The 59th Division - originally called the 1st Asturian Division - was one of the
divisions
Division may refer to:
Mathematics
*Division (mathematics), the inverse of multiplication
* Division algorithm, a method for computing the result of mathematical division Military
*Division (military), a formation typically consisting of 10,000 t ...
of the
Spanish Republican Army
The Spanish Republican Army () was the main branch of the Spanish Republican Armed Forces, Armed Forces of the Second Spanish Republic between 1931 and 1939.
It became known as People's Army of the Republic (''Ejército Popular de la República'' ...
that were organized during the
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil War () was a military conflict fought from 1936 to 1939 between the Republican faction (Spanish Civil War), Republicans and the Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalists. Republicans were loyal to the Left-wing p ...
on the basis of the
Mixed Brigades.
History
The division was originally created in
February 1937, as the 1st Asturian Division. It was incorporated into the III Asturian Army Corps. On
August 6
Events Pre-1600
*686 – The Ummayad forces suffer a deceisive defeat against the pro-Alid forces under Ibrahim ibn al-Ashtar in the battle of Khazir.
*1284 – The Republic of Pisa is defeated in the Battle of Meloria (1284), Battle o ...
, the unit was restructured into the
189th,
190th and
191st mixed brigades and renamed the "59th Division". It became attached to the
XVII Army Corps.
It did not intervene in the
Battle of Santander
The Battle of Santander was fought in the War in the North campaign of the Spanish Civil War during the summer of 1937. Santander's fall on 26 August assured the Nationalist conquest of the province of Santander, now Cantabria. The battle deva ...
, so it was practically intact at the beginning of the
Asturias Offensive. By then the 59th Division covered the front that ran from the sea to the mountains, in the
Oviedo
Oviedo () or Uviéu (Asturian language, Asturian: ) is the capital city of the Principality of Asturias in northern Spain and the administrative and commercial centre of the region. It is also the name of the municipality that contains th ...
sector. During the Asturias campaign it did not have a relevant role, remaining in its positions without intervening in relevant military operations. At the end of
October 1937
The following events occurred in October 1937:
October 1, 1937 (Friday)
*U.S. Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black gave a radio address admitting that he had once been a member of the Ku Klux Klan, but had resigned and never rejoined. Black repudia ...
it managed to retire to
Gijón
Gijón () or () is a city and municipality in north-western Spain. It is the largest city and Municipalities of Spain, municipality by population in the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Asturias. It is located on the coa ...
, where it dissolved itself.
Command
*
Carlos Abad López (from February 1937);
* Eduardo Carón Alcázar (from March 1937);
*
Víctor Álvarez González (from May 1937);
* Ramón Garshaball López (from August 1937);
References
Bibliography
*
*
*
{{Divisions of the Spanish Republic, state=expanded
Military units and formations established in 1937
Military units and formations disestablished in 1937
Divisions of Spain
Military units and formations of the Spanish Civil War (Republican faction)
Military history of Spain
Armed Forces of the Second Spanish Republic