Bakunin Battalion; Anarchist Militiamen Who Shook The Believing Amurrian Society Dressed As Priests
- Sergio Balchada Outeiral has published his book on the Galicians who fought in the Civil War in the Republican area. Many of them were in Amurrio, in the Bakunin Battalion. Their presence attracted the attention of the residents of Amurrio, as the atheism they practiced collided with the local conservative society.
Sergio Balchada is the Galician Outerial Maringoa, but he has lived for many years in Maroño and now lives in Amurrio. He recently published the book Galegos no Exército de Euzkadi 1936-1937, in the civil war to gather the experiences of the Galician wrestlers.
Many of them were in the Republican side in numerous battalions. "In most non-nationalist battalions (anarchists, socialists or communists) were the Galicians. The CNT Celtic Battalion was almost 100% Galician," explains Balchada.
Galician anarchists in Amurrio
Among the Galicians who faced the coup of 18 July 1936, there were many who came to Ayala. Some in the UGT 4 Battalion, the Carlos Marx Battalion, or the Captain Casero Battalion, unit of the Republican Left. However, most of them worked in the Bakunin Battalion.
As its name suggests, this group was anarchist and its relationship with the CNT trade union. "They were godly, they wanted to eliminate state, capitalism and religion through revolution to create an egalitarian society," the author explains.
In fact, they participated in the first battles of the Txibarte Mountains and Santiago in December 1936, and lost a captain killed by the requetés. In 1937 they were led to the battle of Sollube.
Collisions with the conservative society of Amurrio
This revolutionary character was not common in Ayala, an Abertzale area and a believer. As a result, when the militiamen appeared in priestly clothes in the region, they drew the attention of the locals. "Most lived in Trintxerpe before the outbreak of war. They were sailors and they created the union. In fact, when the war began, they were on strike and left to fight in San Sebastian against the coup d’état. When Gipuzkoa was left in the hands of the rebels, they went to Bizkaia and I assume that on the way they had taken the clothes of the priests in the churches to mock the faithful," said Balchada.
However, anarchist atheism did not stop: "They were based in Refor and burned the religious library there. Apparently, they made a humorous procession and then burned the books in the football field."
In Lezama there were also problems with the people of the town. According to the writer, two or three militiamen appeared in a Mass and spoke against the priest. In the church there were also people linked to the armed PNV, and the threats led to the march of the anarchists.
Black legend of the Bakunin Battalion
Balchada has not prevented the most controversial step of the Bakunin Battalion and has explained its details. In other words, he accuses the anarchists of the shooting of the five Asaltic Guards, the police of the Republic. "In fact, in Bakunin, the militiamen of the Battalion merged these five guards in October 1936. However, as depicted in the biography of a wrestler, it was not his idea. The Assault Guards appeared in Refo and said the militiamen went to train. However, the General Staff of the sector ordered the murder of the battalion commander Isaac Olmos. Those in charge of the sector told him that they were spies and that their intention was to desert to join the rebels," the researcher explains.
Book
The book by Balchada, for the time being, is only published in Galician, and although the idea of publishing it in Basque is on the table, it does not know if it will be possible: "The Diputación de Pontevedra has the last word."
The text presented by Sergio Balchada in Marín, his hometown, will be presented in Trintxerpe shortly. Its intention is to organize the presentation also in Amurrio: "Despite being in Galician, I think stakeholders will understand the text effortlessly."
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