Valentin González

Valentin González González (Malcocinado , 1909 - Madrid, 1983) was a Republican military commander during the Spanish Civil War.

Known as "El Campesino", Valentin Gonzalez was one of many well-regarded officers to have served in the Ejecito Popular (Popular Army) of the Second Spanish Republic.

Born in Spain, Gonzalez worked as a miner and was a member of a communist party, establishing one of the first militia units to counter the Nationalist Army upon the outbreak of the Spanish 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 Corunna Road (December 1936) and Guadalajara (March 1937).

In the summer of 1937, after Battle of Brunete , Gonzalez had 400 prisoners-of-war ruthlessly executed in retaliation for atrocities on Republican POWs.

He led his men in various battles during the campaigns in Aragon, Teruel, and Catalunya throughout the war before being forced to go into exile in the Soviet Union upon the Nationalist victory in 1939.

Valentin Gonzalez later denounced Stalin and was jailed in a Soviet concentration camp in Vakuta. He eventually moved to France, where he made several useless guerrilla incursions in Spain in 1963. In 1978 he returned to Spain.