sign in sign up
<<
Home , Harry Haywood, Lincoln Battalion, Oliver Law, Victor Grossman

“...and that government of the people, by the people, and for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” ABRAHAM LINCOLN TheThe VVolunteerolunteer JOURNAL OF THE VETERANS OF THE ABRAHAM LINCOLN BRIGADE

Vol. XXI, No. 4 Fall 1999 MONUMENTAL!

Madison Dedicates Memorial ZITROM C to the Volunteers for Liberty ANIEL D By Daniel Czitrom PHOTOS Brilliant sunshine, balmy autumn weather, a magnificent setting Veteran Clarence Kailin at the Madison on Lake Mendota, an enthusiastic crowd of 300 people, and the Memorial dedication reminding spectators presence of nine Lincoln Brigade veterans from around the of the Lincolns’ ongoing commitment to social justice and the importance of pre- nation—all these helped turn the dedication of the nation's sec- serving historical memory. ond memorial to the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, in Madison, More photos page12 Wisconsin on October 31, into a joyful celebration. The two hour program combined elements of a political rally, family reunion, Continued on page 12 Letters to ALBA

Sept 11th, 1999 who screwed up when there was still time for a peaceful Comrades, solution—negotiations moderated by Netherland arbiters. I cannot stomach the publication of that fucking I know there are some 60 vets, and maybe you as well, wishy-washy Office resolution on Kosovo, while [some] who will say, “But what about the people getting killed?” boast of the “democratic” vote that endorsed it. What the Good question. What about ‘em? They voted Slobodan in; hell was democratic about the procedure when only that they stood by him and his comrades re Croatia and Bosnia, resolution was put up for voting? No discussion, no they cheered him on in Kosovo . . . and now they are the amendments, no counter, or other proposal submitted? ones who can turn everything around . . . can kick the Hell, I’m not hung up on Robert’s Rules of Order, and power-hungry ex-aparatchik bums out . . . and turn the maybe such were not violated by the Office; what I’m talk- lights on again. What they need is a little help to get ‘em ing about is the image, the reputation of VALB—-what are moving, and it seems to me there is no other way to get we, followers of Mahatma Ghandi, or are we Anti-fascist ‘em going without a push . . . and I can’t think of another soldados in the Good Fight? way to push than spraying the homeland with a bit of real- Nothing has been truly resolved in the Balkans, and ity . . . can you? won’t nearly be so long as Milosevic remains in Belgrade; Salud the dumbest thing, matched only by the VALB resolution, was the giving Milosevic thirty days to leave made by the Milt Wolff opposition when as evidenced by their one huge protest demonstration they could have hung the cuno by his neck, a la Mussolini style. My uncle Reino Tanttila was killed in in 1936. So what I am sending along is the resolution I pro- Did anyone know him? How he was injured and in what posed, along with my reasons for doing so. I certainly battle? What hospital he died in? Where he may be buried? don’t expect the Volunteer to run all of it, if any at all . . . Any information would be greatly appreciated. but I’ll feel better knowing I made the attempt. Thank you. I believe it is up to the Serbian people to get it right: to Margaret Tanttila get rid of Slobodan and his nationalist zealots in whatever [email protected] or [email protected] way possible, the sooner the better. The Serbs, not just their present leaders, have to make atonement for cheering the rabid nationalists on; for, in fact, allowing themselves to become accomplices. To assume that isolating a few in the leadership will produce a long lasting peace in the The Volunteer Balkans is to reaffirm a belief in the Tooth Fairy’s potency. Journal of the As for the Kosovars, it seems from the limited amount Veterans of the of information I have they were in the main more or less Abraham Lincoln Brigade content with, or accepting of their situation as it was, ante bellum, so to speak, and that the KLA separatists had won an ALBA publication relatively few supporters among the general population. 799 Broadway, Rm 227 Perhaps there should be an international law similar to the New York, NY 10003 Hate Crimes Law now in effect in the USA that would facilitate the trial and possible conviction of nationalist (212) 674-5552 groups such as the ETA, the KLA, and others of that sort, who preach, and/or resort to violence to press their claims Editorial Board for statehood. Peter Carroll • Leonard Levenson I guess the main point I want to make in adding this Fraser Ottanelli • Abe Smorodin post script is that I was in no way influenced by the World and Bill Susman Court’s decision to indict S. Milosevic; my thoughts on the Design Production matter, and my suggestion for a resolution different than the one VALB proposes, reflects my long-standing take on Richard Bermack the situation addressed. . . for the record, you might say. Submission of Manuscripts So let me propose a Resolution, with balls: Please send manuscripts by E-mail Slobodan must go, cost what it may cost. The KLA or typewritten and double-spaced, if possible. If you wish your must be disarmed and disbanded. The Serbs must with- manuscripts returned, enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope. draw all military personnel, leave in place civil servants. E-mail at: [email protected] or [email protected] Negotiations yes-but not with the same cast of characters 2 THE VOLUNTEER, Fall 1999 ALBA in “Shouts” Reverberate in Chicago As Thousands Attend Cultural Events By Marta Nicholas (with material brigadistas being at the forefront in from Charles and Yolanda Hall, the fight against . When he Brian Peterlinz, Muriel Goodfriend brought the six Chicago-area vets to the stage, they received lengthy, and Phyllis Higgins) ardent applause. The program was further enriched by poems of Edwin houts From the Wall” literally Rolfe, movingly read by playwright “Sreverberated around the city of Peter Glazer, and songs from Chicago this summer as ALBA’s “Pasiones,” stirringly performed by poster exhibit inspired a tremendous Jamie O’Reilly and Michael Smith. The outpouring of cultural activities in a exhibit drew compliments to the variety of venues. Sponsored by the Library staff for mounting “Shouts” so Chicago Public Library at the Harold handsomely. During the two months Washington Library Center and the of the exhibition, it was seen by over Chicago Friends of the Lincoln 8000 people. Visitors ranged from Brigade, companion programs erupt- those who knew almost nothing about ed like mushrooms in the city’s major the when they institutions, bringing a gratifyingly entered the exhibit to extremely large number of Spanish Civil War- knowledgeable scholars. related presentations to a variety of Enthusiastic audiences enjoyed the Terra Museum, Robeson pro- audiences. The opening reception several programs at the HW Library grams, the Hemingway Centennial in drew 250 people, who heard African- complementing the visual materials, Oak Park, and San Pedro vets reunion American congressional including the complete version of the events at Northwestern University Representative Danny Davis (7th powerful presentation “Pasiones: and the University of Chicago). There District) speak of the political aware- Songs of the Spanish Civil War,” definitely are young people interested ness and activism of the Negroes of gallery talks by vets and other mem- in the issues, the actions, the implica- that time. He noted that in his last offi- bers of the Chicago Friends, and a tions of those crucial years. One of the cial act before his untimely death, showing of “The Good Fight.” Exhibit focuses of the CFLB is to encourage Mayor Harold Washington (Chicago’s co-curator Cary Nelson’s slide lecture more such awareness and interest. first African-American mayor, for “Painting and Writing While Bombs CFLB’s interest in outreach into the whom the library was named) Are Falling: Art and Literature during Hispanic communities resulted in “The declared November 21, 1987, to be the Spanish Civil War” drew an audi- Good Fight” being shown in several “ and Abraham Lincoln ence of 125. A lively discussion Continued on page 4 Brigade Day” on the occasion of the followed his exposition of how the 50th anniversary of the International artistic techniques and the symbolism A distant relative of the late vet Brigade. Chicagoan Law, a used in the posters dramatically con- Ed Balchowsky is interested in Commander of the Lincoln Brigade, veyed ideas on so many issues—from learning more about him. If you was the first African-American to ever timely specifics (such as land reform) have any stories, please contact lead a racially integrated military unit. through transcendent concerns of the Jeff Balch, 1703 Cleveland St., Pulitzer Prize-winning author human condition. Evanston, IL 60202-2003 Studs Terkel, narrator of the film “The It was heartening to note the wide email [email protected] Good Fight,” gave a spirited discourse age-range of the attendees at these on the historical significance of the and earlier events (the Capa exhibit at phone 847/864-9468. THE VOLUNTEER, Fall 1999 3 Chicago events importance of the students’ role as Lincoln Brigade and thanked the fac- teachers of a new generation. ulty and students for the remarkable Continued from page 3 Following the presentation, the stu- week of activities. Retelling the story dents were all keen to speak with him of the , Hall branch libraries personally. Later, in a university-wide observed, was also a tribute to the in Latino neigh- meeting of several hundred students, heroic Spanish people who were the borhoods as a “Talking Across Generations—The first to resist the fascists at a crucial part of Latin Legacy of The Abraham Lincoln time in history. American Brigade,” Osheroff showed his film Other events in the city include Heritage “Dreams and Nightmares” and the University of Chicago’s campus TALL S month. CFLB responded to pointed questions from film society, Doc Films, presenting a

