September 2007

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Vol. XXIV, No. 3 September 2007

Moe Fishman at his desk in the VALB office, planning the annual veterans' reunion, April 2001. Moe dedicated his life to VALB, acting as the national spokesman for the vets for over 50 years. See Memory's Roster, page 20. Photo by Richard Bermack. Letter From the Editor We’re in a season of milestones. The Volunteer ALBA’s exhibition, “Facing Fascism: New York & the Journal of the Spanish Civil War,” came down from the walls at the Veterans of the Museum of the City of New York in August after attracting Abraham Lincoln Brigade many thousands of spectators (see page 1). A facsimile ver- an ALBA publication sion of the show is bound for Spain, our first exhibition to 799 Broadway, Suite 341 be seen in that country. New York, NY 10003 Soon afterward, a facsimile version of “They Still Draw (212) 674-5398 Pictures: Children’s Art of the Spanish Civil War” will also Editorial Board be on display in several Spanish cities. Peter N. Carroll • Gina Herrmann Meanwhile, on the west coast, plans for the inaugura- Fraser Ottanelli • Abe Smorodin tion of the new memorial to the volunteers of the Abraham Book Review Editor Lincoln Brigade are aiming for the late autumn. Everyone Shirley Mangini is asking for the exact date, but we can’t be precise just now. Art Director-Graphic Designer The basic contract with the city of San Francisco has Richard Bermack been negotiated and signed; the funds are almost at hand. Editorial Assistance Note the word “almost.” Nancy Van Zwalenburg ALBA is required to provide the city with at least $100,000 in maintenance funds for the next 20 years. That Submission of Manuscripts Please send manuscripts by E-mail or on disk. represents our major shortfall. E-mail: [email protected] But the primary delay comes from the technical side of the project: because the memorial requires an innovative process to inscribe visual images and text on the onyx pan- Dear Friends, els, no one can accurately predict how long the work will I don’t know how to express my sorrow; with Moe’s actually take. There are 40 feet of panels, eight feet high, death, we’ve lost a part of ourselves. I write to you, in my that have to be prepared and inscribed. own name and on behalf of the Association of Friends of We expect to unveil this glorious monument by the International Brigades, to express our sorrow and to December—it could be sooner—and we’ll give our sub- ask that you convey our condolences to all of our scribers as much advance notice as possible when we set colleagues in VALB and ALBA. the exact date. I think Moe led a beautiful life, because he fought for We are also launching a new collaboration with the Bay just ideals, the ideals that he maintained throughout his Area Paul Robeson Centennial Committee: the first install- life. We Spaniards will always be grateful to him for ment of a graphic story about Paul Robeson, African bringing those ideals here during his youth, to defend the Americans, and the Spanish Civil War. It starts in this is- cause of liberty, democracy and social justice. And for sue. It will end with a 28-page booklet suitable for remaining ever loyal to this land in which he endured a distribution to students, along with teaching tools on the cruel war, trying to defend it from fascism. Those of us subject. Stay tuned for the next exciting installment! born later, who came to Moe afterwards, have always seen Lastly, we note the passing of the VALB icon, Moe in him an example of solidarity, a friend who always gave Fishman. It’s been almost 20 years since he led me through sage advice, and who at times asked difficult but necessary the streets of New York to meet veterans of the Spanish questions. He was a cordial and profoundly human being. Civil War who had stories to tell. Afterward, he’d make me It has been a privilege for us to know him, and we will meals and give me a place to sleep. His own stories were always remember him as an example of international honest and accurate. He was a fact-checker’s dream. Moe, solidarity. He was truly magnanimous and his humanity there’s still more I want to ask. knew no borders; these attributes are the only ones on which —Peter N. Carroll we can build a future. We will do everything we can to keep his memory alive and to transmit it to future generations. Our dear friend Moe, thank you, and ¡Salud! Ana Perez Scenes from an Exhibition By James D. Fernández ome came from as nearby as Astoria, Williamsburg, and East SHarlem. Others traveled all the way from Canton, Milwaukee, Greensboro, Chicago, San Diego, and San Francisco. Joining their ranks were men and women who journeyed from as far away as Australia, Brazil, Canada, Croatia, England, France, Germany, Ireland, Mexico, Slovenia, Scotland, Switzerland and Uruguay. They expressed themselves in English, Spanish, French, Catalan, German, Italian, Japanese, and