Guillamon the Friends of Durruti Group

7/25/2019 Guillamon the Friends of Durruti Group

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The Frinds of

Durruti Goup:1937-1939

Agustin Guillam6n

Translated by

Pu Shk


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Copyrigh: 196 Agustin GuillaonTranslatin: Pau Sharkey

7-ISBN -8737-54-

Lba f ness ataln-n-Publcatn DataA catal ecd f ths ttle s avlable fm the by fness.

ts Lby atalung-n-Publcatn Data

A catae ecd f ths tle s availbl fm he BrsLbry

Th Fds f D Gp was pubshd g ps Cd Nmr 3 Bl se de sds evsgcs [Bance, pd 221 Barcena]

Ts Englsh-luage dtn pblshd by:AK Press AK PessO Box 2 PO Box4082Edinbugh, ScotlandEH89YE

San Francisco 914-68

nomous hnk yu offred o comrade Fredic rcos forowing AK Pres cc o i cpi f Amg oustat tis bk

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Contents

Preface to the English-anguag dton

_

v

I. Introucton ad Cronooy _____

2 Towards Jy _

From J to M:Uncontroabes or Revotioaries?

_

15

Orgis of the Frieds of Durruti; Te Opposto

to tarzation and Balius's ournast Career_22

5. T he riends of rrti Group from its Inepton

p to the Ma Evets

Te May Events 47

After May

Balius aphlet owards a Fresh Revolution

9. Bas's T hougts frm xie n

0 e Frens of rrts etos

wt the Trotskists

II ocusons ad od Note 0


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EL AMIGDoPUBPVZ LOS AMIGJ DE UgT

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Viva a F A 1 C N. Tl


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Prefae to the nglishgug diion

of Th F f G 1937-193

Agstin Gillamn's monograph on te Friends of Drrti Groaffor r eaders of English the most ompreenie a nd thorog exlora-tion and acont o te histor and d eas of that gro Few grops i anhae sfered from sh widespread msnderstanding, eaggeration andinterested misreprese ntation Gi amn has broght new eidence to lightand d sposes eetiey o some o the most end rng m isreresentations

L w oter in tir conemnatn misrepresntatin o te grop and ts

essage Itaan Stainsts acconted association wit the grop grondsenogh pon which t ecte p itica pponents. n a 29 937 thetaa n Comni st art paper Grido del Popolo carried an item whihefrr Cami a ne eaers o'Frns rrt'Group, whic ( ) prooe t b nsrretion a gainst th e p arFront Goernment in Catalonia [and] was gien is jst desserts dringthat reolt at the hands o the emoratic Reoltion, whose legitimateright of se lfdeens e o anti sist can de n" There i no eidene at al to

connect erneri with te Friends of rrti. n behalf of the ErrioMalatesta" rop, omenio doii, an Italian anarist, retorted tatTe nfortnate comrad rneri was not a member of te Friends ofrrti' Grop, not that there wold be anthng wrong i that and itwold neer ese the oward mrder whic he was the ictim N dobt the emocrati ornast rom Grido del Popolo mst be a

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mcac' d a"1

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ga a F f uu ad gad n Bacla Ma y u a w cam frm Las

Notis. y u k u ral do bcau a u yam Fn of uu an baa Yu] bn ngar f l n way wul w a ur "

f f uu canly dd ga fMay 7 quall caly wr am ng fw w a ady r m y a b a cacm f dCaal a a a u fr qu m m an a b yargf a u ucmplca adca cnfa a a ug

uc pm w h cry r fac uly 6 uc a f lngwa a a ffu nc may c f l aa mm Cal a all ac f ogazan' gr cmm w an p a ud ad p a a ad m alg w la ad ld ca uwlcm cagn yay pacc of gaza By anuay 7 Ideas waug md f pp f a u fdalm w capalzd wag "The so-caed igher commttees ought to be

bound by the ac:or of the trade unon organization. he nions dspse and the clmmttees see to it that the dsostons are mpe

mented. ha is wha feeraism is, watever ese s one s ictatshp ad ta cao e eraed or oe miute more. Ta am h aa Yu ap Rua wa ndly mng ad- a A w cn xc f lfufcg m kg ml u nfalb l gu caorh an r "

a ma ccua amg

ua w ao a bb of rlun am rlga reo!luion cd lac b wa ffr rn f accuay f g cmm upc a mcmom u brkr b ud w wa bn acy ckd a y w lar ad b duc ad cupd by aca w pl ca

V O URRUI GROUP 93 7 93 9


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Te Frieds of Drrti shared ad addressed a ll of tese oers.lone aog al te dissidents in the libertarian ap, the sogt to e-ie a oeret set of alternaties. B t te eforeet of dis ip ine adte stregt o se tiental attaent to orgaizatios obbled teir e-forts and reded te ir adiene. Te itre of dis ip in e and se ntiments larl see in t letter wi two ebers of te Frieds of Drrtilised i te pages ofSoddd Obrer o Ma 29, 9. Followig atrat te regioal omittees of te CT ad FI a b te CN'soal Federation in Bareloa to eel all ebers of te Frieds wofailed to blil disassoiate temsees fro te Grop, Joaqin Abiand Rosa Moz resigned fro it, albeit speifing that otie to

regrd te omrades belonging to te Friends of Drrti' as oradest I sa agai wat ae alwas aid at ples i areloa TeCNT as been womb and te CT will be m tob.'

That di i fa old sre as a epiah for he reds of rrias a whole. It does no appear ha h oies' dsio o proeed withexlsos was eer aiaed, and ha in iself es to or the degreeof rak ad le spport for he Frids, as does h CT atioal ple ofregioal ' eorseet of Caaloia 's etion o epel ro he Orgaiza-

to th leding ights of the rieds of Drrti ' Gro ad to ake whaerteps are neessary o esr ha no spli eses as a oseqen of his."

gai te Frieds ad to remid teir seriors" of te ors ofte organizatio. o oe eer oied te CT, te Cofederatio. All Ce bers beloged to oal ios ad fede ratios ad soereignt residedi tese. "We can only be expled from the confederal organiztio byth ssle us. L mcl lus r ntepwred to expe any comrde We invite the committe t rise

the mtter of e 'Friend f Drrti i the aeme, ich ret rgizato overeignty resides9

A siilar onern wit onstittional proedre an be seen i theFrins ' reation to te news tat te arTreit ista Agel Pestaa, leaderof te Sndia is t Part, ha d bee readm itted i nto the CNT fod . We a-ot derstad ow Pestaa ad been aditted witot aig been re-ired to wid is Sdiali st Part, a reoditio stip lated o oteroasi os wen there was tak of is poss ib l reoinig. " o

Preoied as it was wit reseri te CTFAI's lot withi teReplian oalition, the ladersip of that oloerate was eer alert toiltration ad to abse of its init ial s. Ad prot to see threats of both ite Frieds ere were dark hints of m rxism" due to ertain oongd i te delaratios of te nsle Bolseikinist otigetand of te Fri ens, as we as the Fr ieds ' nonsetarian aknowledgent

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of how th PO had acd tslf dring th strtghtng ay.Hr agan, msrprsnaon has bn r as was movd o cha nghis d ractors to subsaniat th chargs of marxs" lvld or whisrdagainst hm. I I Gamn das dnvy wth h agaons of POUand Troskyist conctions, aying hos agations o rs. Lss asy ds-posd o s myhoogy srrondng wa h Fr nds hmsves rcog-nizd was a sl

h innovation," Rvoonary Jna.Th rs t ing ha nds o b said s tha Jna in Spanish dos no

hav h sam poraiv connoaion as dos n Engish. Each CNTnion was rn by a Jna. In exico, the excan Lbral Party of hbrothrs M agn was rn by a J nta. So h word s carres no sggesionof athorarians m.

Th nx pn to be mad an is that th Frinds wre agangfor a Jnta, not porng t formaon of on. ad hy acaly frmedone an d admitd he O M no aongsd hmslves, hn h chargesof an archoBolshvsm" somtmes levled aganst thm, migh sand on the b asi s of ha sbsitui nism. Bt no nta was vr formd, n s teof wha Jos Perats among others caims.

On of h most nvidous rrsntatons, or rrsntaons rgard-

ng th Frinds has bn th dcson by Csar . Lornzo o ncorpora noh oonos o hi book Los aarquistas epaoes e po Pars, 972) of arfrnc o a Maesto e Ui o prortng o sak for h rndso i h and cran ms o h barn ouh hefac o , s clincs h cas or h rnds avng assocad, ndd aa-amad hmsvs wh marxs mns n a sappontd vanguard union. is nohng o h sor. Lornzo sas ha h manfso was dsribuda h bgnning o h monh o Jn," o spciyng hr. n ac,

h x h cs cms rom a a dsrbd i Pas a h VodromdHivr on n 1, 137 by mians o ny rnch non Communseorganizaon by way of a ror to Garca Olvr and drca onsn oconras hr oca CTA ln wh h rvouonsm dsayd by thhr namd gro in ay 937. hhr ornzos falr o mak hs claris d o an ovrsig or to s sring s ross n rsnng h Frndsas an anarchoosvik formaion is ncar, b msrprsaon hasbn akn p ncricaly by ohrs and conrbtd o h shadow of gno-

ranc hanging ovr grop and i s das. 4nion Commns so a march n anarchs symathzers wh thFrinds (such as ndr rdhommaux) by pbsng ransatons of ar-ic s from Amio e Puebo n its own aer, 'Inteatioae n Dcem-br 937. nion Cmmns somwha versas h case, however, when ad d d th commn ha: Wat th Frnds of Drr canno say whn

V I I I THE FIES O UU GOUP 9799


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h ow co o ol cl blco ha hvolo hoy h hwok o vaga h c y o vo-lo ho ml h c o og v how

h l whch b v h lm o h volo'om h c ho o o c wo y ov o m cho oo o bg ogh oh mo clgh mo cv mo comm wok " A hco h h F o wll l co h whch boh m o oco w h lwg lm o hPM whch my l hm o h coo o h voloay h h h rol lck h bl o c a w

wl l w o mk G llm mk lh h w c qo bu o q cl

o Amig dl Pbl h Go ' ll mo Tward of Rltin co b h F mk ho -o o cl ch om h hy hogh mgh rov awa o o h ma o h mchb goy ow oh a -c co w o volo whch ha b o a col lboo h umbll o cm c h

h cm h voluo h o q hg och) hy ogh o o c m by g h hgmoy oh wok cl lb lm g ha com acv o o x h ogh o vo h a owhch h bcom o mob h l l v b clmh oom h room lo o col lboro

More reently rter sr reng of te fts surrounng teF o u h chrc o m Bal mg om

o o o ah cmc ho c Ucl Cl a av om h lubl o o cg h go yamcwh lb ccl Clo wh cl c o cocm o co oryo o o Sdadad Obrra a a okm o h oc l" o CFA Caaoa auocococ Mchvll l o Bl' joalc mbo - o cycl xloao o h mgvg m o -g l Gl lm gl m rcl qo a o-

" oo" a rooy" wo b y ao'cmc co w o bh l o h qoably a vrhbb o c o ocl ch ll mo rav orh ' lcoglo h cococo or h a cr-o o h lchg o h F o Mrch 7 a a amo c gca politil ontent into personl frustrtion sinling out s

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th th trrv th r the rebe fr [ '] d h h C

Agst G s t b grttd r hvg rt hsrsrh rt st q H rhsv thth s t er r crt t th s bjtv ht rs th t tg t rtt t tg gr th th grter f f s bertr s th r f 1 97

1 Wrt a b 2 Je 1 193 2 Er r yete cc f e y evt re fr Voota 1 1 y 1 193 EIAmigo uo Je 22 1 93 . 3 E efc" . r e frbe d cr t t brred ee ceed y y e fc re r ee ecree e cyc ere ff e dcc

rce e e ed er r refr eet e de eec re f r ee f ere fee f ce We d teye eyet bee e ce be slavement to bosse and cooperativism, w prfrrd h formr. And emphati

c y eece e er" J e Exam tiotto imitoLirtao Eao Edre ec d ec 19 2 a Jy 2 1 193 4 Ruta rce 3 Jry 1 93 e"

dy ye e f e f EI Amigo uo 2 y 293 e We are against any amistice. e d ed y rr rbe r te r rdb er c d d rd rd lfr Vcry e er er ." r dece fced re eed r dc re f er d t t f e d f re fered a,Ruta d er rs

8 J rt La a rou aoa Ed dr rr drd88 V. 1 1 . U c C ee ree f te cc ece e f e ee y 23 1 939 EI Amig uo 2 2 y 93 3 e red edy dded"Wheever, n cotravetion of evey cofedeal pecept, someone os

over the heads of ssemblies and militans nd ses hmsel up as geneal,

x H FINDS O UUI GOUP 171


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making mistake aer istake, he as o optio, asui he as ay shred

of digity le, but to set down. Garcia Oliver ts that ill!"

