History doesn't repeat itself, but it tends to draw on the same causes and produce some identical effects. Even today, the growing defeat of democracy and Enlightenment values in Europe and around the world is a legitimate cause for concern and raises the specter of fascism. The last century saw nightmares for the populations of Spain, Germany, and Italy in the 1920s and 30s-to limit ourselves to Europe. One question remains: how was the resistance organized? How did the anti-fascists mobilize? Historian Jacques Droz produced a comprehensive synthesis of this movement in Europe, published in 1985. La Découverte publishers have reissued it, and it proves to be a fascinating read. For once, the phrase "essential reference work" is not an exaggeration. How did we get to this point? Could it have been foreseen? These are questions that resonate with our current events in 2026.
Stéphanie Prezioso wrote the preface. We know this historian particularly for her work coordinating the book *When Night Falls: International Volunteers Against Fascism (Spain 1936-1939)*, published by Syllepse in 2026 (see *Des Idées et des luttes*, June 6, 2026). She denounces the decline of left-wing culture, the relativization and revaluation of historical fascism. For Jacques Droz, the goal is to understand the fascist phenomenon, the reasons for the defeat of its opponents, and to restore antifascism to its historical dimension. *No pasaran* was not enough! For him, as Stéphanie Prezioso points out, "antifascism is a concrete practice and not an ideology, a political practice" that the communists will use. He describes the complex political experiences and commitments, particularly those of intellectuals, that constitute a European history. It is worth noting that this vast synthesis was completed before the advent of new
academic research techniques. The reader will be captivated by the breadth and precision of the information. Droz presents the phenomenon country by country and organization by organization. He begins with Mussolini's rise to power and concludes his work with the outbreak of the Second World War. For him, "Long before it was a reality, fascism was a movement, whose menacing rise was rendered almost inevitable by the mistakes made by its adversaries." The greatest mistake was certainly the division and lack of awareness among the left, with the exception of Trotsky, whose voice was barely heard
Jacques Droz takes us to Italy, revealing the futility of purely verbal opposition. Fascism in power will suppress freedoms and arrest opponents. In Germany, the power of the SPD and the unions blinded their leaders. A reference to Daniel Guérin's book, *La Peste brune* (Ed. Syllepse, 2026), is included (see *Des Idées et des luttes*, January 3, 2026). Exile is the only solution in the face of a formidable Gestapo. We know the fate of those who remain. Anti-fascists leave for France, the USSR if they are communists, or Czechoslovakia, hence Hitler's hatred for that country. Walter Benjamin, Bertolt Brecht, Thomas Mann, and Anna Seghers are among the best known, but many others experience misery, mistrust, arrests, and being handed over to the Nazis. We didn't know? The writer Rudolf Leonhard warned: "Those who do not understand the mechanisms of fascism will become its victims[...]; one cannot afford to be naive."
And what about Austria, the Balkan countries, and Central Europe? Jacques Droz delivers a captivating panorama, demonstrating fascinating insights. In France? The mobilization of intellectuals is the starting point, but political organizations are divided. Within the SFIO (French Section of the Workers' International), anti-Semitic remarks against Léon Blum, who favored rearmament, are odious. The same is true within the Radical Party. In the 1930s, the seeds of Pétainism are sown; the July 1940 vote in Vichy are germinating. Despite the Spanish Civil War, this growing awareness does not translate into effective action. In Great Britain, the author highlights the often-overlooked influence of fascism. Clearly, Spain encapsulates the stakes, serving as a prelude to the Second World War. Note the emphasis placed on the role of anarchists, which is rare for a social-democratic historian.
Understanding the Failure of Antifascism
In his conclusion, Jacques Droz provides three types of explanation for the failure of antifascism:
- The misinterpretation by its opponents of the true nature of fascism, believing that it could be subjected to the normal rules to which humanity was accustomed, without fully grasping the barbarity of both leaders and subordinates;
- The division within the workers' movement, from the Congress of Tours to the Congress of Livorno, and the Second and Third Internationals;
- The legacy of the First World War, where any abdication was preferable to the repetition of such a massacre.
The author emphasizes: "It was only after the defeats of the Axis[Germany, Italy, Japan]in 1942 that antifascism became a force that the belligerents had to reckon with in their military planning."
A word from Friedrich Wolf, German playwright and writer: "You must form a clear image of your opponent if you want to be able to crush him."
* Jacques Droz
History of Antifascism in Europe
1923-1939
, La Découverte, 2026
https://monde-libertaire.net/?articlen=9187
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Source: A-infos-en@ainfos.ca
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