On this day, 30 December 1913, Spanish revolutionary and resistance activist Isabel Mesa was born. Starting work as a seamstress aged 11, she became a leading organiser in the anarchist union CNT. During a strike at the tuna fishery in her town, Isabel spoke to the North African women who had been brought in as strikebreakers and persuaded them to join the strike. Forced to flee right-wing general Francisco Franco’s advance during the civil war, she refused to leave the country and instead joined the underground resistance movement. In her activities she was arrested, tortured and even given two death sentences which she avoided by changing her name. She remained active until her death in 2002, guided by her anarchist beliefs: “Anarchism is a beautiful path, but very rough. But you have to follow it and once you’re on it you cannot leave it, it envelops you, it intoxicates you . Anarchism is love, freedom, equality, humanity in all conditions. Neither borders, nor colour, nor race, nor flags! … In anarchism there is only humanity, human feelings, hope for all, the maximum you can get …”
Learn more about the Spanish civil war in episodes 39-40 of our podcast, available on all podcast apps or on our website: https://workingclasshistory.com/2020/06/17/e39-the-spanish-civil-war-an-introduction/https://www.facebook.com/workingclasshistory/photos/a.1819457841572691/2174663029385502/?type=3
