Anarchist or rebel?
In the investigations conducted on Picasso, he “was reported as an anarchist in 1905 when he resided at 130 boulevard de Clichy in the home of one of his compatriots, also an anarchist and under police supervision.”[1] Documents from the Foreigners' Department of the Préfecture de police show that already in 1918 it was not easy to reside in a country other than one's own. Ambroise Vollard and Georges Braque were Picasso's references and attested to “his good character and morality, as well as his positive sentiment towards France.” The artist, “who was married on July 12, 1918 in Paris to Olga Khoklova, of Russian origin (in good standing), [...] meets with the requirements regulating the residency of foreign citizens.”[2]
The political and social situation in France, the toxic climate and the repeated scandals fuelled a muted sense of protest. The upturn of 1936 – the Popular Front – was not enough to erase the widespread fears and anxieties, especially since the outbreak of civil war in Spain and its repercussions on the discord in France – even though public opinion, which continued to be strong, tended to support peace after the 1914-1918 bloodbath. The debacle of 1940 showed that in the interwar period France had not overcome the victory of 1918 nor the political turmoil of the 1930s, while fascist movements had been emerging in France and Europe.
In Spain, in 1936, the military forces rose up against the Republic. General Francisco Franco Bahamonde took over the operations with Generals Mola and Sanjurjo. The French government was divided on its policy regarding the situation in Spain. Léon Blum had the Council of Ministers adopt the principle of an “international convention of non-interference.” By September, twenty-seven countries had responded positively to the convention – including Italy and Germany, which were already supplying arms to the military junta. In October, the battle of Madrid began. The Nationalists hoped to take the city quickly, but were faced with fierce resistance. The Republican forces received support from the first units of the International Brigades. Out of some 35,000 members (Germans, Italians, English, etc.), the French numbered nearly 10,000. From the autumn of 1937 onwards, as the Brigades had suffered considerable losses, the Spaniards became the majority. Many would later join the Resistance.
[1] Archives of the Préfecture de police, op. cit.
[2] Archives of the Paris Préfecture de police, Ruiz Pablo Picasso file, IC 5_74664. Information about Picasso can be found in the archives of the General Police Directorate, Aliens Department (IC 5_74664) and those of the General Intelligence Department (GA 230_204648).
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Summary