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Palomas de Guerra: Cinco mujeres marcadas por el enfrentamiento bélico
Este libro es la continuación de Las tres Españas del 36, I Premio Así Fue, aunque en esta ocasión el autor ha preferido concentrarse en una serie de personajes femeninos -dos inglesas y dos españolas, dos de derechas y dos de izquierdas, y un quinto personaje, Carmen Polo, esposa de Franco, que no tiene nada que ver con las cuatro mujeres anteriores- cuyo nexo común es que sus vidas estuvieron marcadas, de una manera u otra, por la tragedia de la guerra civil. De diferentes nacionalidades, orígenes sociales e ideologías, cuatro de ellas eran valientes, independientes y compasivas, algunas enviudaron, otras perdieron hijos y todas quedaron profundamente traumatizadas por la contienda. Ninguno de estos sufrimientos afectó a la quinta, cuya vida también quedó drásticamente marcada por el conflicto bélico, pero de una manera muy diferente. Mercedes Sanz-Bachiller, Nan Green, Priscilla Scott-Ellis, Margarita Nelken y Carmen Polo son los cinco personajes de este libro riguroso, documentado y conmovedor en el que Paul Preston aúna el trabajo de investigación con las historias personales y emotivas de cinco mujeres únicas y relativamente poco conocidas de la historia de España.
496 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
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About the author
Paul Preston
123 books256 followersPaul Preston, author of Franco and Juan Carlos, holds the Príncipe de Asturias Chair of Contemporary Spanish History at the London School of Economics. He lives in London.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
December 19, 2013
Writers of fiction are often accused of forcing their characters to jump through ever more fanciful hoops to satisfy a presumed need for engaging plot. The fact that reality often amplifies the unlikely to the near incredible regularly reminds any reader that considered fiction rarely overstates any issue that derives from our usually random human recklessness. Rarely, for instance, when dealing with war, does fiction place women in the front line. And equally uncommon is the recognition that women are also often in the front lines of politics, even when they might continue to be under-represented amongst the professional practitioners of the art.
And so we often need the kind of reality check that a balanced historical account can provide. Paul Preston’s Doves Of War is precisely the kind of book that can provide comment on all these themes and thus bring us back to earth with an eye-opening bump.
Doves Of War presents contrasting biographies of four women who were directly involved in the hostilities of the Spanish Civil War. Priscilla Scott-Ellis is born of the English upper crust and supports the Nationalists. Nan Green is also English, but motivated by a commitment to left-wing politics. She lines up with the Republic. Mercedes Sanz-Bachiller, a Spaniard, marries into the political life of Vallolid. Margarita Nelken, Spanish-speaking and Spanish-born, but Jewish and branded a foreigner by her enemies, becomes a significant actor on the political left. And so we follow the lives of four women, two on the left and two on the right, two outsiders and two insiders, two who celebrated victory and two berated in defeat. Their stories thus contrast.
It is much to the author’s credit that these lives are presented in a fair and unbiased way. Paul Preston’s personal take on the history of Spain’s war is well known. But in Doves Of War he consistently ducks opportunities to make points about the politics of the struggle, except when the politics are lived out in the lives of his subjects. Committed readers on either side of the argument might feel frustrated at this, but the overall result in that Doves Of War avoids polemic and lets the detail of these four women’s stories demand the reader’s uncomplicated attention. The first subject, for instance, was born into privilege and wealth, thus making political points easy to score. The second is very much the nineteen-thirties pro-Soviet apologist and activist, and caricature might thus beckon. The third is a long-suffering wife dragged into the limelight and the fourth is the driven polymath intellectual. In some way or other, all four could be presented as caricatures or used as vehicles to score other associated historical and political points. Aspects of all four lives could be stressed to demolish them as people or belittle their contribution and commitment. But the author always shies away from cheap shots, even consciously avoiding them, always preferring to analyse rather than judge.
What happens to these four women is the meat of Doves Of War, so this review will avoid reference to the detail of the individual stories. What the review can do, however, is note that each of these lives presents a series of events that is stranger, more heroic, more tragic, more convoluted, more complicated and much more profound than anything a writer of fiction might implausibly create to impose on a character. The twists and turns of these lives, each one pummelled by events and scarred by war leave the reader breathless just trying to keep up.
