Dimitrov Battalion
The Dimitrov Battalion was a battalion of the International Brigades in the Spanish Civil War . It was named after the Bulgarian communist Georgi Dimitrov . One of the commanders of the battalion was Josip Broz (pseudonym Tschapajew), the later Yugoslav President Tito.
In December 1936, the 18th battalion was formed from 800 militiamen from the Balkans and Greek exiles, including around 400 Bulgarians , 160 Greeks and 25 Yugoslavs .
The Dimitrov Battalion was set up in December 1936 in Albacete , the central base and training camp of the International Brigades. The battalion became part of the XIII. International Brigade . It was named N o 18 . On January 31, 1937, it also became part of the XV. International Brigade with the English Saklatvala Battalion and the Franco-Belgian Louise Michel Battalion . The XV. International Brigade later received the honorary name " Abraham Lincoln ". The commander of the brigade was General Gal ( János Gálicz ). George Nathan was the chief of staff .
Battle of the Jarama
On November 11, 1936, the XV formed in Albacete met . International Brigade in Madrid and fought in the Battle of the Jarama . The XV. At the beginning of the battle, the International Brigade advanced over soggy olive groves to attack the nationalists in the area of the road from Morata de Tajuña to San Martín de la Vega . During the battle, the battalion suffered extremely high losses, as did the other battalions of the XV. International Brigade.
On September 20, 1937, the Dimitrov Battalion was assigned to the 45th Division, a reserve unit of the International Brigades. The battalion was reconstructed and on February 13, 1938 it became part of the newly formed 129th Brigade, which was mainly formed from Central European brigadists. Waclaw Womar, the former battalion commander of the Dąbrowski battalion of the XIII. International Brigade. The 129th Brigade consisted of 5 battalions, the Dimitrov battalion, the Masaryk battalion , the Djakovic battalion and two Spanish battalions. The Dimitrov battalion remained with the 129th Brigade until the brigade was demobilized on October 5, 1938. Its last commandant was Josef Pavel , later Czech Minister during the Prague Spring in 1968.
The battalion was disbanded on October 5, 1938.
Units of the Dimitrov Battalion
Greek Section Rigas Fereosa
Web links
- Overview of the International Brigades ( Memento of November 3, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) (Spanish), accessed on May 13, 2012
Individual evidence
- ^ Antony Beevor : The Spanish Civil War , ISBN 978-3-442-15492-0 , 2nd edition, page 269