USAN presenters a panel of student leaders from the 10-week series of films (both English- S Brian Peterlinz, Student Council and other campus language and subtitled Spanish-

PHOTOS Nancy organizations about the commitment language) relating to the SCW; it will Brian Peterlinz, Mikelsons, personified in the Lincoln Brigade. continue through the end of CFLB Co Chair Henry Garcia, The audience was deeply moved by November. CFLB is cooperating with and Chuck Hall the sincerity of the student inquiries organizers Frederick Whiting and reported vigorous discussions follow- and their observations about the chal- Mario Santana to provide some speak- ing the showings. lenges facing today’s young people. ers for the regular-series films. The highlight of events was an The NEIU Planning Committee, CFLB is also working with the incredible week of classroom discus- co-chaired by Professor Susan Stall of University of Chicago’s Rockefeller sions and cultural programs that took the Sociology Department with Chapel to present the musical pro- place at one of the important educa- Provost Estela Lopez as Honorary gram “Pasiones” in the Chapel in tional institutions in the city, Chair of the week’s events, received February, marking African-American Northeastern Illinois University. For the plaudits of University President History Month with special material eight days, under the theme honoring “Americans in Spain, The Commander Oliver International Brigades—Retelling the Law and the other Story,” several score NEIU faculty and Negro volunteers more than 700 students (plus interest- from Chicago’s South ed members of the public) Side. participated in a series of 18 sessions Michele Gibbs, discussing and debating issues related daughter of vet Ted to the War. Topics included “The Gibbs (deceased) and Lincoln Brigade—Allies and a poet and visual Enemies,” “Women’s Voices During artist resident in TALL

the Spanish Civil War,” “Picasso, S , opened the

Guernica and the War Years,” “Poems USAN Hispanic Heritage of Spanish Resistance,” “Langston S Month events at

Hughes: Recording the Voices of Anti- PHOTOS Northwestern Colonialism in the International Chuck Hall, CFLB Co-Chair, congratulates Dame Libby University, in a pro- Brigade,” “Latin American Komaiko on the performance of Ensemble Español gram called Participation in the International “Remembering the Brigade,” “U.S. Intellectuals and the Dr. Salme Steinberg. CFLB is proud to Spanish Civil War, 1936-1939, and the Spanish Civil War,” “Revitializing have co-sponsored this fabulous pro- Volunteers from the Americas: The Commitment—What History Can gram, which culminated in a special Story of the International Brigades.” Teach Our Youth Today.” program by Ensemble Español, For the first time ever, The The latter topic was expanded NEIU’s Spanish Dance Theater, led by Institute for Learning in Retirement of upon in an invigorating session led by Dame Libby Komaiko. Northwestern University is offering 84-year-old vet Abe Osheroff. Titled “The Passions of Spain: The “The Spanish Civil War,” examining Introduced by 34-year-old teacher Untold Story,” the outstanding dance the historical importance of the SCW: Brian Peterlinz (who is co-chair of presentation was performed to an art, literature and film of the conflict CFLB), Osheroff talked about how his overflow crowd. A moving introduc- and its aftermath, as well as political decision to go to Spain fit into a life- tion by Professor Angelina Pedrosa and military history. Under the lead- time of radical humanism, and how brought a tremendous ovation as ership of Ed Holmgren and Alex today’s generation can make their VALB members Chuck Hall and Hilkevitch, the course will emphasize own choices to work for progress and Aaron Hilkevitch brought greetings the singular importance of the interna- for freedom. He emphasized the from the Chicago Friends of the tional character of the war. 4 THE VOLUNTEER, Fall 1999 Pinochet on Trial

By Gabriel Jackson encouragement to these investiga- case is of course inevitably and am writing this article five days tions, all three governments could intensely political. For the Labor Iafter Judge Ronald Bartle of the Bow comfortably assume that the labors of Government, which is following large- Street Magistrate’s Court in London Garzón and García Castellón would ly conservative economic policies, it is announced his decision that General have no practical consequences. especially necessary to show its com- Augusto Pinochet can be extradited to But in the fall of 1998 General mitments to human rights and not be Spain to face a general charge of con- Pinochet went to London for medical complicit in legal maneuvers that spiracy to torture, specific allegations treatment. Judge Garzón saw an would free a murderous dictator from of torture against 34 individual opportunity to apply international all accountability for his crimes. Chileans, plus some 1198 cases of law. He sent a 300-page list of formal The Spanish government repre- “disappearance.” I trust that readers accusations of kidnappings, tortures, sents conservative voters, many of of The Volunteer know that Pinochet assassinations, and “disappearances,” whom supported General Franco and overthrew the legally elected govern- all of which crimes had been defined the great majority of whom wish to ment of the Socialist President in numerous United Nations docu- see the Popular Party and the Aznar in September, 1973, ments since the Declaration of Human government internationally recog- that he ruled as dictator until March, Rights of 1948, and all of which—with nized as a fully civilian, democratic 1990, that his regime was aided by the slight technical differences—had been regime. But its two highest prosecu- CIA and by Nobel Peace Laureate ratified by both Spain and Great tors, Jesus Cardenal and Eduardo Henry Kissinger, that his forces killed, Britain and had been adopted in their Fungairiño, have both defended the or caused to “disappear,” some 3000 respective national legal codes. In Videla and Pinochet dictatorships as persons, that they tortured and/or October 1998, a British court issued a “temporary” derogations of the con- forced into exile some tens of thou- warrant for the ex-dictator’s arrest. Six stitutional order made necessary by sands of other political “enemies,” weeks later, the House of Lords, act- “revolutionary disorders.” They are that the price of his “retirement” in 1990 was the imposition of a constitu- tion which guaranteed that there The Chilean government has been understandably worried would be no investigations or charges about the possible reactions of its own military establishment. against him and his collaborators, and that he would be named a lifetime senator in the restored civilian regime. ing as the highest juidicial body in the themselves happy products of the Pinochet’s arrest in England last realm, denied the General’s claim of Franco era and they have never hid- year raises important questions about immunity as a former head of state. den their distaste for the likes of the role of Spain and on the interna- The ensuing year has been occupied magistrates Garzón and García tional human rights implications of by numerous legal maneuvers center- Castellón. the judicial actions taken by Spanish ing on the questions of whether The Chilean government has been and British courts. In the late 1980s, Spain—and several other countries, understandably worried about the two Spanish investigative magistrates, notably France, Belgium, Switzerland, possible reactions of its own military Balthasar Garzón and Manuel García and —can claim jurisdiction establishment, and it bitterly resents Castellón, began to investigate the over his alleged crimes against their what it sees as an attack on Chilean deaths and “disappearances” of citizens, and whether England should sovereignty. In addition, it is a matter numerous Spanish citizens who had honor the Spanish request for his of living memory for all politically been victims both of the Argentine extradition to Spain. Judge Bartle’s conscious Spaniards and Chileans that dictatorship of General Videla and the decision, announced on October 8, Spain never investigated, much less Chilean dictatorship of General 1999, confirms the Spanish request for punished, the many violations of Pinochet. The post-dictatorial, consti- extradition, and will doubtless be fol- human rights committed by the tutionally elected governments of lowed by efforts of Pinochet’s lawyers Franco regime. The dictator died in those countries did not interfere with to overturn the decision and to insist bed, and one of the understood condi- the Spanish magistrates interviewing that the general’s state of health is too tions of the transition to democracy of witnesses and collection of docu- delicate for him to stand trial. was that the Spanish torturers who ments, but neither did they recognize The governments of The United had served him would be left in peace. any legal right of Spanish authorities Kingdom, Spain, and Chile have all In July 1999, when it became fully to prefer charges against members of reiterated that they fully respect the clear to Chile that the British might their military or police forces. Since independence of their own, and each Continued on page 6 the Spanish executive also gave no other’s, judicial authorities, but the THE VOLUNTEER, Fall 1999 5 TTANELLI O RASER F HOTO P Augusto Pinochet, with other members of the Chilean military junta in Santiago on September 11, 1975, during the celebra- tions for the second anniversary of the coup against the Allende government. Pinochet the Socialist Party whether they would the last few decades, aimed at protect- join in a consensus solution. The social- ing human rights across all national Continued from page 5 ists indicated that they would not do borders, are for the first time being anything to undermine the extradition seriously applied. Torture, assassina- indeed approve the extradition of process. The Aznar government, des- tion, and “disappearance” of political Pinochet, President Frei asked the perate to hide its own internal opponents can no longer be swept Aznar government whether it would divisions, then blamed the socialists for under the rug by claims of national agree to a non-judicial bi-lateral solu- refusing a consensus (which had never sovereignty, self-granted amnesties tion. The Spanish reaction was been clearly defined). and immunities by blood-stained dic- ambiguous and confused. A few days before the Bartle deci- tators. As I write, Chilean judges are Simultaneously the govern- sion, Spain’s Foreign Ministry sent actively investigating some of ment told Chile that it could not two functionaries to London to indi- Pinochet’s collaborators, and are interfere with a judicial procedure that cate to the British Foreign Office that announcing plans to interrogate the had been in motion for many months, Spain would not appeal the decision General himself, in England or in but that perhaps a way could be if it went against the Garzon request Spain or in Chile. Perhaps the example found to transfer the whole question for extradition. The British flatly of Magistrates Garzón and García to the International Court at the rejected the attempt clandestinely to Castellón will also lead to greater Hague, or that perhaps some less com- undermine the judiciary. Spain then international judicial activity against plex, time-consuming method could publicly claimed that it had no inten- other known butchers. A final point be found. Chilean diplomats accused tion of interfering with Magistrate which moved me particularly as a the Spaniards of hinting at their anti- Garzón’s conduct of the extradition historian of Spain: The present work extradition sentiments and at possible process. of the two Spanish judges stands in undefined solutions while not really The most important aspect of this the honorable tradition of the handful accepting either the bi-lateral proposal whole affair is the fact that, whether of 16th century Spanish justices who or the transfer to the Hague court. or not Pinochet is eventually extradit- insisted on the human rights of His The Aznar government also asked ed and tried, the international laws of Majesty’s Indian subjects. 6 THE VOLUNTEER, Fall 1999 New Alba Exhibit Receives Grant from Puffin Foundation By Tony Geist

