300px, A memorial commemorating the International Brigades
The XIV International Brigade was one of several
international brigades
The International Brigades ( es, Brigadas Internacionales) were military units set up by the Communist International to assist the Popular Front government of the Second Spanish Republic during the Spanish Civil War. The organization existed f ...
that fought for the
Spanish Second Republic during the
Spanish Civil War.
History and structure
It was raised on 20 December 1936 with volunteers mainly from
France and
Belgium, under General "Walter" (
Karol Świerczewski). This Brigade was the fourth of the international brigades, and it mixed veterans with new, idealistic volunteers. It was formally named the Marseillaise Brigade, after the French revolutionary song (and national anthem).
Units
With subsequent consolidations and reorganisations, the XIV International Brigade included, among others, the following battalions: all or elements of the following units:
*
Commune de Paris Battalion
*
Domingo Germinal Battalion
Domingo may refer to:
People
*Domingo (name), a Spanish name and list of people with that name
*Domingo (producer) (born 1970), American hip-hop producer
*Saint Dominic (1170–1221), Castilian Catholic priest, founder of the Friars popularly cal ...
*
Henri Barbusse Battalion
*
Louise Michel (I) Battalion
*
Louise Michel (II) Battalion
*
Marsellaise Battalion
*
Pierre Brachet Battalion
Pierre is a masculine given name. It is a French form of the name Peter. Pierre originally meant "rock" or "stone" in French (derived from the Greek word πέτρος (''petros'') meaning "stone, rock", via Latin "petra"). It is a translation ...
*
Primera Unidad de Avance Battalion
Primera may refer to
* Nissan Primera, a car
* Primera Air, a former airline
* Primera división (disambiguation), multiple top division football leagues
* Primera, Texas, a town in Cameron County, Texas
* Alí Primera, Venezuelan musician, c ...
*
Nine Nations Battalion
9 is a number, numeral, and glyph.
9 or nine may also refer to:
Dates
* AD 9, the ninth year of the AD era
* 9 BC, the ninth year before the AD era
* 9, numerical symbol for the month of September
Places
* Nine, Portugal, a parish in th ...
("Sans nom" or "Neuf Nationalités")
*
Sixth of February Battalion (Franco-Belgian)
*
Vaillant-Couturier Battalion
Engagements
The brigade fought in the battles of
Lopera, the
Corunna Road,
Jarama, and the
Segovia Offensive
The Segovia Offensive was a Republican diversionary offensive which took place between 31 May and 6 June 1937, during the Spanish Civil War. The main goal of the offensive was to occupy Segovia and divert Nationalist forces from their advance on ...
.
After the Nationalist strategic victory in the
Battle of Brunete (6–25 July 1937), heavy losses reduced the brigade strength from four to two battalions.
[''Beevor (2006)'' p 285] However, the brigade lived on and was able to take part in the last Republican offensive of the war. As with all of the volunteer international brigades, the members of the XIV International Brigade faced a dark future after the eventual Nationalist victory.
See also
*
International Brigades
The International Brigades ( es, Brigadas Internacionales) were military units set up by the Communist International to assist the Popular Front government of the Second Spanish Republic during the Spanish Civil War. The organization existed f ...
References
{{Mixed brigades of Spain, state=expanded
Military units and formations established in 1936
International Brigades
Mixed Brigades (Spain)
Military units and formations disestablished in 1939
