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“...

and that government of the people,

Volunteer
by the people, and for the people,
shall not perish from the earth.”
ABRAHAM LINCOLN

The
JOURNAL OF THE VETERANS OF THE ABRAHAM LINCOLN BRIGADE

Vol. XXIII, No.3 Sept 2001

An Event to Remember,
New Hampshire State Senator Burt Cohen and
Studs Terkel spoke at VALB’s 65th anniversary in NY,
see page 4
RICHARD BERMACK
BY
PHOTO

T he C ivil War in
the C ivil War,
see page 6 Josep Perelló remembers Chicago VALB says goodbye
Ebro’s cave hospital, see to Peter Glazer, Bay Area says
page 12 hello, page 3
Robert Capa Documentary Seeks Vets

Letters AMERICAN MASTERS, the award-winning arts


and culture biography series produced by WNET/-
THIRTEEN for national PBS broadcast, is in the
research and development phase for a 90-minute docu-
NEW BOOK ABOUT SPANISH CIVIL mentary film on the life of Robert Capa (1913-1954), the
WAR AND CINEMA renowned war photographer who devoted his life to
Dear friends, creating the visual legacy of five wars.
I am enclosing the description of a new book about Robert Capa was committed to telling the true story
films and the Spanish Civil War, titled La Guerra Civil of war and its effects on the men and women who
española: cine y propaganda (Ariel Publications, 299 pages, served. With this film, the first biographical documen-
ISBN 84-344-6626-0). Its author, Magi Crusells, is a research tary portrait of Capa, we have the unique opportunity
fellow of the University of Barcelona and has been working to pay tribute to this extraordinary man.
in the cinema related to the Spanish Civil War for many It is our sincere hope that by reaching out to veter-
years now. His doctoral thesis was “The International ans who had personal connections with Robert Capa, or
Brigaders in Film Documentaries.” Magi teaches history in direct knowledge about his life and/or work, we will be
a college in the province of Barcelona and is secretary of able to enhance our film with exclusive stories and orig-
the magazine Film-Historia, a publication of the inal materials.
Department of Contemporary History of the University of If you knew Robert Capa and have any evocative sto-
Barcelona. ries, photos, audio recordings or moving images, please let
The book is very well researched, with a clear and us know so that we may share them with the audience of
thorough style, and has the advantage that it is for every- this film. If you or anyone in your family was ever the
body, not only academics. Professor Paul Preston very subject of one of Capa’s photographs, please tell us your
recently said to me that La Guerra Civil española: cine y pro- tales of working with Capa or the anecdotes that have been
paganda is a very interesting book. What a good told to you.
recommendation! You can reach Joanna Rudnick and the American
The book studies the relationship between the Spanish Masters: Robert Capa Project at 1-800-426-7027, ext. 2966 or
Civil War and cinema, using films as testimony of society by email at RudnickJ@thirteen.org.
and mentalities and as new ways to understand or teach We welcome your contributions to the film.
history.
The book has 8 chapters: (1) a chronology of the Civil
War by Spanish documentary films between 1936 and
1939; (2) the Spanish production companies during the
war; (3) the foreign production companies during the war;
(4) two documentary films compared: Mourir á Madrid/To
Die in Madrid (1963, dir. Eric Rossif) and Morir en España/To
The Volunteer
Journal of the
Die in Spain (1965, dir. Mariano Ozores); (5) the oral history
by Spanish documentary films after Franco (1975-1977),
Veterans of the
analyzing various films, especially La vieja memoria/The Old Abraham Lincoln Brigade
Memory (1977, dir. Jaime Camino); (6) fiction films I, which an ALBA publication
describes Spanish cinematography between 1939 and 1975,
studying various films, especially Raza/Race (1941, dir. José 799 Broadway, Rm. 227
Luis Sáenz de Heredia), adaptation of the script written by New York, NY 10003
Franco; (7) fiction films II, which examines Spanish cine- (212) 674-5552
matography between 1976 and 1999, analyzing various
films, especially Libertarias (1996, dir. Vicente Aranda); and
(8) fiction films III, which explores foreign cinematography Editorial Board
between 1939 and 1999, studying various films, especially Peter Carroll • Leonard Levenson
Land and Freedom (1995, dir. Ken Loach). The book also has Fraser Ottanelli • Abe Smorodin
a bibliography. Design Production
Richard Bermack
Lala Isla
Editorial Assistance
Nancy Van Zwalenburg
Submission of Manuscripts
Please send manuscripts by E-mail or on disk.
More letters on page 22 E-mail: volunteer@rb68.com

2 THE VOLUNTEER, Sept 2001


Chicago Friends Celebrate Fourth Year
The Chicago Friends of the that proclamation was his last official successful events, including a celebra-
Lincoln Brigade gathered to celebrate act before his fatal heart attack a few tion of Paul Robeson’s centennial,
their fourth year of organized activity days later). Incidentally, Nancy “The Artist Must Take Sides,” and
on June 17 and also to say goodbye to Mikelsons, who is here today, read La two successful events around “Heart
Peter Glazer, musical director and cre- Pasionara’s speech at that event, and of Spain,” as well as a symposium on
ator of The Heart of Spain and We Must Peggy Lipschutz, also here, designed Northwestern’s campus around the
Remember! who is leaving Chicago to the poster that was given to the sur- Spanish Civil War. He worked with a
join the Theater and Performance viving vets (which was quite a few committee to help draft the first docu-
Studies Department at the University more than we have today). ment on “Why A Monument” in
of California at Berkeley. Chicago It was when we were planning Chicago. And to top it off he did his
singer Jamie O’Reilly acted as emcee our first event that Jamie introduced dissertation research (which he’s
for the affair, while veteran Chuck us to Peter, and it was he who orches- going to tell us about today) around
Hall presented a farewell message. trated that very successful the topic of commemorative events
The Chicago Friends have resolved to and wonderful affair at Roosevelt and the role of theater, using VALB
enroll 100 new ALBA Associates to University in May 1997 at which we and ALBA events as his focus. He
honor Glazer’s work. celebrated the 60th anniversary, with interviewed many Chicago vets as
Chuck Hall’s remarks follow: Peter Carroll as our main speaker. A part of his work.
“From the very beginning our own “connoisseur” like Fred Fine, former Words cannot convey how much
Peter Glazer has been the ultimate Cultural Director for the City of we’re going to miss him—but we’re
“friend” of the Friends. In my mind Chicago, called it “perfect,” and we going to keep in touch. Peter has just
Jamie and Peter are linked—I first met know it couldn’t have been done with- become a member of the ALBA Board,
Jamie at a Gala celebration of the out Peter. and we are determined to increase our
Women and Labor History Project at I remember in the beginning we ties with ALBA. I think it would be a
the UNITE Union Hall. She came up called ourselves “Chicago Friends of nice tribute to Peter if we were to
and said she was working on songs of VALB and ALBA.” Peter said that was pledge to recruit 100 new members
the Spanish Civil War and asked if she quite a mouthful, and we cut it in half, from the Chicago area in his honor,
could come over to my house to talk. and that’s how CFLB was born. and so I’m going to propose that as a
What she and Michael Smith were And so it has been for 4 years. goal for the next meeting of the
working on eventually became Peter has participated in our meet- Chicago Friends.
“Pasiones”—this tremendous perfor- ings and helped put on a series of
mance piece that has been done from
coast to coast and is available on CD.
And it was Peter who directed that
first performance at the Lunar
Cabaret—and many more after that.
The next thing that happened—in
November, 1996—Bobby and I went
to Spain for the 60th anniversary of
the International Brigades, sponsored
by that wonderful organization the

RICHARD BERMACK
“Amigos”—the Asociación des
Amigos de las Brigadas
Internationale. On the way home from
Spain, talking on the plane with Joyce
and Aaron Hilkevitch, we decided to
BY

have a Chicago celebration of the 60th


PHOTO

anniversary.
You should know that there
hadn’t been a public event in Chicago
with the Lincolns for 10 years. There Spanish Consul General Lorenzo Gonzalez-Alonso and Milt Wolff
was a big event for the 50th anniver-
sary, at which time Mayor Harold
San Francisco Honors Milt Wolff and the Lincoln Brigade
Washington issued a proclamation in The San Francisco Board of Supervisors declared July 25 Milton Wolff day, in
honor of Oliver Law and Veterans of honor of the Lincoln Brigade crossing the Ebro River in Spain, July 25, 1938.
the Abraham Lincoln Brigade. (Sadly, The day culminated in a reception at the home of the Spanish Consul General.

THE VOLUNTEER, Sept 2001 3


VA L B C e l e b r a t e s 6 5 t h
A n n i v e r s a r y i n N e w Yo r k

RICHARD BERMACK
BY
PHOTO
The vets take the stage, and Moe Fishman wins the audience’s hearts with a quick verbal riposte. After failing three times
to pronounce the word “globalization,” he quipped: “It was so much easier when we called it ‘imperialism.’”

