Homage to Catalonia

by Eric Arthur Blair

Homage to Catalonia is George Orwell's personal account of his experiences and observations in the Spanish Civil War. . . . Orwell served as a private, a corporal (cabo) and—when the informal command structure of the militia gave way to a conventional hierarchy in May 1937—as a lieutenant, on a provisional basis, in Catalonia and Aragon from December 1936 until June 1937. In June 1937, the leftist political party with whose militia he served (the POUM, the Workers' Party of Marxist Unification, an anti-Stalinist communist party) was declared an illegal organisation, and Orwell was consequently forced to either flee or face imprisonment.--Wikipedia.

Genres: Politics, History, Nonfiction

Kindle Edition

Published April 10, 2022

About the author

George Orwell's birth name.

Reviews

[Realini Ionescu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Homage to Catalonia by George Orwell and adapted for The BBC

A different version of this note and thoughts on other books are available at:

- https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... and http://realini.blogspot.ro/

This is an excellent adaptation.
And the original work has been acclaimed and included on lists of best non-fiction works, including The Modern Library one:

- http://www.modernlibrary.com/top-100/...

And evidently, George Orwell is better known; at least this is what I think, for his other masterpieces, included also on the Modern library list of best books, this time the fiction domain for the best creations of the last century:

- http://www.modernlibrary.com/top-100/...

And these classic works that are fundamental for those who want to know what a dictatorship looks like would be:

- Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty Four

In Homage to Catalonia, George Orwell writes about his own experiences during his fighting against the Franco Regime.
If he was enthusiastic in the beginning and took all the trouble to join the brigades, by the time the author writes the aforementioned classics he has totally changed his mind.

Given that the narrative is complex and not totally supportive of the divided leftist army, I enjoyed this tale.
As a “survivor” of a communist regime I do not like reading books that sing its praises and have a dislike or outright hatred for leftists.

There are many jokes about communists…here is one:

- Who is not a communist when young has no heart
- The one who is still a communist when old has no brains

I beg to differ.
Since I disagree that even young people could share the criminal, stupid ideas of the communists, knowing what they have done.

It is unforgivable that while the Nazi propaganda and ideas are illegal in places like Germany- and they well should be- the other murderous, heinous doctrine of the communists is not just tolerated, but embraced in so many places.

Take the example of France; where close to 20% have voted for man that wants to join the Bolivarian “revolution”.

In order to join the left wing brigades, George Orwell had to have a letter of “recommendation” from the communist party.
He describes very well and in detail, the gruesome fighting and the suffering around it, the lice that those fighting hated more than the fascists, the way he chased after an enemy to stab him with the bayonets and so much more.

The spies and the soviet agents have ended up killing so many of those who just wanted to defeat the Franco regime.
After the split and then the terrible conflict between Stalin and the Trotskyites.

All the supposed followers of Trotsky have been chased and persecuted, then tortured and killed without trial.
So much for communist justice.

“Philosophically, Communism and Anarchism are poles apart. Practically—i.e. in the form of society aimed at—the difference is mainly one of emphasis, but it is quite irreconcilable. The Communist’s emphasis is always on centralism and efficiency, the Anarchist’s on liberty and equality.”

Finally, George Orwell is hit by a bullet shot by an enemy sniper and the war ends for him, even if he is sent on trial.
His book does not enjoy a warm welcome and he would become an enemy of the Soviet propaganda and state.

“In trench warfare five things are important: firewood, food, tobacco, candles, and the enemy. In winter on the Zaragoza front they were important in that order, with the enemy a bad last”

And there is so much more about war and its horrors, even if one approximate quote says that…


- War is 99% boredom and 1% sheer terror

[Topher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am certain that I read this for the pure enjoyment of an English-language author in the year 2025 and not at all to read about when a country tore itself apart due to fascism.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Until I read this book, I had no idea that Orwell actually fought in the Spanish Civil War. Quite incredible to put your money where your mouth is and, quite literally, your neck on the line to fight for a cause you believe in. It caused me to pause and reflect on whether or not I would or could do the same.

It paints a vivid picture of the war. Before reading, I didn’t know much about the conflict, so I found myself researching alongside the book for context. Even then, it was almost impossible to fully get your head around the dynamics of the left that was fighting Franco — so divided, so many acronyms, and so much infighting despite having a common enemy. As I write, it dawns on me that this might well encapsulate the left of the modern day, and perhaps forever.

