Money raising postcard

Belgians demonstrated their support for the Spanish Republic in a number of ways. One was the mobilization of resources to provide military assistance. Despite laws against selling arms and prohibiting the departure of volunteers to fight in Spain, members of the Belgian Communist Party (OCB), the Young Socialist Guards (JGS) and the Belgian Workers’ Party (POB) engaged in the illicit sale of arms to Spain and recruiting volunteers to serve in the International Brigades.

In the political arena, both the POB and the PCB launched intense campaigns against the policy of Non-Intervention.  In parliament they brought pressure on the coalition government to allow support for Spain. As well, the Socialist and Trade Union Internationals used their respective national sections to influence the foreign policy of countries supporting Non-Intervention, engaging in a co-ordinated campaign to do away with the policy and restore the Republic’s right to purchase weapons to defend itself against the military rebels and the Fascist powers that were supporting them.

The third and final area of solidarity was sending aid to relieve the suffering of the civilian population. Committees to collect resources and direct them to Spain or finance the stay of 5,000 Spanish children who had been evacuated to Belgium. Support was gathered through the creation of subscription lists in newspapers and magazines, holding meetings, and the sale of propaganda material such as postcards like the one shown here, cards or stamps. To raise more money, one could sometimes buy a set of stamps to go along with the postcard.

The funds collected using these methods made it possible to build the hospital in Ontinyent which, because of the role played by the POB in the initiative, was popularly known as “the Belgian”.  Through its International Solidarity Fund, the Socialist International contributed more than two million francs to fundraising campaigns like the one that took place between January and October 1937 that raised money to purchase medical equipment, ambulances and hospital beds. The POB federation in Charleroi alone paid for 100 beds. As a result of this international solidarity, starting in early 1938 the Republic had a modern military hospital.