n August 1999 Gladys and Perry Workers Committee to Aid Spanish theme in the literature and iconogra- IRosenstein, directors of the Puffin Democracy, spent several months in phy of the war. The great Chilean poet Foundation, gave ALBA a substantial Spain in 1937 studying the Children’s Pablo Neruda wrote of the blood of donation to begin work on a new trav- Colonies, and wrote a detailed two- children running in the streets, and eling exhibition titled “They Cesar Vallejo, from Peru, Still Draw Pictures.” The cast Spain as a mother and show will display a selection teacher, exhorting the chil- of wartime drawings done in dren of the world to aid her. 1937-38 by Spanish A number of posters in Republican children in the ALBA’s “Shouts from the “Colonias Infantiles” and Wall” exhibit feature chil- that are now held by the dren as victims of fascist Herbert Southworth terror, and Robert Capa Collection of Spanish Civil captured the poignancy of War materials at the children forced into exile. University of California, The drawings differ sig- San Diego. nificantly from these other The Children’s Colonies artistic responses. For the were set up in southern first time in modern history, France and in the relative children depicted their own safety of Republican con- suffering. Rather than trolled eastern Spain, from objects and themes, they Barcelona down to Alicante, become subjects who partic- to handle the massive influx ipate in the representation of refugees from the war of their experience of the zones. Historians estimate war. The drawings from the that some 600,000 civilians, Children’s Colonies have an among them 200,000 chil- aura of authenticity and dren, fled from Franco’s directness that adult artists forces. do not seem able to achieve. The government faced Children’s drawings from the problem of how to care the Spanish Children’s for the refugees, and were Colonies have only been dis- particularly concerned with played twice before in the the children, many of whom US: in New York and Manuel Garcia, 12 years old. From a hospital cot, were orphans. Others had Boston, in 1938; and at the Manuel recalls his flight from enemy planes. Covering been separated from their Columbia University library his eyes to shut out the sight of falling bombs, he runs families or sent for safety to in 1986. with dogs and sheep as frightened as himself. Children’s the east. They had the option ALBA’s exhibit, curated Colony, 10 Alicante, from They Still Draw Pictures. of housing refugee children by Tony Geist and Peter with foster families, them- Carroll, will feature some 75 selves already strained by war part article for Social Work Today drawings by Spanish refugee children, shortages, or creating special group describing the Spanish solution to the and perhaps another 35 from later homes. The Republic favored group refugee problem. wars: the Holocaust, Southeast Asia, homes. One of the most remarkable things the Balkans, the Middle East, Africa, At the time children’s welfare to emerge from the Children’s etc. “They Still Draw Pictures” is workers in Europe and the US were Colonies were thousands of drawings slated to open in New York in the engaged precisely in this debate. in which the children represented the Fall of 2001 at a major venue, still to Malbin, one of five young effects of the war on them. Children’s be determined. women from the American Social suffering, of course, was a major THE VOLUNTEER, Fall 1999 7 From the ALBA Archives New Material On Vladimir Copic, Commander of the XVth Brigade By John Kraljic the true liberation of his homeland. Copic had problems with a num- ladimir Copic’s life presents a Following his return to the newly- ber of Americans in the Brigade. Vnumber of enigmas. The roots of formed Yugoslav state, Copic became Among other things, he has been criti- his Croatian nationalism, his turn to a member of the Central Committee of cized for ordering the American attack , his role in Spain and, the forerunner of the Communist at , though, in fairness, it is dif- finally, his execution have all raised Party of Yugoslavia (CPY) in 1919. He ficult to assign sole blame to Copic questions among those who have later won a seat to Yugoslavia’s since it appears that Copic’s superior, studied his life. He was born in 1891 Constituent Assembly becoming head General Gal, pressed him to order the to a Serbian Orthodox father and of the Assembly’s, Communist Club. American advance. Copic also ran into Croatian Catholic mother in the conflicts with certain American offi- Croatian coastal town of Senj (then cers, including Robert Merriman, part of Austria-Hungary) and along Allan Johnson and . with his brother Milan (who also Mirko Markovic, a Serbian-American served in Spain) he was raised in the who served as commander of the Orthodox faith (while his sisters were Lincoln-Washington Battalion for a raised as Catholics). He first devel- short period, claimed that many of oped his singing talents, which were these conflicts had their roots in the often commented upon later in his life, belief of some American officers (ini- in the local orthodox church choir. tially supported by Ernest However, despite his mixed ethnic Hemingway) that an American should background, Copic became a fierce lead the XVth Brigade. Copic further Croatian nationalist, joining a radical faced trouble with the Brigade’s movement known as Young Croatia. Vladimir Copic, from Aura of the French-Belgique Battalion and its Indeed, a number of his close friends commander, Gabriele Fore, due to Cause in Senj’s gymnasium and at Zagreb’s what Copic regarded as the Battalion’s law school later became prominent After the Yugoslav government indiscipline. leaders of the fascist Ustashe move- banned the CPY, the regime brought Milan Gorkic reported on Copic’s ment which ruled part of Croatia as an Copic to trial a number of times for his apparent lack of popularity to Axis satellite during World War II. political work, the last trial occurring in May 1937. Writing from Copic, however, along with a number in 1925 after Copic returned from Paris to the CPY’s delegate at the of his colleagues, changed their politi- Moscow as a delegate to the Comintern, Gorkic quoted from a cal faith following the Russian Comintern’s III Congress. Though report of the CPY’s representative in Revolution. sentenced to prison, Copic, through Spain, Blagoje Parovic (who later died For Copic, this occurred while he the intervention of several friends, as commissar of the XIIIth Brigade), was in a Russian POW camp where, obtained a transfer to a hospital from which noted that “they are not satis- he later wrote, he discovered in where he escaped and returned to the fied with Copic here. He especially Communism the best means to secure USSR. After Copic attended the has [no tact] with people and his staff. International Lenin School, the . . . He is too administrative. . . . I will Bibliographical Note. There is no