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IBMT Newsletter www.international-brigades.org.uk Issue 38 / 1-2015 INTERNATIONAL BRIGADE MEMORIALTRUST Scarsof awar that won’ tgo away ArtinspiredbytheSpanishCivilWar GUERNICA THE DESTRUCT ION OF A TOWN A ND T HE CREAT ION OF A MASTERPIE CE Saturda y 7 March 2015 from 11am-5pm at the Manchester The IBM T’s Conference Centre, 78 Sackville St, Manchester M1 3NJ 2015 Len Crome Speakers G Gijs van Hensbergen: The Birth of Guernica Memorial G Nicholas Rankin: Making History –GL Steer and the Tree of Gernika Conference G Helen Little: Guernica in Britain 1937-1939 G Manuel Moreno: The Basque Children and the Aid Spain Movement Chair: Professor Paul Preston Conference fees and booking G Conference only: £15 (in advance) £17 (on the day) G Conference, coffee and buffet lunch: £30 G Conference, coffee, buffet lunch and Spanish evening meal: £50 Send cheques payable to ‘IBMT’ plus name(s) of attendee(s) to: IBMT Treasurer, Aysgaard, Beardwood Brow, Blackburn BB2 7AT or download a booking form from www.international-brigades.org.uk (click ‘Events’) NB: Deadline for advance booking with catering is 7 February 2015 Further information G Dolores Long: [email protected] / 0161 226 2013 G Hilary Jones: [email protected] / 0161 224 1747 Accommodation Accommodation is available at the conference centre hotel: International Brigade Memorial Trust www.international-brigades.org.uk www.manchesterconferencecentre.co.uk NEWS r e t l o K n r e B Issue 38 / 1-2015 13 Cover story Frieda Park’s experience as a volunteer on the International Brigades Archaeology Project 3-8 News GCommemorations on Achill Island GEye-catching mural in Dartford GAnnual General Meeting in Oxford 8 Obituaries 9 Let ter from Spain Justin Byrne on rows in Madrid over International Brigade memorials 10-12 Secretarial notes S: 14-15 Exhibition review IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE VOLUNTEER International Brigade supporters tour battlefield sites around “Conscience and Conflict: British Madrid’s University City and the Casa de Campo park. The guided walk formed part of a week-long series of commem- orative events in November organised by the AABI Spanish International Brigades friendship group to mark the 78th Artists and the Spanish Civil War” anniversary of the defence of Madrid in November 1936. See more details in “Letter from Spain” on page 9. 16-17 Extras GBelfast honours International Brigaders in their own words GMedical notes ‘Goodbye Barcelona’ scoops 18 Can you help? 18-19 Letters top musical awards in Spain 20-25 Books Including new titles on the Oxford- The International Brigades musical “Goodbye war centred on the fate of Sam, an 18-year-old shire and Limerick volunteers Barcelona” was judged Best Musical in the 2014 from London’s East End, and a group of other 26 What’s on annual Spanish Musical Theatre Awards. It also International Brigade volunteers from Britain topped the Best Stage Director (Fran Arráez) and who travel to Spain to fight fascism. Best Newcomer (Antonio del Valle) categories. The musical premiered in November 2011 at The IBMT Newsletter is published three times A Catalan-language production of “Goodbye London’s Arcola Theatre for a five-week run. a year and is sent free to all members. Back Barcelona” was staged at Barcelona’s Teatre del With support from the IBMT, Lewkowicz and numbers can be downloaded from the IBMT Raval from September 2013 for an extended run. Judith Johnson worked on the musical for six website on [www.international- brigades.org. It attracted rave reviews and packed houses. years before it was first performed. Their inter - uk /newsletter.htm]. All content is the Reacting to the musical’s successes at a cere - est was sparked after reading a feature about copyright © of the IBMT and credited mony held at the Teatro Sanpol in Madrid on the surviving Brigaders in The Guardian in contributors and cannot be reproduced 3 November, co-writer Karl Lewkowicz said he November 2000. They then interviewed several of without permission. hoped they would help spread the story of the them, including Penny Feiwel, Jack Jones, Lou Editor International Brigades to a wider audience. Kenton, Sam Lesser and Alan Menai Williams. Jim Jump He was pleased to note that “Goodbye 6 Stonells Road, London SW11 6HQ Barcelona” had even seen off challenges from 020 7228 6504 Spanish productions of “The Sound of Music” [email protected] and “Les Misérables”. Actor Antonio del Valle said the accolades International Brigade Memorial Trust were “amazing considering ‘Goodbye www.international-brigades.org.uk Barcelona’ was a small and simple production, Charity no: 1094928 although done with all our hearts”. He added: “These awards are dedicated to all the Interna - tional Brigades who came to fight the fascist coup of General Francisco Franco, to defend democracy and freedom. To those who never went home and who fought and died in a coun - try that was not theirs, this award is for them.” Karl Lewkowicz (top right) with the performers and “Goodbye Barcelona” is a story of love and production staff of “Goodbye Barcelona” in Barcelona. 