Physical Description

An irregular, oblong, rounded rectangle constructed of silvered war material, the obverse bears the image of a woman and a child in front of a warrior with a helmet, holding a dagger in one hand and a scale in the other, with a small coat of arms at the bottom and laurel foliage on the left and right, the reverse bears the inscription LA VILLA E AVIELS AGREDACIDA A SUS DEFENSORES DURANTE LA HUELGA REVOLUCIONARIA OCTUBRE 1934, on a black ribbon.

History

There is little information regarding this item.

The Revolution of 1934 began in October. The entrance of the conservative Spanish Confederation of the Autonomous Right (CEDA) into the Spanish government triggered the revolt. Most of the events occurred in Asturias and Catalonia. The General Union of Workers (UGT) and the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) supported the movement. The revolt manifested heavily in Oviedo, the capital city of Asturias and developed into a small civil war - the Asturian miners strike of 1934. Approximately 50,000 workers, majority of which were miners, armed themselves and captured the city. Aviles, another town in Asturias, was involved in the revolt. The workers gained control of the arsenal, and the Army Chief of Staff sent soldiers to control the revolt. Fighting ensued and the rebels faced 3000 casualties and 7000 wounded. The eight-century chapel in Oviedo was damaged after the chapel was blown up.