Confederal militias
The confederal militias were a movement of people's militia organized during the Spanish Civil War by the dominant organizations of anarchism in Spain: the National Confederation of Labor (CNT) and the Iberian Anarchist Federation (FAI).
| Confederal Militia | |
|---|---|
| Milicias confederales de la CNT-FAI | |
Flag of the CNT-FAI | |
| Active | 1934–1937 |
| Disbanded | 1937 |
| Country | Spanish Republic |
| Allegiance | CNT-FAI |
| Branch | Spanish Republican Army |
| Type | People's Militia |
| Role | Home defense |
| Size | 50,000 |
| Colors | Red and Black |
| Engagements | Revolution of 1934 Spanish Civil War |
| Commanders | |
| Durruti Column | Buenaventura Durruti |
| South Ebro Column | Antonio Ortiz Ramírez |
| Ascaso Column | Cristóbal Alvaldetrecu, Gregorio Jover, Domingo Ascaso |
| Harriers Column | Miguel García Vivancos, Juan García Oliver |
| Iron Column | José Pellicer Gandía |
| Land and Freedom Column | Germinal de Souza |
| Rosal Column | Francisco del Rosal Rico, Cipriano Mera |
These militias played an important role in the Revolution of 1934. They were not the only ones, since other militias belonging to other organizations, parties and trade unions also played a role in the revolution, such as those of POUM ("Workers' Party of Marxist Unification"), those of the Syndicalist Party (PS) and those of the General Union of Workers (UGT). After the coup d'état of July 1936, armed groups of civilian volunteers organized by the parties and trade unions formed in the areas where the uprising failed, joined the remains of the regular army units and state security forces that had remained loyal to the Republic.
Volunteers in these militias declined to wear uniforms, give the military echelon a salute, and perform other formal military duties. The officers, elected, could quickly succeed one another at the head of a group and the men felt they had the right to discuss the orders and only apply them if they were in agreement.
As the war progressed, the militias were progressively dissolved and assimilated into the Spanish Republican Army, in spite of many militiamen refusing the militarization.