List of surviving veterans of the Spanish Civil War
The following is a list of known Surviving veterans of the Spanish Civil War (July 17, 1936 – April 1, 1939). The total number of participating personnel is unknown, but there were an estimated 35,000 foreigners who fought on the Republican side in what was known as the International Brigades. In addition, Adolf [...] of [...] Germany sent as many as 20,000 soldiers (not all at the same time) and Benito Mussolini of Italy sent as many as 60,000 soldiers to fight alongside the soldiers of Spanish General Francisco Franco.
Veterans, for this purpose, are defined as people who were members of the armed forces of one of the combatant forces up to and including the date recognized as the end of the War, which was April 1, 1939.
Republican Forces–19 veterans
Nationality |
Name |
Date of Birth |
Age |
Residence |
Force served |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Austria |
Landauer, Hans |
Austria |
International Brigade |
Joined on February 12, 1937. Wounded on September 4, 1937, in Fuendetodos. Arrested in November 1940 and sent to Dachau concentration camp. Lives in Oberwaltersdorf. |
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Czechoslovakia |
Dufek, Karel |
Czech Republic |
International Brigade |
Joined in January 1937. Lieutenant-Colonel in Republican Army. Czechoslovak Ambassador in Brazil from 1968-1972. |
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Czechoslovakia |
Vodicka, Adolf |
Czech Republic |
International Brigade |
Member of the Sokol Association and youth. Captain in Republican Army. Fought in World War II. |
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Finland |
Päiviö, Jules |
Canada |
Mackenzie-Papineau Battalion |
Captured by Italian troops from March 1938 to spring 1939 being imprisoned in Burgos. Enlisted in World War II, but was prohibited from fighting on front due to Spanish veterans being treated as Communists. Professor and architect. Lives in Sudbury. |
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France |
Low, Adolphe |
France |
Bataillon Edgar André |
Joined in 1936 after fleeing from Nazis to France. Later fought in French Resistance. |
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Germany |
Teppich, Fritz |
Germany |
Second Spanish Republic |
Member of social youth groups during teen years. Joined on 5 September 1936. Member of General Staff of XXII Arrested during World War II for being an "enemy alien". Lives in Berlin. |
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Ireland |
Cochrane, Patrick |
Ireland |
International Brigade |
Last Irish veteran. Volunteered in 1937. Served as a medic. Wounded on 5 September 1937 at Calle Mayor by grenade. Lives in Dublin. |
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Estonia |
Elman, Erik |
Estonia |
International Brigade |
Joined in 1938. Volunteer in Republican Army at Ebrosk front. Was in a concentration camp. 1941–1949 in Red Army (USSR). |
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USSR |
Kondrateva, Adelina |
Russia |
Red Army |
Military interpreter. |
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USSR |
Lavski, Victor |
Russia |
Red Army |
Bomber pilot. Committed 96 operational flights. |
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USSR |
Sossenko, George |
United States |
Abraham Lincoln Brigade, Sébastien Faure Century |
Fought in World War II with Free French. Medical engineer for Michelin Tire. Writer. Lives in Atlanta, Georgia. |
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USSR |
Zaitseva, Miroslava |
Russia |
Red Army |
Military interpreter. |
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Spain |
Morayta, Miguel |
Mexico |
Second Spanish Republic |
Was the youngest artillery officer in the Spanish military when the conflict started. Post war, left Spain for France and Africa, finally arriving in Mexico in 1941. where he started career as film director. |
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Spain |
Sampedro, José Luis |
Spain |
Second Spanish Republic |
Mobilized in 1936. Writer and novelist. |
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Spain |
Ana, Marcos |
Spain |
Second Spanish Republic |
Mobilized in 1936. Secretary general of JSU of Alcala in Peguerinos's zone in 1936. Affiliated to Communist Party of Spain. |
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Spain |
Carrillo, Santiago |
Spain |
Communists |
Arrested from October 1934 to February 1936 for participating in failed 1934 leftist coup. Elected Councillor for Public Order in Defense Council of Madrid on 7 November 1936. Created Workers Party of Spain-Communist Unity. Led Communist forces in Madrid. Writer. Granted honorary doctorate by Autonomous University of Madrid. |
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United Kingdom |
Kenton, Lou |
United Kingdom |
International Brigade |
Joined Communist Party in 1929. Volunteered in early 1937. Served as an Ambulance driver. Awarded Spanish passport on June 9, 2009, in London. |
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United Kingdom |
Watters, Thomas |
United Kingdom |
International Brigade |
Glasgow bus driver who served in Scottish Ambulance Unit. Awarded Spanish passport on June 9, 2009, in London. |
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United States |
Hovan, John George |
United States |
Abraham Lincoln Brigade |
Volunteered in 1937. Served as a Transport driver. Granted Spanish honorary citizenship on July 9, 2009. Lives in Providence, Rhode Island. |
Nationalist Forces—8 veterans
Nationality |
Name |
Date of Birth |
Age |
Residence |
Force served |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Germany |
Günther Scholz|Scholz, Günther |
Germany |
Legion Condor, Luftwaffe |
Joined Navy in 1934. Commander of the 54th JG during World War II. Recipient of the German Cross in Gold. Writer. |
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Ireland |
McGuinness, Denis |
Ireland |
Irish Brigade aka O'Duffy's Bandera |
Last veteran of the Irish Brigade. Enlisted in December 1936. Discharged in June 1937. |
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Spain |
Comyn, Alfonso Armada |
Spain |
Falange |
Enlisted aged 16. Later fought as a member of the Division Azul on the Eastern Front. |
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Spain |
Córdoba, José María Gárate |
Spain |
Nationalist Army |
Promoted to captain in 1942. Awarded four medals. Military historian, author, and teacher. |
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Spain |
Limia, José Álvarez |
Spain |
Nationalist Army |
Served in Barcelona. Writer. |
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Spain |
Morera, Martí de Riguer i |
Spain |
Tercio |
Writer. President of the "Real Academia de Buenas Letras de Barcelona" since 1965. |
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Spain |
Olivera, Faustino |
Spain |
Nationalist Army |
Volunteered in 1937. Wounded on November 11, 1938. Had a bullet removed from his shoulder after 70 years. Lives in Barbastro. |
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Spain |
Sierra, Luis de la |
Spain |
Nationalist Navy |
Volunteered in 1937. Served on board the cruiser Almirante Cervera. After the war, he became a Spanish Navy officer. He is a notable naval historian, author of at least seven books about naval warfare. |
World Totals–27 veterans
- Verified claims of Republican Forces (incl. International Brigades): 19
- Verified claims of Nationalist Forces: 8
See also
- List of last living war veterans
External links
- Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives
- International Brigade Memorial Trust
- Ireland and the Spanish Civil War
- Last surviving Spanish Civil War Anarchist veteran
- Last surviving Spanish Civil War veteran from Wales
- Surviving Spanish Civil War veterans meet again
- The Front Lines of Social Change: Veterans of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade
- TimesOnline looks at the veterans of the Spanish Civil War