Berneri e Rosselli in Spagna. L’esperienza della “Sezione Italiana della Colonna Ascaso”

Abstract

Berneri and Rosselli in Spain. The experience of the “Sezione Italiana della Colonna Ascaso”

In the summer of 1936, Camillo Berneri and Carlo Rosselli were among the first foreigner anti-Fascists to fight in Spain; they were also the leaders of the Italian Section of the Ascaso Column, the first all-Italian column which fought in the Spanish Civil war. This article deals with the political-military vicissitudes of the Italian Section in the months spent on the Aragon front (between August 1936 and April 1937) but also explores its origins, adopting a long-term perspective. Giustizia e Libertà and anarchists were able to organize a joint column because of the rela- tionship between the two political groups prior to the Civil war and in particular the acquaintance between Camillo Berneri and Carlo Rosselli since their University studies and their contacts with historian Gaetano Salvemini. In the revolutionary chaos of Barcelona in August 1936, Berneri and Rosselli showed they believed in the unity of the anti-Fascist movement, whose core commitment was the fight against the Italian regime; however, co-existence on the front was by no means easy and political differences led to a premature conclusion of this experience.

Received: 15-10-2007