The style, however, is not easy. Paul Preston is an historian, not a sensationalist or indeed a sentimentalist, and these tales, as presented here, are more documentary than Hollywood. Their content may be stranger than fiction, but the material is considered, discussed, referenced, sourced and checked. Nothing is ever over-stated. Doves Of War displays immense scholarship and, whatever the author’s obvious sympathies, he offers tremendous respect for these four differing women who, in their different ways, gave their lives to the causes they supported.
And so we often need the kind of reality check that a balanced historical account can provide. Paul Preston’s Doves Of War is precisely the kind of book that can provide comment on all these themes and thus bring us back to earth with an eye-opening bump.
Doves Of War presents contrasting biographies of four women who were directly involved in the hostilities of the Spanish Civil War. Priscilla Scott-Ellis is born of the English upper crust and supports the Nationalists. Nan Green is also English, but motivated by a commitment to left-wing politics. She lines up with the Republic. Mercedes Sanz-Bachiller, a Spaniard, marries into the political life of Vallolid. Margarita Nelken, Spanish-speaking and Spanish-born, but Jewish and branded a foreigner by her enemies, becomes a significant actor on the political left. And so we follow the lives of four women, two on the left and two on the right, two outsiders and two insiders, two who celebrated victory and two berated in defeat. Their stories thus contrast.
It is much to the author’s credit that these lives are presented in a fair and unbiased way. Paul Preston’s personal take on the history of Spain’s war is well known. But in Doves Of War he consistently ducks opportunities to make points about the politics of the struggle, except when the politics are lived out in the lives of his subjects. Committed readers on either side of the argument might feel frustrated at this, but the overall result in that Doves Of War avoids polemic and lets the detail of these four women’s stories demand the reader’s uncomplicated attention. The first subject, for instance, was born into privilege and wealth, thus making political points easy to score. The second is very much the nineteen-thirties pro-Soviet apologist and activist, and caricature might thus beckon. The third is a long-suffering wife dragged into the limelight and the fourth is the driven polymath intellectual. In some way or other, all four could be presented as caricatures or used as vehicles to score other associated historical and political points. Aspects of all four lives could be stressed to demolish them as people or belittle their contribution and commitment. But the author always shies away from cheap shots, even consciously avoiding them, always preferring to analyse rather than judge.
What happens to these four women is the meat of Doves Of War, so this review will avoid reference to the detail of the individual stories. What the review can do, however, is note that each of these lives presents a series of events that is stranger, more heroic, more tragic, more convoluted, more complicated and much more profound than anything a writer of fiction might implausibly create to impose on a character. The twists and turns of these lives, each one pummelled by events and scarred by war leave the reader breathless just trying to keep up.
The style, however, is not easy. Paul Preston is an historian, not a sensationalist or indeed a sentimentalist, and these tales, as presented here, are more documentary than Hollywood. Their content may be stranger than fiction, but the material is considered, discussed, referenced, sourced and checked. Nothing is ever over-stated. Doves Of War displays immense scholarship and, whatever the author’s obvious sympathies, he offers tremendous respect for these four differing women who, in their different ways, gave their lives to the causes they supported.
August 17, 2011
This book is split into four sections, each about a different woman involved in the Spanish Civil War. It tells their life story, with particular focus on their role during the conflict. Preston does well to choose four characters who you don't usually find in most history books and have often been sidelined by more famous 'sisters'.
First off is the English Aristocrat Pip Scott-Ellis who goes over to Spain in pursuit of an airman related to the Spanish royal family but becomes a nurse on the nationalist lines. Preston is rather admiring of this woman, who rather irritated me for her naivety.
Next another British volunteer is examined, this time for the Republican side as the story of communist Nan Green is told who follows her International Brigade husband.
The narrative then switches back to the Nationalists for the tale of Mercedes Sanz-Bachiller, widow of a leading Falangist who creates a social welfare system behind nationalist lines. I found this account the hardest to get through as it involved a lot of detail about the different nationalist party groupings and structure of Franco's organisations. Considering I have studied this area of history in reasonable depth and I struggled I think the novice would definitely get bogged down here.