By Sue Susman ‘50s through the current anti-global- their 80s or older, stood beneath the
“Why fight?” New Hampshire ization movements in Seattle and fraying fringes of the Lincoln
State Senator Burton Cohen asked Quebec—with everything in between. Brigade’s banner as the audience rose
himself when opponents took down a Studs was introduced by Nation to its feet. Each veteran took a minute
plaque honoring the Abraham Lincoln magazine publisher Victor Navasky, to explain why he went to fight,
Brigade from the statehouse wall. His whose readings from Terkel’s book, exhorting us to activism.
answer came from the Lincolns them- Talking to Myself, showed the author’s The emotional underpinnings of
selves, Cohen told the 800-plus unfailing generosity—even to the FBI that activism came to life with
audience who came to honor the vet- men whose employment he assured. Pasiones, a musical trio presenting a
erans at their 65th reunion at the Terkel, he concluded, was not only wider range of Spanish Civil War
Borough of Manhattan Community this nation’s oral historian, but also its songs than we’ve heard in many
College. The Lincolns “exemplify moral historian. (Studs Terkel’s talk is years. With beautiful vocal harmonies
going beyond oneself, caring about available on audiotape; send $5 to and creative guitar and clarinet
something bigger,” said Cohen. So he ALBA, Room 227, 799 Broadway, NY, accompaniment, Jamie O’Reilly,
could not let McCarthyism reappear NY 10003.) Michael Smith, and Katrina O’Reilly
unchallenged. The result: all of New Terkel’s fellow historians, moral sang cabaret-style, showing the pas-
Hampshire now knows about the or otherwise, will have a great deal to sion, fear, and poignancy that
Bridgade, and a hefty portion want to examine, given the growth of the accompanied and moved the Lincolns
restore the plaque. Abraham Lincoln Brigade’s archives, and their international comrades.
“Why fight?” asked author and now at NYU’s Tamiment Library, and The program, directed by ALBA’s
radio host Studs Terkel, whose text for ALBA’s educational exhibits that were Peter Glazer and emceed with humor
the afternoon’s “sermon” was taken summarized by board member Fraser and skill by Henry Foner, proved to
from this country’s labor and freedom Ottanelli. Then there are the many be an inspiring success. Lots of people
struggles, home for many Lincolns. recent press clippings read by VALB also worked behind the scenes,
Because, said the silver-haired Studs, spokesman Moe Fishman, covering including production manager Sam
the Lincolns “are crazy enough to veterans’ activities from one end of Ellis, Sylvia Thompson, Moe Fishman,
dream of a world in which people the country to the other. To complete Diane Fraher, Miriam Gittleson,
treat each other decently.” The audi- the record, Moe noted vets’ recent Charles Bayor, Ruth Ost, and Camp
ence responded with cheers. “To demonstrations against the Navy Kinderland’s Social Action
demonstrate,” he pointed out, is to presence in Vieques and a managerial Committee.
live, and the Lincolns and their fol- coup at a local Pacifica radio station. We’ll be back for the 66th next
lowers have lived powerfully, Then Moe summoned his com- year .
demonstrating from the McCarthyite rades to the stage, and the vets, all in
4 THE VOLUNTEER, Sept 2001
Canadian Volunteers to
Unveil O tta wa M e mo ri al
By Jules Pavio missions. The winning entry calls for vered, however, and now have a fine
A national memorial monument a 14-foot-high plate of corten steel, site, near the Canada and World
honoring the Canadian volunteers of out of which has been cut a dramatic Pavilion, close to the Ottawa River.
the International Brigades will be silhouette of Prometheus, the Greek We’ve also had to deal with the
unveiled in Ottawa on October 20 in a god who brought fire to humans and very demanding architectural stan-
ceremony hosted by the Honorable was subsequently punished by the dards of the government. Anti-
Adrienne Clarkson, Governor General gods for his defiance of autocratic graffiti coatings, extra deep footings
of Canada, at Green Island Park. The authority. Incorporated into the site for Ottawa winters, and molding
monument pays tribute to some 1,545 design is a memorial wall bearing details on the concrete walls, among
Canadians, most of whom served in stainless steel plates on which are others things, have all added to the
the Mackenzie-Papineau battalion, inscribed the names of the approxi- design—and cost—and extended the
which, with the Lincoln and British mately 1500 volunteers who traveled process of review and approval.
battalions, formed part of the 15th to Spain from Canada. Happily, we started construction dur-
Brigade. Other speakers at the cere- A number of sites were proposed ing the summer.
mony will include Jose Cuenta, for the monument, requiring several In parallel we’ve obtained gov-
Spain’s ambassador to Canada; offi- visits to Ottawa. As one site or anoth- ernment review and approval of the
cials of the Canadian government; and er became unavailable, revisions to
continued on page 13
members of the Mac-Paps. After the the design were required. We perse-
unveiling, a reception will be held at
the adjacent Canada and World
Pavilion with music, entertainment,
and refreshments.
New Hampshire Monument
For more information about the
affair, contact Jules Pavio (705-524-
Still on Hold
1775; FAX 705-524-5943) or email: By Burton Cohen and a possible rewording. After this
ccfatoronto@lefca.com. It goes up and down. Sometimes meeting the infamous, rabid Union
The monument is the culmination it looks impossible. Occasionally there Leader published yet another vicious
of many years of lobbying on the part is a seeming breakthrough. The old editorial attacking me. But in doing
of the Veterans and Friends of the holes in the wall where the plaque so, they simply isolate and marginal-
Mackenzie-Papineau Battalion. There was supposed to be are well repaired ize themselves. Actually, the editorial
has been a long-standing opposition and invisible now. It is erased, which writer has been let go from the paper.
to a monument in the nation’s capital, seems to be what has been the case for She is leaving, I am still here.
but in recent years the groups the Lincolns and many others in U.S. You should know that there’s a
opposed have largely withdrawn or history. Erased, not useful to the offi- state senator on the subcommittee
muted their objections. The result is cial line. Our job is to continue to fight who basically equates all communists
that by 1999, the National Capital to make the truth known. with the North Koreans, whom he
Commission, a federal commission People across New Hampshire personally fought. Lost friends, etc.
responsible for approving the build- often come up to me and say how Very hot about the Korean War, he is.
ing of monuments in Ottawa, granted pleased they are that I did “the plaque Anyhow, his presence as head of
its conditional approval. thing.” Really, it’s great. My goal to Senate Finance (which should make
What had been up to then a mon- wake up New Hampshire to the Wall Street nervous about the state’s
ument lobbying activity has now exceptionally proud history of the vol- finances!) and admitted power among
become a monument building activi- unteers for liberty has been met far the Republicans makes it rather
ty. We’ve been through fund raising, more successfully than I could have unlikely this plaque will be hung in
a design competition, site selection, imagined. The fact is, in New the State House. However, we are
and design reviews with the Hampshire people have been talking looking into other sites, at a possible
Commission, all demanding process- about the Lincoln Brigade. auction of the original plaque. The
es that sometimes produced a certain It has, of course, died down quite famous World Fellowship Center,
nostalgia for the old lobbying days! a bit in the legislature, as we are which was harassed in the 1950s for
We started out on a strong foot- focused on a budget and ways to pay its progressive politics, is interested in
ing. A design competition held in for the schools. There is a subcommit-
continued on page 13
May 2000 produced 10 excellent sub- tee that met once to discuss the plaque
THE VOLUNTEER, Sept 2001 5
The Civil War
By Paul Preston people, it is the only book on the British, American and French govern-
About six months ago, in what Spanish Civil War that they will ever ments. Stalin has a lot to answer for but
was meant to be a judicious contribu- read – its year-on-year sales show that NOT for Franco’s victory.”
tion to a debate about George Orwell it outsells any other single book on the The immediate consequence was
on the ALBA internet discussion list, I war. So, it is not a question of attacking that I received some obscene hate mail
posted the following paragraph. “ For Orwell–although his perceptions are from someone claiming to be a distin-
what it’s worth, my view of the prob- often wrong precisely because they are guished scholar. I had not known
lem concerning Orwell’s Homage to so narrow and so localised. It is a ques- until then that distinguished scholars,
Catalonia and, by extension, Ken tion of Orwell’s book in isolation giving even self-proclaimed ones, used such
Loach’s Land and Freedom lies not so the impression that the key events of words or even knew what they mean.
much in what they say but in their the war took place on the Aragón front My distress at having to read such
audiences and how they are per- and during the May Days of 1937 and, filth is not the point, of course. I sup-
ceived. Orwell’s book is an interesting worst of all, the idea that the Spanish pose I was naïve to think that a
eyewitness account by a partial wit- Republic was defeated because of reasonable debate was possible among
ness of a tiny fragment of the Spanish Communist policy. Orwell’s book those who would claim to be anti-fas-
Civil War. If I were assembling a list makes it too easy to forget that the cists. Since there are nearly 20,000
of one hundred or so important books Spanish Republic was defeated by books written on the Spanish Civil
on the war, I would probably include Franco, Hitler, Mussolini, and the pusil- War, reasonableness seems to me to be
it. Unfortunately, for thousands of lanimity and narrow-mindedness of the a basic requirement of debate, if only
in recognition of the huge amount to
be read before setting off to pontifi-
Editor’s Note: Several weeks ago, in July, Yale University Press published a long- cate. Having spent more than 30 years
awaited book of documents relating to Soviet policy and the Spanish Civil War titled studying the Spanish Civil War and
Spain Betrayed: The Soviet Union in the Spanish Civil War, edited by Ronald still believing myself to be in the
Radosh, Mary R. Habeck, and Grigory Sevostianov. The book has received wide atten- foothills of knowledge on the subject, I
tion around the country, including reviews in the New York Times Book Review never cease to be amazed by those
(as well as the Times’s regular edition), the Wall Street Journal, and a front-page who, without having fully served the
review in the Los Angeles Times’s Sunday Book Review (followed by a review of necessary apprenticeship, launch in,
George Orwell’s writings about Spain, Bernard Knox’s “The Confessions of a ‘Pre- not with contributions to debate, but
mature Anti-Fascist,’” which appeared originally as the first ALBA-Bill Susman with exclusivist and categorical state-
Lecture in 1998, and poems by Federico Garcia Lorca). ments that invite no reply.
In addition, Nation columnist Christopher Hitchens published a favorable review This is by way of prelude to say-
of the book in the Wilson Quarterly that concluded with the following words: ing that one of the benefits to be
“The survivors of the International Brigades publish a journal that presumably derived from years of study should be
will have to review this volume; it will be interesting to see how they confront the an ability to see more than one side of
frigid cynicism of the archive. It is clear that the brave volunteers were repeatedly and any particular question. It should also
systematically manipulated, and their reputation exploited, by a nexus of commissars provide the wider context with which
whose names very often turn up in the later Stalinization of Eastern Europe. Yet, per- to evaluate the many questions.
haps paradoxically, this book is not just another rebuke to misguided idealism. It shows Hence the final sentence of the posting
that Spanish democracy was vital and vivid enough to resist the false friend in to the ALBA list which saw my mail-
Moscow, to continue fighting Hitler´s and Mussolini´s mercenaries at the same time, box filled with such unpleasantness.
and ultimately to outlive both communism and fascism. Some defeats are exemplary as The Volunteer has invited me to
well as moving, and the murder of the Spanish Republic is indubitably preeminent review the collection of Soviet docu-
among them.” ments on the Spanish Civil War
To address these important questions, the editors have asked the preeminent published by Yale University Press as
English scholar Paul Preston, historian at the London School of Economics, to under- Spain Betrayed. Before doing so, I
take a full review of Spain Betrayed, which will appear in the next issue of the wanted to be able to put it into the
Volunteer. Meanwhile, Professor Preston has invited us to reprint selections from his wider context I see as so crucial.
essay about Orwell and filmmaker Ken Loach (Land and Freedom) to provide a his- Accordingly, what follows, which is
torical context for his forthcoming essay. Portions of this piece originally appeared in based on an article I published in 1996
the New Statesman. in the British weekly, the New
Statesman, will, I hope, provide some
