redandblacklipa2018-blog - Tumblr blog

[redandblacklipa2018-blog]

An example of the dress styles that were being worn in the 1930′s. 

[redandblacklipa2018-blog]

Image sourced from (Spartacus Educational, 2014)

Jack Jones (born 1913) worked as a docker alongside his Father, he was very interested in politics from an early age becoming a member of the labour party in 1927  as well as the Amalgamated Society of Engineers (AEU) and qucikly became involved in union activities. Jones travelled to Spain in 1937 as a member of the international brigades, fighting for several months until he was wounded in July 1938 in Ebro. 

Further Reading:

https://socialistworker.co.uk/art/9066/Spanish+civil+war+veteran%3A+Jack+Jones

http://spartacus-educational.com/SPjonesJ.ht

[redandblacklipa2018-blog]

Attached is a link to a 15 min clip that explains the beginning of the Spanish Civil War. The video uses real images (re-imagined in colour). The video speaks from the view of the republicans.

[redandblacklipa2018-blog]

Billy Feeley was from Liverpool and served as with the International Brigade.

[redandblacklipa2018-blog]

Performance/scene idea

 A scene showing the parallels from 1938 to today, in terms of the Spanish civil war and the rallys propaganda, and how it affects the family and what we do about things in terms of politics. The bombed out church could be a possible venue for staging the 1938 rally, with today’s rally possibly taking place along hope st or in the corridors of Lipa.

Credit to: Megan Ashwell, Laura Lintott, Eden Stephenson and Aiysha Yaseen 

[redandblacklipa2018-blog]

Sources: https://www.britannica.com/event/Spanish-Civil-War

Brief Synopsis:

·         1939-1939

·         1936 the army rebelled and removed Republicans from power

·         When an initial military coup failed to win control of the entire country, a bloody civil war ensued, fought with great ferocity on both sides. (military coup on democratic The Second Republic)

·         Republicans vs Nationalists (democracy vs fascism)

·         The Nationalist party was made up of monarchists, landowners, employers, the Roman Catholic Church and the army.

·         The Republicans consisted of the workers, the trade unions, socialists and peasants.

·         General Francisco Franco ruled over country for 36 years (Nationalists won) until 1975

·         The monarchy was restored in 197, and King Juan Carlos I was crowned and the country set out on the long journey back to full democracy in Spain.  

Background:

·         1929 hit by Great Depression

·         1931 King abdicated

Events:

·         July 18, 1936: Revolt started by Nationalists in Morocco, within 3 days spreads to mainland Spain including; northern Spain and large cities in South. Later captured Madrid.

·         Secured territories by executing thousands of suspected political opponents.

 Fascism:

·         Spain bordered France – alliances with other countries

·         Ports and trading links which may influence spread of fascism

·         Hitler and Mussolini sent aid to help the Nationalists

Other Countries:

·         France and Uk benefited neither from fascism or communism, so set up an Intervention Committee that effectively blocked international aid reaching Spain.

·         Republicans relied on aid from Russia and USSR who did not give as much supplies as Germany and Italy, only enough to keep them fighting – not enough it win.

International Brigade:

·         The fight against Fascism drew young men and women from all over Europe and the USA to Spain.

·         At any one time up to 15,000 people were fighting in the International Brigades.

Refugees:

·         300,000 fled to Catalonia (40% population increase) https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/may/06/george-orwell-homage-to-catalonia-account-spanish-civil-war-wrong

[redandblacklipa2018-blog]

Exploring the story of Felicia Browne could be another possible avenue to take. Linking this with stories of other Women and their involvement in the Spanish Civil War.

I’ve included a link to a useful site detailing Women’s involvement: https://libcom.org/history/women-spanish-revolution-solidarity

credit to: Alia Collins-Fredreichs, Beth Wild, Bethany Lee and Claire Rimington

[redandblacklipa2018-blog]

Useful website for detailed information about the cost of the war and a timeline of events

[redandblacklipa2018-blog]

Towards the end of 1937, I was asked if I would be willing to go to Spain as a guide and interpreter to the famous negro singer Paul Robeson. Paul had been in Moscow, and had been won over, naturally, by the complete absence of a colour bar in the soviet union. This is one of the most important soviet propaganda points, and I cannot understand why the French Republic, where equal racial tolerance exists, is never cited with equal enthusiasm by communists when this point is raised. Paul Robeson had decided to have his young son educated in Russia, and hoped he would become a soviet citizen. The boy was intelligent and charming and, when I met him in London later, I found he spoke fluent Russian. After spending some of the most formative times of his life at a soviet school, he returned to America with his parents in 1939. I pitied the child for having to re-adapt himself, at such an impressionable age, to the prejudices of his native land. The strengths of those prejudices are well illustrated by the attitude of my own mother, who had been born in New York, and whose sisters lived in Memphis, Tennessee. I myself have no colour prejudice and did have a profound admiration for Robeson, for his superb voice and talent as well as his personal integrity and charm of manner. So I said that I would accept the assignment, provided Mrs. Robeson accompanied us on the trip.

