Pro-Franco fighter Harijs Tranzē

Harijs Tranzē was a Baltic German who had disliked socialist and communist ideas for a long time. He convinced Latvian authorities that he was going to visit relatives abroad, thus receiving valid travel documents. He arrived in Berlin in early 1937 and went to a local recruitment office, where he received necessary funds and support to travel to Spain. While he was on a ship from Germany to Lisbon together with a Bulgarian and some other volunteers, he consumed alcohol excessively and even sold some of his personal belongings to obtain additional funds for different entertainments. 

After arriving in Spain, Tranzē was assigned to the Italian Corps of Volunteer Troops (Corpo Truppe Volontarie; CTV). Part of his group did not know Spanish or Italian, which created confusion during training. After just a couple of weeks, his unit was sent to the front near Madrid. In March 1937, Tranzē participated in the Battle of Guadalajara, which he described as hell on earth. During his first months at the front, Tranzē was wounded and hospitalized several times. Many of his acquaintances had been killed, which reduced his motivation to continue fighting. After being bitten by a black fly somewhere near Madrid, he was once again hospitalized and received prolonged medical treatment. When Italians who were unfit for battle were sent home, Tranzē did not insist on staying in Spain. 

On 8 September 1937 Tranzē was already in Genoa, Italy. From there he traveled to Vienna, where he received a temporary identity card and a loan to buy a train ticket to Rīga. Tranzē had informed the Latvian authorities about his participation in the Spanish Civil War. From his case it was possible to establish that violating the prohibition against fighting in Spain was punished under the “Disobedience and Disrespect for Legitimate Authority” section of Latvian Penal Law that stipulated arrest for a period not exceeding two weeks or a fine not exceeding fifty lats (Latvian currency). Latvian authorities were more hostile towards Republican volunteers and often refused to issue valid documents for their return to Latvia. Furthermore, in 1938, Tranzē was able to publish legally his recollections in both in a book, the title page of which is shown here, and in the press. This was unimaginable for the Republican volunteers from Latvia. 

GIB