0 Amigo del Pueblo No 8 September 2 93 7 p. 2 "The admission ofPsana ses the seal uon t bourgeois emocratic enality n a broa

wa cnral crcl. Wac , ca.

EIAmgod uebo No 4June 22937p. 3 Necesiouna aclaraci6n. "I am aghas at conls instanc f my bing labled a

marxist, because I am 00 percent a revoltionar. his commnt sugess

that Balius regared marxists as being someting short of 00 prcen revolu

ionaries, athough the Frinds were enerous enouh to recognize ha h

POUM had acquite itsef wel n the stree-ghting in Barcelona in May

937 his rejection of marxism ould have appied not to he marxan analys o caal cnomc, bu o h mas rcie for cangng ci no

o he desctive but to he resctive eemen.2 J Pirats La CNT en a ro6n esaola Vol . 47 Peiats reproducs a xt wc oens "A Rvlunary Juna h b [asis ae] n Barcelona. Csar M. Lorenzo rroduce ts text givn by

Pras. Bu Pra x s n a quotation bu a makn araras.

Csar M. Loenzo Los anarqustas esanoesJ oer (Ruo Ibrco, Pais,

972) p. 2 9n. 24 h full tex of he leaet fro which Lorenzo quoes can be found in

Hn Caz Chronqe de a roton esagnole: Unon Commnis (1933-1939)

(Paris, Caiers Spartacus, 979) p. 45. Juan G6m Casas Anarchist

Orgaization: The sto of the FA!(Black Ros Boos, Montrea-Bffalo 986p. 20) uncriticaly reproduces Lorenzo's crious foonote as if i wer a Friends

Dru . H az, . c. 82 rm L'ntetonae Dc 8

6 Earan w r rublcan "alls wa wa y u a b r wr vn barras agmn abu

ingnuousnss of anarchs. " u mak vry lain e rincl a w

ow no lyaly o im who s isloyal wit s: at we ow no resc to him

wo screly betray u, that we have no duy of tolrance to anyone isosed

o coerce us just as soon as he is srong eog to o so and gt away wit it,

tha princile cannot oblie u to respect the freedom of him whose principle

is o take awa our freeom (Beobachter, in eas No 29 Auus 6 937)

7 uana avera an Enrc Ucelay Da Cal "Gruos de anida, discilinablica eiodismo ibertario 936938" in Histori Conteoranea, 9

Servicio E. U nverda dl Pai Vaco, 99) . 84.

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I. ntroduction and Chronology

he riends f urruti were an anarchist anity grup funded inrc 97 It s meers were miitians with the Durruti umn ppsedt mil itariztin and/r anarcists crtical f the CN's entry int the Re-puican gvenment nd the Generidad gvernment

he histrica and pitical mprtance f the Friends f urrutiGrup ies in its attempt, emanat ng frm wthin the rans f the iertar-in m vement itsef (in 97 to consitue a revolutionary vangrdthat wuld put paid t de partures frm revutinary principes and t c-laratin wit the capitaist tate eaving the C t e fen an press

hme te "ains f uy 1 96 nsead f surrenderin them ittle y littet the urgeisiehis editin faae eamnes te prcess wherey the Frie nds f

urruti e erged t heir idegica characteristics and the evlutin f theirplit ica thinin their deains ith the rtsyists a nd the reasns e-hind the faiure f their ght t recver

anarcho-syndicisms dctrinalpurity and svage the Spanish revutin f 9

here flws a chrngy which thug seective ather than ex-

austive cntains heretfre unpu ished infrmatin his chrngy isintende d t affrd famiiarity wit h the essentia histrica events s tatthe arguents speed ut n this study ay e mre readiy and strictycmprehensie

NTRODTON D HRONOOG


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GY

u 1 72 1 , 1 96 erceen an fascss ee aganst e gernent fthe Repubc Whee the wres ffe ared esstance, the rebes fa,

securng ctr n were tere ae attepts a cnc atn r n aredconfrntatn C war erupts

Ju 2 1 , 1 96 E ssent n Cataona f te Centra nFascs -tas C mmttee (C ) wrers' rganzatn aes pwer

ugust 195, 196 a f te xteen n scw Zne, Kameneand mrn exeuted Rade paced under arest

eptember 26, 1 96 ee anarcs s nec, Fregas and GarcaB an jn e Generaa ernent n Catana

Octer 2, 1 96 e CC s wun up

Octer 1 2, 1 96 Geneaa ecree d sses te (reutnar) -ca Cmmttees hese are sh t be repaced b new, puar Frnt-ste wn cuncs

Octber , 1 96 Generadad decree rders tarzatn f e P op 's

tas

ebe 1 9 Fur anarcst nsters Gaca Oer, Fredercantsen an Pr an ua pz pub' eren

Nemer 5, 1 96 urrut aes a ra radcas f te Mard frn,n wc e ppss te decee ss ue te Generada arzng tem ta s, an ca s greaer cten and sacrce f he rearguarf e war s t e n

Neme 6, 19 e epuc's enen ang wt te fur newanarchsnd ca st mnsters) ees adrd for he saet o Vaenca heppuace f adrd's respnse s te cr f "ng e ard wtutgernent!

Neber 7, 19 he Inernatna Bgades nterene n te adrfrnt

Nemer 9, 1 96 Frat n f e ard efense untaNemer 0 1 96 urut ses s fe n e M ar frnt

December 6, 1936: In Solidadad Obre, Balius pubishes an article en-tited "Durruti's 1amen in wic hestates: "Durruti b untlyassertedat we anacists equie hate Revoluionbe oalitariani n character."

2 H R IND OF RRT ROP


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ecember 66: he OU is eclue from he Generalia governmen

December , 6: alin offers advice o Largo Caballero

December ; ublicaion of issue o of deanuary , 7: Baius aoine irecor of L Noche

February -8 7: lenary assembly of he confeeral an d anarcis mi i-ias meeing in aencia o consider he mii arizaion issue

March 4, 7: he newsaer L Noche carres an announcemen nroduc-ing he a ims, characerisics an membersi cond iions of e Frieds ofDurrui Grou

Marc 4, 7: he Generaida issues a ecree winding u e Conrolaros In L Bt in asses favorable and hoefu commen on aarice by B aius carrie in he Marc nd ediion of L Noche

March 7: e cal s for he d ismissal of Aigua .

Marc 7, 7 : he Friends of Durrui Grou is formaly esabished Bal iusis aoine vicesecreary Ruiz and Carreo are on s seering commiee.

Marc , 7: he Iron Column mees in assemby o voe on mi iariza-ion or isbanmen: i agrees o mi liarizaion.

Lae Marchearly Arl 7: A yer bearng he enorsemen of heFriends of urrui Grou is issued

Aril 8 7: I n de B alius as an aricle ublised enied Les m aerevoluon," in whch he says: if [Comanys ha a larger coningen of

arme forces a hs d isosal, he woul have he woring cl as s bac in hecaiais harness"

Ar 4, 7 : he Frens of Durru ssue a manfeso oosng he com-memoraion of he anniversary of he rocamaion of he Reublic

(unay Arl , 7 : The Frens of Durru hold a rally n he oloramaTheaer Chaired by Romero, i hears conribuions from rancisco Pe icer,ablo Ruiz, aime Bal ius, Francisco Carreo an rez Combina

Arl , 7: he UGT leaer odn Corada i s mrdered i Mons eLlobrega

Ari 7 an , 7: Armed conic beween aarciss an Generaiaforces in Bellver de Cerdaa Anonio Marin, e anarchis mayor ofugced, is so ea .

NODUCION AND HONOLOY


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te April 7: pster rm the Grup s pnned up n trees d wshugu te cy Bce. n , e Feds f Duu se ut e prgrm: Al pwer t the wrking css. Al ecnmic pwer the unns.

nsed the Geeidd, te Revluiry Ju."(Sturdy) M 7 : A rdiry wrkig dy, r the Generlidd hsed cmmemrti te irst y, in n et t vert disur-nces n cnrttns. Te Generlidd gvernmet meets in ses-si, cngrtultg its mmissr r Puic Oder n the successesieved . A pe is me up Trrels (Prime ucilr), RdrguezSs missr r uli Orer) Artemi Aigud (uncilr rnter Securit): i t prmptl ds meeti eid csed drs t tcke

urgent usiess elting t pic rder nd securit. The Blshevk-einst Sectin ssues eet.

Sundy) My , 7: Frieds Durrut rly he Gy Theer, wic te l de ju" i s screeed t cmments r Blius: terere speeches y iert lejs nd rncisc rre s well NT mil-tt iterrupt tepne cversi eween mpnys d Azn.

(Mndy) y , 7 : A little ere :00 three trucklds Gudscded y Rdriguez Sls ttept t se ize te Teephe xchnge,n the rders Aemi Aigud. Armed ress tnce rm the CNT wrkers the u pper rs thrts th is. Withn ew hus, hst rmed dss ee rmed nd the rst rcdes eeced. Te mbzt e-sves n w ses: ne mde up f e d e U , e e the Geerid, te PS, te R nd stt tl. Busesses clsedw. e tr sevce stps t 7:0 At tht u, n te Cs CNT-A n the urruti, te I Regil mmttee d te OUMxecutve mmtee meet . The mximu demnd is tht Rdrguez Ssnd rte Agu resgn. Cpns dedly ppses s.

(Tuesd) M 4, 7 : Guttes trugut te night. M ny ricdesd vient cshes trughut te city. the Snts rri 400 Guds restrpped their eps. mpnys sks te enci gvernment frirct t the NT's premses d rrcks. The CNTcntedrti lery Mntjuich nd Tiid is tned n he Genel dd ce .

