Homage to Catalonia

Rating:
Summary: A front line experience
Review: I wouldn't call it definitive, but Homage to Catalonia is a very engaging account of the Spanish Civil War. Orwell wanted an infantry man's experience, drawn to the first person accounts of WWI by such authors as Remarque. As a result, Orwell gives the reader an intimate view of the action, or rather inaction of the front line. More compelling is his description of the street fighting which broke out in Barcelona, and the split that developed in the Socialist government, making it vulnerable to attack.

Orwell castigated Britain and France for not coming to the aid of the Socialist government, allowing Franco to gain the upper hand as the result of aid from Germany and Italy. Orwell also underwent a catharsis in this book, losing his respect for the Communists, as a result of Stalin's notorious policies. In the end, Orwell seemed angry at pretty much everyone for allowing Spain to fall into Fascist hands.

He maintained his respect for the anarchists, particularly the ex-pats who fought for the anarchists in the civil war. But, Orwell seemed to realize it was a losing battle. The anarchists were torn among themselves as they struggled for the heart and soul of the Spanish people. Orwell never got to Madrid, unlike Borkenau and Hemingway, so his account is limited to the fighting which occurred in Catalonia.

Rating:
Summary: Classic
Review: George Orwell is now remembered for two works Animal Farm and 1984. As these books are parodies of Stalinist Russia one would imagine over time that he will gradually sink into obscurity.

This book is an earlier work and tells of his experience as a volunteer during the Spanish Civil War. Orwell was a volunteer with the forces organized by POUM. The early part of the book tells of his experiences at the front line. As a memoir it is remarkable honest and readable.

The Spanish Civil War was one of the early experiences of Communism seizing a nationalist movement and diverting it for their own purposes. Orwell was horrified at this occurring and a good deal of the book deals with the politics of the situation. He describes how a popular movement with some chance of winning was hijacked by Stalin's cronies and ended up being defeated.

It is no surprise that he ended up being one of the most articulate and effective critics of Stalinism. This book is readable and a fascinating picture of a pivotal time in history.

Rating:
Summary: Vivid Commentary & Excellent Reporting
Review: One of George Orwell's lesser known works, "Homage to Catalonia" is however, equally deserving of recognition as any other of his fine, fine writings. Shorter in length than most of his books (the memoir itself is approximately 190 pages long, with appendices taking up the remainder of the pages), it nonetheless paints a vivid picture of Orwell's experiences as a militiaman during the Spanish Civil War. Fighting against Franco's Fascists, Orwell left England to enlist in the radical and populist Republican militia. Unlike many in his militia unit, Orwell was not tied to any particular political persuasion in Spain, When asked why he had made the journey to Spain he replied simply "to fight Fascism", and when asked what he was fighting for he merely replied "common decency". Orwell left for Spain under the auspices of the ILP (Independent Labour Party), and as such, found himself among the ranks of the POUM militia. In actual fact, a point that Orwell appears to be at pains to repeat to his reader is his attempt at impartiality in his final assessment of his experiences. He denounces for example, the blatant lies and distortions of the Communist and pro-Communist press works just as he attacks the Fascist press with equal criticism (although he does exempt the Manchester Guardian from his wrath, which he commends for it's "honsest reporting"). Throughout the book, one gets a sense of Orwell's commitment to honesty.

Orwell's vivid, journalistic prose is perfect for capturing the human side of warfare and how the human spirit reacts to the immense stresses brought about by armed combat. Orwell himself however, did not experience combat on a regular basis, and a great deal of his observances of life at the front are filled with descriptions of conditions in the trenches, the attitudes of his fellow soldiers and the occasional peek above the trench in the hope of spotting a Fascist! The book is as much social commentary as it is war correspondance.

