Enrique Líster facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Enrique Líster
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|---|---|
| Birth name | Jesús Liste Forján |
| Born | 21 April 1907 Ameneiro, Corunna, Kingdom of Spain |
| Died | 8 December 1994 (aged 87) Madrid, Spain |
| Allegiance |  Spanish Republic Soviet Union |
| Service/ |
 Spanish Republican Army Red Army Yugoslav People's Army |
| Years of service | 1936–1945 |
| Rank | General |
| Commands held | Fifth Regiment 1st Brigada Mixta 11th Division 5th Army Corps |
| Battles/wars | |
Enrique Líster Forján (born April 21, 1907 – died December 8, 1994) was a Spanish military leader and politician. He was known for his role as a general in the Spanish Republican Army during the Spanish Civil War. Later, he also became a general in the Red Army of the Soviet Union and the Yugoslav People's Army.
Contents
Early Life and Training
Enrique Líster was born in 1907 in a town called Ameneiro, in A Coruña, Spain. He worked as a stonemason when he was young. During his teenage years, he lived in Cuba.
In 1925, Líster returned to Spain and joined the Communist Party of Spain (PCE). His political activities led to him living outside Spain until 1931. This was the year the Second Spanish Republic was created. In August 1931, he took part in an uprising in Cuba. Between 1932 and 1935, Líster received special military training. He studied at the Frunze Military Academy in the Soviet Union. This was a very respected military school.
Role in the Spanish Civil War
When the Spanish Civil War began in 1936, Enrique Líster quickly joined the Fifth Regiment. The next year, he became a high-ranking officer. He commanded the 11th Division of the Republican army.
Líster was very important in defending Madrid. He also played a key role in other major military actions. For example, he led a mixed brigade in a counterattack at Seseña in October 1936. As a division commander, he helped stop attacks along the Jarama River. He also played a big part in the successful Republican counterattack at the Battle of Guadalajara.
Many people saw Líster as a war hero for the Republican side. His skill as a military commander was clear. This was especially true when he led the "11th Division." This division fought in important battles like Guadalajara, Brunete, Belchite, and Teruel. The military units under his command became very skilled. They often handled special operations.
Later in the war, he led the V Army Corps. This corps fought in the battle of the Ebro and in the Catalonia Offensive. However, his "11th Division" faced a tough challenge. They failed to capture Fuentes de Ebro in August 1937. This led to some disagreements with other commanders.
Life in Exile
After the Spanish Civil War ended, Líster went to live in Moscow, the capital of the Soviet Union. He then fought in World War II as a general in the Red Army. He helped in the effort to relieve the city of Leningrad in January 1944.
Líster also became a general in the Yugoslav People's Army. This is very rare, as it meant he was a general in three different armies.
In 1973, he left the Communist Party of Spain (PCE). He then started a new party called the Spanish Communist Workers' Party (PCOE). One reason for this split was that the PCE did not agree with the Soviet Union's actions in Czechoslovakia in 1968.
Líster returned to Spain in 1977. This was after the death of Francisco Franco. He rejoined the PCE during Spain's move towards democracy. Enrique Líster passed away in 1994 in Madrid.
Books Written by Líster
Enrique Líster wrote four books. Two of them, Nuestra guerra (Our War) from 1966 and Memorias de un luchador (Memories of a Fighter) from 1977, were about his experiences during the Spanish Civil War.
- Nuestra guerra (Our War) 1966
- Memorias de un luchador (Memories of a Fighter) 1977
- ¡Basta! (Enough!) 1970
- Así destruyó Carrillo el PCE (How Carrillo Destroyed the PCE) 1982
Images for kids
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A wall commemorating Republican defenders. The plaque for Enrique Líster was removed in 2007.
See also
In Spanish: Enrique Líster para niños
- Antifascist Worker and Peasant Militias (MAOC)