6 THE VOLUNTEER, Sept 2001
in the C ivil W a r
prior thoughts on Orwell and Ken Despite this, the surviving volunteers and a mixed bag of petty bourgeois
Loach’s film, which owes so much to fought in the Second World War— Republicans, some of whom were ide-
Orwell, as a preface to the forthcom- after all, the antifascist war was their alists and many of whom were cynics.
ing review of Spain Betrayed. war. They are not bitter about the lack Together, they hoped, despite consid-
of universal recognition of their con- erable disagreement over the finer
In 1996, the Spanish government tribution to the defeat of fascism. They details, to use state power to create a
granted citizenship to the surviving are, however, outraged at the belief new Spain by curtailing the reac-
members of the International Brigades fostered by the success of Ken Loach’s tionary influence of the Church and
who fought against fascism during the Land and Freedom that the fight of the the Army, by the break-up of the great
Civil War. It was a welcome but belat- brigaders and of the Spanish people estates or latifundios and by granting
ed gesture of gratitude and a fulfilment was not a fight against Spanish fas- the autonomy demands of Basque and
of the emotional words spoken by the cism and its German and Italian allies Catalan regionalists. These hopes, and
Communist leader Dolores Ibarruri, but rather part of an internecine leftist the atmosphere of popular fiesta
“Pasionaria,” at the farewell parade civil war in which the central enemy which had greeted the coming of the
held in Barcelona for the Brigaders on was the Communist Party. Republic, were soon blunted by the
October 29, 1938. Her moving speech For all its many merits, Loach’s strength of the old order’s defenses.
ended: “Political reasons, reasons of script seems oblivious to two central Social and economic power—
state, the good of that same cause for facts about the Spanish Civil War: in its ownership of the land, the banks and
which you offered your blood with origins, it was a Spanish social war and, industry, as well as of the principal
limitless generosity, send some of you in its course and outcome, it was an newspapers and radio stations—
back to your countries and some to episode in a greater European Civil remained unchanged. Those who held
forced exile. You can go with pride. War that ended in 1945. The anniver- that power were united with the
You are history. You are legend. You sary of the electoral victory of the Church and the Army in being deter-
are the heroic example of the solidarity Popular Front in Spain, on February 19, mined to prevent any attacks on
and the universality of democracy. . . 1936, is an appropriate moment to property, religion or national unity.
We will not forget you; and, when the reflect on where that left-wing alliance Their repertoire of defense was rich
olive tree of peace puts forth its leaves, came from and the Spanish problems and varied. Propaganda, through the
entwined with the laurels of the that it faced and on its heroic defense right’s powerful press networks and
Spanish Republic’s victory, come back! against, and ultimate defeat at the from the pulpit of every parish
Come back to us and here you will find hands of, the forces of international fas- church, denounced the efforts to carry
a homeland.” It has taken 60 years, but cism. It will be seen that Loach’s film out reform as the subversive work of
the Spaniards are not the only ones to about the fate of a small Trotskyist mili- Moscow. New political parties were
be late in giving their thanks. tia unit fighting on the peripheral founded and lavishly funded to
The volunteers who went were Aragón front should be regarded by no defend the interests of the most pow-
among the first in Europe to do some- one as explaining anything much about erful sections of society. Conspiracies
thing about the fascist menace. Italian, the Spanish Civil War. were hatched to overthrow the new
German and Austrian refugees saw When the Second Republic was regime. Government and trade union
the Spanish Civil War as their first established in 1931, people thronged officials who sought to implement the
chance to fight back against fascism. the streets of Spain’s cities in an out- Republic’s timid agrarian reform were
French (the most numerous contin- burst of anticipatory joy. The new terrorized by thugs in the pay of the
gent), British and North American regime raised inordinate hopes among big owners. Rural and industrial lock-
volunteers went to Spain out of con- the most humble members of society out became a regular response to
cern about what defeat for the and was seen as a threat by the most legislation aimed at protecting worker
Republic might mean for the rest of privileged, the landowners, industrial- interests.
the world. They were the first in the ists and bankers, and their defenders So successful were the obstacles
field in a war which would not end in the armed forces and the Church. erected to reform that by 1933 the
until 1945. These “premature antifas- For the first time, control of the appa- Republican-Socialist coalition began to
cists” were reviled on their return ratus of the state had passed from the break up. That was partly a reflection
home to Britain, treated as the “scum oligarchy to the moderate left. This of the differing priorities of its compo-
of the earth” in French internment consisted of representatives of the nents—the Republicans being
camps or regarded as dangerous and most reformist section of the orga-
Continued on page 8
un-American in the United States. nized working class, the Socialists,
THE VOLUNTEER, Sept 2001 7
T he C ivil War in the C ivil War T he C ivil War in the C ivil War
concerned above all with institutional weeks, a revolutionary commune a massive triumph in terms of seats in
reform, the disestablishment of the heroically held out against repressive the Cortes.
Spanish Church, the curbing of mili- forces coordinated by General Franco The rising of October 1934 and the
tarism; the Socialists more interested until finally the miners were reduced Popular Front victory shattered right-
in labor legislation and social reform. to submission by heavy artillery wing hopes of being able to impose an
In an electoral system which heavily attacks and bombing raids. The sav- authoritarian, corporative state with-
favored coalitions, the decision of the age repression that followed the out having to fight a civil war. Having
Socialists to go it alone in the elections defeat of the Asturian uprising was to predicted that left-wing electoral suc-
of November 1933 was a tragic error. be the cauldron in which the Popular cess would be the prelude to the most
It gave power to a right-wing deter- Front was born, although its ambi- spine-chilling social disasters, Gil
mined to dismantle the Republic’s tions were to be anything but Robles did nothing to stop the
social reforms. Employers and revolutionary. younger members of the CEDA mov-
landowners celebrated the victory by It was the brainchild of two men, ing into the fascist Falange Española.
cutting wages, sacking workers, evict- Manuel Azaña, leader of the Left At the same time, right-wing leaders
ing tenants and raising rents. The Republican party, and Indalecio played up social unrest, in both parlia-
largest party, the Catholic CEDA, was Prieto, centrist leader of the Socialist mentary speeches and the press, to
not offered power because the Party. Both moderate pragmatists, create the atmosphere which made a
Republican President, the conserva- they were determined to ensure that military rising appear to the middle
tive Niceto Alcalá Zamora, suspected the divisions which led to the 1933 classes as the only alternative to catas-
its leader, José María Gil Robles, of electoral defeat would not be repeat- trophe. At the same time, two years of
harboring more or less fascist ambi- ed. At the same time, the small aggressive rightist government had
tions to establish an authoritarian, Spanish Communist Party, prompted left the working masses, especially in
corporative state. Thus the conserva- by Moscow’s anxiety for an under- the countryside, in a determined and
tive Radical Party ruled. Dependent standing with the democracies against vengeful mood. Having been blocked
on CEDA votes, the Radicals were to the aggressive ambitions of the Third once in its reforming ambitions, the
be Gil Robles’s puppets. Social legis- Reich, supported the Popular Front. In Left was now determined to proceed
lation was dismantled and, one after this way, the Communists found a rapidly with meaningful agrarian
another, the principal unions were place in an electoral front which, con- reform.
weakened as strikes were provoked trary to rightist propaganda, was not, However, the central factor in the
and crushed. in Spain, a Comintern creation, spring of 1936 was the fatal weakness
There was an atmosphere of great although it did take the title of of the Popular Front government.
tension. The Left saw fascism in every Popular Front coined at the VII While Prieto was convinced that the
action of the Right; the Right smelt Congress of the Comintern in August situation demanded Socialist collabo-
revolution in every left-wing move. 1935. The left and center left closed ration in government, Largo
The Socialists began to threaten a rev- ranks on the basis of a program of Caballero, fearful of a rank-and-file
olutionary rising in the hope of amnesty for prisoners, of basic social drift to the anarcho-syndicalist CNT,
forestalling the destruction of the and educational reform and trade insisted that the liberal republicans
Republic. Gil Robles seized the oppor- union freedom. govern alone. He fondly believed that
tunity to insist on the CEDA joining In late 1935, the Radical Party col- the Republicans would carry out the
the government in October 1934, lapsed under a welter of corruption Popular Front electoral program then,
knowing that it would provoke a left- accusations and pressure from Gil having reached their bourgeois limita-
ist response. The Socialist trade union, Robles for ever more rightist policies. tions, would make way for an
the Unión General de Trabajadores, Elections were called for mid- all-Socialist government. He was con-
called a general strike which, in most February 1936. The right enjoyed fident that, if their reforms provoked a
parts of Spain, was a failure largely enormous financial advantages in fascist and/or military uprising, it
because of the swift declaration of mounting a campaign aimed at fright- would be defeated by the revolution-
martial law and the hesitance of ening the middle classes. The elections ary action of the masses. Thus, by
Socialist leaders. However, in the min- were presented as a life-or-death fight using his power to prevent Prieto
ing valleys of Asturias, spontaneous between good and evil, survival and forming a government, Largo
rank-and-file militancy impelled the destruction. The Popular Front based Caballero ensured that there would be
local Socialist leaders to go along with its campaign on the threat of fascism, no real Popular Front. A cabinet of
a revolutionary movement organized the dangers facing the Republic and Republicans was simply not represen-
jointly by the UGT, the anarcho-syndi- the need for an amnesty for political tative of the great electoral coalition
calist CNT and, belatedly, the prisoners. The elections held on which had defeated the Right in
Communists, united in the Alianza February 16 resulted in a narrow vic- February. That popular aspirations
Obrera (workers’ alliance). For three tory for the Left in terms of votes, but could not be satisfied by the
8 THE VOLUNTEER, Sept 2001
T he C ivil War in the C ivil War T he C ivil War in the C ivil War
Republican government was demon- the fleet. However, while the also had massive internal problems
strated by a wave of land seizures in Republican government in Madrid unknown in Franco’s brutally milita-
the south. Incapable of satisfying mass met only hesitance from its sister rized zone. The crumpling of the
hunger for reform and too weak to put Popular Front government in Paris bourgeois state in the first days of the
a stop to preparations for a military and covert hostility from London, war saw the rapid emergence of revo-
uprising, it watched feebly as the Franco was quickly able to persuade lutionary organs of parallel power. A
Falange orchestrated a strategy of ten- the local representatives of Nazi massive popular collectivization of
sion, its terrorism provoking left-wing Germany and Fascist Italy that he was agriculture and industry took place.
reprisals and an impression of a the man to back. By the end of July, Exhilarating to participants and
break-down of law and order. Junkers 52 and Savoia-Marchetti observers like George Orwell and
The rising took place on the transport aircraft were arriving to per- Franz Borkenau, the great collectivist
evening of July 17 in Spain’s Moroccan mit the airlift of the bloodthirsty experiments of the autumn of 1936 did
colony and in the peninsula itself on Foreign Legion across the Straits of little to create a war machine. That
the morning of July 18. The plotters Gibraltar. That crucial early aid was would lie at the heart of the unde-
were confident that it would all be soon followed by a regular stream of clared civil war that raged within the
over in a few days. Had they just had high technology assistance. In contrast Republican zone until mid-1937.
the Republican government to con- to the state-of-the-art equipment arriv- Socialist leaders like Prieto and Juan
tend with, their predictions might ing from Germany and Italy, complete Negrín were convinced that a conven-
have come true. In fact, Spain divided with technicians, spare parts and the tional state, with central control of the
