Republican positions. All that remained of the platoon commanded by the Rumanian volunteer Nicolae Rosu, a Bucharest metalworker, was one section with a single machine-gun. With the help of this machine-gun Rosu withstood constant fascist infantry attacks, alternating with artillery bombardment of the trenches occupied by Nicolae’s section. The brave machine- gunner fought on until he was killed by a shell.

p When the troops of the insurgents and interventionists divided Republican territory in two on April 15, 1938, the only international brigade in the south, in the Levante, was the 129th. In its ranks Rumanian volunteers defended the Levante Province and the approaches to Valencia, an important strategic point for the Republic.

p In driving back the fascist attacks, the 129th Brigade frequently went over to counter-attack. One of these is engraved forever in the memories of those who took part in it. The Italian troops and Falangists were caught unawares. After two hours of heavy fighting the Republican infantry broke through the enemy positions, occupied a commanding height and, tearing down the Franco flag, hoisted the banner of the Spanish Republic. Many fascists were taken prisoner. Sergeant Constantin Bodeanu and Private Cocimarovschi lost their lives, storming the fascist fortifications. Here too, on the Levante Front, the Rumanian volunteers Aurel Stancu and Minea Stan were badly wounded.

p In the spring of 1938 Rumanian infantrymen formed the nucleus of one of the companies of a battalion of the 45th Division. The company’s political commissar was Gheorghe Stoica, 267 a veteran of the Rumanian working-class movement. The company took part in defensive fighting on the right bank of the Ebro. It was here that the young volunteer Constantin lacob, son of a Bacau peasant, lost his life.

p The last big offensive of the Republican Army was the battle of the Ebro which began on July 25 in the hot summer of 1938. Republican troops consisting of two army corps crossed the Ebro and rolled the fascists back thirty kilometres. Going over to the defensive, the Republicans repulsed the counter-attacks of the insurgents and interventionists. The fascists concentrated large contingents of troops, ground equipment and aircraft on this sector of the front. Each of the sides was out to gain control of the commanding heights in the Pandols and Caballs mountains. It lasted about three months, during which positions changed hands several times. We shall describe one episode only. The fascists had succeeded in capturing a tactically important hill in the Caballs mountains. It had to be recaptured at all costs. This task was entrusted to a battalion of the 45th Division. The fascists guessed what the Republicans were about to do and raised a barrage of fire from all the guns along the valley which the Republicans had to cross. Nevertheless, by making skilful use of the local relief the battalion advanced on the enemy trenches and captured the hill. The following Rumanians took part in the fighting for the

A group of Rumanian volunteers
268 Caballs mountains: Constantin Doncea, former chairman of a railway workers’ strike committee in the Grivita shops in Bucharest in February 1933; Alexandru Constantinescu, Marin Selea, the three Minor brothers and M. Faltin. Alexandru Faclie, a young student from Craiova and a member of the Democratic Front of Rumanian Students, was killed in this fighting.

p The nineteenth of September, 1938 is memorable as one of the last engagements on the Ebro in which Rumanian volunteers took part. Early in the morning fascist aircraft bombed the battalion’s positions and after many hours of artillery bombardment, when it seemed that nothing could remain alive in the battalion’s trenches, the enemy infantry launched their attack. It encountered fierce resistance, however. All day the Republicans drove back the enemy attacks. By evening the fascists had managed to capture a few trenches, and they attempted to penetrate into the rear and encircle the battalion. By that time there remained only two Rumanian volunteers—Miron Lazar and Alexandru Brix—who could still go on fighting. They tried to beat off the enemy with small arms and hand grenades. The worker Alexandru Brix died a hero’s death fighting to the last breath.

p The Rumanian volunteers Ion Calin, Francisc Bocor, Alexandru Mihail and many others who distinguished themselves by their valour in the battle of the Ebro died heroically later in the French Resistance and on other fronts of the anti-fascist struggle.

Rumanian volunteers also fought on the Ebro in other International Brigades. They included Constantin Paliga, who was killed in the fighting on the right bank of the Ebro.

p A group of Rumanian medical workers consisting of more than twenty doctors and nurses worked in Spain. These volunteers were spread all over Republican Spain: the nurses worked in hospitals in the rear, and the doctors Stefan Sinculescu, David lancu, Bucur Cleja, Arcu, Hermina Tismaneanu and others primarily in the medical units of the brigades.

p The Rumanian doctors, like their colleagues of other nationalities, shared the joys and sorrows, burdens and dangers of the troops. Some of them were wounded and two killed.

p Doctor Andrei Tilea was the first Rumanian doctor to come to Spain. He took part in the fighting at Irun. After the town was captured by the fascists a large number of its defenders retreated into France, then returned to Spain and joined the Republican Army. The others, consisting mainly of Asturian miners, stayed in the north of Spain and continued the struggle in guerrilla detachments. Andrei Tilea went off with the guerrillas into the hills and took part in the fighting until he was captured by the fascists. He 269 bravely withstood all torture. The fascists killed this intrepid Communist without succeeding in breaking him.

p The Rumanian doctor Felix Ippen died a hero’s death at his post in the Brunete operation.

p In the autumn of 1938, in accordance with a decision of the Spanish Republican Government the volunteers of the International Brigades were recalled from the front and billeted in various Catalan towns and villages before being sent home. The international volunteers who had fought on the fronts of Central Spain were transported to Catalonia by sea, where a moving meeting of all the Rumanian brigaders took place. They could not go home because the reactionary Rumanian Government had forbidden them to enter the country.

p In January 1939 the Rumanian volunteers together with all the others again took up arms. In prolonged defensive fighting together with Spanish units they made it possible for hundreds of thousands of peaceful civilians fleeing from fascist bondage to cross the French frontier.

p During the Second World War Rumanian volunteers in the French Resistance and in guerrilla detachments operating in Rumania, the USSR, Czechoslovakia and other countries, and also in Rumanian units during the anti-fascist war fought bravely and selflessly against the fascist invaders and added new heroic pages to the history of international solidarity and the struggle of the Rumanian people for the freedom of their native land.

Today the Communist Party of Rumania and the whole Rumanian people support the heroic and fearless struggle of the Spanish people and its Communist Party for democracy, social progress, and an independent and free Spain.