George Orwell on the Aragón front

With Richard and Quentin in Aragón, sons of Orwell and his commander Georges Kopp in the restored POUM position of the Ruta Orwell in the Sierra de Alcubierre. It was damned hot.

The Orwell Society field trip to Barcelona and the trenches (2013)

The Orwell Society field trip to Barcelona and the trenches (2015)

The Orwell Society field trip to Barcelona and the trenches (2019)

The Orwell Society field trip to Barcelona and the trenches (2022)

Photo of Orwell on the Aragón front

George Orwell in photo standing above the rest at Monflorite, March 1937. Eilen Blair sitting below him. Possibly taken by Georges Kopp. It’s often said that Orwell was shot through the neck by a sniper here on the Aragón front as was so tall (1.88m) but if he had been a bit shorter he may well have been shot in the head and that could have been it for the future author of 1984.

Harry Milton

POUM Antifascist Militia card issued to American Marxist Harry Milton. On 20 May 1937, Milton saved George Orwell’s life after the writer was shot through the neck by a sniper on the Aragón front, by quickly stopping the bleeding. Note that the card is in Catalan reflecting party’s strong (Marxist) Catalanist identity.

Robres museum

The small but excellent museum to the Spanish Civil War in Los Monegros in the village of Robres, very close to where George Orwell fought. Open weekends. I doubt very many people outside of Aragón visit but well worth also combined with a visit to the Orwell Route trenches and other sites

George Orwell tours in Aragón

Leaflet for tours in Spanish centred around George Orwell’s time on the Aragón front (2018). by local Orwell expert Victor Pardo

War tourism on the Aragon front

Leaflets explaining the war on the Aragón front.

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