Portuguese. All the members of this remarkably di- verse group of men and women had one thing in common: they all volunteered to write comments in the first volume of the guest book of the exhibition “Facing Fascism: New York and the Spanish Civil War,” which was on view at the Museum of the City of New York from late March until mid-August. The show was seen by tens of thousands of individuals from all over the world. Thousands more have attended the parallel public programs—lectures, film screenings, concerts, and seminars—mounted by the museum. Hundreds of teachers and students have also benefited cinctly the heterogeneous inscriptions covering the first eight weeks of the from special guided tours and teacher they have left behind, which range show’s run at the museum. development initiatives coordinated from simple, graffiti-like “I-was- For the curators of the show, the by the museum. Many of these guests here” annotations to paragraph-long proximity of the exhibited past (just 70 have taken a moment to leave a record reflections and, occasionally, coun- years ago) represented both a great of their visit to “Facing Fascism” by ter-reflections. There is, moreover, challenge and a great opportunity. jotting something down in the guest a good deal of contradiction among And one thing shared by many of the book. the responses. “Inspiring” and “very more substantial entries in the guest It’s difficult to characterize suc- depressing”; “uplifting and “tragic”; book is precisely a strong sense of im- “impartial” and “horribly one-sided,” mediacy or urgency. These are the James D. Fernández is co-editor with “informative” and “disingenuous.” inscriptions that make one realize that Peter N. Carroll of the exhibition These are just some of the contradic- for many of the museum’s visitors, the catalogue, Facing Fascism: New York & the tory characterizations that appear on history being chronicled is by no Spanish Civil War (New York University the 75-odd pages of the book, roughly Press). Continued on page THE VOLUNTEER September 2007 Exhibition Continued from page means some kind of remote, detached and Grandfather. For Bill Lazarre, my fa- Lincoln Brigade naturally enjoy a priv- past, but rather a kind of unfulfilled ther. Thank you for this exhibit and all ileged place in the exhibition, the true promise or, perhaps, an open wound. your work. protagonists of the exhibition are the —On behalf of the families of the brig- tens of thousands of ordinary New Identification, memorialization adistas who volunteered and never Yorkers who took to the streets in de- “Great for our time, but no pic- returned from Spain. Thank you for the fense of the Spanish Republic. These tures of my mom and dad.” moving and wonderful exhibit. visitors and their descendents were Apparently, some visitors came to —I thank the MCNY for a job well also able to identify immediately with the Museum of the City of New York done. My great uncle, Herminio Avilés the scenes and events chronicled in fully expecting to find familiar faces Valencia, was a volunteer in Spain. He the exhibition. portrayed in the exhibition. Not all was wounded there and died as a result in —My mother raised funds for the were disappointed. “Facing Fascism” the Presbyterian Hospital of San Juan, Abraham Lincoln Brigade! was obviously visited by many of the Puerto Rico. —My father was in NY, coming from surviving veterans of the Abraham —My husband Jack Penrod fought in Chicago, to help load ships for Spain. Lincoln Brigade and by scores of their Spain, [and I] loved the exhibit. —Saturday night was “raising money friends and relatives. For most of these —I write this entry on behalf of veter- in the New York subway” night. You came visitors, the exhibition represented a an Hy Tabb, 93 years old, who was with your collection can, you paid your “long overdue” tribute to the men and brought by his wife Tommy (Tamaara). fare and made speeches on the train. Yes women who had risked life and limb —My grandmother, Alice Wagnon, we believed in the fight for Democracy in to go to Spain to stem the tide of fas- was a member of the Lincoln Brigade as a Spain. We believed in Democracy for the cism. These visitors tend to write “in nurse. I have always admired her for this world, and we still fight. Ruth, 87 yrs. memory” or “on behalf” of others and achievement, and I have traveled from —An excellent presentation of this often express gratitude to the California to see the "Facing Fascism” ex- important historic moment in history. museum. hibit. Thank you MCNY for this tribute. From one who shook the collection box —Thanks for keeping the spirit and —This is my third visit. The exhibit calling out “Make Madrid the Tomb of ideals of the brigadistas alive. And thanks seems even better each time. My father Fascism.” for perpetuating the memory of my broth- was in the ALB and yet I’ve learned so —In memory of the many times my er, Hy [Greenfield]. much