Ad de Snt ln sges nd Mlin nge t hlt in ed, e utet Brceln," te d visis despched y the T's xm Frnc Feds f Duru eer) nd e O U's Js v. nte Prncip Pe i the Rms, which s ee cmmndeeed byte POM, i Blius, Pl Ruiz, eue Rig nd tn, repe-sentig the Fred uruti, meet Grkn, Nin nd Andrde, epesenng

H F INDS O UUI G OUP 93 7 93 9


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the POUMs Eecutive Cmmittee Fwing n nyi the situ-tion nd in view the tnce dpted y the C they come to n gree-ment to u gget n order y rmed witd rw o cotnt r te r-

ricde At 9:00 the Generidd rdi ttion iue n ppe romthe eders the vrius rgniztins (Grci Oiver repreenting theC r n end t ghting he POUM Eecutive Cmmittee reeses mniet he B shevieninist Section isues hndi On the night M y the Friends urruti Grup drt nd pr ints up h ndi

(Wednesdy My 1: A hndi i distriuted y the Friend ourruti Over the rdi the C diswns the Friend urruti GrupF ighting i now cnned t the city cente r the ret o the city eing in thehnd the cneder eense Cmmittees At :00 the U G ederSe recenty ppointed Generidd councior perihe i gunre em-nting rm the premises the Cs E ntert inment Union At :00 the G eneridd trnmitter iue resh ppe or cm r the ederso the vriou rgniztions Federic on teny or the ) A rother Aco is i ed Be rneri nd Brieri re rreted y Gurd nd UGmiitnts rm the Wter Unin heir crpse how up ter

(hurdy) y 6 1: Lo Botoo reprint the Friend o urruti hnd-i In te me editin Lo Eotoo ppe or worker to c dwnSdoridod Obre diswns the Friends urruti hnd i

(Fridy My 1: Lo Eotoo reiterte it ppe mking it condi-tin upon withdrw the ecurity rces nd retentin wepnrnport ervice re retored n d degree nority return AutGu rds sent y the enci gvernment rech B rcen rund 9:00 M

Cpnys surrenders contr puic rder he Cnro tro pcethems eves t the di sps the speci deegte in chrge pu ic rdersent dwn y the Repu icn gvernment

(turdy My 8 1 : B rricdes re dismnted ecept r the PUCrricdes which persist i nt une he Friend o urruti d istriute mniest reviewing the events My In tht mniet there is t "trechery y the C edership

(Sundy y 1: dodod Obre dimie the mniest s dem-goguery nd the Grup s memer s prvcter

My 1 1 : egrin te over rm rg Cer premier heUG Regin Cmmittee or Ctoni demnd tht OU mii-tnts e eped rm its rn nd preses the C t mete ut thesme tretent t the rieds urruti

. NTRODUT ION ND CHRONOOG 5


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May 19, 1937: sue No1 of I Amig de Pueb appears

May 22, 1937: A plenar seson o he CNT's ocal an Comacal Fe-erations hears a roposal that he Friens o f Durrui be expelleA sessi on

of the Sabadell ty council agrees ha councilor Buno Lla oca (alsoth G enerali as comarcal elegae or E conomy) be soo own or hav-ing i played a Fien of Durui pose in hi oce

M ay 26, 1 937: ssue No 2 of I Amig de Pueb apears, having evaedthe censor alius is jaile a few days lae as he irecor of a clandestinepublication, ollwing a complaint rom he PSUC

ay , 1937: La Bataa is shut own as is he POUMs ra o station he

Frien ds of Du rrutis social premses in the Ramblas are shut down

Jun e 6, 1 937: h onrol Parols are isb aned

June 1, 1937: Amig de Pueb No 3

Jun 16, 1937: he members of the POUM Executive ommittee arerouned up he POUM is poscrbed and s militants persecue

June 22 , 1937: Amig de Pueb No 4

June 2224, 1937 Ans Nn i knappe an muee by he Sovesecret police

Jun e 26, 1 93: hwing soli ariy wih he POUM mli ans persecue byth Stalinists an the Republcs polce he BolshvkLenins Sectoncall o concere acon by he ecion he le o h PUM an hFri ens of Durr

Ju ly 2, 93: A hab l l om the Bol shevikLennis Secion o Spain (o nbh al o the Foth nenaonal) expees ol a wh he PO UMmi l tants persecue by he alinis s

July 0, 1937: Emig del Pue Nos

August 10, 1937: he Council of Aragon is orcibly disbande by thegovernment

Augus 1 , 1937: Amig de Pueb No 6Augus 3 1 , 1 937: I Am ig de Pueb No 7

Sptember 2 1 , 1937: I mig de Pue o8

Ocober 20, 1937: I Amig del Puel No9

6 H FR I NDS O URRUT G RO UP 1 3 7 3


20/128

ob 1 Amig del Puel o. 1

ob 0, 1 Amig del Puel o 1

n 18: Twards a Fresh Rutin h a b an

b h b h n o

ba 1 1 8 Amig del uebe o 1

o b 1 L'spae Nuvele o o

The mos imporn sudis of h rie nd of urru Group re: ranisoanue Aranda: s amis de urrui" in Cae Le rtsky No 0 2ord Aquer: Hsta de a fuda6 actua6 de a a6 gs deDut" npubihd Georges Fonenis: Le essage rutare des sde Duti" (Eiions L Pars 198); Fank n and anue Peia: Lsmgs de Dut, s trtsqustas y s sucess de may (mp o Abo aid ,1978); Pau Shark: he Duti: Cr (Eoia rso,Toko ay 1 98)

Aong o an ada by Jaume Anon Aguar nephew of ArmiAguad gne in h prsne of wnss n xo on Augus ,1 : A h ie of he ay evens h Gnraidad governmen

ask d

for

a f fom San n orr o bomb he bu ngs an he a rfush rqus" This saemen is borne ou by he yp messages exhanged

bwe n omans an he na govnn n ho mssags, on usa, a , 1937, e Geerlidd Preide ifrmed e c binet der-serear ha h res had rough ariry ou on o he srees, and he

asked ha i eunanoone ipe z Sand no ommander of he Prad obrega i ar air base, be in srued o pe himsf a he disposalof he Generaidad governmen: Generaidad Presidn informs abine undrsereary ha rebes have brough annons on o s res Asks ha Sadiob odered pae himse disposa of Gneraidad governmn" [oumn-

aion o deposi in he Hoover nsuion

Aod ng o h s imony of iego Abad d Sann

NTRODU TION ND CHRONOOG


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2Toward5 July 19

I t cts b 6, 6, c t P

by mg, th at muted y tke ppagad be t bsttst cs d tcds Accdg t tvt ss s tat, t csydc st dsk te e tt c e d sc ss svtb, mtt t cs mg t u t st btmakg s s ats mmt vut s ct

e st" gu, mad u csc s, Bu vtuDuu, Jua Gc Ov, Au dz, Rcd az, Gg

J, t Otz d t z Vec," st s u as aCt Revut Dse Cmmtt mb t sts"gu e m act, dd dbe kg css s t C mass I th ea mg J , 6, tse mc mbd t s u md m tts d s tud t kgcass P ub e dstct te t t ct ct t t t t bt ptc tcg b xmp ct sss sued a summs t k' sec t e av

b t tm d b btad Octb 4, gatd up m tstts h t d b dmed b t Ctsts, mssd tks dg up J t ds s, c m t a ds,s p s' ss, tc a t m m ts t ps, d vy cmbtt dd t as t t squbb v s dgu Bu t bk d b cud cs

HE F ENDS O UUT OUP 93 7- 93 9


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streetghting. The revlt the sldiery nd the scists ecme ninsurectinry upri sing when the peple, llwing t he strming then ndres rrcs, si zd s m 35000 res. e rrs d succss-ully rmed themselves. t ws this tht ly eind the resigntin scet, the Gener lidd mmissr r Pulc Order. t ws imprtnt rthe Repulicn et tlni (R) nd r the Generlidd gvern-ment tht the rm revlt e crushed ut this rming the p eple ws nugury hrrile d iss te, mre t e ered thn sci t victr.

Thnks t its militnts' clss instinct, the N nt nly mn-ged t deet te rmy revlt ut ensured the succes pr-letrin uprising. But when smething mre thn clss instinct

ws required, when implementtin revlutiny they wsequied, evething went t pt. N Revlutinry They,N Revlutin. And the very prtgnists the success thewrkers' uprising wee sttled t nd the revlutin slippingrm thei r gsp.

We re nt ut t reherse the deeds, nr the tcticl cmen whichmde the success the pplr prising in Brceln esile. Here ll tht

cncerns s is t emphsize tht the Nstrs grp (etted y ther nity grps) cte s revltinry vngrd stte engh t steerthe cnfed erl msses twds victrius prising. We re ls cncernedt nderline the inil ity tht grp, nd l l the lr leders nd rg-nizt ins, nchist r therwise, t cnslidte the revltin, when pwews within their grsp nd there r the tking, ecse ne my em w m in pliicl rm. Hw re we t ccuntr, hw e we t ndertnd the ndipted led ers the NT ttting

lng t rendezvu with mpnys in the Generlidd Plce? Hw culdthey hve heeded mn wh i the ear orig f Jly 19th eudthe NT wepn, nd wh hd s ten hsed nd incrcerted them?w cme tee w til l gvenment in the Generlidd? Wy did teynt mrch p t the Generlidd nd d wy with the rgeisie' gv-ernment? Hw cme they did nt pclim liertrin cmmnim?

he unccustmed speed v nts, the rpidly shiting situtins,eture ny evlut iny e tk ut ew mnths t turn reels int

ministes, evlutinries int dvctes f sftly, stly," Stlnit intutchers, tlnis ts int suppl icnts ere the centrl gvernment, n-rchis ts i nt lyl ll ies nd s tunch ulwrks the Stte, POists intvictims rutl nd hithert incnceivle pliticl repressin, scil-ists int htges t Stlini sm nd the Friends Durruti int mvericksnd pvcteu.

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Again w stss ta w av no i ntnion of reearsing evens herebcaus t a alad books available from a nmer of riers an avai of poitica outooks, and to ese we wol refer anone ho isk n to an lo vw t coct isoical facts Our concer is wit discoving pain ing and unvi ling te mecanism b ichan acists w tund into mi nists antimil iaists into soldir, nmisof Stat into collaboatos wit t Stat and genuine revolionariesid and tstd i n a tousand bales into unwiting salars of conervolution

Ou a poccupation is wih xplaining he phenomenon hichplu gd s o many volutionay mi litants into confusion and e paradox of

bliving ta te w dfnding the revolion en in reali hew aci g as anguad of countevoluon And o a end, we mss t s out t totical points wich aord us an insi g ino and hihval t natu of t istorical procss in itiated (in Catalonia especia ll)in Juy 193

1 Wtout uctio o f t Stat t i s n vlut ntralAntifascist Militias ommitte of Caalonia (CAMC) was no anogan of dual pow but an agency fo military mobilizaion of hewoks fo acd union wit t bourgois i in sor an agenc ofclass coll aboration

2 Armi n o e eole is meaningless. Th natur of mitry wrais trmin b th nature of the lass ireing i An arm ghingin dfns of a bougois Sate, even sol i be anifasis is anarm in rvic of capialis m

3. War btwn a fascis Stat and an anifasis Sae is no a revol

tio na class wa poltait's intvntion on one sid e is an i n ication ta t it as al rad been defeaenserable echn ial anpofssi onal inioi on t par of he poplar or mi liiabase armwas impicit n milita stuggl n a milia fron

4. Wa on t mi i tay fonts imp li d abanonmnt of e class errainAbandonmnt of t class stuggl signied dfa for e revoltiona pocss

In t Spai of August 1936, volution was no more and here asscop on l f wa A no nvolutionay mi litary ar

6. T collcivzaions and soializaions in he econom con for nohing n Sa poe is in he hands of he boeoisie

FR NDS O URRU G ROUP 3 7- 3


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Send, attentin needs be drawn t the Grdian knt whihlmed as a dilemma in the week follwing Jl 9 either the apitaistate wld be swept awa, and te pretariat wol d sep lass strggle

a gear with the in trdtin f ibertarian mmnism and the la nh-ing f a retinar war, r the apitalist State wd be allwed t re-i ld it s apparats f rle.

