THE ANARCHIST PIMPERNEL FRANCISCO PONZAN VIDAL (1936-1944)

The Anarchists in the and the Escape Networks in World War II

The Meltzer Press

BY ANTONIO TELLEZ SOLA THE ANARCHIST PIMPERNEL—FRANCISCO PONZAN VIDAL (1936-1944)

CONTENTS the Council's Information and Propaganda Department -The CNT membership censures the Chapter 1: The Dying Days of the Second Council 18 World War Allied troops land in Normandy and Provence - Chapter 9: Pilar Ponzan's Imprisonment and The Germans murder Francisco Ponzan Vidal, Release along with around 50 hostages, near Toulouse Pilar arrested in Huesca and taken to Jaca - () -The outrages by German troops during Prison life and the shootings - Joaquin Maurin, their retreat 1 leader of the POUM - Court martial - Release and crossing into the Republican zone - Chapter 2: The Build-up to Civil War in Prisoner exchanges 21 Ponzan in -Terrorism in 1936 -The Olympics and the People's Olympics in Chapter 10: The Communist Party's Counter- - Ponzan arrives in Huesca 2 Revolutionary Activity Farming collectives in liberated Aragbn - The Chapter 3: The Army Revolt in Huesca Communist provocation of May 1937 in Barcelona The military conspiracy and revolt in Huesca -The -CNT troops on the front sty out of it - The people hesitate and the rebels triumph - The anarcho-syndicalist committees backpedal - escape of Ponzan and the antifascists - The Formation of the provisional Generalitat repression in the wake of victory - The killing of government and the cease fire - The Ram6n Acfn 4 consequences of May - The drive against the POUM - The drive against the Council of Aragbn Chapter 4: Epila Village, Zaragoza Province and its dissolution - Repression targets anarcho- Repression in the villages of Aragon - Resistance syndicalist militants - Ponzan seeks refuge with in Epila - The childhood and youth of Agustin the 127th Mixed Brigade - The Aragonese Remiro Manero - Military service in Africa - CNT- guerrillas and the 'Libertador' group - Santander FAI militant - Events of 1932 in Epila - General falls 28 Sanjurjo's revolt -The events of October 1934 in Zaragoza province - Falange Espafiola attempts Chapter 11: The War on the Aragbn Fronts to bribe Remiro - Escape from Epila - Arrival in The build-up to the Republican offensive against the Republican Zone and enlistment in the Durruti Zaragoza - The role of Maximo Franco Cavero's column- Remiro's wife arrested - A difficult 127th Brigade - The suicidal operation against sabotage mission in enemy territory 7 Crucetas - Belchite captured - Ponzan and the 'Libertador'group join the SIEP (Intelligence Service) Chapter 5: The Army Revolt in Jaca - The group's make-up - Republican offensive in Pilar Ponzan in Jaca during the army revolt - Upper Aragbn and the counter-attack- SIEP reports Fighting in the city - Victory goes to the rebels, -The positions along the Pyrenean front - Offensive followed by bloody repression - Pilar's journey to south of the Ebro - SIEP reports 37 Huesca- Ponzan executed? 13 Chapter 12: Agustfn Remiro on theTeruel Front Chapter 6: The Military Defeated in More than Build-up to the Republican thrust against Teruel - Half of Spain Remiro's mission behind enemy lines - The Ponzan in Chibluco, San Julian de Banzo and offensive and the counter attack 43 Angiies (Huesca) - The two - Peasant revolution in AngiiSs - Ponzan in positions of Chapter 13: The SIEP and the Francoist responsibility 16 Offensive in Aragbn The SIEP - The Francoist offensive and the loss Chapter 7: The War in Huesca of Belchite -The Republican front collapses -The War in the capital of Huesca Province - SIEP and the Francoist offensive in Upper Aragbn Ponz£n's house bombed - Expectancy and - SIEP reports - Reorganisation of the Army of disappointment 17 Catalonia 46

