4 pp. inaugural issue of the French language edition of the Spanish anti-fascist newspaper, illustrated. Folio (18 1/4 x 12 inches). Original self-wrappers. Tonent, some chipping and edgwear, creased, a couple of small tears along folds, overall good. Barcelona: CNT - FAI - AIT, 1936.

Solidaridad Obrera (Workers' Solidarity) was founded in Barcelona in 1907 as the voice of Spain's CNT (Confederacion Nacional del Trabajo). Once the Spanish Civil War was underway, news regarding the situation in Spain was slow to arrive in France. French socialist and communist activists urged the Front Popolaire to come to the aid of the Republicans. Setting aside their differences, the UA, the FA, and the CGT-SR eventually came together to form the Comité Anarcho-syndicaliste pour la Défense et la Libération du Prolétariat Espagnol (CASDLPE) in August 1936, in Paris.

The CASDLPE wanted to launch a daily newspaper aimed at combatting lies spread by news agencies by getting news directly from Spain instead. The original name chosen was "Solidarité ouvrière", and was planned to be printed in Barcelona, and then reprinted and distributed in France. Producing the paper in Paris proved too impossible, and so the tri-weekly publication "L'Espagne Antifasciste" launched in Barcelona that same month. The first six issues continued to be published in Barcelona, between August 22 and September 3, 1936, under the direction of André Prudhommeaux. After a brief suspension in publication, issue no. 7 continued in Paris, through the final issue, no. 31, under the auspices of the CASDLPE. (Présentation de l'Espagne antifasciste, ArchivesAutonomies, September 2020)

The inaugural issue, presented here, was the French edition of the CNT newspaper, Soldaridad Obrera. An article in this issue states that "cet organe [est] publié PAR DES RÉVOLUTIONNAIRES FRANÇAIS À BARCELONE, sous le contrôle de la FAI et de la CNT, pour la solidarité internationale avec nos frères espagnols". The issue contains anonymous texts, including an interview with Captain Edouard Medrano and an article in memory of Francisco Ascaso.

Scarce institutionally.

Book ID: 53722

Price: $450.00