The final story is of an interesting feminist art-critic, Margarita Nelken who has, apparently, been overshadowed by the more famous La Pasionara (Delores Ibarurri). To be honest, I am far more interested in Ibarurri and haven't actually found that much written about her so would have rathered the chapter was on her!
Preston does finish with some concluding remarks about the role of women in war, but this is narrative history really and readers are left to make their own decisions. I think it is clear with whom he sympathises most though.
First off is the English Aristocrat Pip Scott-Ellis who goes over to Spain in pursuit of an airman related to the Spanish royal family but becomes a nurse on the nationalist lines. Preston is rather admiring of this woman, who rather irritated me for her naivety.
Next another British volunteer is examined, this time for the Republican side as the story of communist Nan Green is told who follows her International Brigade husband.
The narrative then switches back to the Nationalists for the tale of Mercedes Sanz-Bachiller, widow of a leading Falangist who creates a social welfare system behind nationalist lines. I found this account the hardest to get through as it involved a lot of detail about the different nationalist party groupings and structure of Franco's organisations. Considering I have studied this area of history in reasonable depth and I struggled I think the novice would definitely get bogged down here.
The final story is of an interesting feminist art-critic, Margarita Nelken who has, apparently, been overshadowed by the more famous La Pasionara (Delores Ibarurri). To be honest, I am far more interested in Ibarurri and haven't actually found that much written about her so would have rathered the chapter was on her!
Preston does finish with some concluding remarks about the role of women in war, but this is narrative history really and readers are left to make their own decisions. I think it is clear with whom he sympathises most though.
May 5, 2023
Preston is at his best when relating the lives of the lesser known. Particular those away from the centre stage. And the strength of this book lies here, in the background, on the sidelines and in the aftermath of what we already know.
Though the book covers a wide political spectrum, there was no anarchist women featured in the book. Preston writes
“It is an astonishing fact that of the near 20,000 books published on the Spanish Civil War, probably fewer than I.O per cent are by women”
Yet in the anarchist libraries there exists accounts of the roles played by many woman, such as Free Women of Spain or writings by Emma Goldman and the government minister Federica Montseny (barely mentioned in Preston’s book).
Which is a shame for their role was significant, especially in those areas of early revolutionary activity. But as we know, Preston has little time for either the role of the anarchists or the belief in revolution. Despite this, it still stands as a captivating insight into the struggles away from the battlefield.
Though the book covers a wide political spectrum, there was no anarchist women featured in the book. Preston writes
“It is an astonishing fact that of the near 20,000 books published on the Spanish Civil War, probably fewer than I.O per cent are by women”
Yet in the anarchist libraries there exists accounts of the roles played by many woman, such as Free Women of Spain or writings by Emma Goldman and the government minister Federica Montseny (barely mentioned in Preston’s book).
Which is a shame for their role was significant, especially in those areas of early revolutionary activity. But as we know, Preston has little time for either the role of the anarchists or the belief in revolution. Despite this, it still stands as a captivating insight into the struggles away from the battlefield.
August 30, 2020
Las vidas de las cuatro mujeres narradas por Preston son, simplemente, apasionantes. La biografía de Carmen Polo arroja luz sobre una fracción del expolio de bienes del estado y el desenfreno de la cúpula franquista mientras los que sobrevivieron a la guerra se morían de hambre. Aunque el relato es a veces un poco abigarrado por el jaleo de apellidos, partidos y ministros, es una lectura amena y súper interesante.
September 11, 2025
Picked this up in Barcelona at a used bookstore. Pretty good plus it did give me some good insights/background into the Spanish Civil War.
I found it kind of hard to get through because I definitely got bored at times, also I wish there were more stories of average Spanish/Catalonian women included and not just these elite/semi-elite individuals. There’s still value in their stories but I think they were more exceptional experiences.
I found it kind of hard to get through because I definitely got bored at times, also I wish there were more stories of average Spanish/Catalonian women included and not just these elite/semi-elite individuals. There’s still value in their stories but I think they were more exceptional experiences.