3 NEWS Achill pays tribute to its two Brigaders NOAH ROSE describes the commemorations held on 16 November on Achill Island, off the west coast of Ireland’s County Mayo, to honour two Achill International Brigaders, one whose story is well known, the other virtually unknown until recently… At the Thomas Patten memorial in Dooega (above) and beside Pat Burke’s grave in Slievemore (below). umn of Irish volunteers with a handwritten dedi - Tommy Patten cation on the front page: “To Patrick Burke, fellow This first event was organised by the Friends of International Brigader, on the occasion of the the International Brigades in Ireland, who unveiling of an eloquent memorial in Achill to the arranged the laying of a wreath at the memorial to memory of Thomas Patten who died in the defence Thomas Patten that was unveiled in 1984. IBMT of Madrid, December, 1936. From Michael O’Rior - Ireland Secretary Manus O’Riordan spoke about dan, with an internationalist greeting – Salud!” how Patten (1910-1936) had been the first Eng - Manus O’Riordan read a poem by Rafael lish-speaking volunteer to die in the defence of Alberti, “To the International Brigades”, and sang Madrid, killed at Boadilla del Monte on 16/17 Alberti’s “If My Voice Should Die On Earth” in December 1936. He finished by singing “Los cua - Spanish, English and Irish. Next came a reading tro generales” (“The Four Generals”) in Spanish known facts of Burke’s life by myself. It included by Achill-born poet John F Deane of a new poem and English, and the ceremony concluded with a the reading-out of the 32 names Burke had writ - written and adapted for the event, “Deora Dé / piper playing a traditional lament. ten in his diary as “killed in Spain with the Interna - Fuchsia, the Tears of God”, followed by more tional Brigade”. poems and recitals. Pat Burke Burke was born in Dooagh, Achill Island, on 25 With the commemoration concluded, everyone A graveside gathering marked the first public trib - December 1897. At the Battle of Jarama in Febru - made their way to Gielty’s Bar in Dooagh, where ute to the life of Pat Burke (1897-1987). It was ary 1937 he had been mistakenly reported as they were able to view the exhibition loaned by organised at the instigation of his closest living rel - missing/killed in action, but was subsequently the Derry-based North West Spanish Civil War ative, Tom McNamara of Keel, Achill. Burke was admitted to hospital as wounded. The Interna - Project. This contains information on the Irish vol - Tom’s mother’s first cousin and, although he left tional Brigade Medical Commission found him unteers in the International Brigades and also on Achill as a young man, Tom got to know him in his unfit for further service and he was given a med - O’Duffy’s “Irish Brigade” who fought on the side later years when he returned to Mayo. ical discharge. Issued with an emergency pass - of Franco. Burke participated in the First and Second port by the British Consul, he was repatriated to The exhibition later went on display at Achill World Wars, as well as in the Spanish Civil War. He Scotland around 24-29 September 1937. Library for two weeks, along with enlarged photo - died without children, so little evidence was left of During the Second World War he served in the graphs of Pat Burke’s diary with its handwritten his remarkable story – yet Tom felt strongly that it merchant navy. Afterwards he settled in Glasgow list of names of his 32 comrades “killed in Spain should be better known. and continued to travel the world as a seafarer with the International Brigade”. Following an introduction by Dr Edward King of until his return to County Mayo in 1982. He was Achill Historical and Archaeological Society, Tom present at the unveiling of the Tommy Patten Noah Rose is a Manchester-based artist who has been work - McNamara shared his personal reminiscences of memorial and Tom McNamara has a copy of ing in County Mayo. He is keen to hear from anyone with more Pat Burke. This was followed by a reading on the Michael O’Riordan’s book on the Connolly Col - information on Pat Burke. Contact [[email protected]]. Updated information on Jewish volunteers MUSEUM CUTS PROTEST: The IBMT has added its voice to the chorus of protests over Martin Sugarman has updated his comprehen - Sugarman, who is the archivist at the Associa - cuts to the budget of the Imperial War sive survey “Against Fascism – Jews who served in tion of Jewish Ex-Servicemen and Women (Ajex), Museum, as a result of which the museum the International Brigade in the Spanish Civil says that since his research first appeared some faces a deficit of £4 million and the loss of up War”.