Apparati comunisti di vigilanza e repressione nelle Brigate Internazionali. Il caso della “Garibaldi”

Abstract

The Communist policing and repression system in the International Brigades. The Garibaldi Brigade case

Thanks to the now available documentation from the Soviet era, the political and military internal policing system of the International Brigades can be studied. This article focuses on the Garibaldi Brigade. The security apparatus was made up of the Cadres Office and Military Investigation Service, whose staff was Communist. Initially it was in charge of monitoring Communist volunteers, as well as unruly and suspicious individuals. Since autumn 1937, after the Republican chief Pacciardi left Spain polemically, all volunteers were subjected to policing in increasingly sectarian forms. Anti-Fascist unity, however, remained the main yardstick for political evaluation.

Received: 14-01-2016

Admitted: 15-04-2016