January 17, 2022
In short, Preston does not disappoint and I loved this book. If you like women's history, this one will expand your world view.
Paul Preston CBE, specialist Spanish historian and writer has produced a truly engaging biography of four women in the Spanish Civil War period. The life stories of Priscilla Scott Ellis, Nan Green, Mercedes Sanz Bachiller and Margarita Nelken are made distinct, alive and passionate in Preston's writing.
As I know little of Spain and its history, reading about one major event putting a spotlight on Spanish culture, origins, traditions was a great starting point. Preston's value-add is his explanation for how these 'fixed' points were disrupted by the Spanish civil war. Initially, when I started out reading this book, I had trouble eliminating Trump, Putin's Russia, China and Western social welfare states of various types from my reading and judgement of the women profiled. I was especially challenged to not bring my contemporary understanding of the terms 'socialist', 'communist', 'conservative' and 'fascist', as in this book these terms describe ideas which are embryonic and belong to an earlier time. I also had to keep front of mind that the time period covered is pre-WW2 and Stalin. It may seem obvious, but this clearly means the support for socialism and fascism by the women profiled was not led by Stalinist Russia or Nazi Germany, although the ideals and practice of communist and Nazi ideology they espoused were effectively being "rolled out" and tested in the Spanish Civil War (hence why some historians argue the Spanish Civil War is the true starting point of both WW2 and the Cold War.)
If you're someone who is picky about which historians you read, Preston is experienced and erudite. This shows in his treatment of the complexity of the Spanish civil war by focusing on the differing intellectual and political views held by two Spanish women and two British women. I found it particularly helpful that Preston profiled two British women who chose to leave England and participate in the war as well, as I'm Australian and have a British/Scottish cultural history.
I most enjoyed Preston's detailed but not overly complex backgrounders on Spain's political climate pre / during the war. He articulates well how fascism, socialism and communism came to mean quite different things to the Spanish people and influenced the choices and decisions made by Scott Ellis, Green, Sanz Bachiller and Nelken.
I hadn't heard of any of these women, nor known of their significance to Spain's 1930s cultural life, public debate and impact on how the war was fought, so Preston's work in bringing them out of the shadows is deeply appreciated. Learning of their deep impact on the ordinary rural and urban Spaniard also opened new vistas in my infant understanding of Spain: particularly Sanz-Bachiller's creation of a social welfare network to assist war orphans and others deeply affected by the fighting - as well as Nelken's excoriating independence in boldly expressing her political views in defence of the socialist-leaning Republic (which fell to Franco's fascist forces).
My biggest takeaway is the vital need to continue researching, recording and writing about women in the civic-social-political space. Hearing women's voices across the political spectrum is intensely empowering and relevant to 21st century lives, because women have always occupied an important role in civil society but we don't always have examples of this readily to hand.
In addition, women and girls integrally affect and are affected by their nation's political culture, climate and the life which can be lived in that setting. This book excellently articulates, through the example of War, the fundamental reasons for why women ansolutely deserve the right to exercise their voice in what has happened, what is happening now, and most crucially, what should happen next.
Paul Preston CBE, specialist Spanish historian and writer has produced a truly engaging biography of four women in the Spanish Civil War period. The life stories of Priscilla Scott Ellis, Nan Green, Mercedes Sanz Bachiller and Margarita Nelken are made distinct, alive and passionate in Preston's writing.
As I know little of Spain and its history, reading about one major event putting a spotlight on Spanish culture, origins, traditions was a great starting point. Preston's value-add is his explanation for how these 'fixed' points were disrupted by the Spanish civil war. Initially, when I started out reading this book, I had trouble eliminating Trump, Putin's Russia, China and Western social welfare states of various types from my reading and judgement of the women profiled. I was especially challenged to not bring my contemporary understanding of the terms 'socialist', 'communist', 'conservative' and 'fascist', as in this book these terms describe ideas which are embryonic and belong to an earlier time. I also had to keep front of mind that the time period covered is pre-WW2 and Stalin. It may seem obvious, but this clearly means the support for socialism and fascism by the women profiled was not led by Stalinist Russia or Nazi Germany, although the ideals and practice of communist and Nazi ideology they espoused were effectively being "rolled out" and tested in the Spanish Civil War (hence why some historians argue the Spanish Civil War is the true starting point of both WW2 and the Cold War.)