By far the most intriguing section of the book is Orwell's depiction of the cynical betrayal of the Republican militia by the Spanish Communist Party and it's agents. Having arrived in Spain, Orwell witnessed a Barcelona in a state of social revolution. Upon his return to the city after a stint at the front, he was witness to something very different. Under the order of the Spanish Communist Party (who in turn reported directly to Moscow, the Kremlin and Josef Stalin), Barcelona was the centerpiece of a dictatorial state within a state. Police and agents of the Communist Party turned their sights on members of all non-Communist militia units, be they radicals, populists or anarchists. Waves of arrests were followed in many cases by murders within the confines of Barcelona's frightful prsion cells (including that of Orwell's commander, Kopp, a Belgian). One can very easily see the beginnings of his later works of "Animal Farm" and "1984" in these pages, where he denounces all Communist Parties as agents of Moscow and condemns their propaganda offensives against opponents of all kinds. It was Orwell's experiences in Spain that resulted in him making this now poignant statement:

"Every line of serious work that I have written since 1936 has been written, directly or indirectly against totalitarianism and for democratic Socialism as I understand it."

In conclusion, "Homage to Catalonia" should be read by any fan of Orwell, and as a prelude to "Anmal Farm" and "1984". My only criticism is that Orwell's use of abbreviations to describe the many political factions can leave the reader in a slight state of confusion. However, this should not detract from the merits of this book.

Rating:
Summary: One of his greatest
Review: If you want to learn about: the spanish civil war, anarchism, anarcho-syndicalism, fascist spain, stalinism/communist party, or Orwell's politics, this book is for you. Orwell, who was a reporter who decided to fight in Spain alongside the anarchists and socialists and communists, gives a realistic, unbiased account of the spanish civil war. Not only does he provide the reader with knowledge about how the war was fought, but he describes the anarchist held region of catalonia, where, in my opinion, true socialism was achieved. This book is often referred to by socialists and anarchists for its vivid desrciption of socialism in action. I suggest you read it.

Rating:
Summary: Engagingly Readable and Essential
Review: Between the World Wars of the 20th century, there was another devastating conflict on European soil that attracted participants from all over. It was the Spanish Civil War, and while internal dissatisfaction and agitation were breaking out around the country, Spain also became a proving ground for broader political ideologies. In 1937, George Orwell went as a journalist but the socialist siren song of the promise of bringing about a classless society drove him, as well as others from abroad, to enlist. He signed up with P.O.U.M., the party for Marxist unification but quickly learned that there were many similar political parties and labor unions, each with their own woefully unprepared militia, and none were working together against the threat of Franco's military coup and Fascism. He also found the Communists arriving, not to assist revolution but to thwart it.

With a clear eye that catches remarkably prophetic insights into the Spanish future, Orwell manages to sort out the chaos of who's who, and the nuances of war that are sometimes awful, sometimes fertile ground for wry humor. Although the voice of the narrative is in memoir form, Orwell was writing only from a distance of 5 or 6 months after he escaped. The book is remarkable for the immediate eye-witness account of the turn of fortunes in Barcelona and the objective sorting out of events that were not being accurately recorded in the media. Orwell expresses deep respect for the native Spanish character, even when some of its inefficient tendencies produce frustration.

My edition, which I purchased here last year, but which looks different from the cover above, offers an introduction by critic Lionel Trilling written in 1952, two years after Orwell's death from TB. It, too, is also a historical document now, preserving the sense of the ruling emotions of the era.

Rating:
Summary: Franco was not Fascist
Review: I try to be neutral in the matters regarding the Spanish Civil War, but I cannot understand why Franco is called "fascist" as long as he had nothing to do with the fascist or nazi ideology. Besides, why are the awful images of the anarchists/communists destroying churches not as known as the romantic images of "international brigades"?

Rating:
Summary: ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC
Review: What a riveting account! Orwell manages the difficult task of successfully combining the details of trench life, the description of the turmoils in Barcelona and a comprehensible analysis of the clash of several left-wing political parties during the Spanish Civil war. He even adds some deliciously humorous remarks! And the whole thing is absolutely entertaining, vivid and interesting.

Really, one finishes this book and feels a deep respect for this man. It's discouraging to learn that he and so many others who had fought in the trenches had to flee the country or suffer inprisonment and even death, only due to the deep struggle for power between political forces that belonged to the same side! I was impressed by how Orwell describes the passion and idealism that prevailed during the 1930's, specially compared to the sleepy, double-standard ethics of nowadays.

As a Spaniard, I admit not possesing deep knowledge about the Spanish Civil War, other than some family recollections and the usual basics. This book helped me learn about the complexities of the "red" side and about the everyday miseries of war.

