Defense Council (Catalonia) facts for kids

The Defense Council (Catalan: Conselleria de Defensa) was a special government department. It was created by the Generalitat de Catalunya, which is like the regional government of Catalonia in Spain. This council was set up on August 2, 1936, during the early days of the Spanish Civil War. Its main job was to handle military matters in Catalonia. However, defense was usually a job for the main Spanish government, not a regional one.

What Was the Defense Council?

The Defense Council was a temporary government body. It was formed during a very chaotic time in Spain. The Spanish Civil War had just started, and the central government was struggling. This allowed the regional government of Catalonia, the Generalitat, to take on more responsibilities.

Why Was It Created?

When the Spanish Civil War began, the Generalitat de Catalunya started taking control of things that were normally handled by the main Spanish government. This included military issues. On July 31, 1936, the Generalitat decided to create its own Ministry of Defense. This was against the rules of the Republican Constitution and Catalonia's own Statute of Autonomy. But because of the widespread chaos, this unusual step went largely unnoticed at the time.

Who Led the Council?

The first person in charge of the Defense Council was Lieutenant Colonel Felip Díaz i Sandino. He became the Minister of Defense. In August 1936, Vicenç Guarner i Vivancos was appointed as the Undersecretary. He helped organize volunteer groups, set up military factories, and create training schools for officers.

What Did the Council Do?

The Defense Council had several important tasks during the war.

Building a War Industry

One of the council's key projects was to set up a war industry in Barcelona. Catalonia didn't have many factories that could make weapons or military supplies before the war. The Generalitat took over about a dozen factories to help with the war effort. However, many of these factories were actually controlled by groups called anarchists.

Trying to Organize the Army

A big challenge for the Defense Council was working with the main government in Madrid. There was often a lack of coordination. For example, volunteer fighters from Barcelona who went to the Aragon Front (a battle area) didn't coordinate with the Ministry of War in Madrid. This also happened during the Mallorca landings, which was a military operation. When the Spanish Minister of Navy and Air, Indalecio Prieto, visited Díaz i Sandino, he was treated "as if he were a minister of a foreign power." This shows how separate the Catalan defense efforts were.

Díaz Sandino managed to get the Committee of Antifascist Militias of Catalonia dissolved in October 1936. This meant he was supposed to be in charge of all military forces in Catalonia. He really wanted to turn the volunteer groups (militias) into a proper, organized army, just like what was happening in other parts of Spain. On December 6, he signed a decree to create the People's Army of Catalonia. This new army was planned to have three divisions and many regiments. However, despite his efforts, he couldn't fully organize the volunteer groups. The anarchist groups still had a lot of freedom and power in Catalonia and at the Aragon Front. In fact, after December 1936, an anarchist named Francesc Isgleas i Piarnau became the Minister of Defense.

How Did It End?

After a period of fighting in Barcelona known as the May Days, the main Spanish government stepped in. They took back control of defense matters in Catalonia. Because of this, the Defense Council was officially closed down on May 5, 1937. The People's Army of Catalonia was also dissolved. In its place, the Eastern Army was created, which finally managed to turn the volunteer groups into a regular, organized army.

Leaders of the Defense Council

See Also

In Spanish: Consejería de Defensa (Generalidad de Cataluña) para niños

• People's Army of Catalonia
• War Industries Commission
• Central Committee of Antifascist Militias of Catalonia