Downloaded from the Humanities Digital Library http://www.humanities-digital-library.org Open Access books made available by the School of Advanced Study, University of London Press ***** Publication details: Unite, Proletarian Brothers! Radicalism and Revolution in the Spanish Second Republic By Matthew Kerry https://humanities-digital-library.org/index.php/hdl/catalog/book/unite- proletarian-brothers DOI: 10.14296/920.9781912702534 ***** This edition published in 2020 by UNIVERSITY OF LONDON PRESS SCHOOL OF ADVANCED STUDY INSTITUTE OF HISTORICAL RESEARCH Senate House, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HU, United Kingdom ISBN 978-1-912702-53-4 (PDF edition) This work is published under a Creative Commons Attribution- NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. More information regarding CC licenses is available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses Unite, Proletarian Brothers! Radicalism and Revolution in the Spanish Second Republic MATTHEW KERRY Unite, Proletarian Brothers! Radicalism and Revolution in the Spanish Second Republic, 1931–6 New Historical Perspectives is a book series for early career scholars within the UK and the Republic of Ireland. Books in the series are overseen by an expert editorial board to ensure the highest standards of peer-reviewed scholarship. Commissioning and editing is undertaken by the Royal Historical Society, and the series is published under the imprint of the Institute of Historical Research by the University of London Press. The series is supported by the Economic History Society and the Past and Present Society. Series co-editors: Heather Shore (Manchester Metropolitan University) and Jane Winters (School of Advanced Study, University of London) Founding co-editors: Simon Newman (University of Glasgow) and Penny Summerfield (University of Manchester) New Historical Perspectives Editorial Board Charlotte Alston, Northumbria University David Andress, University of Portsmouth Philip Carter, Institute of Historical Research, University of London Ian Forrest, University of Oxford Leigh Gardner, London School of Economics Tim Harper, University of Cambridge Guy Rowlands, University of St Andrews Alec Ryrie, Durham University Richard Toye, University of Exeter Natalie Zacek, University of Manchester Unite, Proletarian Brothers! Radicalism and Revolution in the Spanish Second Republic, 1931–6 Matthew Kerry LONDON ROYAL HISTORICAL SOCIETY INSTITUTE OF HISTORICAL RESEARCH UNIVERSITY OF LONDON PRESS Published by UNIVERSITY OF LONDON PRESS SCHOOL OF ADVANCED STUDY INSTITUTE OF HISTORICAL RESEARCH Senate House, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HU © Matthew Kerry 2020 The author has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work. This book is published under a Creative Commons Attribution- NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) license. More information regarding CC licenses is available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/. Copyright and permissions for the reuse of many of the images included in this publication differ from the above. Copyright and permissions information is provided alongside each image. Available to download free or to purchase the hard copy edition at https://www.sas.ac.uk/publications. ISBNs 978-1-912702-49-7 (hardback edition) 978-1-912702-50-3 (paperback edition) 978-1-912702-53-4 (PDF edition) 978-1-912702-51-0 (ePub edition) 978-1-912702-52-7(.mobi edition) DOI 10.14296/920.9781912702534 Cover image: adapted from ‘Aprieta fuerte, compañero! [Squeeze tightly, comrade!]’ (1936) by Germán Horacio Robles for the Interprovincial Council of Asturias and León. Reproduced with the permission of the Muséu del Pueblu d’Asturies. Contents Abbreviations vii Acknowledgements ix Introduction 1 1. Rethinking the red valleys 19 2. Building and contesting the Republic (1931–2) 49 3. Anticlericalism, dissidence and radicalization (1932–3) 71 4. Fascism and the politics of policing (1933–4) 97 5. Revolution 129 6. Repression and the redefinition of politics during the long 1935 153 7. A fragile radicalism: the Popular Front spring of 1936 181 Conclusion 209 Bibliography 217 Index 241 v Abbreviations Organizations ACNP National Catholic Association of Propagandists AP Popular Action BOC Workers’ and Peasants’ Bloc CEDA Confederation of Autonomous Right-Wing Groups CNT National Confederation of Labour FAI Iberian Anarchist Federation FE Falange Española FE-JONS Falange Española de las JONS FJS Federation of the Socialist Youth FNTT National Federation of Landworkers FSA Asturian Socialist Federation IR Republican Left JAP Popular Action Youth JC Communist Youth JS Socialist Youth MAOC Antifascist Workers’ and Peasants’ Militias PCE Communist Party of Spain POUM Workers’ Party of Marxist