Chapter 8: Revolution in Liberated Aragbn Chapter 14: Pilar in the Retreat from Aragbn Ponzan at the Extraordinary Plenum of the Unions Pilar in Barcelona -Teaching in a children's home of Arag6n on 6 October 1936 - Motion on the at Tamarite de Litera (Huesca) - Evacuation - Air establishment of the Aragbn Defence Council - raid on L6rida -The children's home in Puigcerda The CNT's first Regional Defence Council - -Teacher in a school in Amer (Gerona) 49 Popular Front participation in the Council - The Communist Party's first intrigues against the Chapter 15: The evacuation of the Valle de Aran Council - Ponzdn in the Under-Secretaryship of Ponzan organises the SIEP in the Ar£n valley - ANTONIOTELLEZ SOLA

SIEP agents jailed at Viella (L6rida) - Ponzan freed Chapter 22: In the French Concentration Camps and the local garrison commander arrested - Ponzan in Bourg-Madame - In the camp at Vernet Evacuation of the Aran valley - The trip from -The first deaths -The SERE (Spanish Refugee France to Barcelona - General report from the Evacuation Service) - Aid from the Mexican SIEP 51 government - Juan Catala Balafia refuses to sail 79 Chapter 16: Creation of the 'C Machine- Gunner Battalion Chapter 23: First Contacts Beyond the Camp Francoist troops reach the Mediterranean and Assistance from the antifascists of Varilhes bisect the Republic's territory - Remiro summoned (Ariege) - Jean BSnazet - Varilhes, Ponzan's by the commander of the Army of the East - The headquarters 81 'C Machine-Gunner Battalion 56 Chapter 24: Anti-Franco Activity Inside Spain Chapter 17: Ponzan's Childhood and Youth The resistance to Franco in 1939 - The Albatera Ponzan's holiday in Puigcerda - Pilar recalls her camp (Alicante) - The CNT, the premier brother's childhood - The death of their father - clandestine organisation - Arranging escapes - Religious education and Ponzan's rebelliousness - The General Council of the Libertarian Movement His expulsion from the school of the Salesian Fathers in Paris - Juan Manuel Molina {Juanel) - Mariano - Ponzan resumes his studies - Ponzan the teacher Rodrfguez Vazquez {Marianet) commissions - Teaching in Ipas (Jaca) - The Jaca uprising of Ponzan to rescue comrades from Spain - Eliseo 1930 - Ponzan arrested - CNT militant - Journey Melis Diaz -The case of the Bishop of Barcelona, through jails - Teaching in Castejbn de Monegros Manuel Irurita Almandoz - Melfs's initial contacts (Huesca) - A dangerous individual at University - with the MLE - The first activists quit the Vernet Teaching in Baos-Corzbn (La Corufia) - Ponzan in camp for action inside Spain -The spectre of war the SIEP of the Xth Army Corps 57 in Europe -The performance of the action groups in Spain - The Libertarian Movement's National Chapter 18: The SIEP and the 'C Machine- Council in Valencia - Delegates from Spain and Gunner Battalion France - Action groups rounded up in Barcelona Francoist troops attack in Levante - Ponzan - Summary courts martial and firing squad - overhauls the SIEP in Seu d'Urgell - Republican France and Great Britain declare war on offensive in Catalonia - The 'C Machine-Gunner - Ponzan's confederates in Varilhes - Esteban Battalion split between the 34th and 24th Divisions Pallarols' National Council is arrested - Manuel - Remiro's men's role in the offensive - The Lbpez's anarchist liaison commission and its Noguera Pallaresa river 63 conversion into National Council - Ponzan puts a plan for operations inside Spain to the Council - Chapter 19: Action Behind Enemy Lines The Council washes its hands of the action groups Missions of the 'C Machine-Gunner Battalion - in Spain -Juanel and Ponzan respectively tender End of the Republican offensive - The Francoist their resignations to the Council -The German drive offensive continues in Levante -The Popular Army to the West - Paris occupied - Armistice 82 crosses the Ebro 67 Chapter 25: The Ponzans reunited Chapter 20: The Loss of Catalonia Pilar in Saint-Jean du Bruel (Aveyron) - Arrival in New tasks for the 'C Machine-Gunner Battalion - Varilhes - Life in Ariege 97 Sabotage operations in the area around Sort (L6rida) -The suicidal attack on the V6rtice Espla - Remiro Chapter 26: The Secret Services in France, wounded - Conversion of the 'C Machine-Gunner Intelligence and Counter-Espionage agencies before Battalion into the Army of the East's Headquarters and after the Armistice - The agents - The new Troop Battalion - Ploys designed to break up the secret services 99 Battalion - Remiro undergoes another operation - The 247th Battalion of the 62nd Brigade, 31st Chapter 27: Ponzan and the Intelligence Service Division -The final Francoist push against Catalonia Ponzan's first dealings with the British Secret Services - An attempt to disarm Remiro's men - Barcelona - Remiro's trips into Spain - Remiro's wife arrives in taken - SIEP agents cross into France via Bourg- Varilhes - Manifesto distributed inside Spain calling Madame 70 for neutrality in the war and for the establishment of a Democratic Alliance - Arrests and firing squads - Juan Chapter 21: Exodus Catala arrested - Ponzan's trip to Huesca - Remiro Pilar in Figueras - The exodus and arrival in Le moves his wife and daughter to Andorra 102 Perthus -Travelling towards a'haven'- First weeks in exile - Pilar re-established contact with Ponzan, Chapter 28: Ponzan and the Secret Services an internee in the Vernet d'Ariege camp 76 The French exodus to the south - The British THE ANARCHIST PIMPERNEL— FRANCISCO PONZAN VIDAL (1936-1944) abandon France -The British secret services "cede" Chapter 38: Stumbling Blocks Along the Way the Spaniards to the French - Ponzan's first contacts Disagreements between Ponzan and the French secret with the French secret services - The conditions services - Cooperation on a new footing - Pat O'Leary governing their collaboration 107 summoned to Gibraltar- Eliseo Melfs escorts Pat as far as Barcelona - Reports on the organisation of Services Chapter 29: Toulouse, the hub of activities inside Spain -The Ponzan group unable to cope with the targeting Spain smuggling of escapees over the Pyrenees 134 Ponzan caught unawares in Spain by the Armistice - Returns to France - Ponzan moves home to Toulouse Chapter 39: The Spanish Police on (Haute Garonne) - Contacts with the men of the Ponzan's Trail Resistance - The escape line across the Pyrenees - A police report on Ponzan - Ponzan is an The house in the Rue de Limayrac 110 "adversary to be reckoned with" 138