Comintern sent him to Prague as its attempt as much as I can to correct biography concerning Copic available representative to the Czechoslovak and support him.”Copic’s position in English. The major works concern- Communist Party (CPC). Copic became was further complicated by his com- ing him which appeared in the former a member of the CPY’s in mand over the Dimitrov Battalion in Yugoslavia include Ivan Ocak’s Vojnik 1932, but he came into conflict with the which many Yugoslavs served. Gorkic revolucije: Zivot I rad Vladimira Copica, CPY’s Secretary, Milan Gorkic, who had expressed concern that Copic’s Zagreb, 1980; Zivot I djelo Vladimira engineered Copic’s removal from both Copica, Rijeka, 1978, which contains the Politburo and the Central John P. Kraljic is an attorney practicing materials presented at a symposium Committee in late 1936. By January in New York. He is currently researching concerning Copic in Senj in 1976; and 1937 Copic was in Spain, where he was the role of Croatian and Serbian a number of articles which appeared initially named commissar of the XVth American and Canadian volunteers in in Senjski zbornik, an annual publica- Brigade, becoming the Brigade’s com- Spain. tion of Senj’s Museum. mander on February 27, 1937. 8 THE VOLUNTEER, Fall 1999 anger at his removal from the Politburo would lead to factionalism Extract from Vladimir Copic’s Report on the Operations in the Battalion. But Copic, at least ini- of the XVth Brigade in the Sector of Batea-Calaceite- tially, avoided superfluous contact Gandesa Between March 30th and April 2, 1938 with his compatriots to a point where some volunteers believed him to be “On the night of March 30-31, I Comrade Doran, who was serving at the from Czechoslovakia. received an order from the division com- time with the battalion staff, was killed. While his personality was not to mander to deploy the 58th Battalion to Our brigade Chief of Staff was captured. the liking of many, Copic nevertheless the vicinity of Cuadret in order to estab- About 100 of our soldiers fought received praise from some of his col- lish contact with a battalion from the through the enemy lines and reached leagues. Vlajko Begovic, a Bosnian XIth Brigade which was carrying out its the . Some of them had been on Serb who served on Copic’s staff, operation north of the valley in Cuadret the move from ten to fourteen days.” remarked favorably on Copic’s great and a battalion operating in the organizational talents, noting that he Vallbona area. The car- Extract from Copic's Summary of often personally inspected the trench- ried out this task with great success. the Operations: es and placed his post near the front An attempt by the enemy forces to “The commanders of the 57th and lines (probably as a result of which he penetrate our sector was blocked, we 58th Battalions demonstrated their suffered minor wounds in July 1937). took several prisoners and, with great ability rather well, with a minor excep- He also appears to have had excellent initiative, we established contact with tion (Lt. Richardson of the 57th relations with the U.S. commissar those battalions of the XIth Brigade. Battalion)... David Doran. Moreover, despite his Political Commissar Blank of the XIth At the same time there were many problems with the U.S. volunteers, Brigade greatly appreciated the opera- soldiers and officers who performed Copic often expressed great respect tion we carried out on the night of exceptionally well. Among the best, I for them in his war diary. In battle, March 31st. He said that the Lincoln would name Captain Fletcher, acting Copic successfully led the Brigade in a Battalion was better than some of his commander of the English Battalion; number of actions, though he received own units and envied our success. Captain Wolff, commander of the much blame for the failure at Fuentes The Lincoln Battalion remained at Lincoln Battalion, and his Political de Ebro in October 1937. Copic, how- this position the entire day of March Commissar, Gates; commanding officer ever, believed the criticism to be 31st up until 16:00 hours of April 1st, Dunbar and several others. misplaced. when we were ordered by the division- Regarding our losses, it will be He insisted that the failure al commanding officer to retreat noticed that many are designated as stemmed from poor planning of the because enemy forces had already “desaparacidos.” Mainly, those men campaign by his superiors. Copic taken positions at Pobla de Masaluca, (especially in the 57th and 58th remained in charge of the Brigade Mudefes and Horta. As we were starting Battalions) were either killed or cap- until June 1938 when he was recalled our retreat movement, we learned that tured, but we could not determine their to Moscow. Though it is possible that the Batea-Gandesa road and the road fate with certainty. his recall may have been caused by to Villalba de los Arcos had already May 9, 1938 the failure at Fuentes de Ebro, more been cut off by the enemy forces. The [Signed] V. Copic, commanding likely it was related to changes in the Lincoln Battalion was surrounded and officer of the XVth Brigade CPY’s leadership. In mid-1937 Gorkic sustained an enemy attack. As a result had been removed from his post and of this attack, we lost about 450 of our Translated from the Russian by disappeared in the Gulag. Though personnel, who were either killed, Alexander Gribanov and Victor Josip Broz Tito took over Gorkic’s wounded, captured or reported missing Berch. responsibilities, he was not to receive in action. The Political Commissar, Comintern confirmation in his new post as CPY General Secretary until 1939. The resulting power vacuum (Bolshevik). But he was soon arrested tors. However, there is no question raised Copic’s hopes that he would be and condemned to death by a Soviet that his role in Spain represented only reinstalled in the CPY’s leadership. Military Collegium on April 19, 1939. one aspect of his thirty years of strug- Indeed, during 1937 Tito had already Posthumously, the CPY expelled gle against existing authority. His role written to urging Copic and a number of other former as commander of the XVth Brigade Copic’s recall into the higher echelons leaders (including Copic’s nemesis, made his name known throughout the of the Party. Copic returned to Gorkic) from its ranks. The Soviets world through the newspaper reports Moscow, via Paris, in September 1938, rehabilitated Copic close to twenty of such writers as George Seldes. His where he began to collaborate with years later, on June 10, 1958. An subsequent execution cannot be logi- Tito on a new Croatian translation of appraisal of Copic’s work in Spain cally explained but remains a tragedy the Short Course of the History of the would inevitably lead to polemics which befell many volunteers follow- All-Union Communist Party between his supporters and detrac- ing their service in Spain. THE VOLUNTEER, Fall 1999 9 German Vets Gather in Berlin