Highly recommended!!

Rating:
Summary: Best account of the foreign fighter in the Spanish civil war
Review: The 1930's were an age of idealistic despair and the events of the Spanish civil war provide some of the most extreme examples. Given the circumstances of the Spanish republic, a military revolt was inevitable and when the civil war began, many idealistic men, such as Orwell, with left political leanings went to Spain for the chance to fight fascism. To them, it was finally an opportunity to militarily confront what they considered to be the greatest threat to civilization. However, the many political organizations in loose alliance against the forces under Franco were often more interested in destroying their rivals than fighting Franco. This lead to despair among those who fought on the front lines, only to be harassed, imprisoned and even shot based only on their political affiliation.
In this book, Orwell gives an excellent account of the despair and frustrations that arose as he experienced the political infighting. Upon his arrival in Spain to cover the war, he joined the P.O.U.M. militia, a communist organization unaffiliated with the Communist Party controlled by Stalin's henchmen. After months on the front line, he was severely wounded in the neck, only barely escaping death. However, after being sent back to recover, he found himself on the run, as the P.O.U.M. members were being hunted down. He was fortunate to be able to escape to France, avoiding the fate of imprisonment and death that befell so many of his comrades.
Orwell also tries to explain many of the political groups fighting in Spain, chapter five is devoted to a description of the major forces aligned against Franco. He also takes many of the newspapers and their journalists to task for their incompetent and unethical reporting of the political infighting. In my opinion, this is the best description of the Spanish civil war from the aspect of the people who left their homes to go and fight against fascism. Orwell captures the absurdity of the whole thing, and the despair of people who were willing to die for a cause that was made hopeless by people with differing political agendas.

Rating:
Summary: Honest and Engaging
Review: Inspiration. This word lies behind my interest in picking up George Orwell again after so many years, since reading 1984 in 1987. In the mid 1930's, when Orwell wrote Homage to Catalonia, the world was, like now, embroiled in ideological battles. Quite literally, in fact. And rather than sit on his butt discussing the importance of getting a League of Nations resolution to mildly rebuke Generalisimo Franco in Spain, with the added threat of issuing a second mild rebuke if Franco didn't cooperate and kindly stop his killings, Orwell got on his feet, went to Spain, and fought the Fascists himself. That is the reason I bought and read Homage to Catalonia. This book is his story.

So much for inspiration. Homage to Catalonia starts off with Orwell's description of the front line fighting, and its clear that they were fighting boredom and lice more than Fascists. His descriptions of the half-assed way the war was run are illuminating and almost amusing when read after the passage of so much time. He also describes the camaraderie and the spirit of the revolutionaries he fought alongside of. Lest there be any confusion, this early Orwell was not so disillusioned with communism. Nonetheless, his discussion of his life and hopes for the war are clear and witty.

The next section of the book discusses events when he was on leave in Barcelona as the various revolutionary and government parties (I won't even try to name them here) began fighting each other. Caught in the city, Orwell was able to view firsthand the way things happened. The text is interspersed with background and research that came later, though most of this is put in separate chapters. At the same time, he was able to witness the grotesque lies put out on all sides. Here his disillusionment sets in as he realizes how many people considered their own petty party goals more important than the general fight against Fascism. Here we see the germination of his famous distaste for even the "noble" lie. Here we see an early description of Orwell's belief that unpleasant truths are far better than feel-good lies.

Back on the front line again, Orwell is wounded and returns to Barcelona to find himself a wanted man, the unfortunate side effect of being aligned with the wrong recently outlawed party. His movements about town and his final flight from the country make for some exciting reading. All in all, I'd say Orwell strikes the right balance of political analysis, ethical theory, high adventure, and personal reminiscence. For the story of a man willing to stand up for his beliefs, you'd be hard pressed to do better than Orwell.

