The dispute over Polish fighters in the Spanish Civil War

Tensions have arisen between Poland and Spain after the Spanish Senate called on the Spanish government to lobby for the two dozen or so Poles who fought against Franco during the Spanish Civil War and are still alive today. The senators argue that the former combatants will be affected by Poland's lustration law, which requires Polish citizens to reveal former collaboration with the communist secret services, and could face pension cuts as a result. Igor Janke comments: "The Spanish are hitting out blindly in defence of the memory of their heroes. The Polish government is not punishing anyone for having fought in the war against Franco. It simply wants to abolish the privileges of those who were members of the apparatus of repression, of people who wanted to choke our independence and persecuted and tortured the heroes who fought for freedom and democracy in Poland."

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