War for life ---- This time Poppy editions published the memoirs of the Spanish CNT
militant Cipriano Mera. It has been a journey to say the least atypical being projected,
mason CNT militant, military responsibilities on the Madrid front in local libertarian
militia. Cipriano Mera recounts his life before the Spanish Civil War, during the
revolution, his exile in the French colonies of the Maghreb... Then it comes to Franco by
the Vichy authorities. He is a prisoner in the jails of the fascist regime to release its
amazing. ---- Apart from the deep political hatred he expresses constantly about Stalinist
communists Spanish, slice of life he tells is uplifting. His personality and
uncompromising including to himself and his moral rigor reveal an uncompromising character
but maybe sometimes too uptight and bounded. However his eyes on men and women as society
surrounding leaves a testimony grows to collective reflection on human behavior. Faced
with the war he sees the flaws of the Republican military system, but also the
contradictions of grassroots activists or libertarian leaders, or enthusiastic individuals
facing ideological positions (anti-authoritarian, anti-war, etc..) Out of step with they
live daily (inexperience in battle, desertion, summary executions, tamper individual,
looting, etc..).
Thinking about it even grows Mera, certainly a minority within the CNT, to support the
incorporation of the Republican militia army. Witnessed the death of Durruti, it breaks
myths and rumors about a possible bullet from his own camp (anarchist or Stalinist). Mera
peak also conflictual relationships which arose from within the CNT during the war but
also in exile. Writing these memories is a bit heavy and it is sometimes hard to hang on
the text, however Mera self-taught builder, has the merit to describe the contradictions
of a situation that greatly escapes the protagonists of this story, when everyone faces-e
as is commonly called "nose to the grindstone."
There is no lesson in wisdom about Mera but they encourage political action meditate daily.
JM Izrine (AL Toulouse)
Cipriano Mera, War, exile and imprisonment of anarcho-syndicalist, editions of Poppy,
2012, 22 euros.
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