Women in the Spanish Civil War

The mobilization of workers to the frontlines meant that production jobs had to be filled by women, who had previously been confined to the home.

Industry needed to be kept going, and women played a vital role in this.

The incorporation of women into industrial jobs helped to cement their equal status with men—something the Republican government had been trying to instill from the start.

Workers' organizations encouraged women's participation in trade union campaigns.

Many of the posters targeting women were intended to raise their political awareness, while glorifying the image of the revolutionary woman.

The Izquierda Republicana (Republican Left) party, founded by Manuel Azaña in October 1934, was the result of several parties merging: Acción Republicana (Republican Action); the Partido Republicano Radical Socialista Independiente (Independent Radical Socialist Republican Party); and the Organización Republicana Gallega Autónoma (Autonomous Galician Republican Organization).

The Unión de Muchachas (Girls' Union) was set up in October 1937, and played an important role in the rear guard. Centers were set up for the teaching of culture, sport, and key skills needed for the front, such as treating injuries.

Keeping agricultural production going was essential for supplying food to troops and the civilian population. Women had traditionally worked in agriculture, but, as men left to join the army, they took on a more prominent role.

Both were key factors when it came to keeping essential production going, in the rear guard as well as on the battle fronts.

This was explicitly stated in the text that appeared on posters: "Farmers, have no fear of taking up arms—the harvesting of crops is assured now that women have joined the workforce."

Women farmers! Your work in the fields will boost the morale of those who are fighting.

The war effort made it essential for women to be incorporated into all production sectors, by appealing to their patriotic spirit.

This patriotic call meant that female farmers were seen as national heroines as a result of their work.

References to motherhood were a constant feature of propaganda aimed at women. The image of a mother was used as a symbol of protection and generosity, and donating blood—which was essential for healthcare during war—was an example of the support these women gave.

Again, women as maternal figures are the central theme in this poster. The Ministry of Public Education appealed to women to join the workforce, assuring them that it would look after their children.

Once again, appealing to a mother's maternal instinct to ensure her children's future and wellbeing in the years to come is used as a propaganda tool.

The Spanish Committee of Women Against War and Fascism was the Spanish branch of the Women's World Committee against War and Fascism, and against the growing threat from Germany and Italy. Its first conference in Spain was held in July 1934, with Dolores Ibárruri elected as president.

In 1936, the Association of Women Against War and Fascism became the Antifascist Women's Association (Agrupación de Mujeres Antifascistas). It was an amalgam of socialist, communist, and republican women whose job it was to organize women working in the rear guard.