Dolores Ibárruri
Date: October 2, 1936
Source: Speeches and Articles pp. 24 & 25 , Foreign Languages Publishing House, 1938
First Published: Vechernaya Moskva
Public Domain: Marxists Internet Archive (2005). You may freely copy, distribute, display and perform this work; as well as make derivative and commercial works. Please credit “Marxists Internet Archive” as your source.
Dear Ruben,
Forgive me for not having written to you for so long. But you know, of course, that I never forget you. I just had a tremendous amount of work to do.
You cannot even imagine, my son, how savage is the struggle now going on in Spain.
Fascism is trying with all its might to seize the heart of the Spanish people in its bloody claws. But the Spanish people have risen up in a magnificent urge in their own defence, and prefer to die rather than become the slaves of fascism. Fighting is going on daily and hourly. And in this fighting some of our finest and most coura- geous comrades have perished, have sacrificed themselves to the last.
Abaflaz died the death of a hero in the storming of the barracks of La Montafla. You know these barracks, of course, they are situated near the Plaza d'Espaiia where the monument of Don Quixote stands. I have spent many days at the front among the men of the na- tional militia and the civil guard. They are all fighting with equal courage and equal enthusiasm.
It is my hope that in spite of all difficulties, particularly the lack of arms, we shall nevertheless win. It may be that we shall all perish in this struggle, but you, my son, must be strong. Think of our ideals, be ready to fight without weakness, be ready to sacrifice yourself to the end in behalf of our cause.
Lean to work and to understand political questions. You, must also be strong physically. Study theory, which will enable you to understand all that is going on from the Marxist standpoint. Be kind to your comrades. Never for a moment doubt that communism is the only ideal to which it is worth devoting one's whole life.
Tell Amaya that I am very well. I have no news from your father because communications have been cut. Ask Amaya to write me in Madrid; and you write too.
My love and hopes are with you both.
Good-bye, my son! Your mother loves you more than her own life and kisses you passionately.
Dolores.