Flag of the International Brigades

A flag of the International Brigades used during the Spanish Civil War.

The flags of the International Brigades featured the colours of the Spanish Republic, red, yellow and purple, and often included communist symbols (red flags, hammer and sickle, fist). The emblem of the brigades was a three-pointed red star.

Nearly 60,000 volunteers from 55 countries joined the International Brigades to fight for the republican cause. The first of these, the International Column, marched into Madrid on 8 November 1936. In their ranks were New Zealanders Griff Maclaurin and Steve Yates. While organised by the Communist Party, the International Column included anti-fascist volunteers of diverse political persuasions.