Rating:
Summary: It's political philosophy AND man to man combat!
Review: "The danger was quite simple and intelligible. It was the antagonism between those who wished the revolution to go forward and those who wished to check or prevent it - ultimately, between Anarchists and Communists.... Given this alignment of forces there was bound to be trouble." Such is Orwell's succinct analysis of the problems facing those who would resist Franco's right wing coup in Spain in 1936.
Opposed to the Franco-led Fascists (supported by Germany and Italy) was the Popular Front, "in essential an alliance of enemies". Further complicating the mix was the emerging fact that in Spain, "on the Government [ie, anti-fascist] side the Communists stood not upon the extreme Left, but upon the extreme Right. " Orwell justifies this counter-intuitive claim with a detailed discussion, summarized by noting that the International Communist movement at this time had forsaken the goal of world revolution to chase the chimera of the completion of a revolution in the USSR. This Stalinist position (including alliances with capitalist democracies at the expense of workers and unions) caused Trotsky and others to seek other venues. Recently, the formerly Maoist (nee 'Trotskyite') rulers of China similarly shifted from totalitarian extreme left to authoritarian right (socialist ideals sacrificed to entrepreneurial capitalism, without significant political liberty.) [cf China Wakes -The Struggle for the Soul of a Rising Power - Nicholas D. Kristof & Sheryl WuDunn]
The Communists focused on winning the war no matter what --without collectivization that would alienate the peasants, or worker control of industry that would push the middle classes into Franco's arms. Their stated goal was parliamentary democracy, with strong central government, and a fully militarized government under central, unified command. The POUM position was that such talk was just another name for capitalism, and ultimately the same as fascism. Their alternative was worker control, with workers militias and police forces "If the workers do not control the armed forces, the armed forces will control the workers". The Anarchists (actually a multitude of parties) had comprised in even considering this alliance, but insisted on direct `control over industry by workers, "government by local committees and resistance to all forms of centralized authoritarianism" Orwell's summary of this bewildering political situation is "Communist emphasis is always on centralism and efficiency, the Anarchist's on liberty and equality". Combining forces seemed like a reasonable solution for the duration, "But in the early period, when the revolutionary parties seemed to have the game in their hands, this was impossible. Between the Anarchists and the Socialists there were ancient jealousies, the POUM, as Marxists, were sceptical of Anarchism, while from the pure Anarchist standpoint, the 'Trotskyism' of the POUM was not much preferable to the 'Stalinism' of the Communists."
One example of how these rivalries frustrated an effective opposition to the Fascists:
".. the Russian arms were supplied via the Communist Party, and the parties allied to them, who saw to it that as few as possible got to their political opponents. ...by proclaiming a non-revolutionary policy the Communists were able to gather in all those whom the extremists h ad scared. It was easy, for instance, to rally the wealthier peasants against the collectivization policy of the Anarchists. ... The war was essentially a triangular struggle. The fight against Franco had to continue, but the simultaneous aim of the Government was to recover such power as remained in the hands of the trade unions. It was done by .. a policy of pin pricks...There was no general and obvious counterrevolutionary move.. The workers could always be brought to heel by an argument that is almost too obvious to need stating: 'Unless you do this, that and the other we shall lose the war'."

Modern parallels, from the arguments made during the cold war to modern appeals by the Democratic party to its leftward elements and other progressives-- 'work with us or get something worse'. Or, in his descriptions of the Communist crack down on the other Leftist factions after the 1937 Barcelona street fighting, a comparison of the broad and unchecked abuses of a police force which has no worries about habeas corpus -- why worry about producing evidence at a trial when it can merely arrest or 'disappear' opponents without any legal representation or outside communication.
But this book is also a very personal one, written less than a year after these events took place, Orwell paints indelible images of life in the muddy trenches, and even the moment when he is shot in the throat:
"Roughly speaking it was the sensation of being at the centre of an explosion. There seemed to be a loud bang and a blinding flash of light all round me, and I felt a tremendous shock, such as you get from an electric terminal; with it a sense of utter weakness, a feeling of being stricken and shrivelled up to nothing. The sand-bags in front of me receded into the immense distance... I knew immediately that I was hit, but because of the seeming bang and flash I thought it was a rifle nearby that had gone off accidentally and shot me. All this happened in a space much less than a second. The next moment my knees crumpled up and I was falling, my head hitting the ground with a violent bang, which, to my relief, did not hurt. I had a numb, dazed feeling, a consciousness of being very badly hurt, but no pain in the ordinary sense."