The image of revolutionary Catalonia in the publicism of George Orwell (1st article)

Author(s):  A.P. Korochensky, Dr., Prof., Belgorod National Research University, Belgorod, Russia, prensa@yandex.ru

Issue:  Volume 37, № 4

Rubric:  Journalism and public relations

Annotation:  In this paper we attempt to examine the contribution of George Orwell in the creation of journalistic picture of the events in Catalonia in one of the turning points of the history of the Spain Republic, in many respects predetermined its further destiny. Monographic works of Russian and British biographers of Orwell, historical documents, as well as the latest domestic and foreign studies of the history of the civil war in Spain were used. The paper analyzes the journalistic image of revolutionary Catalonia, created by a direct participant in the events of 1936-1937 in his journalistic works devoted to the struggle against the forces of francism (book "In honor of Catalonia" (1938), as well the essays. Orwell witnessed a turn from the anti-Franco unity of the Republican forces, united in the Popular front or cooperating with it, to the historical betrayal that predetermined the subsequent defeat of the Republic and the social revolution that began in Catalonia. The author reproduces and analyzes the dominant characteristics of the image of revolutionary Barcelona and the struggle of Republicans on the anti-Franco front, as well as pictures of the suppression by Stalinists of political "fellow travelers" during the Barcelona clashes of may 1937 and subsequent events that led to the fall of the Republic. The first article deals with the dominant characteristics, emotional and moral assessment of the author of the Catalan events and their current forces up to the may clashes. Orwell portrays the situation in Catalonia in the initial period of stay there, not only and not so much as a situation of civil war with all its attendant horrors and chaos, but above all as a simultaneous social revolution, a rush to a new life. Images of defenders of the Republic, descriptions of the front situation are presented in the works of Orwell without heroization. The reader is given an objective collective portrait of the participants of the anti-Franco militia, forming a strong impression of the boundless self-sacrifice, spiritual nobility and resilience of the Catalan Republicans.

Keywords:  Catalonia, Spanish Republic, social revolution, anti-Franco militia, anarchists, stalinists, POUM, internationalism

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