along the lines of the electoral geogra- correct workshop manuals, the economy and the institutional instru-
phy of February. The coup was Republic, shunned by the democra- ments of mass mobilization, was
successful in the Catholic small-hold- cies, had to make do with over-priced essential if there was to be an effica-
ing areas which voted for the CEDA, and obsolete equipment from private cious war effort.
but in the left-wing strongholds of arms dealers. The Communists and the Soviet
industrial Spain and the great estates The initial reaction of the Soviet advisers agreed—not only was this
of the deep south, the uprising was Union had been one of deep embar- common sense but the playing down
defeated by the spontaneous action of rassment. The Kremlin did not want of the revolutionary activities of
the working-class organizations. the events in Spain to undermine its Trotskyists and anarchists was neces-
Within days, the country was split delicately laid plans for an alliance sary to reassure the bourgeois
into two war zones and there was with France. However, by mid- democracies with which the Soviet
every reason to suppose that the August, it was apparent that an even Union sought understanding.
Republic would be able to crush the greater disaster would befall those Henceforth, there would be a struggle
rising. While power in the streets lay plans if the Spanish Republic fell. That to establish a Popular Front govern-
with the workers and their militia would severely alter the European ment that fulfilled the expectations of
organizations, there was still a bour- balance of power, leaving France with the architects of the Popular Front
geois Republican government that had three fascist states on her borders. electoral coalition of February 1936.
legitimacy in the international arena, Eventually, it was reluctantly decided That was eventually established under
control of the nation’s gold and cur- to send help. The tanks and planes the premiership of Negrín from May
rency reserves and virtually all of that arrived in the autumn were, 1937. Despite having crushed the rev-
Spain’s industrial capacity. There was together with the arrival of the olution, incorporated the working
not that much to choose between the International Brigades, to save Madrid class militias into the regular forces
armed forces of both sides. What the in November 1936. However, they and dismantled the collectives, it still
working class militias lacked in train- were also to be used to justify the did not achieve victory—not because
ing they made up in an enthusiasm intervention of Hitler and Mussolini. the policies were wrong but because
that could not be matched by the con- The motivation of both was principal- of the strength of the international
scripts of the rebel army. That ly to undermine the Anglo-French forces arrayed against the Republic.
situation was exemplified in the navy, hegemony of international relations In this context, Ken Loach’s film,
where left-wing sailors had mutinied but they were sure of a sympathetic Land and Liberty, has to be seen as
against their right-wing officers. ear in London when they claimed to marginal if not perverse as an expla-
There were, however, two big dif- be fighting bolshevism. nation of the Spanish Civil War for the
ferences which would eventually Accordingly, the Spanish Republic 1990s. Its greatest value lies in its link
make all the difference between the was fighting not only Franco and his to contemporary Britain by the cine-
two sides—the ferocious African armies but also, to an ever greater matic device which frames its Spanish
Army and the help of the fascist pow- degree, the military and economic action. The message of that part of the
ers. At first, the colonial army under might of Mussolini and Hitler.
Continued on page 10
Franco was blockaded in Morocco by Besieged from outside, the Republic
THE VOLUNTEER, Sept 2001 9
T he C ivil War in
the C ivil War
film at least is clear: the selfless hero-
ism of this man has come to an end in
the despair of post-Thatcherite Britain.
Otherwise, the film’s purpose is,
according to various interviews given
by Ken Loach, to recapture for a
young audience something of the
emotional purity of the “last great
cause.” That is a laudable aim and one
which is partially achieved in a num-
ber of emotionally charged moments.
Elsewhere, the dividing line between
cinematic licence and distortion is
breached. It is easy to see why
International Brigaders who faced
death daily on the Madrid front feel
diminished by the political and per-
sonal self-indulgence on the minor
Aragón front of the attractive boys
Then and Now
Abe Smorodin and Lou Gordon posed for a picture in May, 1937, a week
and girls of Loach’s POUM unit. before they left for Spain. Still friends and comrades in the struggle 65 years
Ultimately, the problem lies in the fact later, they posed for a picture the day after the VALB 65th anniversary event in
that Loach’s position is virtually iden- New York. The Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives is collecting photos of the
tical to that of George Orwell. vets from the Spanish Civil War era and of vets involved in other struggles for
Orwell’s Homage to Catalonia is a bril- social causes, such as civil rights, anti-imperialism, and economic justice.
liant and painfully honest book but, Contact Paul Mishler at the ALBA-VALB office, (212) 674-5552.
contrary to the popular image of its
author, it is not a “true” book. That is
to say, it is not true if it is taken, as it is Republic to keep it alive while ensur- other words, Hitler, Mussolini, Franco
by most readers, as an overview of the ing that the revolutionary elements on and Chamberlain were responsible for
Spanish Civil War, when in reality, it the left were prevented from provok- the defeat of the Spanish Republic, not
is a narrow and partisan account of ing the conservative decision-makers Stalin. It is difficult to imagine how a
one relatively marginal issue within in London from supporting the Axis revolutionary Spain could have suc-
the war. In both Orwell’s book and in an anti-Bolshevik crusade. It is ceeded without the support of Russian
Loach’s film—and much less inno- appalling that the revolutionary élan arms. Indeed, without Russian arms
cently in the historiography of the of the Spanish people, the Republic’s and the International Brigades,
Spanish Civil War sponsored by the greatest asset, should have been Madrid would probably have fallen in
CIA-funded Congress for Cultural squandered or that the sincere revolu- November 1936 and Franco been vic-
Freedom—a minor episode is allowed tionaries of the POUM should have torious before the anarchists and
to dwarf the wider issues of the war. been smeared as Nazi agents and Trotskyists of Barcelona became an
With the Spanish Republic aban- bloodily suppressed by the agents of issue.
doned by the Western Powers and the NKVD. It is certainly true that the Loach has stated that he was
opposed by Franco, Hitler and quest for respectability did nothing to inspired to make the film by the fact
Mussolini, only the Soviet Union came alter the contempt felt in Whitehall for that the Spanish Civil War still lived
to its aid. Of course, Stalin did not do the Spanish Republic. in the popular memory as an inspiring
so out of any idealism or sentiment. However, Loach simplifies mas- anti-fascist struggle. Ironically, like
Threatened by expansionist Germany, sively in the underlying assumption Orwell before him, Loach has pro-
he was hoping like his Czarist prede- that it was the Stalinist repression that duced something which may stay in
cessors to limit the threat by seeking led to Franco’s victory. As Orwell the memory more as an anti-Stalinist
an encircling alliance with France. He himself wrote in his 1943 essay, tract than a celebration of those
feared rightly that, if Franco won the “Looking Back on the Spanish War,” Spanish and foreign men and women
war with the help of Hitler, France “The outcome of the Spanish war was who gave their lives fighting Franco
would crumble. Accordingly, he set settled in London, Paris, Rome, and his Axis allies.
out to give sufficient aid to the Berlin—at any rate not in Spain.” In
10 THE VOLUNTEER, Sept 2001
Feminist Revolution Within the Revolution
By Kenyon Zimmer an estimated 2,000 collectives. Women lution made fundamental changes in
Editor’s Note: Kenyon Zimmer, an had a significant but marginal pres- the conditions of their lives, as well as
undergraduate at Bennington College, is ence in many industries, ran most of to the Spanish anarchist movement,
the winner of the George Watt Award for the public transportation system in which for the first time was forced to
2001. We proudly print a synopsis of her Barcelona and Madrid, and represent- confront many of its paradoxes.
essay below. The complete paper, entitled ed a majority of workers in textiles, Though the goal of total equality was
“Revolution Within the Revolution: the largest industry in Republican not met, the anarchist women of Spain
Spanish Anarchist Women in the Civil Spain at the start of the war. But most in many ways came closer to reaching
War,” is available at the following website women did not achieve equality in it than women in any other revolu-
address: www.kalisti.com/spanish.htm. these collectives. Not only were they tionary struggle of the past three
For anarchist women, the Civil still a minority in the workforce, but centuries.
War represented an unparalleled wage differentials remained, even
opportunity to break free from the under anarchist control. Some facto-
constraints of Spanish society and to ries and industries left in place wage Spain’s Hist or y
challenge the male chauvinism that
existed within their own movement.
scales based on skilled labor, which
affected women disproportionately, Inspir es S olo
Before 1936, there were great differ-
ences in the views among anarchist
and other collectives, undeniably
going against libertarian ideals, kept
P er formanc e
By Marya Errin Jones
men and women regarding gender in place wage differentials based on
roles. The conception of the proper gender. Nevertheless, beyond the fact I’ve never been to Spain. I don’t
place of women ran from devoted that nearly all collectives raised their even speak Spanish, but the urge to
mother to revolutionary equal. These salaries, many did establish a single create in the spirit of the Spanish
diverse viewpoints stemmed, in part, wage. Additionally, over half of the Civil War was so incredibly strong
from an inconsistent foundation, as arable land in the Republican zone that it haunted my waking life and
the anarchism of the Spaniards was was amassed into thousands of suc- permeated my dreams since I was
descended from the brazenly sexist cessful agrarian collectives. Again, a 18 years old.
Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, the double standard often extended to Maybe it was my recent pilgrim-
ambivalant Peter Kropotkin, and espe- wages, although roughly half of the age to the beautiful, yet tucked away,
cially Mikhail Bakunin, who rural collectives were successful in monument to the volunteers on the
emphatically supported equality equalizing them. University of Washington campus
between the sexes. Mujeres Libres, an anarchist that pushed me forward, or discover-
Women formed a small but women’s organization with 20,000 to ing (and voraciously and constantly
prominent minority among anarchists 30,000 members, sought to prepare referring to) the continuous voice of
who joined the fighting. Most of these women for revolutionary engagement activism and remembrance pouring
women were young militants who through consciousness-raising, self- through ALBA. Maybe it was look-
were already involved politically or in empowerment, and education. Similar ing at my opened right hand, and the
unions before the war. Many were to the male anarchists’ view that the quickening I felt when curling it into
assigned to ancillary support tasks, war and the revolution were insepara- a fist, that called me to action.
such as cooking, laundry, and medical ble, Mujeres Libres felt that the Suddenly, at the age of 31, it was
work, but others fought in the front revolution and women’s emancipation not enough to comb through all the
lines alongside their male comrades. were indivisible. It was the only library books I could find, trace the
In many regiments the sexual division Spanish women’s organization that path of the war on maps, and bom-
of labor and marginalization of sought to liberate women rather than bard my friends with information
women increased as time went on; temporarily mobilize them. But while about men and women who fought
after the first months of war women the CNT worked with Mujeres Libres to save a country and rescue the
began to be turned away from the to train women for industrial and world. The time came for me to actu-
army and were later officially ordered agricultural work, the anarchist move- alize my dreams. Something stirred
to withdraw from the front. Yet not all ment refused to recognize Mujeres me and gave me the courage to walk
women left, and others still served in Libres as an official organization. into the dark cave of the theater and
anarchist patrols. However, their role During the war, however, anar- emerge with a story told in song,
was much more important behind the chist women were largely able to poetry, and gesture, of a plain work-
lines in the social revolution. emancipate themselves in conjunction er turned freedom fighter, in my own
Catalonia, which accounted for 80 with the anarchist social revolution. production of Propaganda, Moon. This
percent of Spain’s total industry, was While by no means perfect, this
continued on page 22
entirely under workers’ control, with women’s revolution within the revo-
THE VOLUNTEER, Sept 2001 11
E br o ’s C a v e H ospital
By Angela Jackson

