The May Days of Barcelona
Poet involved
What happened
From May 3 to 8, 1937, Barcelona was rocked by violent street fighting between the anarchist CNT-FAI and the Communist Party-backed Republican government, in an event known as the May Days. The conflict, which was triggered by the government's attempt to suppress the anarchist collectives, resulted in hundreds of deaths and exposed the deep divisions within the Republican coalition. The Communist Party emerged from the conflict with increased power, while the anarchists were marginalized, weakening the Republican war effort.
Literary impact
The May Days were a subject of intense literary debate, with anarchist poets condemning the Communist Party's actions and Communist poets defending the government's authority. George Orwell, who was in Barcelona during the fighting, wrote powerfully about the events in 'Homage to Catalonia,' and his account influenced many later poets. The May Days also inspired a number of poems by Spanish exiles, who saw the conflict as a tragedy for the Republic.
Source: Wikipedia
