XII International Brigade explained

Unit Name:	XII International Brigade Garibaldi Brigade
Dates:	1936–1939
Country:	Mostly Italian
Allegiance:	Spain
Branch:	International Brigades
Type:	Mixed Brigade – Infantry
Role:	Home Defence
Command Structure:	14th Division (1937) 11th Division (1937) 35th Division (1937) 45th Division (1937–1939)
Garrison:	Albacete, Barcelona
Nickname:	Brigada Garibaldi
Battles:	Spanish Civil War
Notable Commanders:	Máté Zalka Randolfo Pacciardi

The XII International Brigade was mustered on 7 November 1936 at Albacete, Spain. It was formerly named the Garibaldi Brigade, after the most famous and inspiring leader in the Italian Independence Wars, General Giuseppe Garibaldi.

Structure

Its first commanding officer was a Soviet advisor of Hungarian origin, Gen. "Pavol Lukács" (Máté Zalka), who went on to command the 45th Division of the Spanish Republican Army (he was killed during the Huesca Offensive), and its first political commisar was Gustav Regler.^[1]

The brigade included, among others, the following battalions:^{[2] [3] [4]}

• Garibaldi Battalion – Albanian, Italian and Spanish volunteers, led by Randolfo Pacciardi.^[5]
• André Marty Battalion – Franco-Belgian volunteers (named after André Marty).
• Dabrowski Battalion also known as the Dombrowski Battalion – exiled Polish volunteers
• Thaelmann Battalion – German and Austrian volunteers (named after Ernst Thälmann), led by Ludwig Renn.^[6]
• Figlio Battalion – Spanish volunteers
• Madrid Battalion – Spanish volunteers
• Prieto Battalion – Spanish volunteers

The Brigade fought in the battles of Madrid,^[7] the Corunna Road,^[8] Guadalajara,^[9] Guadarrama^[10] and Brunete.^[11]

See also

• International Brigades

Bibliography

• Beevor, Antony. The Battle for Spain. The Spanish Civil War 1936–1939. Penguin Books. London. 2006.
• Thomas, Hugh. The Spanish Civil War. Penguin Books. London. 2001.

Notes and References

1. Thomas, Hugh. (2001). The Spanish Civil War. Penguin Books. London. p. 468
2. Hugh Thomas, The Spanish Civil War, Appendix III
3. EPR Order of Battle Website
4. Associació Catalana Website
5. Thomas, Hugh. (2001). The Spanish Civil War. Penguin Books. London. p. 468
6. Thomas, Hugh. (2001). The Spanish Civil War. Penguin Books. London. p. 468
7. Beevor, Antony. (2006). The battle for Spain. The Spanish Civil War, 1936–1939. Penguin Books. London. p. 179
8. Beevor, Antony. (2006). The battle for Spain. The Spanish Civil War, 1936–1939. Penguin Books. London. pp. 190 and 192
9. Thomas, Hugh. (2001). The Spanish Civil War. Penguin Books. London. pp. 580–581
10. Beevor, Antony. (2006). The battle for Spain. The Spanish Civil War, 1936–1939. Penguin Books. London. p. 277
11. Beevor, Antony. (2006). The battle for Spain. The Spanish Civil War, 1936–1939. Penguin Books. London. p. 280