D uring research on the subject of


British women and the Spanish
Civil War, I came across the moving
words written by Winifred Bates fol-
lowing her visit to the cave hospital
near La Bisbal de Falset during the
Battle of the Ebro in 1938:
“Men died as I stood beside them.
It was summer time and they had been
in long training before they crossed the
Ebro. Their bodies were brown and
beautiful. We would bend over to take
their last whispers and the message
was always the same: ‘We are doing
well. Tell them to fight on till the final
victory.’ It is so hard to make a man,
and so easy to blast him to death. I
shall never forget the Ebro. If one went
for a walk away from the cave there The Ebro Cave today
was the smell of death.” remembered the war added a further Although nothing marks the site, he
A British nurse working in the fascinating dimension to my research, clearly remembers the exact location.
cave, Patience Darton, was amongst so I went back several months later to After discussions with the Mayor
those who struggled under the most carry out interviews. Teresina Masip of La Bisbal de Falset and the British
difficult conditions to save the lives of
the wounded. She explained in an
interview why their efforts were so
often in vain. “We tended to get peo-
ple in at night because the shelling
was so enormous they couldn’t move
in the day. So for the first time, we got
people rather long after the battle. We
got them sometimes hours after they’d
been wounded and some, of course,
we couldn’t save because of that—
they were already too bad.”
The villagers of La Bisbal de Falset
buried the dead from the hospital in a
communal grave along the entire
length of the wall in the local ceme-
tery. They tried to keep a record of the
names, though in some cases identifi-
cation was not possible. Among the
dead were International Brigaders
from many different countries, includ- Inside the cave hospital in 1938
ing Britain and America.
When the war ended, the list of told me of the death of her two little International Brigade Association, I
casualties was carefully hidden. It girls during the bombardment of the am now co-ordinating a project to
was given to me when I went to the village. Her own burns and shrapnel place a memorial plaque in the ceme-
village last year to see the places injuries meant that she spent many tery. An inauguration ceremony is
described so vividly by Winifred, weeks as a patient in the cave. Josep being planned for November 3-4.
Patience, and others. Perelló had witnessed the burial of the Anyone who would like more
Talking to the villagers who dead from the cave as a boy of 16. information can contact me through
12 THE VOLUNTEER, Sept 2001
Memorial Ottawa Memorial
Continued from page 5

final text on the monument. Not sur-


prisingly, it turned out to be a
sensitive issue, but we now have a
suitable and agreed upon inscription,
which will appear in both official
languages, English and French. There
will also be a brief inscription in
Spanish. Incorporated into the
memorial wall will be an extract
from La Pasionaria’s farewell speech
in Barcelona. The National Capital
Commission, I might add, has been
very supportive of our efforts
throughout this process.
Needless to say, we’re looking
forward to the event with great plea-
sure. We would be delighted to see
as many of our American friends at
the October ceremony as possible. If
you would like to be kept up to date
on progress and receive a personal
invitation to this important unveil-
ing, please send a note to our
secretary, Sharon Skup, Friends of
the Mackenzie-Papineau Battalion, 25
Teresina Masip with a photograph of Waxham Road, Toronto, ON, M9W
her two daughters who were killed 3L4, CANADA.
during the bombardment of the village Jules Pavio is a veteran and president of
the Veterans and Friends of the
Mackenzie-Papineau Battalion.

New Hampshire
continued from page 5
hosting the old plaque. And just when I think the letters to
We (me and Republican leader- the editor about the plaque have died
ship in the House, as opposed to the down, a new rash of them appears. In
Senate) are also working on a new addition to the Union Leader branding
version of the plaque honoring the me as more interested in honoring com-
state’s 12 Lincolns, and perhaps others munists than solving the education
who volunteered for other fights for funding crisis, a silly exaggeration
freedom. If we get anything approved aimed at undercutting my credibility in
for state property display, it will be the Senate, new letters claim the
Patience Darton, a British nurse who quite watered down, I expect. The Lincolns were involved in the atrocities
worked in the cave people of New Hampshire are still, I committed against nuns and priests,
report, being well protected from The actions committed by anarchists in the
The Volunteer or by email: Plaque, which rests in a vault in the first few weeks of the uprising. You and
ajackson@ntlworld.com. Donations State House. But we are planning an I know the Spanish government
for the plaque should be sent to Dave annual celebration of the founding of clamped down on such things, and it all
Marshall, The Treasurer, International the Abraham Lincoln Brigade on occurred prior to the arrival of the
Brigade Association, 37, Reginald February 12, no matter what. It took International Brigades. I will be meeting
Road, London, E7 9HS, England. 20 years for New Hampshire to finally with one such letter writer soon.
get a Martin Luther King Holiday.
Patience and persistence!
THE VOLUNTEER, Sept 2001 13
French and Spanish Towns Unite
Anti-Fascist Memories
By Robert Coale
concerning the International Brigades, Caen to study the latest developments
The towns of Corbera d’Ebre in the Spanish Guerrilleros and Spanish in archival technology and museum
Catalonia and Rimont in southern Republicans residing in France who planning.
France share a tragic page of history: fought shoulder to shoulder with the Although Terre de Fraternité is
both were destroyed by fascist forces. French Resistance to liberate France just beginning, it has already managed
Corbera was reduced to rubble during from Nazism, and the Anti-Franco to unite several groups that are now
the Ebro campaign in 1938, while Guerrilleros who continued the strug- working together toward common
Rimont was torched by a Nazi column gle in Spain well into the 1950s. Plans goals. As the relationship between
in August 1944 in retaliation for to build museums in both Corbera two martyred towns grows into a
French Resistance victories in the area. and Rimont are examples of how this broader movement, this association is
The two towns are now sister primary objective is taking shape. destined to become a major player in
cities, united in their will to remind Cooperation between archives in a the preservation of antifascist historic
future generations of their struggle for variety of countries will be sought, an memory.
liberty and the horrors of war. This area where ALBA may be of consider-
Robert Coale is Assistant Professor of
past April, Rimont and neighboring able assistance.
Spanish at Jacksonville University and
Foix, nestled in the Pyrenees foothills Another aim of Terre de Fraternité
founding member of Terre de Fraternité.
south of Toulouse, hosted meetings to is the justice and solidarity movements.
organize a new association named Spanish authorities guilty of massacres,
“Terre de Fraternité-Terra de deportations and other crimes during
Germanor” (“Land of Brotherhood” in the Franco regime have never been British Groups
French and Catalan).
The previous year’s cooperation
brought to justice. Several participating
associations would like to change this Combine
between Rimont and Corbera culmi-
nated in the International Brigade
in the wake of the Pinochet case.
International solidarity with veterans
Forces
commemoration on October 14, 2000. of the brigades and the resistance By Angela Jackson
(See the Volunteer, Fall 2000.) This movement is yet another aim. Veterans of the International
year, town leaders decided to proceed Finally, programs to heighten Brigade Association and the
one step further and formalize this public awareness of the historical sig- Friends of the International
budding international cooperation in nificance of the struggle that shook Brigade, together with archivists
the framework of a formal association Europe and, indeed, the entire world and historians specializing in the
with an eye towards coordinating the from 1936 to 1945 will be supported in Spanish Civil War, have combined
many regional activities in Spain, schools and through international to form a new group in Britain, the
France and beyond. Some of the exchanges. Cultural and historical “International Brigade Memorial
founding organizations, in addition to activities will be developed and sup- Trust.” The aims of the Trust are as
the towns and several universities, ported. follows:
include associations of former This is a considerable agenda for • To promote education, learning
“Guerrilleros” and political prisoners, one volunteer association to coordi- and knowledge concerning the
the “Amigos” of the International nate. Nevertheless, after the successful historical legacy of both the men
Brigades in Madrid and Catalonia, the founding weekend, members began and women who fought with the
French IB association ACER, and the work immediately. A recent meeting International Brigades against
Catalan Association of Republican in Barcelona saw representatives of all fascism in support of the legally
Studies, to name just a few. The new political parties in the Catalonian par- elected government in Spain and
umbrella organization is headed by liament vote their support to Terre de those who sustained their fight.
the passionately dynamic Guy Saurat Fraternité-Terra de Germanor. • To maintain contact with rela-
of Rimont. Furthermore, a delegation of 18 town tives and friends of the
The memory of the struggle mayors from the “Terra Alta” region International Brigaders.
against fascism and nazism from 1936 of Catalonia, scene of much of the • To develop links with compara-
to 1945 in both Spain and France is the Ebro battle, are heading to France to ble organizations throughout the
cornerstone of the new organization. visit the Museum of National world.
The group seeks to encourage histori- Resistance near Paris and the
continued on page 15
cal research and access to archives Normandy Battle Peace Memorial in
14 THE VOLUNTEER, Sept 2001
L ou G or don S p eaks a t H y de P ar k
On May 3, the Franklin and Eleanor
Roosevelt Institute, in Hyde Park, NY,
honored local world War II veterans and
their Commander-in Chief President
Franklin D. Roosevelt with a wreath lay-
ing ceremony. Lincoln vet Lou Gordon
was one of the speakers; he alked about his
experiences in the US Army liberating
Dauchau in 1945. The West Point Color
and Honor Guard also participated in the
ceremony.