Chapter 30: Vicente Moriones joins the team Chapter 40: Remiro Plays His Final Card Salvador Aguado Andreut - Vicente Moriones Pat O'Leary in Gibraltar - Return to France - Belzunegui - Remiro moves his family to Spain - Ponzan keen to broaden his anti-Franco activities Juan Catala escapes - Catala in Andorra 113 - Remiro under sentence of death - Letters from Remiro -An abortive escape attempt -The escape Chapter 31: Arrests in Barcelona network stricken by further arrests 141 Juan Catala rearrested - His escape from Remand Court No. 3 - Interview with Melfs in Barcelona - Chapter 41: A "Philosopher" on the Team Catala back in jail -Vicente Moriones arrested but Miguel Chueca Cuartero - Salvador Aguado's freed by Eduardo Quintela - Catala makes charitable works - Literary debates - Homage preparations for an escape 115 to Ponzan - Pilar Ponzan's clandestine trip into Spain 144 Chapter 32: Agustm Remiro arrested in Portugal Chapter 42: Eliseo Melfs, Man of Many Faces Remiro's trip into Spain on a mission - Remiro The ambiguous figure of Melfs - Melfs's posts within arrested in Portugal - Extradited to Spain - the organisation - Melfs formally denounced as a police Remiro's letter from prison 117 informer - The Libertarian Movement's stance in the Melfs case - Melfs executed in Barcelona 148 Chapter 33: Frictions within the MLE The MLE disapproves of collaboration with Allied Chapter 43: The Pat O'Leary Network In Action forces - an accusatory circular - Ponzan's Ian Garrow's escape - Gaston Negre's escape - relations with the Organisation in Spain 119 The scale of the Organisation 150

