Spanish Civil War commemorated

June 13th, 2016

At the IPPY Independent Publisher awards in Chicago in May, before Book Expo America, Live Souls: Citizens and Volunteers of Civil War Spain (Ronsdale Press) by Serge Alternês and Alec Wainman received a Bronze Medal for European regional history.

Now Serge Alternês will join two other B.C. authors–Larry Hannant and David Yorke–for a panel discussion and community event to commemorate the Spanish Civil after eighty years.

Monday July 18.

7:30 pm,

People’s Co-op Bookstore,

1391 Commercial Drive, Vancouver

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​Later this year, in September, the first Hispanic edition of Live Souls will appear for the Catalan Book Week. The pictorial book of photographs taken by Alec Wainman includes introductions by Paul Preston and Plàcid Garcia-Planas. Paul Preston is a ‘Hispanist’ Professor at London School of Economics who is also quoted on the back cover of the Catalan version. International volunteers went to Spain to counteract the facism of General Franco, according to Preston, for “the very survival of civilized humanity.”

Plàcid Garcia-Planas, is the Director of the Memorial Democràtic of the Generalitat de Catalunya. He has written, “”By recovering formerly repressed histories and voices, the Memorial Democràtic aims to defend Catalan citizens’ ‘right to remember’ and transition to democracy. The institution works to research, preserve, and publicize history from 1931-1981, including the democratic struggle of citizens against fascism during the Spanish Civil War and subsequent Franco regime dictatorship.”

ARAGON FRONT: The Republican militia had no formal uniform. There were few helmets to go round. Wainman photo.

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