Third, there is rm t ask wh the retinar ptin was ntexerise d. nd th e answer is er simple: there was n retin ar an-gard apable f steering the retin.

n a lgia, stringent, preise and teling wa, these theses n theSpanish retinar and nterreltinar press ant fr and

shed ight pn man indiidal and oletie perfranes, whih th-erwise strike s a s absrd, inexpliab e r stbbrnl wrngheaded frin stane the s mm nin g f the CT leade rs t a meeti ng withCm pans in the Generalidad alae n Jl 2; a CNTplenm's aep-ane of llabratin with he Generaidad gernment; the frmatinand windingp f the CMC: he enr f CNT miitants int heGeneraidad gernment, the miitariatin f the iitias: the entr inthe Repb ian gernment of anarhsndiaist min isters: the immed i-

ate end rsement b thes e new anarhist ministers" f the gernment'sight frm Madrid: the ooperation f anrhosndiaist laders in thep tting dwn f the wrkers' prisi ng in Ma the CNT nitmpat f 9: olabratin with th egrin gernent, et

2

1. e arca vr's anwrs (wc a rm rs a 0) a

quetnnar rm urn n n o wt ovr nsutn rar rua cn, a wnne, w was ruu an a ras as w as n wrn Theforthcoming lections a going t be deciive fo the Spnih peopl. If th

wkng class voe fr the lt, h latr wl take owe, but we wll have

cnnt n rsn by h mary an he righ im a sezig w.

th wok s es n voe h le, tht wu se a awul

sucs or acism W r ou a avise th wokn las to a t

leass w ga votg, but w say to it, hat if it es not v or thelt, beore six mnth wll hav elas om th aer's ctoy, w shal

havto

sis f scist rgh with weaons in hn atura, ains work-

ng ass, w ad or man ars bn advs b t CN n o,ac on ur raana h cnsructin we wan, wc s a, a

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t ol vote at t ol alay e etter o tan o te fac t rtf tey reolte ce efeae and ot of overnet e left o teera ecto oay ecae e oernent n ata ona an

te left ecae te oeret of a e a oore or co tetbut they honored none of theirs, In that they Issued not one wepon, nor didthey take any preemive action against the fascist military plot. "

2 ee te ecae etee oma E cofe e ae o te cr o te fct reell o:r reet a o m r yo ofcal or tat e reelloa ee coleely efeate oo Ecofet ery oo h reet reple te aon

caoc ncontrl e arme rfraf ave vae te ree a are comt-t ll or of orae. Ad anyay te eavly arme er ofte cty a ca e do aa teor e te e e ave all een e ao c te leae temee e oly olo r ree to cota e too cally o let ay of or reecve tore o y te or fyo for yor ar ca ccee a dertake to take care of rceoaeever yo orer me o to o or en crctace ert eerco

cofe ua ota a ua vitoa d otur d 934-9 d uio d 93 E AroVerara arceloa 4 32 arca ver adrese ay of ee qeto recy or recy ccou o he ierview wih Comy: "Th miiry-fci uriig acoe t a e rected oan retreate nto te oce eaarer n arceona ere a at ae een een n e ornnon Jy er o te coneence o at e cod ee con n tate antcated at once al of te roo reent n arceona ad reoted

ey o ea ee ae a e ance oee ao neanddte A force el ot fo toe to eorae day an ater an ecan tter tr e efeate a te reent [ J or a tee reaon omany as elered a ocke to nd te A rereentave efore eere ecae a e col t ao a te eavyreonty e a t rear to ad e an eoe ecae o alre o eed a or forecat ] oced ecae ato tey ad noonore e comtmet te a ven te A n arceona an

n ataona ad ae te ree [ ] o en e ent or oan o no ta ave ot of ron for coant and annoance ere am concered ve ooe yo reatl a faed to arecate yo for atyo are oever t ever too ate or an one aoo and ne c a no on to ffer yo tantamont to a confeon ad arecate

H FRINDS O URRUI GROUP 7


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you wot maybe te ccmstaces now wol be eet; bt t s too lat

o that ow a yo aloe have eeate the ebe miltay an all loic yo

ot to ove I that s o vew I laly srene he Geeala Pes

ecy o you a you tat I ca be o ay asistance elsewere you

ee oly tel me the lace I so tae u But i sinc w not y know

sur wh has ha h vicy swhr in Sain, yu biv hat may

sti b svic in aing as Caania's awu naiv om h

Gnraia sincy say s, an m th, an aways with yu ae-

mn, w sha carry on this gh unti i bcms car wh a th in-

ns" o o at a ts was te CFAIs vew we el at Comays

shou stay o as hea o the Geeaia ecisy cause we ha ot ta

to he streets to t secically or te socal evoltio bt athe to eeoselves aast te ascst mty [rom Gacia Overs 950 aswes to

Bootes quetoae o eosit at the oove Isiuto

Gacia Oivers tetimony eseves to e set aonsie that o eeica

Montseny I no oe's wilest imaiis ot eve those o Gaca Oive

the most Bolshevik o s al i the ea o takng revoutonay owe ase

It was ate when the scae o the upheaval a th peope initiatives be

came lain that thee bean to be ebate abot whther or not we sho o

o boke [bel a Du EIpoletdo e a Bua Baceloa1978, pp 381-382)]4 Amon te mos teest o tese ae te aachst Abel Pa Dut Ipoletdo e a the Cvl Ga acsco ac (EI lzaeto laolucn y r en Baclona te book cite above by Escoe teGeneralias commissa o blic oe a h mmois o Aba e Santl

v x mpl m BBolloten v aola Roluycotou Alaa Etoal

Ma 199 a ee Boe Stae et a outon. ca ea (Pas 193).

5 An whch ae o cose he exression o a eotl vewpot wcmay or ma o be share u whch we set out nly here or what t s

withot retenin to o vok any nonexistet hacneye acamic

bjctiviy

6. A th Peopl's xecutive Committee i Valecia o he ense Committee in Ma

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3. From July to May:

Uncnolabes or Revoi?

The gestat ion of May 1 937 began on wk ar rolutionaryevents o Ju 936

I Cataoia, the revoutionary pring o working ma hadsuccessfuly dfate te military, row S' miiri adepessie macinery no darray an rmo orgoi cla romt eaep untio Not on ad the milta iig agt te Repu bic bee n futated, b ut t capiali tat itf a ucumbd . he

Catalan working ca eizd weapon from e barrk i ad tormed,ee that the epessve ageie fatizd wit peope i amsand intode a ew, eotioa ordr): it orgaiz and iretd rouctio insi e ms, which wee ihr olliizd or oialzd and p Peope Mtas, wi set of or Aragon

owe was in te sres. Te pol w armd B o proltarinoganation assmed powe. T workg cla ra rd ion anpoitia organizations, witho rag w org of (id worers

ow nd tat is not all. n or o kep aoa pral, dirdtdand impotent bougeo Gnealidad govrnmn, which wsmlting likeasugar-be, the socald Cntral Anfac ia omm (AM)was established. At no timewa CAM vr mryo of a nwokes' oe: twas, ather a lass collaboraion geny2 a provisionagovment that helped to estoe th power of h bougoi, pcan

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Gnralidad h CAC uppland h Gnraliad govrnmn in houncon rav o h army, publ c orr an proucon wc hrwa no on l cabl of prforming, following h diingraion of bour

goi intituion ridnt Company' powr wa mrly nominal, bu itwa alo h tntia powr of h caiali Sa, which anarchi nomrly alowd o ubi bu acually hlpd o urviv and rurrct i f, allowing i t l galiz," pot faco, h rvoluionary gain mad dur-in g h vnt in uly Wihou looking for i, h CAC acqui rd all o thaccormn o a govrnmn Bu inad o cntralizing h rvoluionary powr of h cmmit loca commi , dn commi, workr ' commit, p aan ' commi and commi o vry or i

bcam h ch i impdi mn o hir unifcation and rinforcmn hCAMC wa a lifjack od o a Gnralidad awah in a a o localrvoluionary commi, iolad from on anohr, which in Caaloniawil dd h only ral powr bwn July 1 9 and Sptmbr 263

At no point was there a dul pwer sitation i existence. Thinoion i a o any undranding of h Spanih rvoluion and ciilwar h CAC wa a cla collaboraionit agncy I wa no h grm ofworer' power lt ogghd wh he pwer e capa Sae An

h wa obvou o al h main polica adr, whhr or no parci-pan i n h CAC For hi raon, h dioluion of h CAC wa no araumaic vn, nor unduly importan i wa ju on o many p in hprce reconrcng he ae pwer, mane an aere aer hJuly vn Th ormaion o nw Gnraa govrnmn, wih hCN an h OM bng incorpora i no i, wa h ogical qu o hwork carr ou by h variou pari an ra union wihn h CAC

hi counrrvouionar proc, h proc o rconrucion of

capi ali Sa pwr ncarily pawnd a numbr o conracion, andnauray wa camouag r cover up b h CNT' ea ng car wth familiar circmtanciali" argumn invoking anifaci uniy, hnd to win h ar, h CN bing a minoriy lwhr in Spain, hdangr of candalizing h wrn dmocraci, c Or vn h mo naiv argumn ha hy wr tuing away rom an anarc dic orhip."

For h CN, h chif conraiction in hi un toppa bl rconq o a l of h capi i Sa' propr fncions, lay in h fac a h i wa

fa ibl only a co of an qal ly coninuou and irrvribl lo f gain which h ma had won in Jly

wn cmbr 1936 an a 137 w win a ug o war ana g r o w i n g n i o n b w n c o n a n c o n c i o n b y h C N T ,marginalizaion o h O, h Gnraliad' inaiabl rur o r-covr al of i fucion, and h ovrbaring prur from h Sovi

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nd the ntton nto te tte pptuses n Cton nd n theent gvenent ke.

I was o eson at e onto tos and eeyn n

to do wth pub d e bode ont and ounatons wee n theeye of the huine Fo evoutiony tnts be ed "unntobesn the tenoogy of the dvesies etenton of onto ove pubode the bodes nd omunons nd o ouse th e exstene o theConto tos ee te bs theshod mkng the pont of no etun nthe uneing onessons by the CNT edesp.

e evoutny nsueton o y 1936 hd been bsed on thedst o oa Deense Comttees set nd taned ny onths n

adve 5 In he wke o te y eens te Conto atos wee foded"eg egnito s evoty poe nseae to the CMCu t te C onto atos dd not un fo the hoe of te ns ue

tons t oeent Thee wee aso these dst o o D eense Co mttees an d othe ous a nd tnts utheoe we need to und ein e the d ay d iffeent ntues of the Cnto atos nd the DefenseCoittees The Cnto at ee n gniztion eated y theCMC to wh they owed the gnzton odes nd npoe. he

Deense Cottees wee CN nsugen geny n estene oe befoe uy 936 The Cont tos wee the institutionalzation ofthe sess f the okes upisng; te efense Co ttees nvetednto Revoutony Co ttee hh ed a vegettve etene beteenuy 1936 nd My 193, epesented the insurectionist movement( Heethe attks by po t oes n ud ng te CNFI nd OUM up onthe -ed "te.

hs deogat abe tted fotby ith faie highighting of

otges nd bues by a few denq ens ut te hge so tageted theCNT d the ease of ts "nt ove its on embesp. Indeedn the neppe s not exeptng te onfede pess the vt ajotyof hh spp se d botionis the te " ontb e s sed synony fo ina This i ption wa nekbe n the bogeois tnst pess beuse they eaded evoutones s ns.The seos pdox ws when the CNT o e OUM used the de of"nontobe to exe bndonent of the on d eog pnpes.

In evey evoution y pess ee ise gup s o in dvdua s whout ize foe of s fo thei own dvnage ut ths m noty n qukynd esy be subdued by onsodaed woes powe as te Russnase demonsttes I te Catn ase t s p pent that te ak on the"unontoabes s a ost wys an ttk upon poetn juste ent geoi egty nd on evotone hh s t on those

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refsing to let go of the gains secred by the proetariat in the Jy prising, or indeed, k to tae them rther "

et s caion te reade r that this ap roach resoses a ery par

ticl ar olitical otion that exaine s and acconts for the eents, ideologies and contradctions of the Spanish reotion of 1936-1939 in terms ofthe conseq enc of the nonexistence o a reoltionary arty

Natraly, the term ncontrollable" was not, and een today, is noteloyed as a n n nocent, netral ter It is absoltely a derogatory, cla ssterm, throgh wich the borgeoisie was ting to discredit and defamereoltionaries is no accident that in May 1937 te Friends o Drrtiwere obliged to hear thesees inslted as ncontrollables as well as agents

roocaters and maericks, een by the FAI itsel heir only offensewas to hae atteted to rese nt reotionary goals to the proletariat ghting on te barricdes

In eery historica narratie, there is always an option in faor of aparticlar politicl assmption Very rarely is it explicit, and i is irtalyalways denied and hidden, in faor of a sposed objectiity" which isbot sblimated and nonexistent9

al sra Ma 97 sal a fa f rv

ltionary process lanched in Jy 193 t it was not the end of the process of conteoltion, nor the end of CN collaboration is, whicwol d cl min ate in the conclsion of the CNG act in MarchAri98 an egrn grnn .