Chapter 34: A British Escape Line in France Chapter 44: Enemy Plants Antecedents and development of the Pat O'Leary Ponzcin in Spain for the commemoration of the escape network -The Belgian doctor Albert Marie sixth anniversary of the murder of Rambn Acfn - Guerisse - Pat's escape from Saint-Hippolyte du A number of enemy attempts at infiltration - Santa Ford - He joins the escape line - His confederates Teresita rescues Vicente Moriones- Eduardo Jos6 - the French Intelligence agency of Papa Noel - Esteve arrives from the occupied zone to join the The SR in Spain 121 group - Ponzan and the Services 152

Chapter 35: The Vichy Police's First Intrusion Chapter 45: Ponzan arrested and interned The Vichy police search Ponzan's home - His in Vernet arrest - Robert Terres (El Padre) steps in - Zeika's The Ponzan group's intense activity in 1942 - illness 127 Seaborne escapes organised - Serious frictions within the Ponzan group - Ponzan, Pilar and other Chapter 36: Operations in France and In Spain comrades arrested by the Vichy police -The person Eduardo Val Bescos and Jos§ Gonzalez Marfn responsible for the arrests - Pilar moved to a arrested - Letter of explanation - The fifth concentration camp - Ponzan and his friends anniversary of Buenaventura Durruti's death - internees in Vernet - Ponzan released - "The sons Manuel Lozano Guillen in prison in Huesca - Ponzdn of the people" in the Hotel de Paris 157 intervenes without success - Funding of a book published clandestinely by Pierre Besnard 129 Chapter 46: The Odyssey of Catala the Guide El Padre secures Ponzan's release - The guide Chapter 37: A Traitor service revamped -The Germans arrest El Padre Hector Cole's treachery - Upwards of 80 arrests in the - Catala escapes from the Modelo Prison in North-The escape network revamped 132 Barcelona - Catala recaptured - Catala quits the ANTON 10 TELLEZ SOLA

Ponzan group- His "debriefing" in LSrida - Catala intervention - Ponzan's trial - Hopes of escape at large 161 dashed 181

Chapter 47: The Allied Landings in North Chapter 56: Pilar Ponzan Escapes and Africa and their Repercussions Contacts her Brother The Anglo-American forces in North Africa - The Lawyer Jean Faure reckons that Ponzan may be Germans invade the free zone in France -The police shot at any moment - Pilar escapes from the camp pursuit of Salvador Aguado - The Aguado family in Gurs - the journey to Oloron-Sainte-Marie crosses into Spain - Pat O'Leary arrested - The (Basses Pyr6n6es) -The home of Bias Viscasillas Ponzan group's part in some famous escapes ..165 in Buziet -The Germans carry out a massacre in the village, murdering 25 people, 16 of them Chapter 48: A Traitor's Handiwork Spaniards - Pilar in Toulouse in search of help - The traitor Adolfo exposed - The catastrophic One thankful woman - Pilar and Palmira Pla - impact upon the Belgian organisations - Arrest of Ponzan alive! - Ponzan's last note 184 Pierre Bouriez, head of the Sabot network, another with which Ponzan had been working - Eduardo Chapter 57: Ponzan Murdered J. Esteve quits the Ponzan group and joins the The Liberation of Toulouse - Political prisoners underground Organisation inside Spain 168 freed from the prison but no sign of Ponzan - Two days previously, the Germans had transferred Chapter 49: Ponzan and the Libertarian around 50 inmates - A lengthy investigation - Movement Testimony from prison - The mass murders at Ponzan's ideas about the present and future of the Buzet-sur-Tarn - At the scene of the slaughter - National Confederation of Labour (CNT) 170 No room for doubt 189