early a dozen Spanish war veter- Nans from , Poland, Austria, Israel, and Bosnia met in Berlin in September to endorse activi- ties to preserve the anti-fascist heritage of the International Brigades. Spurred by the Homage reunion in 1996, friends of the IBs organized “Friends and Relatives of the Fighters for the Spanish Republic, 1936-1939” to keep alive the spirit of the German volunteers who fought against the Nazis in Spain. “Tens of thousands of people from 50 countries going to Spain voluntarily, risking and often losing their lives to help the people of Spain and stop the fascists from more murdering and marauding—that has surely happened only once in history,” said one middle- (l to r) Kurt Lohberger (German IB), Victor Grossman, Dolly Shaer (GB), Jane Larson, aged participant at the meeting. Salman Salzman (Israel IB), Hans Landauer (Austria IB), Karl Kleinjung (German IB), Eugeniusz Szyr (Polish IB), Roman Gula (Polish), Helmut Huber (German IB).

Clinton Apologizes to ”Because this spirit is so impor- ment. Hans Landauer’s hard work at Sgt. Carter’s Family tant today—just look at East Timor or the Documentation Archives of the the neo-Nazis here—we must pass it Austrian Resistance (DOW) in Vienna When President Bill Clinton on, especially since there are constant was highly praised in the meeting, awarded the Medal of Honor posthu- attempts to forget or falsify the tradi- and was recommended as a model for mously to Lincoln veteran Edward tion of the democratic People’s Front the German archives. Landauer has Carter, Jr,. he did not know that the and the Interbrigades.” been able to document materials on U.S. Army had blacklisted the African Among the participants were about 1500 Austrian volunteers, and American Sergeant in 1949 because of German veterans Rosa Coutelle, Julius now he is assisting the German group. his prior service in Spain. Goldstein, Fred Mueller, Karl Dolly Shaer reported a successful In August, Clinton offered a for- Kleinjung, and Helmut Huber. union summer school program held in mal apology to Carter’s widow, Veterans from other countries were London this year. The week-long Mildred: “I was saddened to learn of Hans Landauer of Austria, Eugeniusz activity consisted of nine lectures, the . . . injustice he had suffered by Szyr of Poland, Salman Salzman of films, and photographs about the being denied re-enlistment in the Israel, and Cedo Kapor of Bosnia. Spanish Civil War. Len Tsou dis- Army. Had I know Kapor, the sole living IB veteran cussed the activities organized by this when I presented his Medal of of Bosnia, received the most enthusi- ALBA-VALB in cooperation with col- Honor two years ago, I would have astic welcome from the group. He leges, such as photograph and poster personally apologized to you and brought copies of a new book about exhibits, explaining that they are effec- your family. the former Yugoslavian volunteers tive in getting students’ interest, “On behalf of all Americans, I entitled “Za Mir I Progres U Svijetu,” especially if lectures are delivered in want to do so now . . . . It was truly our which was published this year in conjunction with the exhibition. The loss that he was denied the opportuni- Sarajevo. Ana Perez of AABI also group also realized that an internet ty to continue to serve in uniform the attended the meeting. Dolly Shaer, the web site is a powerful tool for the nation he so dearly loved.” daughter of British veteran Frank organization and they are in the pro- Now the Carter family is seeking West and secretary of the British IB cess of setting it up. correction of the soldier’s military Association, also participated. This story was assembled from reports records. There is also talk of naming For the German group, there is an by Len Tsou and Victor Grossman. an armory in California in his honor. urgent need to establish their own archives in a non- friendly environ- 10 THE VOLUNTEER, Fall 1999 I.BI.B.. MMonumenonumentt DDedicedicaatteded iinn PPararisis By Robert Coale OALE C OBERT R PHOTOS s the Spanish say, “Más vale volunteers as well as that of the Atarde que nunca” (better late than daughter and granddaughter of “La never). This seems to be the unfortu- Pasionaria.” Following the public nate rule for monuments to the unveiling, a luncheon was offered to Volunteers for Liberty. Despite strong brigadistas and their close friends. emotional ties to the Spanish Republic A sign of their surprising élan was of 1931-1939, it was not until Saturday given during the group photographic October 16, 1999 that the first session in front of their faded battle International Brigade monument was flag as they broke into an enthusiastic unveiled in France, at the French rendition of “La Jeune Garde” to Resistance Museum in the eastern thunderous applause. René Maisons, Parisian suburb of Champigny. veteran of the epic struggle for The three meter high white mar- Madrid in 1936, as well as the French ble slab represents a hand showering resistance and a survivor of the Nazi a fallen comrade with flowers and is concentration camp of Buchenwald the work of Brazilian architect Oscar stated; “Singing that song is proof our Nemeier. An adjacent plaque remem- morale is still high and that our strug- bers the 9,000 French men and gle is far from outdated. It is up to women who fought to defend future generations to continue and for democracy in Spain. that reason the monument will serve Unlike American IB events, the more to inspire them than to honor us. usual pomp of official French veterans After all, we have not forgotten celebrations was the order of the day: Spain.” Manu Sternzy expressed simi- battle flags, government representa- lar wishes, “This monument confirms tives, members of parliament, the justness of our struggle in Spain for speeches, and “La Marseillaise.” What generations to come. It will motivate made this event unique was the pres- our children and grandchildren.” ence of 20 of the surviving 45 French

THE VOLUNTEER, Fall 1999 11 MONUMENTAL! Continued from page 1

and history seminar as a broad range of speakers and well-wishers paid tribute to the 2800 American men and women who volunteered to fight Fascism in Spain more than 60 years ago. At the center of all this activity was 85 year old Clarence Kailin, a Madison native, Lincoln vet, and long time activist in a variety of social jus- tice struggles. Inspired by the first monument erected in 1998 at the in Seattle, ICASTRO

N Kailin was the driving force to get a monument built in Madison. His RENT

B Madison Mayor

efforts provide an organizing lesson ALL Susan Bauman Y. H

PHOTO for us all. Kailin enlisted over 100 Madisonians to sponsor the memorial, Chuck Hall and, with the help of the VALB PHOTO National Office, received contributions nary energy and persistence, and for from 200 people around the country, his skill in uniting so many different totaling nearly $15,000. No wonder people and organizations around the nearly every speaker made a point of goal of memorializing the Wisconsin congratulating Kailin for his extraordi- contingent of the Lincoln Brigade. John Nichols, editorial page edi- “I was a member of the tor of the Madison Times Communist party here, as many were newspaper, made a terrific master of at the time. We understood the impli- ceremonies. Looking out over a crowd cations of the war in Spain. We knew who Hitler was, we knew what fas- President of Wisconsin cism was. We knew what

ICASTRO State Senate Fred Risser anti-semitism was. I’m Jewish. Here N State Senate Fred Risser Holding Up was a chance to go over there and RENT B Proclamation fight back.” Clarence Kailin in the Wisconsin State Journal. PHOTO

Dan Czitrom ALZBERG

S Speaking ARRY H PHOTO 12 THE VOLUNTEER, Fall 1999 Master of Ceremonies ALL

John Nichols Y. H PHOTO One was the importance of honoring the Second World War, and the entire the living tradition of the Lincoln postwar era. vets, linking the struggle against fas- One of the more remarkable and cism to a broader range of social heartening aspects of the day was the Moe Fishman justice issues over the past 60 years. strong participation of elected officials These have included the fight for a and labor leaders. Madison Mayor Sue that included a rich mixture of veteran democratic and socially conscious Bauman gave a thoughtful speech in activists, students, VALB family mem- trade union movement; an end to which she recalled how her parents bers, trade union officials, and local segregation and other forms of U.S. had given aid to several Lincoln vol- political leaders, Nichols reminded the apartheid; the efforts to stop murder- unteers before they shipped out to audience that the Lincolns “had the ous American foreign policy Spain. U.S. Representative Tammy courage to be anti-fascists before it was appropriate to be anti-fascist.” Two key themes stood out in most of the speeches and proclamations. ICASTRO N RENT B Carl Geiser Clarence Forrester PHOTO ventures in Vietnam and Central Baldwin (D-Wisconsin), elected last America; and the current fight for year through a powerful coalition of universal national health care. organized labor, women’s groups, gay A second motif throughout the activists, and other progressives, sent day underscored our responsibility to along the remarks that she had read combat the historical amnesia that Continued on page 14 increasingly distorts American politi- cal and intellectual life. The Madison memorial—and those to come—pro- Daniel Czitrom is a former Chair of the vide an educational rallying point for ALBA Board of Governors. He is countering the Pat Buchanan-Ronald Professor and Chair of History at Mount Reagan view of the Spanish Civil War, Holyoke College. THE VOLUNTEER, Fall 1999 13 MONUMENTAL! Continued from page 13 into the Congressional Record, telling the audience about the wide extolling the Lincolns and calling range of educational, cultural, and upon the Federal government to grant scholarly work that ALBA has pur- them full veterans benefits. U.S. sued in its effort to help keep the Senator Russell Feingold (D- Lincoln tradition a living, breathing Wisconsin) sent a congratulatory one. It was an especially moving certificate that lauded the Lincoln vol- moment for me. In addition to the unteers both for their courage in the emotions brought on by my own fam- 1930s and for their fierce commitment ily connections to the Lincolns (Joe to the political good fight at home. Gordon, Leo Gordon, and Ben Fred Risser, President of the Barsky), I had to wrestle with my Wisconsin State Senate, read a procla- feelings about returning to Madison, mation. And David Newby, president where I had gone to graduate school of the Wisconsin AFL-CIO, eloquently during the 1970s. represented the “new voices” that are The introduction of nine Lincoln re-energizing today’s labor move- vets proved the emotional highpoint ment. “We owe these people a great of the day, bringing a standing ova- deal,” Newby said. “We owe them tion and not a few tears. In addition first for being part of the Abraham to Clarence Kailin, the Lincoln vets Lincoln Brigade but also for their con- honored included Vern Bown tinuing struggle.” (Minong, Wisconsin), Moe Fishman I spoke briefly on behalf of the (), Clarence Forrester Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives, (), Carl Geiser (Corvallis, 14 THE VOLUNTEER, Fall 1999 Lincoln Veteran Elias Schultz Sculptor of Seattle Monument ZITROM C AN D PHOTO

Oregon), Charles Hall (Chicago), Art The plaque was designed and cast by The Abraham Lincoln Brigade Harrison (Michigan City, Indiana), Dr. David Ryan of Oakland, California, memorial plaque in Seattle is an Aaron Hilkovich (Chicago), and Bay who also created the memorial in interpretation of the International Area Post Commander David Smith Seattle. Among those listed were two Brigade insignia cast from the wood (Oakland). vets who never returned. John W. sculpture by Lincoln veteran Elias Moe Fishman, National Treasurer Cookson, an instructor at the (Dutch) Schultz. Schultz studied his of VALB, spoke for many when he University of Wisconsin who had craft in London, Brienz, the Tyrol wondered aloud how the history of commanded the Lincoln and Florence, was a pupil of this century might have been different Transmissions, was killed during the Jacques Lipshitz and worked with if the U.S. and other nations had given last days of the war near Marsa. Clyde Everett Du Penn. aid to the embattled Spanish Republic. C. Lenway, a writer from Milwaukee, Reproductions in cast and pol- “Can you imagine not having to go had been among the first group of 96 ished bronze may be ordered through World War II? Unfortunately American volunteers who shipped out currently at a price of $2,000. They we were not listened to and the holo- are 18-1/2” x 20,” and may be caust of World War II ensued.” mounted or set in stone, wood or Clarence Forrester said simply and other material. One casting is now powerfully, “There’s nothing that can available. Lead-time for new orders give me more pride than saying that is one month. I’m a Lincoln vet.” Clarence Kailin completed the For information about this or other speeches with a forceful reminder of work by Elias : the Lincolns’ deep connections to the phone 206 726-6564 larger social movements of the day, FAX to 206-726-6564 both before going to Spain and in the E-mail to: [email protected] decades after. Memorials like the one in Madison, he reminded us, were part of the ongoing work of preserv- The October 31 ceremonies received ing historical memory in an era and extensive coverage in the local media, society that find it convenient to for- including news stories in two news- get the truth. papers and a feature aired over the ZITROM Finally, the speeches all done, the C NBC-TV affiliate. And Clarence Kailin AN nine Lincoln vets crowded around the D deservedly was seen and heard every- memorial, unfurling their famous Dave Smith where. “We’ll tell people they PHOTO navy blue banner. With a flourish, shouldn’t see this as a memorial to Clarence Kailin removed the bright to Spain in December 1936. old soldiers,” he told one reporter. red tarp to reveal a handsome granite Located at an entrance to the pop- “They should see it as a reminder that monument, including a bronze memo- ular James Madison Park, the the struggle we joined in Spain, the rial plaque listing the 26 Wisconsinites memorial is sure to be seen by thou- struggle for economic and social jus- who were part of the Lincoln Brigade. sands of people in the years to come. tice, goes on. We’re still a part of it.” THE VOLUNTEER, Fall 1999 15 The Soldier and the Snow

by Miguel Hernández (tr. by Martín Espada)

1999 marks the 60th anniversary of Franco’s lethal incarceration of Miguel Hernández, the sheperd-poet, causing his death by tuberculosis three years later at the age of thirty-two. Martín Espada, a widely published poet, teaches in the English Department at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. His presentation of his poem The Carpenter Swam to Spain, about Lincoln veteran Abe Osheroff, was a feature of this year’s east coast ALBA-VALB annual affair.

December has frozen its double-edged breath May the heart of wool burst, gushing and puffs it out from the frostbitten skies, from so many warehouses and textile mills like a dry flame growing in trickles, to cover the bodies that burn the morning like a vast ruin falling upon the soldiers. with their voices, gaze, feet and rifles.

Snow is the solitude of a mournful gallop Clothing for the bodies that could go naked, wherever a horse stamps down hoofprints. dressed in frost and ice, Snow is sifted fingernails, demolished claws, in gaunt stone against the hard pecking, celestial evil, absolute disdain. the pale biting, the pale flight.

It bites, cuts, pierces, an enormous falling ax, Clothing for the bodies that silently repel ax of bitter and delicate marble. the whitest attack with the reddest bones. Descending, it scatters like a shredded embrace Because these soldiers have solar bones, of cliffs and wings, solitude and snow. they are bonfires with footprints, with eyes.

This attack cut from the core of winter, The cold rushes in, death sheds its petals, raw hunger tired of hunger and cold, a soundless roar—I can hear it—raining down. menaces the naked with eternal spite, Red life on the white snow, reddens white, lethal, ravenous, so silent, dark. the warm snow, sows fire in the snow.

It wants to quench the forges, all hate, bonfires, So completely are they crystalline rock wants to blind the seas, entomb all kinds of love, that only fire, only the flame can define them, raises slow bright barriers, and they fight on with snowcapped cheekbones, and mouths, silent statues, shards of assaulting glass. and everything they attack turns into a memory of ash.

16 THE VOLUNTEER, Fall 1999 I’m in Madrid I’m in Madrid, by New York artist Ken Aptekar, was recently purchased by the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art in Kansas City, Missouri for its permanent collection. The 1999 painting, which will soon go on view, was inspired by a passage in veteran Harry Fisher’s recent book, Comrades: Tales of a Brigadista in the Spanish Civil War. Artist Ken Aptekar was struck by Fisher’s candor about his ambivalence toward fighting in the war, and moved by his actions. The 60” by 60” painting is covered with glass sandblasted with the fol- lowing text:

I’m in Madrid to see paintings and my friend Harry Fisher comes to mind. In 1937 he sailed to France, then climbed the Pyrenees to Spain. It wasn’t paint- ings that drew him there. He went to fight fascism with the Abraham Lincoln Brigade. In Comrades: Tales of a Brigadista in the Spanish Civil War, Harry writes that after a few months, “I began thinking that I was in the wrong place. I wanted to do my share to try to stop the fascists, but in reality I knew I was more of a pacifist than a soldier. I couldn’t kill, and I didn’t want to be killed. I couldn’t stand to see so much suffering and to feel so much fear. I made up my mind that if I lived through this day, I would get out of the war-even desert if I had to. I listened Harry Fisher during the Spainsh Civil War and at a VALB to the wails of the wounded. I listened to cries for event 1997. water. The sun beating down on me was torture, like being in a hot oven. So I won’t be a hero, I thought. Some people might call me a coward. But what the hell do they know about war?” Harry stayed for a year and a half, through all the major battles.

THE VOLUNTEER, Fall 1999 17 ALBA BOOKS, VIDEOS AND POSTERS

BOOKS ABOUT THE LINCOLN BRIGADE You Are History, You Are Legend Madrid 1937 — a film by Judith Montell (VCR) $25 Letters from the Spanish Civil War POSTERS ed. by Nelson & Hendricks (cloth) $35 Two Spanish Civil War posters (Madrid Lion and Another Hill Victoria) are available at $10 plus postage, and thanks by Milton Wolff (cloth) $25 to Eva and Mark Fasanella, copies of five of Ralph Our Fight— Fasanella’s posters ($20 each, plus postage). They are: Writings by veterans of the Subway Riders (1960); Family Supper (1972); The Great Abraham Lincoln Brigade: Strike, Lawrence, 1912 (1978); The Daily News Strike Spain 1936-1939 (1993); South Bronx Rebirth (1995). ed. by & Albert Prago (pbk) $15 These books and tapes are available at the indicated The Anti-Warrior prices from: by Milton Felsen (pbk) $15 Veterans of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade Trees Become Torches, Selected Poems 799 Broadway, R. 227 by Edwin Rolfe (pbk) $10 New York, NY 10003-5552 Collected Poems of Edwin Rolfe (pbk) $21 Tel: (212) 674-5552 From Mississippi to Madrid Shipping cost: $2 per copy of book, album or tape. by James Yates (pbk) $15 Make checks payable to ALBA. Spain, the Unfinished Revolution by Arthur Landis (cloth) $25 Prisoners of the Good Fight by Carl Geiser (pbk) $15 Spain’s Cause Was Mine by Hank Rubin(new) (cloth) $29 An invitation Comrades by Harry Fisher (new) (cloth) $25 (ppb) $12 for posterity Odyssey of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade by Peter Carroll (pbk) $15 The Volunteer invites our readers to consider making a bequest to the Abraham Lincoln Remembering Spain: Brigade Archives. Hemingway’s VALB Eulogy ALBA is a non-profit tax-exempt organization. by Ernest Hemingway, Cary Nelson Contributions and bequests provide donors with and Milton Wolff (audio tape & pamphlet) $15 significant advantages in planning their estates Prison of Women and donations. by Tomasa Cuevas $15 For more information, contact EXHIBIT CATALOGS Diane Fraher The Aura of the Cause, a photo album executive secretary ed. by Cary Nelson (pbk) $25 VALB/ALBA Shouts from the Wall, a poster album 799 Broadway, Rm. 277 ed. by Cary Nelson (pbk) $16 New York, NY10003 Telephone: VIDEOS 212-598-0968 The Good Fight E-mail: a film by Sills/Dore/Bruckner (VCR) $35 [email protected] Forever Activists a film by Judith Montell (VCR) $35

18 THE VOLUNTEER, Fall 1999 George Watt Memorial Prize

The Abraham Lincoln Brigade argument, and quality of writing. The The prizes honor the memory of Archives (ALBA) is pleased to paper must have been written to fulfill Abraham Lincoln Brigade veteran announce the continuing annual com- an undergraduate or graduate course George Watt (1914- 1994), not only for petition for the ALBA George Watt or degree requirement. Submissions his own long anti-fascist record but Memorial prizes for the best college are encouraged from U.S. and interna- also as a symbol of the many student essays about the Spanish Civil tional contestants. American men and women who War, the anti-fascist political or cultur- The deadline for receipt of essays risked, and sometimes lost, their lives al struggles of the 1920’s and 1930’s, is April 1, 2000. Essays written either in this struggle. Watt himself was a or the lifetime histories and contribu- during the year of submission or dur- veteran of Spain who then served in tions of the Americans who served ing the previous calendar year are the U.S. Army Air Corps in World beside the Spanish Republic from eligible for the competition. Essays War II. An effective voice for a variety 1937-1938. Two prizes of $500 each must be at least 5,000 words long to of social causes in his lifetime. Watt will be awarded each year — one to be considered for the prize. The was also a driving force behind ALBA. the best undergraduate paper and one award winners will be announced Applicants should email entries to the best graduate student paper each Spring. The Executive to Eunice Lipton: written on one or more of the above Committee of ALBA appoints the [email protected] topics. Papers will be judged on the judges for the contest. basis of originality, effectiveness of

ALBA’S TRAVELING EXHIBITIONS SHOUTS FROM THE AURA OF THE CAUSE THE WALL Dallas Bel Air Cary Nelson of the University of Nov. 8, 1999—Feb. 21, 2000 January 9, 2000-March 12, 2000 Illinois, consists of hundreds of DeGolyar Library University of Judaism photographs revealing the Abraham Southern Methodist University 15600 Mulholland Drive Lincoln Brigaders, other interna- 6404 Hilltop Lane Bel Air, California tional volunteers and their Spanish Dallas, TX For further information, call Shelly comrades in training and at rest, Lavender 310 476-9777 among the Spanish villages, and in Carbondale battle. March 15, 2000-May 15, 2000 The University Museum ALBA’s photographic exhibit,The Aura of the Cause, has been shown at For further information about The Southern Illinois University Aura of the Cause exhibit, and its Carbondale, IL the Puffin Room in New York City, the University of California-San companion exhibit Shouts From The Riverside Diego, the Salvador Dali Museum in Wall, posters from the Spanish Civil March 15, 2001-April 30, 2001 St. Petersburg, FL, the Fonda Del War, contact ALBA’s executive sec- Sweeney Art Gallery Sol Visual Center in Washington, retary, Diane Fraher, 212-598-0968. University of California, Riverside DC, and the University of Illinois. Both exhibits are available for muse- This exhibit, curated by Professor um and art gallery showings.

BRING THESE EXHIBITS TO YOUR LOCALITY Contact Diane Fraher, ALBA executive secretary: 212-598-0968; Fax: 212-529-4603

THE VOLUNTEER, Fall 1999 19 Added to Memory’s Roster

Clement L. Markert After the war, he earned his Ph.D. Herbert Kline from Johns Hopkins University and (1917-1999) became an assistant professor at the (1909-1999) . In 1954, Clement Markert, veteran of the Markert and two colleagues refused to Herbert Kline, lifelong advocate Lincoln Brigade and longtime mem- testify before a subcommittee of the of social theater and film and a cele- ber of the ALBA Board of Governors, House Un-American Activities brated filmmaker of the Spanish Civil made his mark as a world-class geneti- Committee. The university president War, died February 5 in Los Angeles. cist and biologist but it was his service suspended all three, though Markert Herb had everything you would in Spain that uniquely shaped his dis- alone was reinstated. In 1991, an want in a man, understanding and tinguished academic career. He died at annual lecture series devoted to free generosity. A native of Davenport, a hospice near his home in Colorado speech was named in their honor. Iowa, he grew to manhood in the Springs, Colorado, on October 1. “They’ll have to think about and Great Depression. He responded to As a brilliant undergraduate at squirm about it at least once a year,” the crisis less with anger and frustra- the University of Colorado, the 20- Markert remarked. tion than with idealism and hope. year old Markert and his roommate Markert eventually moved on to Like other intellectuals, he joined in Allan Merrick left the Boulder campus Yale University, where he continued progressive causes dedicated to in 1937 to fight against Franco in his work on enzymes and served as humanism and democracy. Spain. They rode freight trains to New Chair of the Department of Biology. He joined the staff of LEFT maga- York, stowed away on a merchant zine, which circulated internationally. ship, made contact with the “Gentlemen,” said Markert, “I He wrote an interracial play, John International Brigades in Paris, and know very well that there is a Henry, which he took to Broadway, then proceeded over the Pyrenees to blacklist at NIH, because I am where it had several public readings enlist with the Lincolns. but was never staged. He became edi- Arriving in Spain just before the on it.” tor of New Theatre Magazine and Retreats in 1938, Markert served as a widened the magazine's readership scout during the dangerous time of He was also elected to the American with playwriting contests. encirclement. He attributed his sur- Academy of Sciences, perhaps the When the fascist revolt against the vival to the mountaineering skills he most prestigious scientific society in Spanish Republic began in 1936, Herb had learned as a youth in the this country, and served on its govern- volunteered to represent New Masses Colorado Rockies. His friend Merrick ing council. During one meeting, his and Our Fight in Spain. He also was not so lucky. colleagues discussed the possible exis- became the American Voice on After returning home, Markert tence of a blacklist at the National Madrid Radio beamed across the faced a public inquiry before the Institute of Health. “Gentlemen,” said world. At a Bon Voyage farewell he Colorado Board of Trustees before Markert, “I know very well that there quoted Abraham Lincoln: “This is a being allowed to complete his college is a blacklist at NIH, because I am on struggle to give everyone a fair and studies. He boldly defended his deci- it.” He remembered that he could equal start in the race of life.” As sion to go to Spain. In an oral history have heard a pin drop. The discussion Robert Colodny once noted: The con- he made in 1980 for ALBA, Markert led to the abolition of that blacklist. flict was “the problem of land, of the recalled saying: “You have made a Facing mandatory retirement at peasant and landowner—the oldest very fine university here, and...I’m Yale, Markert moved to North story in recorded history. The pattern actually your best product. I rank Carolina State University, where his of the struggle is always the same, number one among the students....To research dealt with animal husbandry. only the name of the oppressor expel me from the university would More recently, he and his wife, changes.” This is the theme of Herb's be the most devastating self-criticism Margaret, returned to Colorado. classic film, Heart Of Spain. (His other that you could possibly engage in.” He is known today as the “father” film on Spain Return to Life remains They voted unanimously to reinstate of isoenzymes, an entire field of bio- popular on college campuses.) him. He went on to graduate studies chemical research. Yet his political Today it is Chiapas as Herb fore- in zoology at UCLA. commitments remained intact. “He told in his movie, Forgotten Village When World War II began, he was just a good citizen antifascist,” (Mexico). And other social films tried to enlist in the Army Air Corps, said his wife. included Lights Out In Europe which only to be turned down because of his brought an invitation from FDR for a service in Spain. He enlisted in the private showing and discussion. merchant marines. There followed the prize winning 20 THE VOLUNTEER, Fall 1999 Added to Memory’s Roster with the Oiney Symphony Orchestra Walls of Fire and The Challenge of until his death. Modern Art and, with Orson Wells, Besides his wife, Mr. Wallach is Acting . . . Lee Strasberg. He never survived by daughters Rosalyn Baker, finished Stanislavsky. Carolyn Weiss and Saundra Cam- All of this and more in spite of pione; a brother; three sisters; seven McCarthy's blacklisting. grandchildren; and eight great-grand- children. Bob Steck

Rafael Alberti 1906-1999 ERMACK

Rafael Alberti, the last member of B the group of Spanish poets called the ICHARD

“Generación de 1927,” died on R October 28 in his home outside Cadiz, at the age of 96. He was a contempo- PHOTO rary of the internationally renowned Harry Wallach anti-fascist baker Federico García Lorca, Luís Buñuel and Pablo Ruiz Picasso. An activist Harry Wallach

poet from very early on and member ERMACK of the Communist Party, during the 1912-1999 B

Spanish Civil War, he joined the ICHARD Alianza de Escritores Antifascistas Harry Wallach was an anti-fascist, R and was one of the driving forces a baker and a cello player. He was 24 PHOTO behind the publication “El mono when he joined the Abraham Lincoln Sophie Kaplan Smith azul” (The Blue Overalls). He was the Brigade and was wounded in the bat- leader of the Batallón de Talento, part tle of Jarama, which he recalled in an Sophie Kaplan Smith of the Quinto Regimiento. After the interview with the Philadelphia defeat of the Second Spanish Inquirer in 1987: "I had crawled to 1911-1999 Republic, he sought exile in Argentina within grenade-throwing distance of a and then in . Returning to Spain machine gun. I went to get a grenade, Sophie Smith, wife of Bay Area following the death of Franco, he was scrunching up my shoulder, when I Post Commander David Smith, died elected member of Parliament for the got hit. It was like a sledgehammer. It of lung cancer in September. She was CP along with Dolores Ibarruri, La picked me up in the air and threw me a lifelong activist and a popular com- Pasionaria. Friend of the International on my back. The bullet went in my munity organizer in Queens, New Brigades from the very beginning, he chest and took out my right lung. I York, and in Vermont, before moving wrote the wartime poem “Las figured I was going to die.” to California five years ago. As a Brigadas Internacionales” which the Taken for dead, he was covered member of the Post executive commit- “brigadista” Michael Economides with a sheet and placed with other tee, she brought great energy, recited in the Palacio de Deportes of dead bodies. Fortunately, when an wisdom, and humor, and Sophie Madrid during the Homenaje. Alberti orderly removed his sheet, Wallach exerted considerable influence among was also an accomplished artist. He managed to roll his eyes. The stunned the younger activists. painted the Dove of Peace in red, yel- orderly shrieked, "Hey, doc! This low and purple, which was made into stiff's alive!” Other Recent a print especially for the “brigadistas” After the war Wallach worked as as a souvenir of their visit to Spain in a baker and eventually owned several Deaths 1996. Those interested in more infor- bakeries in the Philadelphia area. He mation can consult the articles which had a keen ear for music, and on his Sol Newman have appeared in the Madrid newspa- 50th birthday his family presented per El País on the web at him with a cello. He became an Tuz Mende www.elpais.es accomplished musician and played THE VOLUNTEER, Fall 1999 21 See you on the web ALBA’s own website (the address of which circles the globe on the right) is being constantly updat- ed: with ALBA activities and projects tracked, back issues of The Volunteer soon being added to the site; and links to related websites kept current. Here we wish to call readers’ attention to www.ate- ww w.a neo.uam.mx — the website of the Ateneo lba-va España de Mexico, originally founded by exiles lb.org from Republican Spain, and now carrying out a variety of programs in support of liberty and justice, both in Mexico and Spain. Check ’em out. Join us in a cause that will never die ver two decades ago four veterans college and graduate school essays on insure that those of you who are not veter- of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade— OBill Susman, Leonard Lamb, Oscar these subjects, and has designed a widely- ans of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, or Hunter and Morris Brier — created a new used Spanish Civil War high school and family members of a veteran, will continue organization: ALBA, the Abraham Lincoln college curriculum. to receive The Volunteer, and will enjoy Brigade Archives, bringing in a group of In the coming months and years other benefits of Associate status. scholars interested in the Spanish Civil ALBA will greatly expand its activity. To War and the International Brigades. do so effectively ALBA must have your From the outset, one of ALBA’s main support. Please fill out the coupon below, Fill out this coupon and send it to the tasks was to help manage and expand the enclose a $25 check (or larger amount) address indicated below. Spanish Civil War archive housed at made out to ALBA and send it to us. It will Brandies University in Waltham, ❑ Massachusetts. Explicit in this undertaking Yes, I wish to become an ALBA Associate, and I enclose a check for $25 were the educational goals of preserving, made out to ALBA. Please send me The Volunteer. disseminating and transmitting to future ❑ I would also like to receive a list of books, pamphlets and videos available generations the history and lessons of the at discount. Spanish Civil War and of the International ❑ would like to have ALBA’s poster exhibit, Shouts from the Wall, in my Brigades. locality. Please send information. To carry out these goals ALBA, in col- ❑ I would like to have ALBA’s photo exhibit, The Aura of the Cause, in my laboration with VALB, publishes The locality. Please send information. Volunteer. ALBA also collaborates on the production of books, films and videos, Name ______maintains a website at www.alba-valb.org, helps send exhibitions of photographs, Address ______documents and artwork throughout the United States and Canada, and organizes City______State ______Zip______conferences and seminars on the Spanish ❑ ❑ Civil War and on the role of the I enclose an additional donation of ______. I wish do not wish International Brigades in that conflict, and to have this donation acknowledged in The Volunteer. afterward. ALBA has established the Please mail to: ALBA, 799 Broadway, Room 227, New York, NY 10003 George Watt Memorial prizes for the best

22 THE VOLUNTEER, Fall 1999 Contributions

Clifton Arnsbury, $20 Gino Bauman, in memory of Ernst Stauffer, $25 Beverly Bassin, in memory of Sol Newman, $50 Murray and Dorothea Berg, in memory of Robert Taylor, $25 Madeline DeMaio, in memory of Tony DeMaio, $200 Sylvia Donnenfield, in memory of Ruth Davidow, $25 Mary Borland and Norman Borland, Jr., in honor of Norman Borland, Sr. $75 Marjorie Feidman, in honor of Chuck and Bobby Hall, $25 Leah Fine in memory of Richard Fein, $100 Joel and Susan Goldstein, in memory of Marianne and Ben Iceland, $100 Anna Heinricher, in memory of Stanley Heinricher, $20 Gabriel Jackson, in memory of lrving and Frieda Weissman, $50 Helen Kusman in memory of Felix Kusman, $10 Eric Lederman, in memory of Abe and Abigail Lederman, $100 Linda and Steve Lustig, in memory of Sophie Smith, $500 Betty McBay, in memory of Harry Wallach, $50 Jim Maraniss, in memory of Robert Adair Cummins, $100 Sylvia Marro, in memory of Joe Gordon, $25 Natalie Mescer, in honor of Ralph Spinner, $25 Lonnie Nelson, in memory of Kenneth T. Nelson, $25 Mary Pappas, in memory of Nick Pappas, $25 Elinore and Lenore Rody, in memory of John Rody, $200 Polly Lorraine Periman, in honor of Helen Feinberg, $50 Gideon Rosenbluth, in memory of Bill Bailey and Maury Colow, $50 Samuel Schmerler, in memory of Savilla Teiger, $25 Esther Schneider, in honor of Leonard ltzkowitz’ 80th birthday, $20 Hope L. Shapiro, in memory of , $25 Lillian Smith, in honor of Sophie Smith, $25 Luis and Janes Torras (Spain) in memory of Francois Mazu (France), $50 Steven Vedro, in memory of Margie Watt, $20 Sadie Vogel, in memory of Joseph Vogel, $50 Ada Wallach and Arlene Wallach, in memory of Harry Wallach, $125 Mollie and Danlynn Watt, in honor of George Watt, $50 Mance G. Webb, in mem- ory of Oiva Halonen, $40 Estelle and Eddie Wellman, in honor of Saul Wellman’s 86th birthday, $25 Wyoming Student Loan Corp., in honor of Harry Wallach, $50 Dave Smith, in honor of my wife Sophie, and Joanne Smith, in memory of my mother Sophie $500 SSaavvee thethe DDatate!e!

“We Must Remember”—a New Stage Production Dedicated to the Veterans of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade Created by Peter Glazer and Bruce Barthol Featuring Members of the Mime Troupe, Plus other “Stars” to Be Announced San Francisco Bay Area: February 29, 2000 New York: April 30, 2000 A Millennial Tribute to Our Vets! Join Us!

THE VOLUNTEER, Summer 1999 23 New ALBA Exhibit Receives Grant from Puffin Foundation

They Still Draw Pictures: A 1938 Exhibit, Revived and Expanded. See page 7 for full story

The Volunteer c/o Veterans of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade NON-PROFIT 799 Broadway, Rm. 227 U.S. POSTAGE New York, NY 10003 PAID PERMIT NO. 280 SHIRLEY, N.Y. 11967

24 THE VOLUNTEER, Fall 1999