Unification PSOE Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party PRLD Liberal-Democratic Republican Party SCOM Catholic Mineworkers’ Union SHE Sociedad Hullera Española SOMA Mineworkers’ Union of Asturias SRI International Red Aid SUM Mineworkers’ Single Union vii Unite, Proletarian Brothers! UGT General Workers’ Union UR Republican Union Archives AA Archivo de Aller AHPA Archivo Histórico Provincial de Asturias AL Archivo de Langreo AM Archivo de Mieres AO Archivo de Oviedo CDMH Centro Documental de la Memoria Histórica viii Acknowledgements The origins of this book lie in a doctoral thesis defended at the University of Sheffield, later revised at York University, Durham University and the University of Leeds, and prepared for publication at the University of Stirling. The original research would not have been possible without a Hossein Farmy scholarship from the University of Sheffield and I am also grateful for further funding provided by the Royal Historical Society, a Scouloudi award from the Institute of Historical Research and a postdoctoral fellowship at York University. The Division of History, Heritage and Politics at the University of Stirling kindly funded the two maps produced by Cox Cartographic. Staff at archives and libraries in Asturias, Madrid, Salamanca and Toronto were patient and helpful, even when faced with nebulous descriptions of what I was trying to do. A special mention is due to Councillor Ramón Francisco Velasco Fernández for entrusting me with the key to the municipal archive in Aller and allowing me to peruse documents in the elegant surroundings of the council chambers. The PhD thesis could not have been completed without the generous support of the Lavilla Cañedo family, who provided a welcoming and supportive environment for research and absorbing Asturian culture. Ángela shared the challenges of the doctoral journey, discussed ideas and commented on innumerable drafts. Many colleagues and friends at Sheffield, York, Durham and Leeds have been a source of encouragement. The postgraduate community at Sheffield provided an excellent environment for testing ideas and sharing the tribulations of postgraduate studies. Colleagues at York were very welcoming of a scholar of Spain from across the pond and Bill Callahan regaled me with fine tales of researching in Spain and Latin America in the 1960s. Participants in the Modern European History seminar at Durham provided detailed and insightful critical comments on a draft chapter as I grappled with reshaping the thesis into a book. Richard Cleminson kindly supported an application for a visiting position at the University of Leeds as the threat loomed of sliding off the greasy pole of academia. Colleagues and friends further afield have also offered support and advice over the years, whether relating to research pertaining to the book or academic life more generally. Thanks in this regard are due to David Ruiz, Julio de la Cueva, Miguel Ángel del Arco Blanco, Hugo García and Stefan Berger. ix Unite, Proletarian Brothers! Two friends in particular have been hugely important not only in the process of writing the book, but also as sources of mutual support as we share the trials and tribulations of forging a career in academia as early career scholars. James Yeoman and I began our doctoral studies on modern Spain at the same time. Our Friday night discussions in the pub were always rich and invigorating and many ideas developed in this book owe much to our debates then and since. Alex Paulin-Booth and I joined Durham as teaching fellows at the same time and she has been a source of support and insight as we share thoughts on the academic world and drafts of work. Adrian Shubert examined the PhD thesis and has endured not only the burden of writing references for dozens of job and grant applications, but also the spectacle of someone rewriting his own thesis with patience and kindness. Mary Vincent has provided unstinting support from the beginning of my intellectual journey in Spanish history as an undergraduate in her special subject class in 2009. She read my lengthy, ranging texts with a judicious eye and provided insightful comments with a clearer sense of my direction of travel than I ever had myself. She has been a constant source of support since, whether reading drafts of work or providing references and advice on life after the PhD. For the Royal Historical Society, Penny Summerfield, Heather Shore and Jane Winters patiently stewarded the manuscript towards publication and the staff at the IHR and University of London Press – Emily Morrell and Kerry Whitston in particular – were always efficient in responding to numerous questions on practical matters. I am also grateful to Federico Romero Salvadó and Peter Anderson for taking the time to not