How many people served in the International Brigades altogether?
Volunteers for the International Brigades came from over 50 countries across the world to help the beleaguered Spanish Republic, many of them with bitter experiences of fighting against fascism and with personal scores to settle. Over 35,000 men and women left their homes to volunteer for the Republican forces, the majority of whom served in the International Brigades and international medical services. The largest single contingents came from France, Germany, Poland and Italy, though many also came from other European countries, including Britain and Ireland, Scandinavia, Hungary, Yugoslavia, the Netherlands, and Czechoslovakia. Other volunteers endured long journeys from as far away as the USA (including a number of African-Americans), Canada, Mexico, Cuba, South America, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Jewish volunteers comprised a significant minority.