OES OR HPER 3

1 Baus's ags " sals cs s as

as as a sas as a saaus ac suc caals ac crc r as a sgl acry g cass

sc vlag las aal r vssl a c as s u

c as ula auy s acs a as

a a by Is usc rvluary usc xclus f vr

r ( ) l a as pus rqu rvlu s

f c r cratcaly lc y rkrs lias sals a pasas garlss f a y rsg lara

cac sug a racus urgs aaary cacy sr r as r rklac ar a rkrs

all xa f urgs a as as ca u as

cs r sas ( r as a sar ras ps

ga a ( ) las r s u ( ) Cl arls r u

s aac asc rvluay ( )

1 8 H FIENS O UUI GOUP 1 93 7- 9 39


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The Spanish proetariat's answer ( . . . ) ws ighly categorica and inteiget.

Te reactio ad been crus n t treets exropriated economically,

nd the pretaria t set tsef up a the coutry's arbter ( "

(ame Baus Recordado juo e 1936" Le Combat syndicaliste of Ari ,

1971) [This ate y Bu t ol ste, od f word, m pag

292294 of G Mu s's boo fales de dYta, pmesa de vict Zero, i ao,

977]

2 S ee, fo instance, the sharp nd rical tenative posted y Grcia Oiver:

Between soca revoutio n the iitis' Committee, the Oraizatin

pumped fo the Miitias Committee" (un Garcia iver EI ec de lo pss

Rueo Irico, Paris-Barceo, 1978, p 88)

3 Munis cotens that fter the Juy events a tat em s te govening power of the cmmttees I f the si tuation n the eks flo Juy

9 i s to e characterize more precsely, i t has to e dene s poe ffse

t th hd s of the proetariat a th e peas ants These wee cizant

their oc powe, a thouh thy lacked appeciation f te ee to cooi

ate thei poer cross the country For its part, ui thos st eeks, the

oois Government lacked the capacity d wi to cmat the scent

workes' pwer There ca e no tak of uality unt ater, when the Popuar

Front overment came to, reazed that t ha survved, sh aou tse hateve me orces t cu d mus ter an st au t cotest per

ith te committees of te roetrt and peasants" (G Mis Sigica do

istrico e 19 de ulio" in Cont la coene No , exic, August 943

We shl not ere eter nto anysis of te ual power thesis advnce by

nis for the period following uy 19, 936, which is t say, for te period

teen eal t 96 M 1 937 fee twen te o

sition f te ta n Fracto u nis 's posi tio resides in the fact that the

Bor digui sts eckned tat, i te absence of utter destruction of the captlistS tate, tere can be no tal f revou tio, whereas Muis took te in e that the

bou rgeis S tate hd bee momentarily eipse We simply point ou t the dis

creay and s a eve o futher into te iss ue What we re concene to

indate e re is te ole ye by te AM as css co laboratoni st ageny

This h s bee n expcit stated by, amog oters, gures as prominent a

sim utneousy so politically verget as Garcia Oive, Nin, rdeas, Azaa

aius himsef See especialy in's artice E pobem e os anos

e poder en revolucn espo," pulished i Frech n u;et. Rvuentetile du POUM No 1 , BarceonaPris, Je 9

S. See Ju an Grci Oiver EI mvmient ber e Es 2 Coccin e

Histra O Fuacin Salvaor Segui, M rid, undate

ee the etie esciption offee y Ae az Vje (1936-

1939) E d d e Autor, Bacelona, 1 995, p 636)

3 RO JUY TO AY: NCONT ROABES OR EOUTIONAR ES! 9


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The Defene Committees which, wit te ary coup atempt,

had tuned nto Revoluonay Commi ttees, oce the Centa Anifascis M i ias Cmiee f Caaonia had be e a chd, ha dignod he ae's ahoi and hi actiies ha ed o a ocal

chsaio , s h s a C N-FAI itsef, a king th es

coittees a owewih he pow e of the CNFAI highe com

mitt ees; b h wee a ea pow, gate een tha the owe

of the high comiees. Each distic commitee had is own

efense gous a is isposa. Gos coised an indetemi

nate mmbeshi ha coud osciate between six and te Evey

o of hse cmas ha a ie and n a so k ma

nen in hi c. h is ic, wh I oeae, bo se 1 5se g s, hich, a a csti siae, ea ao

a h is B to his sngh mst be added he faco

gops, wh hi oos in h Cot distict; these too had thei

own defns gos wih the own weapons, u p to a d includi ng

mach i-gs. Fina, he L ibeaian Youth goups and a nachis t

gos aso ha o b ice his mote assomn was h

mateia wi whi ch ou di sticts Defens Co mmittee ad to work

7. See, fo insane, Gacia Oies theateig an cotepos subbigo o pans wh:n he ae cae a he CACM head quaes o Jul 2 h

gs a pos h cii isod a h aciitis f coas,i a n acia O e EI Eco de los Pasos op. cit. pp 93-94.. As spe ed out in the esis on the natue of the evoluion and the S panish

civil wa se ou in Chae 2 of this edition (No 3) of Balance S a lso No. 1of alance, which examines he thes es of the tali an action o dguis ts) onthe Spanish civi wa.

9. See the defamato eaks about the Caalan aachis oee anhe al egaions de again s Jaie Ba ius o Antonio Ma, wo ae dpicteas s aage oges b H age, .. Sol and ] Vi aoya, who esp ous e a "n eu

a which i s b ogeois, saconios and Cataanis. See, fo instance,he exaagan accus ations, dis seed fom the co ntext of a eou

ioa saion oe, eveed a Baius on pages 26-28 of the boo

he Benedicine ia H ague Divendres de passi6. Vida i mo e Caco iFormigue (Pb. Aadia Monseat, Baceona, 198) and on pages 67 and

6 of La reprsi rgra e Catanya (1 93-1 939) (Pub Abadia

Mo nsea, Bacona, 98) by . Sol Sa bat and J. Vllaoya ont. Alsowoh menti onin is a lle ole offeing a Catala s t eso o te anar

chis gomn of Caa, whch noved complee anachst conol of

he bode wih ance, ad of he blood incients in elve, ( a d iect ece-

2 0 RI UR RU I G R U 1 9 3 7 - 1 9 3 9


34/128

of ay vs aoa e Geeaa vm maagd o ap aoe oo a d go. J.o oa a .. o aate arua pubca a la Crdaya (93

939) EI "Cj d Maga i s J d. aa sa aoa . a o d a a of oo a e p d y p sg os of osa oay o o gg pa ooga vy fe o ap as ad ay ove"aao of Jam a ad oo a m ss osa m famao a p ga o e taa movm. oo oss a oagos mas o a s ad ogaoy ma ao aa movm fom a peda aa

m pspv apa of ompdg a 3s oa ao gop a a o a os' aem a a s a ps d aad dspa y peds ao 338" y aa ava ad E ay da a isa Cmpra. vo d . sdad as as 3y oa adg a osp d eesg dmag a o aa vee. ee eap Eom a s fess" L'v . 4 a

a fasa po e a de e a" rps o. 3 ovm 9. ees e es aoo ad am Va v isa . 3 ae oeay ga v" ad oaza y eos d ayo" ad os Elsraad i a gu vi isa d'u dsa caala clcvida ya oo ad am Vga Emp aoa 8

FOM JULY O AY NCONOLLALS O VONSl 2


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4 Origins of the Friends of Durruti.

The Opposition to Miliarizatio and

Balius's Jurnalitic Career

e Fri end of Durruti Group was formally launed on M ar 1 7 u i ri in n b re bak obr 6 e Groupwas e o nuene of two main urrents: e opposition o n te part ofanarist mil itian from te Durruti oumn (and e Iron olum n om i l i t a r i z a i o n o f t e p e o p l e s m i l i t i a s a n d e o p p o s i t i o n t oovernmentalism best artiulaed in te wriins of Jaime alius ( tounot Jaime alius nly) in Slidadad Obrera betwen July and November1936 in deas, beween Deember 1936 and April 1937 and in La Nchebetween M ar and M ay 1 937

ot urrens te militia" urrent repudiatin militarization of tepeopl es mi litias s represented by ablo Ruiz and te journalisti ritiue of te NAIs ollaboration wi e overnment as speareadedby Ja im e alius opposed te Ns irumstantiai st ideoloy (wi pro-vid ed te alib i for e jettisonin of anarisms ui ntessential and funda-mental arateristis) as embodied to varyi derees by FederiaMo ntseny G aria Oliver Abad d e Santiln or Juan eiro amon oters

Repiation of miitarization of te eoples Militias ause raveu neas in several naris mii ia unis and wa ariuaed a e plenumof on fed era an d narist olu mn eld in Valenia from February o ,

2 2 H S F DURRUT GRUP 9 3 7 1 9 3 9


36/128

1 97. Pl Riz ttene elegte fr the Drrti ln iliti nf the Gel ectr wh were reitnt t ilitriztin, n FrncicPelice w preent t repreent the iliti n f The rn ln The

Gel ectr even witnee ent refl t cpl with the rerreceive fr te NT n FA Regin ittee tht i litrizt ine ccepte. The crin etween the Durrti n ili tin wgree t the i litriztin n the wh rejecte it ce er i prle, leing in the en t the frtin f ciin fr the l-n, hee Mnzn, which rie the prle with the Reginlittee he upt f tee icin w te eciin tht llilit in e given frtnight t che ne f tw cure f ctin: ccept

the ii triztin ipe the Replicn gvernent, r qit te frnt.Bliu' jurnlitic trjectr beteen Jul 96 n the en f the

wr i very tell ing. Hi pliticl tnce f cc f pernent revlutinreine virtull uncnge here hi prfein n pernl tning unerent rpi chnge ith the incing tie f cunterrevlutin.

Between J l n e rl Nveer 96, Bli , wh, with n helpther thn hi frien Gilert, w t it tht Slidadad Ore hit the treetn Jl plie neru rticle in tht pper, the chief rgn f

the N e were prel infrtive in chrcter, w pprpritefr jrn lit ic rep rtge: t n f the, n withut t the tintereting ng the, were exprein f piticl p ini n. Thee rticle, which lle regr cln in Slida Ore7 ccinllppere n the cver y wy f eitri cent the pper Anthere i every ikel ih tht Bi w the writer f ever eitr i (inepeercer 1936), p e wu yne expen eSdadad Obre plic line. Bt whtever the extent f hi invveentin te rfting f tee eitril, it cn e fre eyn t f nyrt tht Bli, thrgh the pge f the NT' rgn in tlni, inepteber n ctber 1 , uring iert l lej ' tie ngingeitr, plye very prinent ielgicl re er n per fthe pi tic tnce f the NT' in i y newpper. ver preent inhi rticle w ini tence pn efene f te relutinr gin f Juln the nee t pre thee he t which en he urge tgh, eciiverepreie ere r, B i like t cl te, invking the FrencRevlutin, puic fet" ere gint the cnterrevlutinrthret fr the rgeiie

At the eginning f Neber 1 96, ibert l lej w t wn nging ei tr f Slidadad Obrera Jcint Tryh w ppinte inhi plce. Ber in in tht t the eginning f Nvemer Durruti hgne e Mri frnt n fur cnfeer initer jine te

4 RI INS O H F R INDS O URRUI 2


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Re blcan govenmn hs anmn was n sons o h nfor h recor of dadad b o a amn chamon of hCNTs crcumsanal s a col aoa ol B h n of cm

ber oryho ha anag g f L Calass ol oa amof ame B alus ngo lan la n al nz BorasGamn ec who wr agans h fal C l an h lacwas aen by coruns fm mnn anahosnal s la suchas er onsey an a anln fahful fns f yho schas Leadro Blano (shl f a mnahs wsa an hresgos bylns of rogrssvs" l Cnas Cans an amacos

