What Were Wall Newspapers?

Wall newspapers were one of the Republican side's main tools for disseminating ideology and culture during the Spanish Civil War. They were made up of military, political, and cultural articles and news, as well as comic strips.

Wall newspapers were put up in places where as many people as possible would see them. They were made using thick brown paper, which could withstand rougher handling than regular paper.

Women were a mainstay of the Republican rear guard. They had to take on the jobs that were once done by the men who had left to fight at the front. Mobilizing women was also one of the main goals of the political parties and workers' unions.

The call to evacuate cities featured constantly in republican posters, evoking the idea of women as mothers and saviors. The Republic also heavily tapped into the legendary idea of militiawoman in its propaganda.

From the start of the civil war, the Republic understood the need to unite its forces to fight off the rebel troops. The call for unity and a single command was another key theme of the Republic's propaganda.

The process of developing the popular militia into the Republic's new army was problematic, because of the number of different forces involved, their differing ideologies, and the lack of a unified chain of command that was prepared to carry out the task.

The Asturian legend of resistance is the main theme of this mural, which refers to the Revolution of 1934 and various historical figures involved in the workers' uprising in Asturias. The republican defense against the Asturias Offensive helped keep the northern front active until October 1937.

The Revolution of 1934, which took place in October that year, was a workers' uprising in Asturias. It sought to establish a socialist regime after right-wing party members entered the government, bringing with them the risk of a fascist coup.

This wall poster depicts how the rebel side used every means at its disposal—by land and by air—to terrorize the civilian population. The Francoist bombings targeted both civilians and cultural heritage.

In November 1936, the Prado Museum (Museo del Prado) was bombed by Franco's troops. Thanks to the Board for the Seizure and Protection of Artistic Treasures (Junta de Incautación y Protección del Tesoro Artístico), and many other volunteers, artistic heritage was protected and kept safe from the bombs.

Campaign donations came from all over, including from the International Brigades at the front and the camps set up to safeguard children far away from the war zones. It was also possible to make monetary donations, which helped aid organizations buy the equipment they needed.

All the political forces and unions of the Republic came together in a plea for help—a call for solidarity that marked many of the advertising campaigns throughout the years of the civil war.

The two most significant solidarity organizations that were active during the civil war were the communist Spanish Red Aid (Socorro Rojo de España), and the anarchist International Antifascist Solidarity (Solidaridad Internacional Antifascista).