Looking back through the lens of


history, with the benefit of hindsight,
we, the American generation who
fought and survived World War II - as town of Furstendfelbruch, we were In 1989, my wife and I visited
Tom Brokaw wrote - did no less than suddenly enveloped in a terrible Vienna, Austria. While there we visit-
save the world. Through that lens, it is stench we could not identify. We soon ed the offices of an organization of
plain to see that we fought not only found out the source. We had reached former concentration camp prisoners.
nations, but a great evil. We fought the rail yards of the infamous concen- We met with one of the officials, and
and won a battle to save humanity tration camp named Dauchau. The during the course of our conversation,
from its darkest self, a fight some say yards were 4 or 5 times the size of the I told him that I had been part of the
will never end. freight yards in Croton-on-Hudson. liberating forces of Dauchau. He
In the crucible of that war and There were scores of freight cars load- began to question me about details,
from our vantage looking back, the ed with people in various stages of including the exact date and even the
Holocaust and the still-preserved decay waiting for their turn to be fed exact time we entered the compound.
death camps are testimony to a horror into the ovens. In the camp, the chim- I could not understand why he was
and our victory over it. That is history, neys were still smoking; the ghoulish interested in these minor details. I was
but it is also personal to me. operations had stopped only when the soon to find out. He suddenly stood
In the spring of 1945, I was in the German guards heard our advance up and said that he had been a 15-
1269th Combat Engineers Battalion, and attempted to flee. At Dauchau, year-old boy in the camp waiting his
part of the 3rd Army, storming down the prisoners were mostly Slavic, turn to be thrown into the massive
the Autobahn toward Nuremberg and French, Russian, and Gypsy. oven. At this point, he came from
Munich. When we veered off to the Thousands had been literally worked behind his desk to embrace me with
to death and their bodies cremated in tears running down his face. Although
the ovens. Many of those we liberated I was about 10 years his senior, he
Combine Forces were beyond medical treatment and looked 15 years older than I.
continued from page 14 died. The freight cars that had been I had trouble sleeping that night
We are now planning a program there the longest were full of rotting thinking what the Nazi atrocities
of activities to further these aims. corpses. meant in terms of the multimillions of
Membership of the Trust has already The townspeople had the gall to people whose lives were extinguished
grown substantially following our tell us that they knew nothing about by these vermin.
annual meeting in London on July what went on, despite their presence The quotation from Tom Brokaw’s
14, and new members from abroad in the midst of this rail yard and the book, which I mentioned at the outset
will be very welcome. Veterans and pervasive stench! This was soon to be of my talk, is worth repeating: We, the
spouses/partners and widow/ers of remedied. We were ordered to take American generation who fought and
Brigaders will be honorary members. large groups of people on a thorough survived World War II, “did no less
Other annual subscriptions will be tour of the camp facilities. The group than save the world.”
£10.00 waged, £5 concessions and tour made its way around hills of eye What with history’s habit of
affiliating organizations by arrange- glasses, hair, and more, to view the repeating itself, we must be more alert
ment. dead and almost dead. It was a trip than ever not to tolerate genocide any-
For more information, contact through Dante’s Inferno. No one who where on the globe, and to use our
D. Marshall, 37 Reginald Road, was on that tour will ever forget any strength and our mighty resources for
London, E7 9HS, England. part of it. That includes the American peace and good will to flourish.
soldiers.
THE VOLUNTEER, Sept 2001 15
Germans and Americans Facing
Each Other Again
By Harry Fisher
Just back from Germany, promot-
ing my book Comrades about the
Spanish Civil War. But that’s not what
I want to write about. I want to tell
you about a wonderful experience I
had in Germany. Joining me there

DENA FISHER
were my son John, his wife, Dena, my
grandson Paul and 7 singers from a
singing group organized by Pete

BY
Seeger 17 years ago, the Walkabouts.

PHOTO
This group was a huge hit. They sang
songs of the Spanish Civil War and of
the working class during a three-day
antifascist festival in Dortmund,
attended by about 25,000 from all many of my comrades and friends anger; so much hatred. And now my
parts of Germany. were wounded and killed. One of son and six of my American friends in
One afternoon I was walking those killed was my dear friend the Walkabouts were facing young
around the festival grounds, in a quiet Bernard “Butch” Entin, who had been Germans once again, not with guns and
area away from the stages and dis- wounded in a battle near Brunete. He hatred, but with music and love. They
plays, when I heard some beautiful had passed me on his way to an were singing and smiling at each other,
singing. I was with my German ambulance and had told me that the and I couldn’t hold back my tears, not
friend, Uli, and we finally discovered wound didn’t seem bad, that he tears of sadness, but tears of joy.
where the music was coming from. expected to be back in a week or so. One other memory. Among the
There, in a circle, were 14 people, He never did come back. He got into Walkabouter’s songs was one about
among them my son John and my an ambulance with a few other the Lincolns and what they did after
friends from the Walkabouts group. I wounded soldiers and became the vic- Spain, helping the people of Cuba,
asked Uli who the others were and he tim of a Nazi bombing. Bernard Nicaragua, and Guatemala. The song
told me that they were part of a Entin’s ambulance was blown to bits ends with the Walkabouts shouting
German group that sang progressive and there was nothing left of him or the last words three times—“No
songs all over Germany. There were 7 the other wounded. Pasaran.” I saw young Germans join-
Germans and 7 Americans in a circle While listening to these Americans ing with the Americans and shouting
facing each other. and Germans singing, it hit me that “No Pasaran.” To think that these are
The first song that I heard was a there was something left of Bernard the descendants of the people that I
Jewish radical song that the Germans Entin. My son’s name is John Bernard fought against twice.
(none of whom were Jewish) sang in Fisher, his middle name in honor of After more than three hours, the
Yiddish. The song was beautiful, but my close friend. And there was John singing finally ended, and the singers
what struck me was that there I was in Bernard Fisher singing with the hugged and kissed each other,
Germany, the land of the Holocaust, Germans. promising to meet again soon. The
the country that I had fought against Oh, my memories. More than 60 thought went through my mind that
twice, once in Spain as a member of years earlier I saw so much death and for so many years I hated Germany
the Lincoln Battalion, the American destruction in Spain. About 900 young and its people. How much better this
part of the International Brigades, and Americans were killed trying to end was—Americans and Germans
then in different parts of Europe dur- fascism and prevent another world singing and hugging each other.
ing WWII as part of the American Air war. And then in the 1940s, more of I hope that something symbolic
Force. Listening to these young the Lincolns were killed in WWII happened in Germany that day, some-
Germans singing a Jewish song in fighting against the same enemies we thing that symbolized the future—a
Yiddish brought tears to my eyes. had fought in Spain, the Germans and future with no wars, only peace and
My mind was racing. In the 1930s, Italians. Then I was in a B26 dropping love.
in Spain, I was under bombs dropped bombs all over Germany. So much
by the Luftwaffe dozens of times, and bombing; so much killing; so much
16 THE VOLUNTEER, Sept 2001
M y E xp er ienc e with the Ir ish S ec tion
of the Linc olns
By David Smith
In early February 1937, Dan
Fitzgerald and I left Boston for New
York. We shipped out to Spain on
February 7 with about 80 men. On
February 14 we had dinner at a union
hall in Paris, then traveled by train
over the Pyrenees—the border was
still open—to Figueras. After a few
days of exercise, we went on to
Albacete. On February 24 we were
behind the Morata-Jarama front. We
embarked from the trucks and were
handed rifles and three bullets each to David Smith with Manus O’Riordan at the grave of Frank Ryan
fire into the hillside—“a well-known
story of our military training.” and Johnnie Power took me aside and International Brigade’s Connolly
As the men assembled again, the told me in no uncertain language, Column at Liberty Hall, the banner of
captain in charge called out, “The fol- “Since you are new, if you want to the Connollys in the Irish Labour
lowing step out,” and David Smith come through this operation, just fol- History Museum, and the graves of
was the last name. The captain low us and do as we do.” Connolly, Pierce, and heroes of the
explained that we 8 Internationals When the attack order came 1915 uprising, and that of Frank Ryan,
were to be part of a rear guard at through, we went over the top a short the leader of the Irish in Spain. We
Morata. No amount of arguing could distance and I did as instructed. Men spent time with Michael O’Riordan
change this decision. The trucks took were falling all around us. I do not reminiscing about Spain and saw the
off with the other men and I was have to paint a picture of the horrible wonderful posters and pictures from
assigned to a group of seasoned sight of men going down in action. the Spanish Civil War at their labor
British volunteers in the rear guard. Among those Irish who died were hall. It was heartening to realize how
After I griped a great deal, the leader Robert Hilliard, a Protestant pastor, many of the Irish are familiar with the
said, “So you want to get to the front? and Eamonn McGrotty, a Catholic history of the Irish volunteers and to
Just get out on the road and stop the priest. Unfortunately, this operation be with Manus O’Riordan and his
next truck.” This I did, and I soon was not successful in the sense of encyclopedic knowledge of the
arrived at the front. driving the fascists back. It was International Brigades.
As I wandered around, a volun- thought, however, that it showed the In the evening we joined the fami-
teer came over, asked a few questions, fascists that they couldn’t cut the road ly at a songfest. About 80 men and
and said, “Come with me.” I was now behind us to Madrid. Upon returning women, young and old, sat along
in the Irish section of the Lincolns. By to the trenches I sat down numb and tables with their pints of Guinness,
the next day I was acquainted with speechless and we just stared at each conversing. Then someone started to
Peter O’Connor and Johnnie Power. I other. Later, when more machine guns sing an Irish song. No one directed the
also found Dan Fitzgerald nearby, also arrived, I was transferred as a fest, but as soon as one song ended,
in the Irish section. We stared at each machine gunner with the Lincolns. All another individual followed as they
other, embraced, and just sat together the years since Jarama, I have recog- saw fit with songs and poetry recita-
speechless for a while. nized that I owe my life to the men of tions of Irish struggles, revolutionary
On February 26 we were told that the Irish section. songs, romantic songs–both in English
there would be a full attack with full This spring I was finally able to and in Gaelic. This took place from
support, tanks, aircraft, etc., that would visit Ireland with a friend, and in 9:30 to 1:30. We had never experi-
take place the next day. On February 27 Dublin I met with Manus O’Riordan, enced such a gathering. Manus and
we were up before daybreak waiting chief economist of a large union and his sister, in good voice, sang songs of
for orders. Soon we were in bright day- son of vet Michael O’Riordan, who is the Spanish War. All eyes turned to
light, but no tanks, artillery or aircraft the author of The Story of the Irish in us. I am forever grateful for the oppor-
were in sight, and the men began to Spain. Peter O’Connor died last year. tunity of visiting and reuniting with
gripe. Eventually some said, this will be We visited many monuments, among such wonderful comrades.
a f— operation. Later Peter O’Connor them the memorial plaque to the
THE VOLUNTEER, Sept 2001 17
ALBA’s New Planned
Giving Program
Tax Advantages for Gift Annuities
HOW DOES A CHARI - also choose a one-life or two-life
TABLE GIFT ANNUITY (two people dividing the income)
WORK? annuity. Cash gifts allow maxi-
mum tax-free income; gifts of
A charitable gift annuity is a securities allow you to minimize
simple contract between you and capital gains taxes.
the Abraham Lincoln Brigade
Archives (ALBA). Under this
arrangement, you make a gift of
DEFERRING PAYMENTS
cash or marketable securities, worth If you are under 60 years of age,
a minimum of $5000, to ALBA. In you can still set up an annuity and
return, ALBA will pay you (or up to defer the payments until any date
two individuals) an annuity begin- after your 60th birthday. This gives
ning on the date you specify, on or you an immediate tax-deduction for
after your sixtieth (60th) birthday. your gift while still guaranteeing
you income payments in the future.
Because you are deferring pay-
WHAT ARE THE ments, your annuity payments will
ADVANTAGES OF A be larger than if you had waited to
CHARITABLE GIFT set up the annuity until your 60th
birthday.
ANNUITY? For more information on a cus-
A charitable gift annuity has tomized proposal for your Charitable
four distinct advantages: Gift Annuity, please contact:
ALBA’s planned giving pro- Income for Life at attractive payout Jay Greenfield
gram provides an extraordinary rates. 539 Oakhurst Road
way to make a gift, increase Tax Deduction Savings – A large Mamaroneck, NY 10543
income and slice the donor’s tax part of what you give is a Ph. (914) 698-6283
bill – all in one transaction! deductible charitable gift.
The charitable gift annuity pro- Tax-Free Income – A large part of
gram was created for our many your annual payments is tax-free
friends who have expressed a desire return of principal.
to make a significant gift, while still Capital Gains Tax Savings – When
retaining income from the principal you contribute securities for a gift
during their lifetime. A charitable annuity, you minimize any taxes on
gift annuity gives the donor addi- your “paper profit.” So gifts of secu-
tional retirement income, while rities save twice!
affording the satisfaction of sup-
porting ALBA’s continuing
educational programs and its tradi-
PAYMENTS
tions of fighting for social justice You choose how frequently
and against fascism. payments will be made – quarterly,
semi-annually or annually. You can

