The Dimitrov Battalion was part of the International Brigades during the Spanish Civil War.

It was the 18th battalion formed, and was named after Georgi Dimitrov, a Bulgarian communist and General Secretary of the Comintern in that period.

[3] The first commander of the battalion was the Bulgarian Ivan Paunov (pseudonym Grebenarov) who perished under frontal attack on 12 February 1937.

On 20 September 1937 the Dimitrovs were moved to 45th International Division Reserve, where the battalion was rebuilt.

Its last commander, Josef Pavel,[5] became a cabinet minister during Alexander Dubček's Prague Spring in 1968.