Women in Scottish history: Ethel MacDonald and the Spanish Civil War
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- čas přidán 9. 11. 2020
- Ethel MacDonald is one of the oft forgotten Women in Scottish history and a hero of the Spanish Civil War. Scottish history tour guide tells of Ethel MacDonald. This is another of the tales from Scotlands history that's too often forgotten. The International Brigade contained more Scottish volunteers than any other nationality.
This is one of a series of videos on women in Scottish history. In addition to celebrating these volunteers we recognise the celebrated Scottish broadcaster during the Spanish Civil War, who went on to become the Scottish Scarlet Pimpernel and the volunteers from Perth who went to join the International Brigade who left Perth.
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Scotland History Tours is here for people who want to learn about Scottish history and get ideas for Scottish history tours. I try to make videos which tell you tales from Scotland's past and give you information about key dates in Scottish history and historical places to visit in Scotland. Not all videos are tales from Scotland's history, some of them are about men from Scotland's past or women from Scotland's past. Basically the people who made Scotland. From April 2020 onward I've tried to give ideas for historic days out in Scotland. Essentially these are days out in Scotland for adults who are interested in historical places to visit in Scotland.
As one of Scotland history tour guides people ask: Help me plan a Scottish holiday, or help me plan a Scottish vacation of your from the US. So from April 2020 I've tried to give a bit of history, but some places of interest in Scotland as well.
This is a real gem. Very few people will know her story (or even be aware of what happened in Spain). But she's not completely forgotten. I am a member of an anarchist-leaning mutual aid and campaigning group in Edinburgh and when we send out a press release we always sign it 'Ethel MacDonald' ;)
Brilliant
I'm delighted you covered Ethel MacDonald, I can't believe I missed it when it first went up. As someone who identifies with Anarchism I find it culturally damning that so few people know about this brave and fascinating woman in her own country. I didn't even know who she was until I was told about her when visiting Barcelona and enquiring about anarchist organisations.
Aye, the rich choose our national heroes
@@ScotlandHistoryTours sadly! I read a lot about characters Like Ethel who fought fascism and imperialism in all their forms and wonder if we have anyone now of equal strength and conviction or has the media that once served us so diligently, subdued and turned us all into passive observers. My hope is channels like yours show people what has been lost in these postmodern times and what was fought for. Watching your video on the Airdrie Clearances this morning certainly struck a nerve with me, as should knowing anything about The Clearances for any self identifying decent human being but it also tells us where we are now and how we got here, something the so called "Education System" has completely failed to impart to the young. History is a territory which has been captured for too long by the ruling classes and stifled by imperial/capitalist hegemony but thanks to the work of you and others making historical videos and re-telling these stories, The Peoples History is now accessible to all 😊
I’m honestly shocked I’ve never heard of this amazing lass before, or even the folk fae here that went to fight for democracy in a land not their own.
It makes me almost mad that stuff like this wasn’t taught in my history class.
Thanks for telling me about it, Bruce! Fantastic video.
Here to help mate
👍 I'm an American 🇺🇲 and a McDonald on my mom's side. She brings honor to the name. Never even heard about her until now. Fighter for the working class. Fought against Fascists. Dodging Stalinists. Heroic woman. Scotland has a good history of workers movements, and of many trade union heroes after all it is the birthplace of James Connolly.
In Canada. You might be interested in the story of Norman Bethune, a Canadian of Scots heritage that also volunteered in Spain, and invented blood transfusion.
Sounds like a dude
@@ScotlandHistoryTours : something else you might be interested in : en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Greatest_Canadian. ( spoiler alert: another Canadian/ Scot, won first place. 😉
Oh wow, she's the Scots (though I'm sure she tweaked it to be 'neutral' eh?) voice behind an anarchist radio station broadcast to the world!! How cool!
In the true sense of the word…. A Hero !
Great video Bruce 👏👏👏👏
Thanks Bruce. Keep up the fantastic work! I'm a young Scot who grew up in England but have lived in the middle East and now in Germany. Its great to hear so many interesting stories about the people of Scotland. Thank you 👍
Ah thanks Connor. Sorry I just noticed this
Scotland fife love learning more about my home
Stick wi me lad, we'll learn th'gither
Thanks, she's amazing.
👍🏽 So many amazing lives you are uncovering Bruce, I did not know of Ethel's part in the Spanish Civil war. I know about Johnny Longstaff but had never heard about the incredible work a wee Scots lass had achieved. Excellent video as always.