If you're someone who is picky about which historians you read, Preston is experienced and erudite. This shows in his treatment of the complexity of the Spanish civil war by focusing on the differing intellectual and political views held by two Spanish women and two British women. I found it particularly helpful that Preston profiled two British women who chose to leave England and participate in the war as well, as I'm Australian and have a British/Scottish cultural history.
I most enjoyed Preston's detailed but not overly complex backgrounders on Spain's political climate pre / during the war. He articulates well how fascism, socialism and communism came to mean quite different things to the Spanish people and influenced the choices and decisions made by Scott Ellis, Green, Sanz Bachiller and Nelken.
I hadn't heard of any of these women, nor known of their significance to Spain's 1930s cultural life, public debate and impact on how the war was fought, so Preston's work in bringing them out of the shadows is deeply appreciated. Learning of their deep impact on the ordinary rural and urban Spaniard also opened new vistas in my infant understanding of Spain: particularly Sanz-Bachiller's creation of a social welfare network to assist war orphans and others deeply affected by the fighting - as well as Nelken's excoriating independence in boldly expressing her political views in defence of the socialist-leaning Republic (which fell to Franco's fascist forces).
My biggest takeaway is the vital need to continue researching, recording and writing about women in the civic-social-political space. Hearing women's voices across the political spectrum is intensely empowering and relevant to 21st century lives, because women have always occupied an important role in civil society but we don't always have examples of this readily to hand.
In addition, women and girls integrally affect and are affected by their nation's political culture, climate and the life which can be lived in that setting. This book excellently articulates, through the example of War, the fundamental reasons for why women ansolutely deserve the right to exercise their voice in what has happened, what is happening now, and most crucially, what should happen next.
November 14, 2025
No British historian (and possibly no historian anywhere) knows more about the Spanish Civil War than Paul Preston, and he is clearly firmly on the side of the Republicans in their struggle against fascism. However in this book he has achieved a remarkable feat by writing parallel biographies of four women from different sides - two British, two Spanish; one British aristocrat who went to be a nurse on the fascist side out of love for a Spanish aristocrat (who turned out to be gay); one British communist who left her two small children in the care of A.S. Neill's school in order to go and support the cause being fought for by her husband (who was killed in the very final hours of the final battle); one Spanish upper-class woman who had married a convinced fascist and who, after his death, started a welfare organisation which spread all across the country; one Spanish art critic and writer who started off as a socialist, was a member of the short-lived democratic government, became a communist, and died in exile in Mexico. (Full disclosure here: I'm pretty sure I heard my father talking about the British communist in question on occasion, certainly I think when she died, and he may even have met her if she was doing any organising work in Glasgow in the forties.)
Not only does the author describe their experiences in minute detail, giving a harrowing account of the physical realities of the period before the war, during and after the war, and a blow-by-blow account of the political turmoil in the lead up to Franco's invasion in 1936, but he also manages to be even-handed and admires all these women for their courage and tenacity, even those whose politics he doesn't agree with. He also, in his epilogue, makes it clear that he could only write about these women because they were not representative - they left letters, diaries, newspaper articles, and documents from people who knew them. So many thousands of the other women involved in the Spanish Civil War did not have this privilege and it will take a lot of digging to tell their stories too. Which, as an honest historian, Paul Preston sincerely hopes will happen.
Not only does the author describe their experiences in minute detail, giving a harrowing account of the physical realities of the period before the war, during and after the war, and a blow-by-blow account of the political turmoil in the lead up to Franco's invasion in 1936, but he also manages to be even-handed and admires all these women for their courage and tenacity, even those whose politics he doesn't agree with. He also, in his epilogue, makes it clear that he could only write about these women because they were not representative - they left letters, diaries, newspaper articles, and documents from people who knew them. So many thousands of the other women involved in the Spanish Civil War did not have this privilege and it will take a lot of digging to tell their stories too. Which, as an honest historian, Paul Preston sincerely hopes will happen.