Chapter 50: The "double game" of Robert Chapter 58: Further Arrests for Juan Catala Terres (El Padre) Catala arrested in Seo d'Urgell and driven to Conditional freedom -The difficulties of playing a Madrid - Moved to Barcelona - An unlucky escape double game - Repression forces Ponzan to attempt - Transfer to Barcelona - Court martial - momentarily suspend his activities 172 Catala escapes from the Carabanchel prison in Madrid - Arrested in France for "crossing the Chapter 51: Ponzan Arrested by the Vichy frontier irregularly"- Robert Terres intervenes - A Police and Sought by the Germans surgical operation - An abortive hold-up in Lyon: 1 Plans to free Pilar - Ponzan arrested in Toulouse 14 /2 years' imprisonment - Catala settles in - Germans apply for custody - Ponzan interrogated Andorra 194 by Germans, Spaniards and French 174 Chapter 59: Epilogue Chapter 52: Robert Terres (El Padre) Algiers- The life and death of Francisco Ponzan - bound by way of Barcelona Posthumous honours - Spaniards in the fight The Vichy police arrest Terres - His escape from against Nazism 197 the prison in Castres - Ricardo Rebola takes him across the Pyrenees - His arrest in the Barrio Appendix 1: Document returning the assesments Chino - Police Inspector Pedro Polo Borreguero of Huesca's Ateneo Cultural 198 steps in 176 Appendix No. 1a: Ponzan article written in memory Chapter 53: Crackdown in the Ariege Department of Rambn Acfn 198 Fighting in the Ariege between partisans and troops from the Milice - Arrest of Jean Benazet and his Appendix No. 2: Alphabetical list of those shot in escape - Colleagues of Ponzan and of "Reyes" Epila (Zaragoza), from 4 August 1936 onwards 199 rounded up 178 Appendix No. 3: Jos6 Duque's address to Chapter 54: The Gestapo and Mlllce In Action Extraordinary Regional Conference of the Eusebio Lbpez Laguarta in Gestapo hands - His Communist Party of Aragbn, 9-10 February 1937 escape inToulouse - Some of Ponzan's colleagues - Resume of the Conference's resolutions .. 200 - Crimes of the Milice 179 Appendix No.4: Article by Ponzan, written towards Chapter 55: Ponzan in Danger of Death the end of 1936 202 Ponzan's letters from prison - Spanish and German police "take an interest" in Ponzan - Appendix No. 5: Transcription of Ponzan's Pascual Lbpez Laguarta and Amadeo Casares appointment as sergeant of militias in the 28th Colomer arrested in Barcelona - Palmira Pla's Division 204 THE ANARCHIST PIMPERNEL —FRANCISCO PONZANVIDAL (1936-1944)

Appendix No. 5a: Ponzan article, published in Appendix No. 16: Michel Garder's (subsequently Nuevo Aragbn, on 20 January, 1937 204 retracted) accusation of Ponzan 218

Appendix No. 6: Juan Manuel Molina's account of Appendix No. 17: Extracts of trial records of Agustfn taking of office by General Pozas in 1937 205 Remiro Manero 221

Appendix No. 7: Transcription of Ponzan's appoint- Appendix No. 18: National Committee of the ment as Lieutenant 206 Libertarian Movement in France circular regarding the'Melis Case' 222 Appendix No. 8: Report to Head of Intelligence Services of Land Forces from'Ltoertador1 Group 206 Appendix No. 19: Extracts from Ponzan's notebooks regarding those he helped to flee through Appendix No. 9: FAI Information Service article the escape networks to Spain 223 published on 27 May 1938 in Solidaridad Obrera ... 208 Appendix No. 20: Ponzan's letter from Saint Michel Appendix No. 10: Ponzan article regarding General Prison in Toulouse to a lawyer 228 Sanjuro's abortive uprising in Seville, published in Tierra v Libert ad. 26 August 1932 209 Appendix No. 21: Jean Fauran's signed statement regarding legal case of Ponzan 230 Appendix No. 11: Partial transcription of SI EP dispatches delivered by Ponzan, 1-26 May 1938 211 Appendix No. 22: Letter from Ponzan to his mother in December 1943 231 Appendix No. 12: Partial transcription of SIEP reports passed on by Ponzan, 8-30 June 1938 214 Appendix No. 23: Ponzan's Last Will and Testament 231 Appendix No. 13: Standing down of Antonio Artiz Ramirez, plus biographical details 215 Appendix No. 24: Transcript of Ponzan's death certificate 233 Appendix No. 14: Transcription of Ponzan documents issued before complete loss of Catalonia 217 Appendix No. 25: Excerpt from Saturnino Carod Lerfn's Indictment on 11 October 1949 234 Appendix No. 15: Details of the Demarcation Line or 'Demarkationslinie' 218 Abbreviations 237

Bibliography 238