Thanks again for your support. I have more strong Scottish lassies planned for future videos
This video resonates strongly with me as a Canadian Red Diaper baby. IB veterans came through our house in Montreal in the early 1950s. These men seemed mysterious and heroic to me as a child. Here in Victoria BC where I live now you will see a full-size statue of a woman, to the memory of the Canadians who volunteered with the International Brigade. Few people know about the phenomenon of the IB, much less the Canadian participation. George Orwell brings his novelist’s writing skills to his account which is both personal and interpretive. . It’s well worth reading. I saw bullet holes in public buildings in Barcelona, and only knew what I was seeing because of George Orwell. Thanks for this post. I’m going to watch it again.
I would add to my post a mention of a Montrealer, a Scot, Doctor Norman Bethune, also his participation in Spain, later China. There is a statue of Bethune in the heart of Montreal. Few know who he is, except for the pigeons who seem to be fond of him.
Great video again, and three cheers for Ethel
That's the way. I doubt you'd find too many like her today
Bruce, you must have been to The Corries' school of entertainment: I watch one of your videos greetin' ma hied aff, laughin', the next you've got me bawlin' ma een oot.
Love it, what a great way to learn something new every day... keep up the good work
🤣😭🤔🥴
I 'm a great-nephew of a member of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade - the American volunteers in Spain - and I'm a member of MacDonald.
The Abraham Lincoln Brigade was truly international - American, Canadian, Cuban, British, Irish, French, Belgian, Bulgarian, Greek and Yugoslav
The Netherlands, awesome production and great storytelling 👍🏻👍🏻
Thanks so much
I'm living in Mercia. I think that it is fitting that Franco's grandiose tomb has been repurposed as a monument to all those who died fighting him and his fascist regime, and the convict labourers who died in its construction. I had a quick look on Google to see if there were any recordings of Ethel MacDonald's transmissions; sadly, I couldn't find any.
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Really amazing video one of my favourites so far. Impactful and meaningful!
South Africa, brilliant productions. Thank you.
Watching from the USA
I wish the Scots would get back into British politics, wholeheartedly. You are needed!
I remember listening to the reasons for invading Iraq. I was in agreement with what I was being fed, until Robin Cook resigned. At that point, I knew the 'Weapons of Mass Destruction' didn't exist. He was a man of principal, when it came to politics. He talked of an 'ethical foreign policy' and meant it.
Ethics have always been expensive; they cost us an empire, but created a united nation to be proud of, for once. Those ethics were a flash in the pan in British history. Now, it is back to situation normal. It's all rather depressing.
One of my relatives fought the fash in Spain . There is a housing development named after him in Aibirdeen
Brilliant
That wouldnae be Torrie, fit like quinie!
🙊😜😄
@@georgefuters7411 naw berryden
@@pamelaadam9207 aw nae, a posh Aiberdonian. I've only once been back in the home of the silver darlings in the last 40 years and that was for a memorial service for my father.
Still, many happy memories of the Bon Accord baths, Union St and the students uni at Robert Gordon's.
I was joking about Torrie, I'm sure you gathered 😊
@@georgefuters7411 the housing named after uncle bob is in berryden and yup i am told i sound posh. I am from garthdee originally now broomhill .. the uptown baths were the best.
My mom is from Spain she was born in 1938, grew up in the aftermath. Hard times.
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Another great video.
Glad you enjoyed it
Excellent. And timely.
True. Hey! Thumbs up for Ethel
New Zealand…just love your channel,it’s becoming an addiction 👍
I love addicts
Im related to Ethel and she's one of my favorite historical Anarchists along with Nestor Makhno and Buenaventura Durruti
What a phenomenal comment you made from 10:14 on regarding democracy and fascism today. Love your videos, this comment is exceptional though our friend. Keep on doing what you do sooooooooo well. Greatly appreciated.
Alba originally but live in Aotearoa
I'm on a Women from Scotland's Past binge. There's a lot of MacDonald women. The MacDonald clan were absolute brave humanitarians!!
Thank you for that.
My pleasure!
Now that let me leave a 👍 👌 like!!
Scots have always been brave…everywhere they go. Born in Dundee..living in Alaska USA I am…
My favourite video yet. The Irish side of my family were ardent anti-fascists, and it's nice to hear of a Scottish woman with such a strong commitment to the people of Spain. I live in Northern India, btw and my wife is a Naga tibeswoman, you should really look at the Highlanders in WW2 who fought with the Naga clans against the Japanese here in the Kohima area. The cultural similarities are fascinating.
I'll add that to the list
Great video!
