Medal for Participants in the National Revolutionary War in Spain 1936–1939

One of the turning points in European history was the Spanish Civil War, which lasted from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939. This conflict was marked by deep ideological, social, and political tensions between the ruling right-wing factions and left-wing groups. The latter received support from the Soviet Union, which supplied weapons and personnel, including Pavel Batov (1897–1985) – a seasoned military officer and veteran of World War I and the Russian Civil War (1919–1920). Under the pseudonym Pablo Fritz, Batov fought on the Republican side against the Francoist rebels from December 1936 to August 1937. Initially, he served as a military advisor to the 12th International Brigade, commanded by Máté Zalka (1896–1937), before taking command of the Teruel Front. The experience he gained in Spain was crucial to his later career, particularly during World War II, when he led operations in the battles of Stalingrad (1942–1943) and Kursk (1943). In April 1945, his 65th Army, part of the 2nd Belorussian Front, captured Szczecin and took part in the Berlin campaign. For his service during the Spanish Civil War, Batov was awarded the Medal for Participants in the National Revolutionary War in Spain 1936–1939, issued by the Soviet War Veterans Committee, which was established in 1956. This decoration aimed to recognise the contributions of soldiers and commanders in defeating the enemy and defending the Soviet Union’s interests during the conflict. In 1976, General Batov, through the Soviet Consulate in Szczecin and the city mayor, donated a collection of his memorabilia, including the presented medal, to the National Museum in Szczecin. Anna Lew-Machniak