Valentín González

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Valentín González (1909 – October 20, 1983) was a Republican military commander during the Spanish Civil War. Known as El Campesino ("the Peasant"), Valentin Gonzalez was one of many well-regarded officers to have served in the Ejército Popular (People's Army) of the Second Spanish Republic.

Born in Malcocinado, Badajoz, Spain, Gonzalez worked as a miner and was a member of a communist party, establishing one of the first militia units to counter Francisco Franco's Nationalist Army upon the outbreak of the Civil War. As a brigade commander, Gonzalez personally took part in all of the major actions that occurred during the Nationalists' assault on Madrid in 1936. He also commanded formations during the battles of the Corunna Road (December 1936), the Jarama, and Guadalajara (March 1937). In the summer of 1937, after the Battle of Brunete, Gonzalez had 400 prisoners of war ruthlessly executed in retaliation for atrocities on Republican captives.

He led his men in various battles during the campaigns in Aragon, Teruel, and Catalonia throughout the war, before being forced to emigrate to the Soviet Union upon the Nationalist victory in 1939. Soon, due to his independent character, he was sent to exile in Vorkuta where he worked as a brigadier of miners in a labor camp. Later he ran away from the Soviet Union, reportedly after being assigned a mission by NKVD.

He eventually moved to France, where he published a book containing a legendary version of his life in the Soviet Union.

Valentin Gonzalez later broke with Soviet authorities.

In 1963, he made several useless guerilla-type incursions in Spain. In 1978 he returned to live in Spain. He died in Madrid.