October 10, 2017
Excellent read about four women active in the Spanish Civil War (two Brits and two Spaniards). Most fascinating is that each of the four sections describes those women's lives before and after the civil war too, providing valuable insights into how the lives of these women turned out. (Hint: there is no happy ending for them... loved ones died, others left them. But they remain accomplished women who made a difference at a critical moment in history and later.) The first part, on pro-Franco socialite Priscilla Scott-Ellis, was the least interesting for me because I found its subject a bit vapid, although she did work as a nurse in Nationalist hospitals and the part about her life after the civil war redeemed that section a little. This is not a criticism of the author, though. The next part, on pro-Republican Nan Green, was an inspiring read, and the last two sections about the Spanish women Mercedes Sanz-Bachiller (pro-Nationalist) and Margarita Nelken (pro-Republican) were absolute page turners.
Because each section is so long - close to 100 pages each - I would have wanted to see a chronology for each woman and the narrative broken into subsections with headers for easier reference. But those are minor quibbles. The author is consistently fair to his subjects, irrespectively of their political tendencies, and rescued those four inspiring women from oblivion. A great accomplishment.
Because each section is so long - close to 100 pages each - I would have wanted to see a chronology for each woman and the narrative broken into subsections with headers for easier reference. But those are minor quibbles. The author is consistently fair to his subjects, irrespectively of their political tendencies, and rescued those four inspiring women from oblivion. A great accomplishment.
July 19, 2019
Me encanta leer a Paul Preston, su prosa es ágil y amena y su discurso muy fácil de entender. Con Palomas de Guerra, Preston nos acerca a la historia de una serie de mujeres marcadas por la Guerra Civil Española, incluyendo a la esposa de Franco, Carmen Polo.
Me ha gustado muchisimo, de mis favoritos de Historia Contemporánea.
Me ha gustado muchisimo, de mis favoritos de Historia Contemporánea.
April 21, 2023
I tried...
I regret the era was so politically simplistic. The haves against the have nots. And I can't sympathise with either side since one was tied to communism too much and the other was tied to royalty.
I regret the era was so politically simplistic. The haves against the have nots. And I can't sympathise with either side since one was tied to communism too much and the other was tied to royalty.
October 16, 2017
2.5-3 is my rating. The four female stories were interesting, but i wanted to know more about the revolution...and what women did.
April 28, 2021
Extremely poigniant, it shows the side rarely talked about.
July 7, 2022
Cuenta la historia de 5 mujeres en tiempos de la guerra civil, bastante interesante y original ya que pocas personas han escrito sobre público femenino en esta etapa.
January 18, 2025
Si bien es un ensayo, y como tal requiere mayor atención para su lectura, por momento fue tedioso. Capítulos intermedios en cada una de las biografías documentadas, hubiera hecho más liviano y entretenido el avance página por página. Fue reconfortante en esta edición la seccion con imagenes de hitos importantes en sus vidas: es grato para el lector ver sus expresiones y emociones reales, asi sean "congelados" en una foto-. Destaco la elección de cuatro figuras femeninas (la quinta esta de sobra), protagonistas de la Guerra Civil Española, particularmente las dos inglesas- Nan y "Pip"- que tomaron la decisión de contribuir a la causa desde bandos diferentes y en primera línea como enfermeras.También es muy interesante el abordaje de la maternidad en ambos casos al servicio de la guerra.
August 13, 2016
Cuando me lo prestaron pensé que era no ficción novelada, pero es biografía pura y dura. No sé si es debido a esto o al estilo del autor, que me ha parecido un poco falto de sentimiento y empatía. El autor expulsa datos y datos, quizá debido a que muestra la historia de cada mujer en pocas páginas, y se echa de menos un poco más de vida en los párrafos. Sin embargo, la vida de estas mujeres es por sí misma tan interesante como para que esto no importe a la hora de leerlo.
December 2, 2010
In a somewhat dry manner the author relates the lives of four women that become passionately involved in the Spanish Civil War, each for very different reasons from very different political reasons. In a very interesting read the author manages to gives a thorough account of the diverse fronts of the war without taking sides.
Read
September 28, 2012great book.
October 6, 2016
Terrific book.
Excellent reading.
Excellent reading.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews