"La Mano (Spanish for 'hand') is a monument to the memory of the Swedes who died during the Spanish Civil War, most of whom fought in Thalmann Battalion. It stands on Katarinavägen on Södermalm in central Stockholm. The monument was created by artist Liss Eriksson and produced by him along with sculptor George Lange and was completed in the 1977. Lange has also made Spain map in stone on the ground next to the statue. On it are engraved the main battles, and they are mentioned in the quote on the pedestal." (
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The engraving on the pedistal, in the shape of an uplifted hand, reads:
Of the 500 Swedes who in 1936-38 were fighting for democracy in Spain one third were killed. They gave their best at Madrid, Jarama, Guadalajara, Brunete, Teruel, Aragon, Ebro.
Hikers, stop - remember them with pride.
On the back of the pedistal, there is also a metal plate in Catalan, that reads:
The city of Mataró in tribute to the International Brigades.
February 1996
"Mataró is the capital and largest city of the comarca of the Maresme, in the province of Barcelona, Catalonia Autonomous Community, Spain. It is located on the Costa del Maresme, to the south of Costa Brava, between Cabrera de Mar and Sant Andreu de Llavaneres, to the north-east of Barcelona." (
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"The Spanish Civil War had large numbers of non-Spanish citizens participating in combat and advisory positions. Foreign governments contributed varying amounts of financial assistance and military aid to Nationalist forces led by Generalísimo Francisco Franco and those fighting on behalf of the Second Spanish Republic, even though all the European powers had signed a Non-Intervention Agreement in 1936.
Probably 32,000 foreigners fought in the International Brigades (which probably never exceeded 20,000 at any one time). An estimated 3,000 volunteers fought in other Republican forces during the conflict. Additionally, about 10,000 foreigners participated in medical, nursing, and engineering capacities.
The International Brigades included 9,000 Frenchmen, of whom 1,000 were killed; 5,000 Germans and Austrians of whom 2,000 died, and also about 3,000 from Poland at the time. The next highest number was from Italy with 3,350 men. Then came the United States (2,800 men with 900 killed) and Britain (2,000 with 500 killed). There were also 1,500 Czechs; 1,500 Yugoslavs; 1,500 Canadians; 1,000 Hungarians and 1,000 Scandinavians, about half of whom were Swedes. The rest came from a "claimed" 53 countries. Seventy-six Swiss were killed and 90 Mexicans fought. It has been estimated that between 3,000 to 10,000 of the volunteers were Jewish. About 200 volunteers were from Palestine (of Jewish and Arab origin)." (
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