The Centro Sefarad-Israel has inaugurated an exhibition paying tribute to the Jews who participated in the International Brigades during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939).
Under the title For Your Freedom and Ours…, this exhibition invites visitors to explore one of the darkest chapters in Spain’s history. Through historical materials, images, and testimonies, the exhibition offers a window into the commitment, solidarity, and fight for justice of those who left everything behind to combat the rise of fascism.
The exhibition, which spans five rooms of the Centro, includes period posters, books, pamphlets, and propaganda documents, along with a historical overview of key milestones marking the involvement of Jewish brigadiers in the war.
From the organisation of the 1936 People’s Olympiad in Barcelona—interrupted by the outbreak of the conflict—to the heroic participation of the brigadiers, For Your Freedom and Ours highlights the crucial role played by Jewish combatants in defending the democratic regime.
The president of the FCJE, David Obadía, attended the inauguration of the exhibition For Your Freedom and Ours at the Centro Sefarad-Israel, which pays tribute to the Jews who participated in the International Brigades during the Spanish Civil War.
The event was also attended by Diego Martínez Belío, Secretary of State for Foreign and Global Affairs; Almudena Cruz Yabar, Secretary General for the Dissemination of Memory and curator of the exhibition; Fernando Martínez López, Secretary of State for Democratic Memory; and the host of the event, Jaime Moreno, Director General of the Centro Sefarad-Israel.
The war was not merely a confrontation between two sides. It was the prelude to a global clash between democracy and fascism. In this context, Jewish brigadiers did not only fight for the Republic but also for their own dignity in a world that had often rejected them. Many, marked by Nazi persecution or fleeing pogroms in Eastern Europe, found in Spain a place to combat an ideology that denied their right to exist.
Doctors such as Emil Rosenstein and Gregorio Bermann saved lives under extreme conditions, while translators facilitated communication among international soldiers. Women like Mika Feldman broke gender barriers, leading both trenches and medical services. The exhibition also honours figures such as Gerda Taro, a German photographer who documented the war with extraordinary courage, a bravery that ultimately cost her life.
After decades of silence, the return of democracy to Spain brought recognition for these heroes. In 1996, Spanish nationality was granted to surviving brigadiers, a gesture of gratitude and reconciliation. For Your Freedom and Ours not only revisits the contribution of these brigadiers to the conflict but also explores the lives and challenges faced by the Jewish community within the broader context of the transformative events of the 20th century.