abstract
| - Magdalena Flores, better known as "La Martellita" ('the little hammer') was a Communist official of the Spanish Republic. Her nom de guerre was a loose translation of Molotov. In 1939, it fell to her to discipline Chaim Weinberg when the latter was being too candid in sharing his political opinions. Weinberg was attracted to La Martellita, a stunningly beautiful woman, and attempted to flirt with her, much to her disgust. Weinberg next entrapped her into quoting Leon Trotsky, the "Red Antichrist." After having done so, La Martellita realized she had given Weinberg damning information he could use against her if she made her discipline harsh. La Martellita reluctantly sent him away with very light discipline. She was even afraid to deny him when he asked for her real name. In 1940, after the event known as "the big switch", which saw Britain and France join their former enemy Germany against the Soviet Union, La Martellita, believing now that the Republican cause was doomed, became severely intoxicated in a pub in Madrid. She found a sympathetic ear in Weinberg, who helped carry her home. La Martellita allowed Weinberg into her bed, and let him stay the next day while he helped her with her hangover. She became pregnant. The two married, with La Martellita stating her intention to divorce Weinberg upon the birth of their child. La Martellita named her son Carlos Federico Weinberg after The Communist Manifesto authors Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. She soon got into an intimate relationship with a Soviet military officer much to Weinberg's anger and envy. She also followed through on her plan to divorce Weinberg.
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