Polscy uczestnicy hiszpańskiej wojny domowej

Polish volunteers played relatively important role during the Spanish Civil War. Majority of them fought in the Republican Army (ca. 4500–5000 among ca. 35 000 soldiers of the international brigades). Most of volunteers (ca. 75%) were Polish economic emigrants who lived mainly in France and many of them were members or followers of the French Communist Party. About 600–800 volunteers (another sources suggest 1200) came directly from Poland, ca. 80% of them were active communists. Most of Polish volunteers joined 13th International Brigade („Dąbrowski Brigade”) which took part in most of crucial military operations and suffered heavy losses (ca. 30–40%). A few tens of Poles fought in the National Army (F. Franco’s army). Most of them were professional soldiers of Spanish Foreign Legion who enlisted that military unit before the war, so their engagement was not of an ideological character. Author tried to give a comprehensive picture of Polish participants of the Spanish Civil War fighting on both sides of the conflict. Character and battles of „Dąbrowski Brigade” and other „Polish” units of the Republican Army as well as biographies of more important commanders were examined. Life and activity of Republican volunteers during the Second World War and in post-war Poland were analysed, including their changing role in Polish communist system.