Here is the provisional program of a conference in Barcelona, 27-29October dedicated to the IB and the Resistance movements.
The international fight against fascism : From the International Brigades to the “Resistance” 2011 marks the 75th anniversary of the creation of the International Brigades, followed by antifascists of all nationalities engaging in theResistance in countries which were not their own.
Barcelona, Vía Laietana, 16 Hall of CCOO de Catalunya
27 October to 29 October 2011
The aim of this congress is to contribute to studying the movement of solidarity that led to the creation of the International Brigades, andantifascist Resistance.
For the first time in the history of the world, in 1936, men and women from all continents volunteered to support the legitimately elected Government of a country which was not their own. This Government was left alone against the military coup led by General Franco, backed up by Hitler and Mussolini, which turned out to be the real start of WW2.
The second theme of the congress will be devoted to studying what became of the Brigadiers, the Spanish Republicans and all those, whatever their nationality and wherever they were, who engaged in the internationalist fight against fascism.
The date of the congress corresponds to the decree of the Spanish Republic dated October 22, 1936 creating the IB’s. It also coincides with the anniversary of October 28, 1938, when the IB’s, brought backfrom the front, were given a huge farewell ceremony from the people of Barcelona. The congress will also recall the participation of foreigners, particularly Spanish, in the liberation of France and Europe.
This aspect will focus on the history of the XIV guerrilla corps,created during the Spanish War, and which included an international unit. It was reconstituted in France near Foix (Ariège), and became the origin of the Spanish Resistance in southern France. In the hope(disillusioned) of Franco’s destitution as Hitler’s ally after WW2, it became Agrupacion de Guerrilleros Españoles.
PROGRAMME
Thursday 27 October 2011 Opening ceremony
17:30 Presentation of documents and accreditations 18:00 Opening ceremony of the congress Inaugural conference by: AngelViñas Martín(University of Madrid) Session 1: Revolution and counter revolution between WW1 and WW 2.
18:30 Imperialism and the crisis of the capitalist system Speaker: Annie Lacroix-Riz (U París VII) (France)
19:15 End of session 1 Session 2: Antifascism, Spain 1936 and the International Brigades.
19:15 The International and creation of the International Brigades:Objectives andresults. Speaker: Serge Volikow (University of Burgundy) (France)
20:00 What were the International Brigades? Speaker: Rémi Skoutelsky, Historian, researcher, associated member of the XX century historical center. Paris I Sorbonne
Friday 28 October 2011
10:00 Solidarity: vector of a society based on social progress sharedby all humanity. Speaker: Miquel Candel (University of Barcelona)
10:45 Sources, methodology and archiving systems of documentsconcerning the IB’s Speakers: Montserrat Sebastià i Salat and Lourdes Prades Artigas (University ofBarcelona)
11:30 Summary of the contributions and debate
13:00 Lunch
16:30 Round table: The Brigaders and their countries of origin. Chairman: Manuel Requena Gallego (Universiy of Castilla la Mancha) Speakers: - Robert Coale (University of Paris 8) Impact of the IB’s - Jean Ortiz (University of Pau) (France) International committee for aid to Spain, France Navigation Co , LeSecours Populaire Français - Claudia Honefeld (University of Hamburg) (Germany) The IB’s in the death camps and in the French Resistance movement. - Marco Puppini (University degli Studi di Trieste) (Italy) The IB’s in Italian politics .Angela Jackson (England) The IB’s: their relationships with the populations, health services. 18:00 End of session 2
19:00 Commemoration Ceremony at the International Brigades MonumentRambla d’Horta
Saturday 29 October 2011
Session 3: The Resistance movement in Europe
10:30: The Resistance movement in France. Speaker: Guy Krivopisco (Curator of the National museum of the Resistance –France)
11:15 The role of the Spanish Republicans in the Resistance Movement.Continuation of thestruggle against Francoism Speaker: Jean Ortiz (University of Pau (France)
12:00 Pause
12:30 The Resistance against Franco. Speaker: Joan Serrallonga Urquidi (Universitat Autonoma of Barcelona).
13:15 Lunch
16:30: The « Maquis » Speaker: Irene Abad Buil (University of Zaragoza)
17:15 Summary of the contributions and debate
18:45 Closure of the congress "The International brigades: an example of Solidarity for the world" Josep Sánchez Cervelló (University Rovira i Virgili - Tarragona).
19:30 Summary and conclusions José Luis Martín Ramos (Universitat AutonomaBarcelona)
20:00 End of the congress
For more information email:
TERRE DE FRATERNITÉTERRA DE GERMANORE
Tel. 0034 973 257 741
El pasado sábado 22 de octubre de 2011, cuatro brigadistas, combatientes en la defensa de la II República durante la Guerra Civil (1936-1939), han estado presentes en el homenaje a las Brigadas Internacionales en su 75 aniversario y en la inauguración de un monumento Memorial en la Ciudad Universitaria de Madrid. 
David Lomon con 93 años y Brigadista Internacional, natural de Manchester, fue detenido en septiembre de 1938 en la última acción del Batallón Británico en la Batalla del Ebro. Fue conducido a San Pedro de Cardeña, donde pasó varios meses. Fue intercambiado por fascistas de Mussolini, prisioneros en manos de la República en mayo de 1939. 
Se cumplían 75 años. El 22 de octubre de 1936, Francisco Largo Caballero, presidente del Gobierno legítimo de la República, firmó el decreto por el que se constituían las unidades de voluntarios extranjeros. El 8 de noviembre, la XI Brigada penetró en Madrid y su lucha, precisamente desde el frente del parque del Oeste y la Ciudad Universitaria, fue clave para impedir que Madrid cayera aquel duro invierno. De hecho, aún quedan "huellas" de la contienda tras las facultades de Físicas y Matemáticas. 
