Before an organized mobilization of international volunteers took place, left wing organizations from all the world carried out supportive activities towards the cause of the Republic. One of the widest tasks which was aimed during the first months was the collection of economic funds to stop fascism in Spain.
In Latvia it was carried out by activists related to the Communist Party (LKP) and the MOPR (International Red Aid). On the picture below we can observe a donation list of the funds collection campaign carried out by the clandestine and revolutionary-oriented newspaper Cīnas (The Fight, in Latvian). These tasks were highly prosecuted by Ulmanis’s police and risky for those activists. As we will see, the Latvian authorities enforced laws in order to avoid the support of the Republicans in Spain.
Donation list Nº 242. Cinas. / Latvijas Kara Muzejs
These donation lists were probably used during the fall 1936. It emphazises on the concept of ”fighting fascism in Spain is fighting our domestic fascism” and it asks for indivual donations for the Spanish republicans. Their lats (the Latvian currency, today deceased) and santims were turned into provisions and winter clothes for the civilians who are already suffering Francoist bombings in Madrid.
It would be very interesting to study the contribution of money sent by Latvians through the supportive organizations to the Spanish cause. However it seems to be all a challenge for nowadays historian.
BRĪVPRĀTĪGIE 