The Council of Ministers approved a Royal Decree today granting Spanish citizenship to 54 children and 117 grandchildren of international brigade members, men and women who voluntarily came to Spain to defend the Republican legality against the military coup of 1936.
The Council of Ministers approved a Royal Decree today granting Spanish citizenship to 54 children and 117 grandchildren of international brigade members, men and women who voluntarily came to Spain to defend the Republican legality against the military coup of 1936.
With this recognition, the Government honors the legacy of the brigade members who embodied the values of freedom, equality and solidarity, and reaffirms its commitment to democratic memory that shall not forget those who fought against fascism. This is a gesture that takes on a significant symbolic dimension in a world context marked by the rise of revisionism and delegitimization of democratic values.
Granting citizenship is provided for by the Law of Democratic Memory of 2022. In its Article 33, it contemplates that volunteers of the International Brigades who participated in the Civil War and their descendants who prove continuous efforts to spread the memory and defend democracy, may obtain Spanish citizenship by certificate of naturalization.
The children and grandchildren of the brigade members being granted citizenship are nationals from countries like Cuba, United States, Poland, United Kingdom, Australia, Italy and France. All of them are members of the memorialist association Friends of the International Brigades.
