Red October in Asturias

"Red October in Asturias" by José Díaz Fernández (1898-1941) is a pivotal "documentary novel" that meticulously recounts the Asturian Revolution of October 1934. This general strike, initiated by the Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE) and its unions, is widely regarded as a crucial precursor to the Spanish Civil War. Unlike many propagandistic accounts, Díaz Fernández's narrative offers a remarkably nuanced and moderate perspective, avoiding simplistic rhetoric to present a complex historical analysis.

The novel delves into the causes and consequences of the uprising, from the victory of the conservative CEDA in the 1933 elections—which sparked fears for the Second Republic's future—to the rapid radicalization of Asturian miners facing economic decline. Díaz Fernández, a key figure in the "literatura de avanzada" movement, uses his work to "rehumanize art" by combining avant-garde literary discoveries with profound political commitment.

"Red October in Asturias" is structured with a "direct, simple, and raw" realism, as advocated by proletarian novelists, often reminiscent of Eisenstein's revolutionary cinema in its use of a collective protagonist. The narrative highlights the brutal repression led by General Francisco Franco and the deployment of Moroccan colonial troops, critiquing the escalating rhetoric of both left and right that ultimately endangered the Republic.

This Stockcero edition, edited by Adolfo Campoy-Cubillo, provides a unique opportunity for English-speaking readers to engage with this essential historical and literary testimony. It illuminates Díaz Fernández's call for critical reflection on the consequences of armed confrontation and his enduring belief in a democratic system that is "powerful and feared" enough to resist authoritarianism.