To My Son in Spain: Finnish Canadians in the Spanish Civil War Backdrop Blur
To My Son in Spain: Finnish Canadians in the Spanish Civil War Poster
United States
NR 0h 42m

To My Son in Spain: Finnish Canadians in the Spanish Civil War

"To My Son"

This documentary features the story of Jules Paivio, the last living Canadian volunteer of the infamous Mackenzie-Papineau Battallion of the “International Brigades”. When Jules left from his home near Port Arthur (Thunder Bay), Ontario, his father, a famous Finnish poet, wrote a lasting lament: “To My Son In Spain”. In 1936-37, 1700 Canadians volunteered to fight with the Spanish people against a fascist coup d’etat led by elements of the Spanish Army. Backed by Musselini and Hitler, the fascists were bent on overthrowing Spain’s democratically elected socialist government and replacing it with military and church rule. It could be argued this conflict marked the true beginning of what would become World War II.

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Top Cast

  • Michelle Derosier

    Michelle Derosier

    Narrator

  • Jules Päiviö

    Jules Päiviö

    Self, Spanish Civil War veteran

  • Michael Petrou

    Michael Petrou

    Self, author of 'Renegades: Canadians in the Spanish Civil War'

Overview

This documentary features the story of Jules Paivio, the last living Canadian volunteer of the infamous Mackenzie-Papineau Battallion of the “International Brigades”. When Jules left from his home near Port Arthur (Thunder Bay), Ontario, his father, a famous Finnish poet, wrote a lasting lament: “To My Son In Spain”. In 1936-37, 1700 Canadians volunteered to fight with the Spanish people against a fascist coup d’etat led by elements of the Spanish Army. Backed by Musselini and Hitler, the fascists were bent on overthrowing Spain’s democratically elected socialist government and replacing it with military and church rule. It could be argued this conflict marked the true beginning of what would become World War II.

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