18 THE VOLUNTEER, Sept 2001


ALBA BOOKS, VIDEOS AND POSTERS

ALBA EXPANDS BOOKSTORE


Buy Spanish Civil War books on the WEB.
www.alba-v alb.or g
BOOKS ABOUT THE LINCOLN BRIGADE
The Lincoln Brigade,
a Picture History ❑ Yes, I wish to become an ALBA Associate,
by William Katz and Marc Crawford (pbk) $15 and I enclose a check for $25 made out
Another Hill
by Milton Wolff (pbk) $15 to ALBA. Please send me The Volunteer.
Our Fight— Name _____________________________________
Writings by Veterans of the
Abraham Lincoln Brigade:
Address____________________________________
Spain 1936-1939
ed. by Alvah Bessie & Albert Prago (pbk) $15 City___________________________ State
Spain’s Cause Was Mine
by Hank Rubin (new) (cloth) $29 _____________ Zip____________________________
Comrades I enclose an additional donation of
by Harry Fisher (new) (ppb) $15 ____________. I wish ❑ do not wish ❑ to
The Odyssey of the Abraham have this donation acknowledged in The
Lincoln Brigade Volunteer.
by Peter Carroll (pbk) $15
Please mail to: ALBA, 799 Broadway, Room
Passing the Torch: The Abraham 227, New York, NY 10003
Lincoln Brigade and its Legacy of Hope
by Anthony Geist and Jose Moreno (pbk) $25
EXHIBIT CATALOGS
The Aura of the Cause, a photo album
ed. by Cary Nelson (pbk) $25
VIDEOS
The Good Fight
Visit the ALBA web site
a film by Sills/Dore/Bruckner
Forever Activists
(VCR) $35 at www.alba-valb.org
a film by Judith Montell
You Are History, You Are Legend
(VCR) $35
and subscribe to
a film by Judith Montell (VCR) $25
ALBA’s new email
Make checks payable to ALBA and send to: newsletter, Shouts
Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archive
799 Broadway, R. 227 From the Wall.
New York, NY 10003-5552
Tel: (212) 674-5552
Shipping cost: $3 per copy of book, album or tape.

THE VOLUNTEER, Sept 2001 19


Added to Memory’s Roster
Leo Solodkin and around Detroit. He joined the
Communist Party at an early age and
University. He also made sure that at
his funeral, the speaker would tell
1912-2001 participated in all the labor struggles how proud he was to be a member of
that occurred in this area. When the the Communist Party and a veteran of
Leo Solodkin, who was attending civil war broke out in Spain, he was the Spanish Civil War.
New York’s City College when he vol- one of the first to volunteer in 1936, at —Marion Noble
unteered to serve with the Lincoln the age of 19.
Brigade, died on April 5. A lifetime He was a truck driver by trade
and was assigned a new truck to haul Robert Zane Ingalls
artillery shells from Barcelona to
Madrid. He didn’t want to drive a 1919-2001
truck. He wanted to know why he
couldn’t take a gun and give the bas- Bob Ingalls, Lincoln vet from
tards what they had coming. But he Redmond, Washington, died May 8 of
accepted the job, which lasted until he a heart attack while on a family trip.
was sent home in 1939. Ingalls went to Spain from Seattle
When he got back to New York, a at an early age. In 1937, at age 17, he
friend introduced him to the friend’s was made sergeant in the transport
sister; they had one date before Les section with a crew under his com-
had to return to Detroit. But after a mand running a telephone service
few days, he went back. They eloped from a truck.
and got married. It was a wonderful
marriage, most said the ideal mar-
riage. They had two children, and she
died one month before he did.
During World War II, Les joined
the Seabees and served in the Pacific
building barracks. They were also
responsible for removing explosives
from the beaches before invasions
could take place. Les was one of those
rare guys who went through the dan-
resident of New York, he worked as gerous offensives, was in the most
an electrician after returning from dangerous fights, and somehow never