from this exhibit. Such important Spanish mom and I screamed at German —In honor of my uncle Edward K. work. History is a treasure and you have and Italian embassies: “Hitler and Barsky, I thank you for an excellent brought it alive. Mussolini, Keep your hands off Spain.” exhibit. —In memory of my father who came —My older siblings were in Spain —In honor of my father Arthur here from Cuba and fought in Spain. during this terrible civil war. I was touched Munday, member of the LB. I thank you —In honor of my brother-in-law who and admire the volunteers of Lincoln for this wonderful exhibit. fought valiantly in Spain and returned Brigade, your courage gave many hope. —In memory of my uncle, Savino wounded; a dom-dom bullet in his chest. Thank you for this exhibit! Martinez God bless his memory. —De una niña de la Guerra que se —In memory of my father, Georges —Great exhibit. Remembering my fue a Mexico pasando por Nueva York y Adorian, who fought in the IB (Toronto) dad, vet, Robert Klonsky. pasando una semana en Ellis Island. —Congratulations and thank you One of the signal contributions of [From a “child of the war” who went to from the family of Ben Leider and L R. the exhibition has been the documen- Mexico, passing through New York and Bradley. tation of the vast antifascist spending a week on Ellis Island.] —Very good. My grandfather died in mobilization that took place in New —Enhorabuena. As the wife of the Spain War. York in the late-1930s. Though the son of an exiled Republican, and a New —For Bill Lazarre aka Bill Lawrence, 2,800 volunteers of the Abraham Yorker descended from Jewish immigrants, political commissar, Spain, ALB, Comrade Continued on page THE VOLUNTEER September 2007 Poet Martín Espada Presents Reed-Osheroff Lecture By Joe Butwin On May 30, 1937, a ship called La Ciudad de Barcelona was torpedoed by an Italian submarine within sight of the Spanish coast. Two survivors of the initial blast, Bob Reed and Abe Osheroff, swam ashore and fought to defend the Spanish Republic as part of a life-long commitment that would lead both men to Seattle. There, exactly 70 years later, on May 29, 2007, poet and activist Martín Espada delivered the second annual Reed-Osheroff Lecture at the University of Washington. Espada, who has published 13 vol- umes as a poet, editor and translator and teaches creative writing at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, addressed a group of more than 150 people. In its broad diversity, the audience defied characterization as the Martín Espada and Abe Osheroff, after Espada read “The Carpenter Who Swam to band of usual suspects who are nor- Spain" at a VALB reunion in1999. Photo by Richad Bermack. mally rounded up for poetry readings ceased to rely on the patronage of Neruda, Cesar Vallejo and Miguel and academic lectures. Certainly there kings and aristocrats and turned to a Hernandez that flourished in the were students of poetry in the crowd vast new audience in the emergent de- Republic and the American contribu- and students of Spanish language and mocracy for a new kind of patronage. tions by Edna St. Vincent Millay, literature, along with some of their Spain in 1937 may have been such a Genevieve Taggard, and the soldier- professors. There were also parents country, a republic of poetry with em- poet Edwin Rolfe. and grandparents and a liberal sprin- issaries at every front and a capital at Espada, clearly a citizen of the kling of children, citizens, scholars, Pablo Neruda’s Casa de las Flores, the same Republic, also read from his own and activists. That would include Abe House of Flowers, in Madrid. poems, including a tribute to Abe Osheroff, in a wheel chair. Bob Reed, That night in Seattle, Martín Osheroff and the others who swam to who died two years ago, was repre- Espada called his talk “The Poetry of shore from the Ciudad de Barcelona and sented by his son Bill and his daughter the Good Fight,” which, as he ex- to his own father, who, like Abe and Janet. plained, “refers to the poems and Bob Reed, was also a civil rights work- Espada, his audience, and the title poets that emerge from political strug- er. Espada’s passion, his poetry, and the of his most recent book of poems—The gle, but it also refers to the ways in people who gathered in Savery Hall at Republic of Poetry (Norton, 2006)—re- which political activism makes life po- the University of Washington that mind us of the long association of etic. There are politics in the poetry; night show that in every corner of poetry and politics that goes back to there is also poetry in the politics.” He Bush’s America the Republic of Letters what writers at the time of the French reminded his audience of his, and is alive and well. and American Revolutions began to their, roots in the poetry and prose of Joe Butwin is a professor of English at the call “The Republic of Letters.” Writers Walt Whitman, along with poetry of University of Washington.

