Ron Verzuh at the Mac-Pap memorial next to the BC Legislature.

Remembering Canadians who fought in the Spanish Civil War

By Ron Verzuh 

On Nov. 11, 2024, volunteers will place white flowers on the graves of British Columbians who volunteered to fight fascism in the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). The commemoration at B.C. cemeteries is the unique initiative of the Mac-Pap Tribute, a group dedicated to recognizing what many see as “forgotten soldiers.”

The Mac-Paps, or Mackenzie-Papineau Battalion, were part of the International Brigades that fought General Francisco Franco’s fascist forces as they seized power from the elected government. More than 1,600 Canadians fought alongside the Spanish Army.

“When you start doing the research you start falling in love with them and feel terrible that nobody knows about them and nobody’s acknowledging them. So it’s just a little way to pay tribute to these people,” said MacPap Tribute organizer Pamela Vivian. “They’re not recognized here in Canada, no one talks about them, barely anyone knows about them.”

The Canadian government prohibited the Mac-Pap volunteers from going to Spain. In fact, it passed the Foreign Enlistment Act which had stiff sanctions against fighting fascism there and the RCMP enforced it, relentlessly following the volunteers. Many tried to re-enlist to fight Hitler in the Second World War but were barred because of their history.

Going further, the King government did not support the Spanish government in its fight for democracy against Franco who was assisted by both the Italian fascist leader Benito Mussolini and the Nazi leader Adolf Hitler. The civil war is viewed as the prelude to the world war, with Germany and Italy using Spain as a testing ground for the war machinery that would lead to the death of tens of millions.

“Many Mac-Paps were denied the right to serve and some contributed to the war effort as Merchant Mariners,” Vivian said. “This tribute is a way to honour them this Remembrance Day.”

The organizers can be emailed at macpaptribute@gmail.com.

Some people also saluted the Mac-Paps on Oct. 28, 2024, when 86 years ago, a woman known as La Pasionaria stood on a platform in Barcelona, Spain, to thank the International Brigades volunteers as they were asked to stand down. The war ended several months later.

Several books commemorate the Mac-Paps, including a newly released novel by Vancouver author David Spaner called Keefer Street. A permanent memorial to the volunteers is situated near the BC Legislature.

Ron Verzuh is a writer, historian, and BC Historical Federation board member.

Mac-Pap memorial next to the BC Legislature.