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, often along with Communist symbols (Red flags, hammer and sickle, fist). The emblem of the brigades themselves was the three-pointed red star, which is often featured.

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