These oft-repeated words ring through the years as an emotional tribute to tens of thousands of people who left their countries, often illegally, to help the people of Spain in their fight against fascism in the Spanish Civil War.

They were delivered 80 years ago today, in an historic speech by Spain’s charismatic Dolores Ibarruri. An inspirational speaker, she was known as La Pasionaria.

La Pasionaria inspires still. This year, in cities all over Spain there are many events, exhibits and celebrations commemorating the eighty years since the international volunteers left. Much is happening in Britain as well, and to a lesser extent other places. Here in Toronto, I’ll be attending a couple of those events.

The citizens of Spain have been true to her long-ago words, “We shall not forget you, and when the olive tree of peace puts forth its leaves again… come back to us,…you will find the love and gratitude of the whole Spanish people.”

True peace had to wait until 1975, when Franco died, and the transition to democracy began. But, then, it didn’t take Spain’s citizens long to take up La Pasionaria’s promise to remember; in the late seventies, they offered honorary citizenship to any brigaders who could make the trip to Spain.

Jim Higgins was still alive but in failing health. He longed to go, and even got his passport; but when the time came, he was forced to admit he was too frail to make the trip. More recently, Spanish embassies gave out the honourary passports, so aging veterans would not have to travel so far. By then, any survivors were in their nineties, but still proud to receive that passport.

I know from editing his soon-to-be-published memoir that Jim Higgins left part of his heart in Spain. In something he wrote in 1939, he says, “we learned to love, admire and respect a brave and proud people.”

He also fought side-by-side with many Spaniards in the war. He reported to Captain Jose Medina, a man he considered a “good friend”, and whom he held in the highest regard. He says they had “saved each others lives more than once,” and that any in his charge, “would follow him to the gates of hell.”

He was also especially close to Jose Diaz, who assisted and interpreted for him when he was with Spanish troops. Dad writes of an emotional goodbye to this young man, barely out of his teens, who’d fought by his side for nine months and who, in all likelihood, was tortured and killed in the Franconian aftermath.

The “olive tree of peace” was a long time coming, but Spain’s citizens never forgot the sacrifices of the international brigaders: just as those brigaders never forgot Spain.

Copyright Janette Higgins

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NOW PUBLISHED: Fighting for Democracy: The True Story of Jim Higgins (1907-1982), A Canadian Activist in Spain’s Civil War (2020) is available worldwide from Independent Bookstores, Chapters-Indigo, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon. Kindle version on Amazon. Orders of three or more: Friesen Press.

I encourage you to obtain it from your local Indie bookseller or library. And if you can leave a review or “star” it somewhere, like Amazon or Goodreads, that would be much appreciated!

Fighting for Democracy by Jim Higgins is the latest book about the Mac-Paps, Canadians in the Mackenzie Papineau Battalion, which was part of the International Brigades in the Spanish Civil War. Other books about Canadians in the Spanish Civil War include Not For King or Country by Tyler Wentzell , Mac-Pap by Ronald Liversedge with David Yorke and Renegades by Michael Petrou.