👍for Ethel too
Yay
Democracy is never guaranteed. Nor is fascism for that matter; both, like freedom, must be worked / fought for constantly. Both require people to get involved (like the International Brigade) and put the WORK in. Democracy takes more work. The more people you have sitting on their "hands" watching and doing nothing, the more opportunity there is for fascism.
I’m watched a movie called To Live and Die in Madrid about The Spanish Civil War. It was brutal
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I had the honour to meet Giovanni Pesce in the noughties. He was the youngest fighter in the International brigades, the son of Italian immigrants in France. He then led the urban guerrilla in northern Italy during the war. Makes you wonder why our generation hasn't produced people of his and Ethel's stature, though they'd have been on different sides in Barcelona.
The anarchist story is her story on here,my cousin plays Ethel 😁
motherwell needs to hear about ethel
Kentucky 👍❤🌟
Canada. Love your videos Bruce, and have wonderful memories of our tour with you last year (was it really only last year?!).
Hehe. That went quick didn't it? Did you see the last vid with a Canadian slant that I sent to your big sis? I always have it in my mind to do more Canada based stories as there will be so many. It's a fun treadmill to be on in spite of COVID.
I did watch that one too. Loved it.
USA I’m not at all surprised that our government didn’t defend a democratically elected government that included communists and socialists. The USA has a terrible history of paying lip service to democracy while supporting fascists, demagogues, and dictators. The US government is obviously more concerned with economic (i.e. corporate) and military self-interest then anything else.
Thank you for bringing this story of Ethel and the other brave people who took it upon themselves to act when their government wouldn’t and fought for democracy.
You're welcome
'Mon the Scots lassies! ✊️🏴👍
Colorado, USA
USA, Great job Bruce
My grans brother was killed fighting Franco! He disappeared after falling out with his dad nobody knew what had happened to him until the late 1980s when his grave was discovered ❤🏴
Ah that's so sad
@@ScotlandHistoryTours cheers kind off made him my hero as a kid! Just a shame his dad never knew his son was a hero love the vids my man keep up the great work 😎✌️
American here! I'm not surprised that Scots were the most numerous in the Spanish Civil War--it's what they've been told they're best at for over a century, no? I'm minded of The Proclaimers' line in Cap In Hand, "We fight, when they ask us"...:/
Aye, I'm no quite sure that it's the same thing though. The Proclaimers were on about the British government. In this case folks were going against the wishes of the British government. There was a George Washington regiment in the International Brigade as well.
@@ScotlandHistoryTours True! :D
See us MacDonalds
USA. Great videos, Bruce!
Thanks for joining in. They had some US regiments in International Brigade as well.
@@ScotlandHistoryTours Bruce, What is the Gaelic phrase ( I assume it’s Gaelic) that you close all your videos with?
Essentially its 'I hope you have a good day. Bybye the now'
A few Kiwis fought there from the rathest corner of the world as they say
i live near motherwell
Why not come and see my live show in Motherwell in October culturenl.co.uk/bruce-fummey-stories-of-scotland/
There's a small memorial to local Scots who fought in that war in Renton, Alexandria.
Been there many a time. The history that people walk by is frightening
ind three ways to support Scotland History Tours video productions at www.scotlandhistorytours.co.uk/support
Another great unknown heroine, and put into context of what we’re seeing today.
BTW In answer to your question.
Airdrie.
I’m no foreigner, but have heard “I want to know what love is” over 10 times. Does that count?
Do you know, I can't even remember what the question was now. What was it?
👍it does seem that democracy is under attack and we must be vigilant in its defense. Thank you for this video.
You're welcome
Good on ya, Ethel! I do not agree with the black flag of anarchy but despise fascism. Way to stand up while the ‘men without chests’ hide and wait for someone else to take care of it.
Please do one on Kier Hardy. I didn't know he was Scottish.
Aye probably a good shout
czcams.com/video/GG0WTHOlbcg/video.html
👍🏻 I, like many others, believe you are right Bruce. It's only taken a step back to reorganise 🙄
We can only hope
holy shit, i have that book
And this guy is "the red pimper snail"
👍
Béal Feirste, Aontrím (formerly Dal Raidha). And aye, had I been alive in the 30s and I was fit enough I would have been a Republican (it's a bit of a family tradition) and I might have gone to fight in Spain, probably would have been in the Connolly column but looking on it from my current perspective knowing what people then couldn't have known about the internal political mechanations of the Republic my sympathies are with the CNT or the POUM.