RICHARD BERMACK
Spain, then enlisted in the U.S. Army got a scratch.
during World War II. He served from After the war, he and his brother
1942 to 1946. He later formed a part- bought a used truck and started
nership with his brother in a pouring concrete basements for the
stationery store and newspaper deliv- big building boom. They became
ery service. He is survived by his wife one of the biggest independently
BY
of 58 years, Ada, two daughters, and owned concrete builders in the
PHOTO
four grandchildren. country. They refused to hire any-
one who was not a member of the
Lester L. Rowlson union, but when it turned out that
there was no union for concrete
During World War II, Ingalls
worked as foreman of final assembly
1916-2001 workers, they persuaded the UAW at Boeing. Later, he brought his engi-
to organize such a union. They also neering skills into the television
Les, who died on May 21, was one actively recruited African-American industry and taught at a community
of 6 children who grew up on a farm workers. One of their employees college in Tacoma. He later designed
near Coldwater, Michigan. They suf- was one of the “Scottsboro Boys.” the internal television systems for the
fered such poverty that the death They became wealthy but never University of Washington’s School of
certificate of one of his sisters read changed their political point of view. Medicine and Nursing.
that death was due to starvation. Les was one of the founders of a schol-
Les spent most of his adult life in arship we vets funded at Wayne State continued on page 22
20 THE VOLUNTEER, Sept 2001
Added to Memory’s Roster
ALBAREZ—THANKSGIVING, 1937
Barney Baley
Songs of all lands are medleys, here in Spain:
1910-2001 Vienna, loved by Schubert and by Strauss,
Barney Baley, born in Arnett, Oklahoma, died on February Survives the shelling of the Karl Marx House…
28 after a long illness. An active member of the San Francisco Paris! The very name’s a red refrain!
Bay Area Post, he had served in the merchant marine during Dansons le Carmagnole! “Marchons! The plain
World War II and worked as a construction laborer afterward. By tyrants’ blood shall irrigated be!”
After serving in the Lincoln Brigade, he returned to his And Ol’ Man River’s seed of workers’ pain
home in southern California and wrote a book of poetry, titled Blossom in song of Soviet victory. . .
Hand Grenades, that was published in 1942. The poems were So do we strike a brighter chord; so strum
both political and autobiographical, and we publish a few selec- Cowboy ballads for night-herd or trail!
tions to remember this otherwise quiet man. The last poem was Chanteys that sing of salt and tarry sail!
written in 1999. So roar the “Rich Man of Jerusalem!”
”Waltzing Matilda”! or “Dad’s Dinner Pail”!—
The people’s songs of work and play and love.
LESSON IN SOCIAL RELATIONS
The workers lost; as thru the bitter ages
They have so often lost; and most returned GANDESA—APRIL,1938
To their old jobs to toil at lower wages. The first few months in Spain I was a good
But some did not go back. Either there burned Soldier in many ways. But even as late
In them too fierce a rebel flame; or they As April the thought of shedding human blood
Were fingered out by stoolies.—Dad was one I could not stand. I was not steeled in hate.
Of those let out. We went one Saturday Well I remember at Gandesa on
To shovel snow. We passed a dwelling. “Son, April Fool’s Day, a few of us held back
That’s Big-Bug’s place; no work for us around The Fascist drive for many hours; in fact,
Here.” I observed the neat brick wall, barbed wire Till dark gave time to get set for the dawn.
Atop. “He was my boss when. . .” So I found I was the loader on a heavy Maxim,
There are two classes: Those that fire and hire, My chosen post. The gunner left, told me
And those that work or look for work with hat To fire if need be. Sighting, I saw some Fascist
In hand. . .I never quite got over that. Cavalry, tried to press the trigger-bar,
Could not. Just then the gunner came back. He
Was not so squeamish…Time and war changed me.
ALBACETE—OCTOBER, 1937
Welcoming us who journeyed far to join
The Spanish people’s fight for their New Deal,
A band blared forth the Internationale; Cruzar Del Ebro—July,1938
Marched us along to its familiar strains; We crossed the river, dodged their planes all day;
But at the barracks played a livelier tune, An hour from sundown they caught up with us.
A melody that sang the heart of Spain: I felt the earth shake under me-
Riego’s Hymn. It sang of heroes who When it was safe to rise,
Made Spain too hot for Bonaparte to hold. I saw in the terraced olive grove
And forced the native despot, Ferdinand, What looked like sacks of cement.
To recognize the people’s will. Altho There were six dead comrades;
Riego was betrayed to brutal death, All of them I knew by name:
His spirit lives. His song rolls out today. . . Dutchy and Campbell, Lucas, little Ted,
No tyrants yet have killed the human race. Steele from Toronto and the youth Ramon -
Nor can they kill its courage and its hope! Five sons of Canada and one of Spain.
I thought of our last sing-song: Ted had sung
“The Rose of Tralee,” Campbell “County Down.”
Yes, songs of love and home make the best dirge
For those who die that others might have life!

THE VOLUNTEER, Sept 2001 21


Memory’s Roster
continued from page 20
More Letters Solo
continued from page 11
Dear Volunteer,
I’m a journalist with a long-time absurdist melodrama as solo per-
His family has established the interest in the Abraham Lincoln formance debuted at the Riverside
Robert Z. Ingalls Memorial Brigade. I’m looking for any info avail- Theatre in Albuquerque, New
Endowment Fund at South Seattle able on ALB volunteer James Hamilton Mexico, in June.
Community College. Martin, who, according to Carl Geiser’s I am committed to the lifetime
—Bob Reed book Prisoners of the Good Fight (pp. of work in front of me. Years of
164,267), was among the score or so cap- wrestling with text, gesture, truth,
Martin Maki tured ALB soldiers machine-gunned by
their fascist captors on Sept. 7, 1938, in
and the need to do justice to the
Cause, and all of its people. I gladly
1912-2001 the Sierra Caballs. He hailed from accept this challenge and will be
Garden City, N.Y., not exactly a breed- traveling to Spain in the fall to
A Finnish-American volunteer ing ground for activists then or now, deepen my commitment to this pro-
from Minnesota, Martin Maki died at which helps stir my interest, and was 26 ject. Recent meetings with Peter
the age of 89. “He was just a very years of age at his death. I’m also inter- Carroll and veteran David Smith
incredible idealist,” said his daugh- ested in the names and stories of other have renewed my morale and have
ter Maria Maki of Annandale, ALB volunteers who hailed from given me a sense of community. I
Minnesota. Maki was a prisoner of Queens, Nassau and Suffolk counties. feel empowered and will continue
war at the San Pedro de Cardenas Thanks, to move forward. Thank you,
camp. He later served in the U.S. Gerald A. Regan Brigadistas! Thank you all.
Army during World War II. 20-67 38th Street, #D3
Astoria NY 11105-1641
e-mail: ger@garmedia.com

ALBA’S TRAVELING EXHIBITIONS


SHOUTS FROM THE AURA OF THE CAUSE
THE WALL ALBA’s photographic exhibit,The New Haven, CT
Aura of the Cause, has been shown at March 20, 2002-May 23, 2002
New York, NY the Puffin Room in New York City, Jonathan Edwards College, Yale
September 15, 2001 - November 25, the University of California-San University
2001 Diego, the Salvador Dali Museum in 70 High Street,
Puffin Room St. Petersburg, FL, the Fonda Del Sol New Haven, CT 06511
435 Broome St. Visual Center in Washington, DC, (203) 432-0356617 627-3505
NY, NY 10013 and the University of Illinois. This
212 343-2881 exhibit, curated by Professor Cary For further information about The
Nelson of the University of Illinois,
Lawrence, KS consists of hundreds of photographs
Aura of the Cause exhibit, and its
University of Kansas companion exhibit, Shouts From The
of the Lincoln Brigaders, other inter- Wall, posters from the Spanish Civil
January 19, 2002 - March 10, 2002
national volunteers and their War, contact ALBA’s executive sec-
Spencer Museum of Art
Spanish comrades, in training and at retary, Diane Fraher, 212-598-0968.
1301 Mississippi St.
rest, among the Spanish villages and Both exhibits are available for muse-
Lawrence, KS 66045
in battle. um and art gallery showings.
phone: 785-864-4710
fax: 785-864-3112

BRING THESE EXHIBITS TO YOUR LOCALITY


Contact Diane Fraher, ALBA executive secretary: 212-598-0968; Fax: 212-529-4603

22 THE VOLUNTEER, Sept 2001


Contributions

DONOR, IN MEMORY OF VETERAN


Pearl Baley, Barney Baley, $100 H. Dohry, Inc., Robert G. Colodney, $100
Tibby Brooks, Al Fincle & Sam Walters, $100 Mrs. Polly Nusser Dubetz, Charlie Nusser, $100
Benedict Tisa, John Tisa, $50
Lillian T. Lanser, Manny Lanser, $50 DONOR, IN HONOR OF VETERANS
Muriel Goldring, Ben Goldring, $100 Marian Noble, Bob Reed, $100
Patricia Morrall, Her uncles Marvin Nelson and Eileen and Ted Rowlson, Steve Nelson, $50
John Rody, $25 Norman Eisner, Bill Susman, $250
Ruth Berger, Leo Solodkin, $10 Bill Ritchey, Moe Fishman, $100
Ron Perrone, In Loving memory of John and Ethel
Perrone, $100
DONOR, IN MEMORY OF
Beverly R. Keller, Leo Solodkin, $15
Celia and Harold Lewis, Irving Lerner, $50
Vincent Webb, Oiva Halonen, $50
Harry Reimer, Irving Heisler, $20
Jeannette Alper, Mark Alper, $50
Ruth Kish, Shirley Nusser, $25
The Simon Family, John (Doc) Simon, $50
Iva and Joe Neiman, Leo Solodkin, $20
DONOR, IN HONOR OF
Dorothy and Stan Bussis, Leo Solodkin, $25
Florence Barad and Irving Katz,The 80th Birthday
Evelyn Stephans, Leo Solodkin, $25 of Lou Czitrom, $80
Ester S. Rom, Sam Schiff, $50 Moe Fishman, The 90th Birthday of Ira Gollobin,
Florence Slipyan, Sam Slipyan, $100 $50
Matti A. Mattson, Sam Walters, $20
Mr. And Mrs. Harry Forman, Leo Solodkin, $25 CONTRIBUTIONS
Esther Glassberg, Sam Gonshak, $25 Jack Arnow, $25
Gabriel Jackson, Bob Colodney and Irving Herbert Aptheker, $25
Weissman, $50 Jamie O’Reilly, $50
Beatrice Vulcan, Leo Solodkin, $50
Marcus G. Singer, Larry Cane, $50
Mrs. J. Differding, Frank Madigan & Mel
Anderson, $30
George Sossenko, Pedro Mateo Merino, $25
Margaret E. Berle, Al Warren and in celebration of
Anthony Toney, $50
Les Fein, Dick Fein, $50
THE VOLUNTEER, Sept 2001 23
ALBA's Autumn in NY
The Puffin Gallery is hosting the following events at
Puffin Room, 435 Broome Street, 212 343 2881

Sept 15-Nov 25, Sun 11-6pm


SHOUTS FROM THE WALL, Poster Show
Sept 30, 4 pm
Len & Nancy Tsou , "The Call of Spain"
Oct 7, 4pm
Milt Wolff
The Good Fight
Oct 13, 4pm
Abe Osheroff
Art In the Struggle for Freedom
Oct 27, 4pm
San Gennaro Fiesta, Ralph Fasanella
Dramatic reading by Mass Transit Street Theater from
Cary Nelson, Madrid 1937
Discussion & book signing April 1- December 31, 2001 Ralph Fasanella’s AMERICA
More than 40 paintings by Ralph Fasanella
Nov 11, 4pm
P.O. Box 800, Cooperstown, NY 13326
Travels with Harry
1-888-547 -1450. www.fenimoreartmuseum.org
Discussion with Harry Fisher re: his European tour
Forever Activists October 12, Exhibition of ALBA Collection opens at
Elmer Holmes Bobst Library
October 12, 7 pm. ALBA-Susman Lecture 70 Washington Square South
"Poetry of the Spanish Civil War," PHILIP LEVINE, New York
NYU's Juan Carlos Center, 53 Washington Square South

The Volunteer PRESORTED


c/o Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives FIX ME
799 Broadway, Rm. 227 U.S. POSTAGE
New York, NY 10003 PAID
PERMIT NO. 280
SHIRLEY, N.Y.
11967

24 THE VOLUNTEER, Sept 2001

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