Truth Will Out, by Charlotte Haldane

[redandblacklipa2018-blog]

Image sourced from: (Spartacus Educational, 2015)

An interesting story to possibly explore would be that of Charlotte Haldane and her involvement with the International Brigades, following her journey from Britain to Spain.

I have included a link further information about Charlotte’s life and her involvement with the International Brigades: https://spartacus-educational.com/WhaldaneC.htm

Credit to: Pip Taylor, Lois Hollingworth, Beth Tabern and Lydia McGuiness  

[redandblacklipa2018-blog]

A possible starting point for Red and Black could be the suitcases on Hope Street. With the whole audience beginning here and then being separated into smaller groups, then being led to difference places on the set map by individual characters (these could be: a Spanish refugee, a member of the international brigade, ect.)

 Photo taken from:  (FREEDOM's Orator, 2014)

Credit to: Beth Pollard, Tia Elvidge and Lucy Mosely

[redandblacklipa2018-blog]

Link to Manic Street Preachers song 

The song's theme is taken from the Spanish Civil War, and the idealism of Welsh volunteers who joined the left-wing International Brigades fighting for the Spanish Republic against Francisco Franco's military rebels. The song takes its name from a Republicanposter of the time, displaying a photograph of a young child killed by the Nationalists under a sky of bombers with the stark warning "If you tolerate this, your children will be next" written at the bottom.[2] (Wikepedia, 2018)

[redandblacklipa2018-blog]

It’s strange to think how this image seems so gruesome, yet it's normal now for children to pretend to be soldiers. Is there any difference?

Kids imitating what they watch frequently (executions) during the Spanish civil war 1936-1939.

[redandblacklipa2018-blog]

Els Segadors is the national anthem of Catalonia. Its title means “The Reapers”, and it has its origins in the Catalan Revolt (in Catalan called Guerra dels Segadors, meaning Reapers’ War) that lasted from 1640 to 1659. The lyrics of the song urge Catalans to fight to defend their land against the King Philip IV. Some historians believe that the melody might have its origins in the religious Jewish song Ein K'Eloheinu.

It remained as a popular song, but it did not become the national anthem of Catalonia until the 19th century. The modern lyrics were adapted in 1897. The oldest recording of the song is from the year 1900.

Els Segadors, together with any other manifestation of Catalan language and culture, was banned during the fascist dictatorship of Spain (1939-1975), and was officially accepted as anthem of the Community of Catalonia in 1993.

Contrary to most national anthems, this one is seen more as a protest song than a patriotic one, and is commonly sung in demonstrations in favor of the Catalanist side.

Here are the lyrics in Catalan and their English translation:

Catalunya, triomfant, tornarà a ser rica i plena. Catalonia triumphant shall again be rich and bountiful.

Endarrera aquesta gent tan ufana i tan superba. Drive away these people, who are so conceited and so arrogant.

(Tornada/Chorus)                                               Bon cop de falç! Strike with your sickle!

Bon cop de falç, defensors de la terra! Strike with your sickle, defenders of the land!

Bon cop de falç! Strike with your sickle! Ara és hora, segadors! Ara és hora d'estar alerta. Now is the time, reapers! Now is the time to stand alert.

Per quan vingui un altre juny, esmolem ben bé les eines! For when another June comes, we shall sharpen our tools well.

(tornada/chorus)

Que tremoli l'enemic, en veient la nostra ensenya: May the enemy tremble, upon seeing our symbol.

com fem caure espigues d'or, quan convé seguem cadenes! Just as we cut golden ears of wheat, when the time calls we cut off chains.

Countdown to the 11th of September: 6

[redandblacklipa2018-blog]

NO PASERÁN

“They won’t pass!” Spanish civil war (1936-1939)

[redandblacklipa2018-blog]

Shell that didn’t blast. Spanish Civil War, Madrid, Spain 1939

via reddit

[redandblacklipa2018-blog]

Dialogue from Hell and Good Company: The Spanish civil war and the world it made, R.Rhodes, 2015