👍✊
She's my great great aunt
Wonderful
Thats my daughter i get her to watch your channel her mums from Egypt and we all live in Cairo. Just back in Scotland for a holiday, Ethel was my Great Aunt, died before I was born and not spoken about much in family circles i onky found out about her 10 years ago. Its great you are keeping these historical pieces going, well done and thank you.
Viva la quinta brigada
In our village Renton we have a memorial for the people who left the village to fight with the Spanish in the civil war
Highlander living in Norway.
Really interesting period of history.
Would/could have British/American intervention prevented WW2? After all a lot of Nazi tactics were developed here, the blooding of the Nazi Army that went on to invade Poland took place here.
From a wee boy, born in raised in Lanarkshire.
There's the question
WA USA :)
Yes. I would👍
This is really embarrassing, but I forgot what the question was. What was it?
@@ScotlandHistoryTours
I think it was would you go help fight the Fascists? :)
I love that poster that says punch a nazi today! With uncle Sam on it! Hahaa
I'm from... Naw I'm no tellin' ye.
Ay cause you go chucked oot of every country ya dobber!
Just as well Bojo the clown and Numpty Trumpty weren't around back then or we'd all be saluting red flags with a black spider, probably from behind barbed wire 🤔
USA. Such a confusing time in history when trying to imagine what any individual person was thinking....But I think any time one is living through is a challenge to interpret real time....
Aye, if we only knew the consequences of our decisions when we made them eh?
@@ScotlandHistoryTours aye...sigh
England but living in Scotland.
Do you think if the British government had got involved that this could have brought the start of ww2 forward?
Naebody asked where ye were livin, just where ye were fae. Everyone wants to upgrade eh?
@@ScotlandHistoryTours thought you Scots loved a freebie 😆
@@littlejimmy5020 Frisbees. We love frisbees
@@ScotlandHistoryTours what about my comment about getting involved speeding up the start of ww2? I've not really studied the Spanish civil war only have my family's recollections of going to Gibraltar and the militarised (more so) border
Oh sorry. I go for the joke every time. We can never go back and replay with the original conditions can we, so who knows? Did appeasement work? Would a harder line have stopped Hitler in his tracks? Would France, UK and US supporting Spain have nipped it in the bud before it started? Or would we have had a world war earlier with Spain on the Axis side instead of being neutral?
There's probably a video game to try out these scenarios. I just want a frisbee!
Ethel McDonald was my great Aunt my Grandad Andrew McDonald’s sister 🙃
Wow
Canada!!!!!!
Ethel et all. We're fighting fascism today in the UNITED STATES! Is there no end to it?
Nope
Good story, in fairness to the other countries that didn't send as many fighters they were competing with the Scots. There was gonna be a fight right? So I guess the next question is did any Scots fight for Franco? That being said sounds like someone "I'm looking at you Bruce" should write a screen play about a remarkable woman.
I'll stick to my limitations
Not seeing the limitations. You the educator, story teller and wise man of clan MacFummey. A little more character development and you have screen play.
Victoria Austarlia
Thanks Sarah-Jane, that's about as far away as it gets. I don't recognise your name. Do you know one of my Patrons?
@@ScotlandHistoryTours I like the way you tell history of Scotland. Mum came from Leith when she was 9. I hope to come see the places of my real history one day. And thanks for your reply.
US 👍
Here come the girls
Yes
Australia
No mention of how unprepared Britain was to fight Germany in 1936. Had WWII started in 1936, the outcome might have been different.
There is also the question of whether democracy would have survived in Spain had the Republicans won. It is highly likely that the Socialists and Communists backed by Stalin would have established a dictatorship.
The Germans weren't particularly prepared in 1936 either. As for the Communists taking over Spain had a government previously of a similar make up as the 1936 one just two elections before. The Civil War marginalized those closest to the center on both the Left and Right because outside forces supported them. Supposing either Britain or France had provided support to those in the center a more moderate government might have emerged.
Texas 😉
Republic of Ireland.
England (don't hold it against me)
Welcome on board mate
As one of Jehovah's witnesses I wouldn't become active in a war for any reason.
USA
how powerfull is this piece.sadly Facism is rife throughout the world.watch the rich getting richer while poor children starve. working class people (ie footballers) who grew up poor.cant wait to avoid taxes,so poverty remains.the biggest Facist party in the world is British Tories.and unbelievable as it is.working class people vote them in.😪
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Aye, it's now called being "progressive".... We could do with a few Ethels to call it out again these days!
So glad Trump is gone ....
Yes! Me too! Hopefully he and his prodigy Desatin don't have a vote to stand on.
Anarchists, communists, fascists...pass thanks.
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