(I read the 2022 edition which contained two annexes from Orwell with additional coverage on the different parties, groups, etc. And even with this, it was still very hard to comprehend the divisions.)

What struck me most was the way Orwell writes about such serious things in such a nonchalant manner. An example is when he describes lunging at a man with a bayonet: “At this moment a man—I don’t know whether he was a Fascist, I imagine so—jumped out of the trench and ran down the hill. I ran after him, meaning to stick my bayonet in his back; but he was too quick for me. Curiously enough it struck me as funny. It is not of course funny for the man who is running for his life.” He recounts this as if it were somewhat an ordinary occurrence, whereas for me it would easily have been the most horrific experience of my life.

Another thing I found odd, and definitely disappointing, was how little he mentions his wife. Her experience of the war would have been a whole other book in itself. She was surely a fundamental part of his time in Spain, yet in his account she’s more or less invisible.

I really enjoyed this book. It gave me an insight into Orwell as a human being, into the Spanish war, and into humanity’s capacity to keep repeating the same mistakes. Reading it in a modern context, it felt less like a distant history lesson and more like a warning we still haven’t properly heeded.

[Ler por 2 · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Homage to Catalonia" is George Orwell's account of his experience in the Spanish Civil War. The author joins the Spanish militia in Catalonia through the POUM (Partit Obrer de Unificació Marxista), a dissident communist and anti-Stalinist organization. From the beginning, Orwell highlights the soldiers' precarious preparation and the young age of the volunteers. In the Aragonese trenches, he witnesses disorganization and the lack of conditions for an effective attack, including a shortage of weapons and intense cold. The author describes the environment as a "microcosm of classless society," where lice infestations, lack of provisions, and terrible sanitary conditions were common.

After returning to Barcelona, the narrator confronts the decline of popular enthusiasm towards the revolution and the reinstatement of social hierarchy, leading to divisions among republican parties. The communists adopt an anti-revolutionary position, while the anarchists and dissident communists support the simultaneous pursuit of war and revolution, advocating for a government of the workers. At this point, Orwell describes the clashes in the streets of Barcelona, censorship, political persecution, and unjustified imprisonments.

I must confess that reading "Homage to Catalonia" is enriching with every page. The book offers a comprehensive view of the Republican organization and clearly distinguishes the parties involved. I strongly recommend reading the final appendices as they provide essential context to understand the events described. Orwell skillfully captures the tumultuous atmosphere of the Spanish Civil War and encourages deep reflection on the nature of the conflict and its consequences.

[Jack Boyles · Rating 3 out of 5]

Despite Homage to Catalonia being a seminal piece in Orwell’s work, mainly by exposing him to a revolution turned sore by communist hands, I found the book lacking in the usual analysis. Of course, there’re moments were Orwell shine, primarily in the last few chapters and appendixes, but it failed to strike me like some of his other work. For me, it’s because the book acts as a memoir, detailing his experience rather than the situation. Prior work, such as ‘Road to’ and ‘From Paris to London’, does the same; however, those books seem focused on commentating than explaining. The moments when Homage commentates, the book really shines, but those paragraphs are few and far between.

The last two chapters and the appendixes offered me the Orwell I prefer. In these sections, Orwell notes his critique on the downfall of the revolution and the human condition within his escape in his two classic novels. And this is where the issue with Homage lies; if you’ve read Animal Farm and 1984, you’re getting a better understanding of his experience and what it means in those books, instead of Homage.

Admittedly, I've been fatigued while reading, so that would have influenced my criticism. Don’t get me wrong, the book’s still excellent, just not the read I was expecting.

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a huge Orwell fan, but this was my least favourite book of his so far. Not that it's a bad book. It's still a very intriguing read, focusing on a nation during the Spain Civil war. While the tales of surviving a war in a foreign country are at times thrilling, dark and even amusing; the inevitable deeper discussions on the political divide between factions fighting the same enemy was at times dry. I became lost in a sea of party acronyms, not knowing who was being spoken about.

[Sandro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely brilliant. I've never read such an amazingly written book about war. Orwell is very clear, modest and sincere and that makes this book a page Turner...

[Darren Togwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

An honest account of a war lost in the annals of European history from what proceeded it.