One o f he as arcles Baus u sh n dadad b (on

ecember 6, 1 96 un r he l urrs samn" s eseng of aeae meno The acl s a mmna on he a oacasmade by urr fom Ma n Nm 5 nl as fo he ewren n wha gh hae aal o man anarhss a ovocaemanner hs arce ges us an nlng f wha was cm on of hasc eoogca lars of h f rns f u Gou namlhe ttitn caracer of any rolaran vuon

Durr bluy sa ha w nahss ha h o-luon be f a oalaa naue h mas -ng u o fscsm so oggly n h fls of al ar nreare o l anyon am wh h lna an leag mo of hs sn hou

( . urus samn l n lngs w garforce han o he ngh h haangu us e shall se o hahs as wshs are ma a ra

eceme 9, 1 96 saw h aran f h s ssu f Ida hemouhece of h CNT feaon n h Ba Lrga cmarca Bal shad an a rcle ulshe n all n f Ida s als nsseny enoune h aanc f h ounrn Ousanngamong hem was he aac un h sn f h Gneala LsComanys whc was cae n Ida 5 f 1 9, ner he Les mae rlu"

was a rec ancen of A d b hough noevery conrbuo o Ida was a mm f h Fns of u wecan sae ha aog wh Acca n La 18 Ida was he mos usan-ng mouhece o h anarchs una currn r o a

Ba lus was ane c f La ch n ana , 19 heLocal Feerao of Unns La ch wa an nn ay run y a

2 4 G 9 3 7 9 3 9


38/128

ooeive o woers mos o whom b elonged o he CN lhough iws no o he nztnl press o he CN

I ws in L Ne f March 1 ha he frs repor cme of he

ms nd m embership condiions o a new nrchis grouping which hde he ame f e "riens f urrui Grup B ewee early Marchnd he y evens L Ne while i never became he Grups fcilmuhpiece ecame hans is n bein n rnizain pper hepper in which he riends f urrui were able give free epressi heir criicisms he ocial pol icy he CN

Wihou do ub he mos ousnding ariles re hose from B lius bu we nno il o menion hose bove he signure o Mingo on he

suj ec of he Mu nicipa iy and rade union managemen f he ecnmybeuse hese represen a very signican acor in he pol iicl heory ohe Frien ds f urrui

I he March 1 ediion ius pubished n ile eniledCreful wrers a sinle sep bacwards which had he meri ocching he eye o in wh in he Mrch 4h ediin fL Bll gve gowing welcome o he views se ou by lius nd lso o he unh-ng o he riends of urrui Group announced i he same ediin noun o he hnces h i migh give revouiony li o he CNmsses whom he narchis leaders were leding down he ph o hecrasses and ms shrsihe refrism

In ha aricle B alius raile aains he view increasingly widespreadin some anchis circes ha i he wr ws o be won he revoluion hd e bjured nd he blunly cied an aricle signed by he prmienresa iian ua n eir fer nin e nauh f cunerreu-in which was nw eandin ha e Cnrl arls e d isded heplce he ame fr i upn he ning picy f appeaseen pursued by e C he arice calle fr an amendme of is plicy frly if e reuin mae eaway in he rearuard cul he war ew he balefrns he arices ile " a single sep acwards!was herefre a very ein ne

On M rch 6 1 Baius hd n ricle in L Nhe eniled "Couner-revluinary sures eural psiins are dmging in which he c-ogued he feures f he new securiy orce se up by he Generlidadgovernmen idenifying i as a bourgeois corps in he service o he cpi-lis e and inim ical he s eemenary ineres f he worers

Mrch 1 saw he publicain in L Nhe of one o hose ricesso ypical f Baliuss sye were hruh an asue amiure f newsnd opinio n he recrded he specace of rains crmmed wih residens ofBarcelna ff in e cunrysie in search f fdsuffs By means f

4 RI GIN F TH RIND F URRUTI 2


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dct th thgg th caag a ahd t at the aac ae te f e a aa tc y the Sa ad Cea.

t Mach 1 1 1 937 d La Nche ca a atcle ay t t th g Dt. a cad th add g by Dt th ad th Madd t jt day b h dd a add ch h ha t al th agad t ta th a t tat. h t a D t a t a agg a y t ftcat ata a acg al a atg. Accdg t a Dt dat had b d by a a l t f a t ad a a a. a

t jalt cc d t agt a bgg t b had that thc a a a de ece a he a a hat D t acad . B a c t atc by atg hat Dt a at tha ad that th c d b yaty t h that d dt c t t h a.

oog a a Ba had a c L Ne ttd"Ct by Lag Caba: Ctt t mach hche a ccal f ate by h GT la ecg thm a c

t a a y ced a t t at ch ad tad t J 9 th th cctat ad caat g d atd jt a a th a a .

a c f ac 3 , 3 , a a a a e em a a. e eq cal a a cy a ctcz e eea cc cy

B a a " ac aam. W t t a La Nche f Mah 1 6 1 937 efe t a a B aa attac

te xchage g t h th a ad caed th ta t f e c He e ecmee a atch ctt b t . h t c a that a d at g th aad a at a d a ceay q t fcc a:

N h a e eaa . . . act ae at lage g . . . . ) O t dd

ad ated . . . Ay attet t dae a tce a y f t Rt. Let acth t tmt g. Hee f ft a le hth ad t.

h Mac 1h d La ce cad a et g ha achg h d f Dt. Mat a td a

2 6 H E R E N D F RRT R P


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t r's srtr n Jim ius s vicsrtr. Js niu An-t i rnis rr iz ntn mr rn is r rvr r i st s mmbrs t strin cmmitt.

n s Mr 23, 137, is us n Noched t ttle Te e specc: tl's rle n te Sps Rev-t rin cmin t tn prtrit's r s t riv-g ce truggng scil rvtin c s nt s in M ri tr regns i n Spn bbe b te mmeite eds te r.

n te Mrc 24t ditn t rr ngty inrv tPb Ruz mmbr e Gr n sksn r te Gels i lt iss t miitriztin th umns. W r r srt but n

tgng gpcl sketc l Ruz tnks t c e kn th s mm b t gs rvtinry mmitt bk n Jnry 1933, tt e ugt t t h ry n in s Rns tPr in t Jl y vns ht n n t sig n n ssutn t Atrzns brrcks ngs rruti n Ascs n tt h st r t Argn rnt in t urrti mn n bn ntv srvi tr in th Gs sctr vr sinc. Atr n t tvirts n vntgs t nrcst snt cllectviztins n Argn

t intrvir sks is vis n miitrztin. is nsr s cnsr run n nncd: but t t sm tim qit crnt r-cl s t uner lne inmptib iity tn nrist is n t's being drecte by e burges i n Rpublcn Ste :

t rrgniz tin t Arm v n ct in r it gtt rmmr tt r t rst t l r sngl mmn cmmnd . . . n te ce f deleges fr te vrus

cluns by y f surng mgnety n te perc t ll. t strucurng prcee b le te pple's Arynt b n trl t Gnrldd nr t t tr Gverne. t ust e under te nedertn's cntl ."

n t ve bl Ruz ll udes t te cnstnt etet rm tervtn ry gins Ju y n t t inctin t rinds rrut:

Wen et r t rnt e let t t ur c s t esur

tt t Rvlutin u m n t vitr in th nrcistsnse. t in te lbr f tt Rvutn r hs bnssgn t t burges rtis n eing r trvtn in tt tir tsk s t cmin t intrsts t tit rgisi n th GT i vry tinyling n n cp t urs. . . . ) y ntring int

4 INS O H F INDS O UUI 2 7


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ot t t v ot go ov t vo-tin and hae und urele require t cmrmie ay a-t da, th th lt tht th Rvolto hs be

dfgue

as th n t l eoutiona ans ha bee hittl aayOut o th ha ai th omat o o th " o Dut iin that thi new ranizatn ha a it rimar obj ect the r-eato, iat, o th ott o th CAI

Pab Ruiz cnclue the interi y ettin out hi wn ie oho the vo t io ght b t ba k on th gt t k roaanda shu ld b e arrd ou t ithi the CT wthout ro to

on 2 Th houd s o ta o CT) et th oom Th lt t ho b sh s -ance and no compome with the ores habori th ountrrolutothat the PS U ad the UGT:

The d t o the eoo o ot oght to t th tade uo ogzto [th CT] t o l rthe lta rte o th ba that th o ot mt thriteria to e rd a novt. o o hh impoi ton tugh oce, but rathe though propaga thCN T rank An I m ood to vovg t otartie, b ig ove that that o ta lo o th o-ut in, ich as t e rsecuted y eer mea hot co-prmise with ru that not only hae ein r the o-utin ut ae ao in te minrity

Ba liu publihe in the March 27, 937 eitin La Nche) a rt

entit l "The reutio ha it equemets All o to th uio hich h e ea t wth the tracte crii i n th Generaia ernmntH ew o th trde un oga o th voto v ttHe c ad th edad govrmet i a the ot o th t-on chractezig a tuation du or: the Gneal nd pssd d, bt th o d o h to th G -iin In Baliu' iew r the reutio to me orwar a ool- at or had t to th orkg l a th wa eaps t

the loan : A oer to the unio Bau ao ped a tgg t ttld "A htol -

ment. cateoric diemma (La Nche Ai 937), i wh h rothe inicance o the cii in th Gerl govmet A r uas cncerned te Generalidad rli om the at, o tht sogut wth he nw volto

2 8 GP 1 9 3 7- 1 9 39


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govt ngov o t t o ttbug yt tt nvv ot oguvto o

Tu g t iu t u b y utn t govt g o govt o wouv tg A u v v l fo th to Gnldd wth th ow o th wok nd w

h ontvotony t ot of xtnc:

ot t but w oty bv tt w vt b u t t g

T not b t T utu o t o-tt u n I t gztntttg to tng t vout w ut b y t u- t b t t i try wc by no t vy gu uo u n d o tt t ut tu wt th rnt u

W h Rvlton o nd gnt t. T b

o gu

t u t tt t gvu T vg w t o i wi ritrt thvwot ut t ti t t-tk Cy

t w v t by go kb t v unig th lm ut t vnc f the cun

tvut ugzng ci' vuty it hi w ht b tb wt gvt bt, wh t b twit ttig th G t PC Cm n mnyv t tt to t Cot gg tt tw ving n l ut b Biu t d wy

with

th ng th gowg g t ut tt ttg t t w t gv ov t t un-t bu t kng ry ut ) w t b d ut n

u t g t out by t F o Duut Ami dl ublt y I tt t M go tt:

l it i t tnt rvltn vnnt

og to go, v Juy 19 1936 t ndd gv-mnt b rdunnt Th nl y w w iy,

4 2


43/128

a that a the poe o the tae uo o, aodg to Mgo, themuca ty, u by t ok, t ecoom pocy upee b theoke, oul a ou have tepe to the hoe o the tate

I t p 4, 7 to o the day L Nche Bau a aate, to ate: p 4," makg th aveay o the pola-mato o t Rubc, c dld t ttbougeo ca-ate o te ay e the Repub a pola med, attake ataam,et gtg o tg, Mac o Camb, tat bot ad o-o t atoa m te ae o teat om te Catala poletaat

tout t gtet oubt, tee ate o Bau', ( a o otemembe o the d o Duut) , tohg upo uh a de a ety o

top, geally poltal oo, but ao t a e cotet, ee themota bg togete a ta uet o oppo to to the ' o l-laboatot poly Balu a t the ole tc, but he a oe o themo t outtag a o oue te mot otet, oeet a ad-a Bau' met ee h hag eue the bakg o a zablegoup o mta ooe to te m tazato o t M ta e o-juto o th mta, e by Pao Ruz, t ote aahoy-a lt ooe to the ' oaboatot pocy oud t otcal v

atuated toeta tem Bau' ate ad ctcm hoee ee to c ytaze the pogam et out o t pote datg omate 7 a ou be peed out geate eta ePueblo a, ubd at t a vt

o, to m up: atog t d o Dt Gog a omayaucd o ac 7, 7, t og ca tacd to t deeatedmala catd mta' ak y t Gadad dc o mtaza-to o t Po' ta, c to a, to at Octo 6, e

D ut a t live. aga, Ba ad com to oc a alya a a joat ad aat doog, ko o ttgtheota ot to o atoam, h avag tm o the atalabogo' otca actvt, attack o ac ad Comay, expo o te ataat am moded Dea ad ada, a el ah aay o t vt o Octo 4 Cataloa om a C p-pete o a oaboato bt am Ba l ad Pablo Rz ay-thg e, tey had joty tt a ampltZ ad ad oth be-

logd to t am aat aty gop , Ra" tat beg thame o the pu hg ho h had d Ba ' pamphlet o toy 6. addto to Jame Ba ad Pao Rz, t Race" god aco Pllc (o od b t Io Com' d gat d-g t cv a) ad B o ad (ho a a aad cty oco dgth a ad t Gadad Datmet o coomy' omaa delegate )

3 H E F R E ND S O U RR UT RO U P 1 3 7 1 3


44/128

F HP 4

On h on oumn e Ab Pa pnd d ud rca de a Ca de

e (a aona 9 a a Sepmb and b 9, hron oumn had gued n sensaona ndn onnd wh anngh aguad (Vana ) avng he from h fon ne n od o

dmand h d amamn and dbandng of amd op n h v of h

Sa and h dpahng of h memb o fron n srve. Rpudaon

of maraon o f h ma was debaed nd hIon

oumn as wasn v ohe onfda oumn. n h end he o umn asmb gav

aprova o maraon ne woud ohw b dned wapon pa

and provon Thn aga n n he vn of s bng dbandd here was adang ha he m an mgh n no oh a ead m ad un

2 Fank n a age Ia aa raa (La Pq ua add 9 pp 29530 Aso Ab Pa op pp 2 52 And Pau Shark hed f D hr Edoa rso Toko a )3 am Bau Pab o Ru and Fano P we h adng ogan

bhn h mng hd b h Frnd of urru n he Po oama h

a on Sunda Ap 9, 3

S Jam Baus nvw wh Pabo Ru n h nwpape a cheo 355 (ah 2, 93 ) and I g de eb o (u 2 , 3: andPau Shak o 5 Ponena qu a a Aamba d Sndao pna a n d pod apaa qu sa omada n ondran vada a P eno puda v d

onrova a nfom que pn d roneno

d dadad Obdaed areoa eruar and 2 3, on behaf of he Asambea de aSen de Perodsas oumn on deos wh h Arhvo Hro

una d aona AH 6 S som of h nw as ared b dadad Obre ke a udadde arona" Augus , 36, En nuevo oa d om d asAnfassas" (Augu 23, 36), Ha ado n ummno d su debr"oer 3, 36 , os gaeoos de a eaguada" (ober , 36 ,Sodar dad on o a do " Oobe , 36) or Los paro de a

evoun" (Oob 6, 3)

S ao n h Sembr and Oob 936 don of dadad

a mar o ho of au unde he bn of ngo Forea OaaGabr e Buss egua oun as edned oo en a gura" and, on oan

e res re o rdd Ez aong oe so ad eguar ou S ome of h as above Bus bn a on h ovr k

o po dmo ovdar 6 d oube" (Oober 6, 36, a revoun no ha

4 RGN F THE REND F URRUT


45/128

e e n s e . l l i o e l e ns r e s e s e n s b o

onteoionio Otoe , 3), oo e a erra. En os fretese combte no n e ft ends e son indisenses r sobelle

m de inieno Otober , 3).9 We must not oi t to iit wete o not it ws witten by B li s t

e itoi ried nonymos y Solidaridad Obre Otoe , 936) n-de te edi e H de ostitrse e oseo Naion de efes be-

se of te wy n wi i t ws tke ter i EI Amigo del Pueblo, s oneof te most oriia oits i te Fres o r 's evoton roramto wit te fomton of Reo tion nt o Ntio Defese Coi . 0 See some of tese ties of oi tia ntre ddition to tose nmed

aboe H de ionese n tito de e Seteer 8, 3), Onede setiembre eteme , 3), oo e a erra. Es de inmeditneesidd e romieto de osmo Setebe , 3), Hn

tinfdo s tctcs eoiorias Seteer 23, 3), Coo en

ue L js t i i de se ineie Otoer , 936) , Semos

oscientes. Po n mol eolioni Otoe 8, 936), Poblems

funmentes de evoin. L desetrii es ti e de

eb l se tbjor en defens e eotis e se eten en

s ines de fe Otoer 24, 3), oo e er. Los iotiststienen en d e id n edited rtie wi e t down to B isOtobe 3, 93), Como en err. La stii de ser fminante e

i ntcab e ttritae to ais Noveer , 3, oo e a errae d e estee conto iroso de oai Novemer 3, 36),La esti catn eeer 2, 3), E estaeto de rrti e-embe 6, 3) nd L evoi de o a de e e so a os rriis aseember , )

See te oei . . o deosit wit te AHM. 2 ee te oeia . . o deost w te AHM.3 See B i s's emks on te reeent o Lierto aes by intoToyo s mni editor of Solidadad Obrera te CNT's edin diynewse: And I wo seed s edi to oSoli] oside Aendro Gi et

ontu n otes ot to ke it er tt distintio s to be mebetween Soli de Lieto es 's eet ad e Soli rn y intoToyo. As on Cejs was dieto te T's y ins were t

times defended ad st rines sed ad roted. t oneJ into Toyo w imosed s direto o Sodad brera, y t onter-revotionries eoed n te oittees at s e aa w asno o oter tn tO disose of te tenti CNT te ot on ws mi ita-ition miond s Moseny imie s t ere was soetin eseDy fte d one d ed i So bot orde reto nd ode ein.

3 2 H FRI NDS O URRU GRO UP 1 937 939


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Le s oe o w a o d os , ke Canoas Ceranes

n eno B ano, oe e o o Deate, on t t tm tol. e ol bec ossbe " (me Bs P o

a eda," n Le Coma Ydicalse o Seee 2 9 ee a so onena "4 Rado broaas rened odad Obre (Noember 6, 936) t

edon of oli aed e oow words o Drr: s ml z-

on deeed y e Geeadad s nnded o fren us and fore ro

ds l n on s, y a ade a sake, and we ne tose wo de-sed e Dr o o o o ad n we w e ae o mae

oarsons w oae ad d s ne o e eaar Rest e

e fron, ee s no aos, no nds ne " Bas's os osandn aes arred n Ideas ae as olows: L a peuer

besa es oen aa onsr Esaa desrda o el ascm

(No , Deer 29 93) La Reon a de ser anzndo" (o 3,Janay 4, 93 E aaso de a deoraa besa" (No 4, Janury 1 ,93), La eon ee n seo esero" (No , Feray 1 , 1 937),

Deses de de o" (No , A , 93) ad Haaos a reolc

(No , A 8, 3)

N o. o f deas (Ma , 93) ar es an nsned ar e ent t d" D su6 ed aa de Aad ," denonn e onereo onaryaes o Genadad's oo o Sery, wo mons ed oe M ay ens, oe s e o we anks fo e CNT ro te seof foed doens, ad oe s sysea en of onars nd

ss esonne no e Geneada s Serty Cos a s se a a a nda wou e ses supor n e woka sod ae o ay a o e Power w eon

o wok oe aon a o s s o o e s a, ad e ase ody o a s dsosa, a sae oan wold one ana e wokn ass aa s arness [ Fo ose g ty of eeo on's fa r o sw as ens of e wokn ass, we aeo ook o woks' aks, o ose wo, wan eseness n eeay saes a a owed e oneeo onary foes o row o s d-ensons a w a ense sness o em n ter e"1 ss No of Ideas as o own s o ed ors of and ontr -

os o e moee o e ajo obea Lerarn Moement" btoCa ejas (or d eo o Sodadad Obre) Eeo G Fonar, lore

Oaa, Jos Abea and Gns Aonso, as ed os And Senn x s dm-

srao As onros ae a s, Nees N z, Ea s Ga, SeernoCaos, os P eas (d eo oAccia n Leda and re soan o e

as aas o) aeno Aa, D Aaro Po, ardo

4 RINS O FR NS O R RI 3 3


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ietti, mn lop, el Ri, iene re, nel iles , An

tonio , Toms and eni n Cano i, Frniso Crreo (a memer

of te D rrti omn, its del ete to osow nd ftre led in mili tnt

of te Friends of Drrti), Antollio idl, Felipe Al ( prominent anristeorist ), Ario roreso, nel Pre, os Alerol nd igel Gimne.

e rtoonis ts inlded oin aden nd E dia nd onet.

8 For Acrada of erida nd is direor, Peirs, i is ineresing o onste ltter's memo rs, espei lly for te strk desripion of e tremendos

dispp ointment wi e CNFAIs o lorion wit e overnent reted in ots of nrist milins. ee os Peirs ls emoris," in

Suplementos Anthroos No. 8, relon, nry 0

In ddition to as in Hospillet nd ccia in erid, e followin wereprominent nrosyndil ist opposition newsppers riti of e CN's

oaoraionism: Ciua ampo in Tortos nd Nosoros in eni. e n

tion sol d lso e mde of Ruta nd EsJuerzo, orns of te ierrin Yo

of Ctoni.

e notie in La Noe (r 2, 37) sttes:

4

At te instgtion o f ner o f orades of e nris enaventra rrt wo new ow o en is ife wit tosesme yernigs for ie rtion at rked is woe person rjetory, it een djded pproprite t grop sold e

l ned to eep l ie te memory of te mn wo, y dint oisntegrty an orage, was te very syo of te revoionryera egn i midy. We invite orades wo erised rrti wi e ws ive nd wo, fer t gint's de t, aveerised t eory of re wrrior o oin te riend ofDrr ."

e Frend of Drrti" is n o s anoer . r inentionis t te pnis evotion so e led wit or Drrti'srevotionry spiri t. Te Friends of Drri rein fi tfl to e

ast words tered y or ore in te very er of reon

in dennit ion of te work of e o nterreoltion, trin, wit mnly nd, te rote tt we ms ke.

To enroll n or ssoition, yo mst e CNT memer ndfrnis eid ee of reord of strggle nd of ove for ides nd

for te revoltion. For e time eing pp iions re eing reeved a a de Ct, prnip, (CN orniss'brn)

ewen five nd seven in te evening.

e seerin oission

H FRNDS O URRU I GROUP 1 7- 1


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Articles in L he bearing Mingo' sgnature are "Nueta labo. La

Revouci6n ha de segui avallzando (Ap 197) "AI publo se Ie ha de

lr ro Ar S, 1937) " Revoui6n exg una ao depurdo (r

9 193) and "Una abo revolucionaia. La revalozaci6n de los unicipiosi 1 197) ingo: "n a labor revolucionaria. La revalorizaci6n de os uncpios,in L he Apil 197) The pamhlet [which w hav no t ben abe to consult] jointly credited

to Jaime Baius and Pabo Ruz titd s, 8 e eer, 8 e cembre, Obre and was publishd by Edtoal Rnace. Although undated, thee pamphlet by Baliu came aftr October 9

and efore uy 19 and in ord of publ ication they were Jame Balius eJc Otubre Edtorial Renacer, [Barcelona] undatd; Jaim Baus t Edito ia Renace , [Barcelona] undated and, a ime Bal ius s pretd Edtoial Renacer, [Barceona] undated. As Baius statd in h ltt of June 97 to Pau haky: " longdto th FAs Rnacr gou along ith comrads Pabo Ruiz, Fancsco Pellice,snce decasd and Buno lad6, ikws cad [tt made aalab

y Paul harkey, whom we thank fo thi information .]

4 3 5


49/128

5Th Finds of Duuti Goup fm

it Incption up to th May Ev

In Oto 1 9 t o tzn t Pos ts ovokt sontnt on t nst tns of t Colmn ont Aon font oon ott n t ants n Fr1 937 on t t ot of t 1 ,000 volnt mlan ad n h Gl asto dd o qt font nd n o h argad.! h ag-nt s tt tns oos to tzaton old lv ov afotngt s tn ft t font tkng th ons h thm.

Bk n Bon on t oth anahss (avoca of ros-

utng nd sng t u voluton an oos o CN's col-loaton t t govnnt h m ltn fom Gla dcd o formn fnt op k t ot ant ous n xstnc nnh -synt

s. A so t Go as fomall lanch n 1 97 oon a nt o of naton tht ha last fosv onts nnn Oto 193. Th Stng Commt mat son to ot t n s of ut Go" h namn n t n voct on of th oon ogns as fom mlans

t Duut Coun n s Bs as o n ang th as nofn tn to Dts tkn t at to s o thand t sats n th s of th o lac.

Gos nt ts s ot t Rs t hjunton t t ost. s of t Go -ka qk. Sh tn fo hosand n v hosan G

6 THE FRENDS O UU G O U P 1 9 7- 1 9 3 9


50/128

mmbshp ds ssud O th sstal rmts r Gupmmbshp s mmbshp h gth th up s squ ahst us th th 's py mpms

h u s tly at ad dyam ete t maunch n ch 7 nd , th Gup mutd a umb s (th P lma ht Al ad th Gya hater ay 2), ssud sl ms ts d hdbl ad d the all lth psts sttg ut ts pgm ts td ut that pgm: . Al t th kng css nd, 2 Demt rks', pasats' ad mbtnts' gs s th exrss ths ks' p,hh s epsutd th tm elutay Jta

h ls cd th td unn t tk the mc dptl g th cuty cmetly Ad he they talkd buttd uns , th mant th us, t the G u I act,sm th mmbs th Gup had ut the G rd t altstght t th , thb ulllg th eetal pqust mmbshp th ds Duut

I ty, lthugh th kg ls ae the Gup's mmbs esud tht thy e member, mt ee membs th

AI, hh bss t b sttd that the ed Dut Gu s gu nhsts hch tk s td pust hst dt dpsd th btst tttered ply the leadshp th nd th AI pp

hy hd th up hd sde the dtu hh hdmcts t, s l a th mg area a t,u Fs, nd Cdn, n t pp lbgat maa h nunt n th uns t, th t mnt m

mmbs bngd t th Ct Pats But at tme dd thy cnsttut a actn gup , dd th ttmpt t ltat the Pts

cnn ccz p mphnsly cus, gnzd up ht ud dtk mdca actt I t n mm s nm nchs gps md ud tn ccscs y gd ppgdss tsts, but ntd gp lts n isici d t t th 's p psm d th cctg pss utlut

thut qust, th mst uttdg pkem JmBlus d Pb uz m ch 17 t a 17 th btnuth tla s st ut the al s dmads mt ths th ds Duut

O A 4 7 th Gru ud a aet hch t st ts gnt th bugs cmmmatn the ane th

5 I NEPTON O THE FENDS O UUT 3 7


51/128

proamatio o the eubi, on the gouns tht it s meey a etextor reiorig bourgeois instittions nd t contvoutio Isteado ommemorato o the epubi i oositio to the eeaia

a Lui ompays, hih ee te utting ege o bougois ounte-revoutio, the Fris o Duuti oosed ommemoatio ouy tha xhorte the T the FAI to om u ith a evoutioary es-ape route rom the eae stet o the eea i govemts i-i. That risis stte o Marh 4t ith a eree oeig isso utio othe otro atros the CTs aiue to omy impid the exusion oCT persoe om te eeai govenment.

The Maiesto ataogued ost o tessss agist voutioar-

ies , rom the mot eebted se o Maoto, ih eve de idiatommet om the oie Solddd Obrer thoug to esse kno ss,suh a s the iiets i Os Montset. In t, te Maiesto reiter-td th poram poits i ben nubting sie eay Mah ities by Baius, Migo an othes in L ohe And these ee summedup i the opei pagh o the Maiesto

The apitast tate, hih suee omibe etbak i the

mmoabe evets o Juy, is sti extant, thks to the oute-evoutioay eeavo o te etitbougeoisie . . .

The eeaia ii s is ategoia eviene that e have tobuid ne od , o disnsn t sts o

It i s hih time tt t gion o ttbougos, soksad guards s uthessy st sd. T cn be no om-omise it counteevoution. [ . . .

Tis is tim o ie o et o te orking ss. . . Let uso t hs itate

The T a the AI, being th ogniztios that eet thepeope s ones, must om u ith rvoutionay ay outo the deade s tret [ . . . e hve t ogs tht must sup-pat a tat i ruis. Th Tde nions n uniiitismust take hage o eonomi n soci ie . .

O ay Ai 8, 7, t o hd n oiom T-ate, by y o bingg its xsn n is ogm o te atttio o teub m Bs, Pbo Rz (dega rom s o, ansoPeir ( egt om h ron omn nd rnso areo ( membeo the Drti Coums ommee so. he metin as a greatsuss an the is set ot by t sks r on d.

3 8 HE FR ENDS O URRUT ROUP 1 3 7 1 3


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On the st nday in May 3 (May 2 the Gop held a theintodu ctoy ally at the Goya Theate the theate was l led to oveow-ing an the ally move those attening to deliious enthsiasmA docu-mentary lm etitle Nine teenth ouly" was sceened el iving the mostemotive passages om the evolti onay events ouly 3 The speak-es wee De Pablo Could this be Pablo Ruiz Jaime Balis ibetoCallejas an Fancisco Caeo The meeting head a pediction that anattack upon the wokes by the eactionaies was now imminent

The leae ship committees o the CNT and the FA di d not pay n-de heed to this new opposition emanating om within the libetaianmovement desp ite the scathing citicisms d iected at themselves. n ana-

chi st cicles it was not n s a l o goups to bbb le to the s ace e njoyinga meteoic ise only to vanish into nothing as qickly as they had aisenThe pogam spelled ot by the Fiens o Dti pror to May

was chaacteize by its emphasis upon tade nion management oft h e e c o n o m y u p o n c i t i c i s m o a l l t h e p a t i e s a n d t h e i s t a t i s tcollaboationism a s well a s a cetain evesion t o anachist doctinal pity.

The Fi ends o Dti set ot thei pogam i n the poste with whichthey coveed the walls o Bacelona towads the end o Apil 3 Those

postes which even then ahead of the events of y agued the needto replace the bogeois Genealidad govenment o Catalonia with aRevolutio nary Junta stated as ollows:

Fiends o Dti Gop. To the woking class: mme diate establishm ent of a Revolutionary Junta ma de

up of wokes of city a countysid e an of combatants.2 Family we in a. Tde nin iection o the

economy and spevision o dis tition3 iquidation o the counteevoltin4 Ceation o a evoltionay amy.5 Absolte woking class contol o publi c ode. teadast pposition to an amistice. Poletain stice Abolition o pesonnel changes

Attention wokes: o goup is opposed to the contined ad-

vance o the counteevolutio n. The pblic ode ecees spon-soed by Aigad ae not to be heededWe insist upon the e-lease of M aoto and othe comades detaine

All powe to the woking classAll ec n mic powe to the unions

Rathe than the Genealidad a Revoltina Jnta!

5. C O O H I S O UU


53/128

l 7 str sadd ad xlas t leaet suedd uri te eve M ay ad corporae may o he heme an oncs d alt t y alus i te atcls ulsd i S Obe,

L Nch ad specially evlutia jusce, pser exchages,te d auad t tae te a t at, ec For he r tmete ed as psted or a Revoluiay Juta o supplat he bourgoGee ral ida oveme his Revolutnary Jut aI I a ene a a rvolutio ay overe comped o rrs, peaa ad m l an.

Most sica all is he cooldaed messae te la reslas Rplacmet f t uis ealdad overmet y a Rvlu iay Ju ta appas alsid t acs All pe to e ork

class" ad ll comic oe te us" pliic al pam impli cit i tis pste mmed iatly eore heevets o M ay s udou tdly te m advacd ad l uci d oere y anyo the exii proletaria roup, ad mae o he Fred o DurruiGrup a revlunry vnur he prer o Spai a h crcalad crucial jucture as te POUM ad the BolevLe Scon ofSpa ee o acolede

NOTES FOR CHAPUR

1 e ca a ale ecrio o e ela milia an ir ooon mlaran, a lol nn aun rn o urru, n n alo u n Noche Xo. 34, o Mar 4, 1937 e alo clam ma y al u ml rn urru ua rn oon o mlaraon a la M an

roup a rlca n ma o arelona. a o a rua omra u r vro o, n aala rearuar, r a a neral numr o comra rm raon ron aroun, arin op a ere a o ay a e liberara pr o e mili ia oule abure mbark uo a nrmabl l i o omra o movo he aalan caal arm a baae, allo m o rcall, i raaco, roreo ena, ablo u , Marcl o nco an r a aree ha a rou houl b u i Barcloa, a a rmin

a oul e uer e a h ymbol o ueavnura urru. rmember o e urui rou nclu omrae lanro ilar, rano arr Mm rano, la rom onra n, anana lro, an lo o or" (a m alu r u la vra" n e o syncse o pmr , 971)

H I S O UUI GO U 1 7 - 1


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Wih regrd o he number of miiins rom he Ges Group who, hvingrepudied mi i triztion, decided o ui he fron, in heir wepons wih

hem, Pbo Ruiz is o more sisicy precise, nd pobby o neer

the m fter ing pr in he sormin of he rzns brrcs] , I

joi ned he Durui Coumn, nd I e d he 4h Ges Group , comprising over housnd m i i ins ( ) whenever e Popur rmy ws foised upon us

from wihin ( ) I resined nd rejoi ned he ergurd on wih three de

cdes of comrdes On h bsis nd he insigion of comrde iu s, we

founde d the Friends of Durrui Group ( )" Pbo Ruiz Eogio psumo deJime ius" in e omat SyncalsteSola rera of Jnury 22, 1 98 1 ]2 he F ws onized s federion of nity roups Durin he civi wr,

rominence ws chieed by fnity oups lie Nosotros (which hd preiousy gone under he nme Los Soidrios"), Nervio," ," Z," Los deyer y Los de H oy," Fro," ec he newspper a Noe on Mrch 2, 1 9 (pe 6) crrie d he s reporon he foundion of he Group, which ws formy unched on Mrch 1 ,1 9, ccording o his noice in he Mrch 1 8, 1 93 ediion of a Noche:

e riends of urruti rou p hs been l unce steerinommitee ppo intd eein to lunch the riends of

urruti s l l s nt

e socil prmi ss loce on te rst oor o , mblsde ls lores er pce wit people P rocdis ot uney o n t stroe o ten oc loc pnl s p poi nted to

oersee the iscussions erl cors ro ront n

rom e rergur too rt in t scussi on ry one o ecomrdes wo spoe rerme d his bso ute sup port for the pos

tues o he nd F here s brod d iscussi on o herouionr course followed since uly 9 n i s plp blht l o f the sse mbled comr des wish he Reouion o pressd ertin counterreolutionry mneurs re lshedseve rel J

n i se bo ie , ou r u rru prs or t luc o

te roup t s notble tt tr s n o n o ol try, b utrer d sr to crry out t is es o our llt core

xt, he sern com itt s point, lon t wo

n prt to rt t tntos b n rou p s to benford. [ . J The ste erng comite s ad up as ollows:srtary, Felix M artinz: vi-scrary Jaim Balus: trasurr,Jos Paniagua: book-keeper, Antonio Puig Garrea: comitee

5 CP O O H S O UU 4 1


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br rncc rr Pbl uz ntn rrn b E durd o rvr rin r cmris s b u rn u rncc rr nd

Eu r t rcn r und u t trn rd

b cctn tt tr u d b nt t t

tn tt ndn t r crd rtn t c ncrcrtd n nc

4 Lt ttt cl l e mie

Guillamon the Friends of Durruti Group

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G6 Cabanas Escobar Ferreres Guillamon PAC Integrallll

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corto verano anarquía Vida muerte Durruti€¦ · denuevotipo.Lasfuenteshansuministradolamateriaparalaconcepción deunaobracuyaoriginalidadresideeneltrabajoselectivo,lareelaboración

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