THE VOLUNTEER September 2007 Bay Area Vets Star at Film Screening s part of San Francisco’s annual summer LaborFest, a AJuly film festival and celebration of the city’s labor history, ALBA and the Bay Area vets co- sponsored the screening of two documentary movies about the Spanish Civil War, drawing a large crowd to the Roxie Theater to see Spanish Earth (1937) and Souls without Borders (2006). The older film, made by Joris Vets (l-r) Hilda Roberts, Nate Thornton, Dave Smith and Milt Wolff answering Ivens and written by Ernest questions at the screening of Souls without Borders, produced by Miguel Angel Nieto Hemingway as a propaganda piece and Tony Geist. Photo by Richard Bermack. in support of the Spanish Republic, presented the stark black and white footage that celebrated the heroic Antifascist Monument Spanish people in their fight against in Burgos better-armed fascist insurgents. In By Char Prieto his introductory remarks, Peter The walls of these historical Carroll explained that the film had he city of Burgos in Spain is an monuments cannot talk, but the been screened at the White House historical place. It’s well thousands of Republican victims of exactly 70 years earlier in an effort Tknown for its monumental Franco´s terror and despotic ideals to persuade President Franklin D. 13th century Gothic cathedral, the can, and they have given personal Continued on page medieval castle, the Las Huelgas testimony concerning the cruelty of Monastery, and, above all, the the Fascist regime. Inquisition. If only the centuries old June 23, 2007, was an historic Irving Norman Exhibit stones of these monuments could date for crusaders against Fascism. talk, we would hear about blood, Finally the Antifascist Association of The paintings of Lincoln vet Irving massacres, repression, torture, and Ex-Political Prisoners unveiled a Norman continue their national tour. injustice. monument in Burgos dedicated to The next stop for “Dark Metropolis: Even today visitors can see at the the victims of the Civil War and Irving Norman’s Social Surrealism” is the entrance of Las Huelgas Monastery a Franco’s repression. One of the first Katzen Art Center at American sign that says: “In the year 1937 the words during the commemorative University in Washington, DC, First Fascist National Congress con- events was to give thanks to the November 6 to January 27, 2008. vened, uniting God and General International Brigades. This group of These meticulously detailed paint- Franco, with a pledge to give its ser- combatants was mentioned several ings reflect a troubled and turbulent vice and lives of its members in the times during the homage. world in which urban spaces and mod- Holocaust for a free Spain.” During The mayor of Burgos, from the ern life are decimated by technology, the Spanish Civil War Burgos served rightist Popular Party (Partido poverty, and war. The show was curated as the base of Germany’s Condor Popular), of course, was not present; by Scott Shields and organized by the Legion. This city is a symbol of the instead there were several hundred Crocker Art Museum. Francoist crusade against liberalism, antifascist supporters. For more information call 202-885- as well as the base of operations from ARTS (2787). where German planes left for the Char Prieto teaches at California State bombing of Guernica. University, Chico.

THE VOLUNTEER September 2007 Bay Area Vets Star at Film Screening

Antifascist monument at Burgos. THE VOLUNTEER September 2007 George Watt Memorial Award Winners:

By Daniel Czitrom And this year’s winners are: of the three permanent reporters ALBA is pleased to announce the Graduate: Julie Prieto, Stanford assigned to cover the Spanish Civil winners of this year’s George Watt University, “Partisanship in Balance: War for The New York Times. All Awards, established to honor the The New York Times Coverage of the veteran foreign correspondents, these memory of this Lincoln vet (1914- Spanish Civil War, 1936-1939” three men, Herbert Matthews, 1994), author, activist, and leading Undergraduate: Ashley Johnson, Lawrence Fernsworth, and William figure in creating and supporting Mount Holyoke College, “Healing the Carney, competed within the structure ALBA. After his stint in Spain, George Wounds of Fascism: The American of the paper to construct very different served in the Army Air Corps during Medical Brigade and the Spanish Civil versions of Spanish events based on World War II; his plane was shot down War” their own changing personal politics. over Belgium and he escaped from be- Eschewing contemporary notions of hind Nazi lines with the help of local Abstract of: journalistic objectivity, Herbert resistance fighters. To get a better “Partisanship in Balance: The Matthews and Lawrence Fernsworth sense of his remarkable life story and New York Times Coverage of the both wrote articles that were highly his passionate commitment to radical Spanish Civil War, 1936-1939” supportive of the Republic from their social change, take a look at his engag- by Julie Prieto posts in Madrid and Barcelona ingly written 1990 memoir, The Comet respectively. While Lawrence had Connection: Escape from Hitler’s Europe. ith the outbreak of the been a supporter of the Republic The Watt Awards were designed Spanish Civil War in 1936, throughout the 1930s and was strongly to encourage student research and WSpain became a magnet for in favor of increased regional writing on the American experience in international journalists following autonomy, pro-Republican politics Spain, as well as on related topics in the fortunes of the Second Republic. represented a departure for Matthews, the Spanish Civil War and the larger history of anti-fascism. In newspapers and magazines, writers with For 2007, we began accepting work written in Spanish as well as English, a wide range of political affiliations offered an important part of our effort to make ALBA a more international pres- competing visions of Spain… ence. We received some two dozen entries this year, one third of which In newspapers and magazines, writ- who had been sympathetic to were written in Spanish. We had an ers with a wide range of political Mussolini and the Italian army. especially strong group of undergrad- affiliations offered competing visions Previously stationed to Madrid, but uate submissions. of Spain, presenting the country as assigned to Nationalist Spain through This year’s committee of judges both a symbol of democracy trium- most of the war, William Carney also consisted of Sebastiaan Faber (Oberlin phant and of the political instability wrote highly partisan articles but was College), Gina Herrmann (University of revolution in the context of the in- a strong supporter of Francisco of Oregon), and Daniel Czitrom ternational spread of communism. Franco’s Spain, often minimizing in (Mount Holyoke College). With its well-known commitment to his dispatches the role of foreign ALBA is delighted to award two foreign news reporting, The New York intervention in aiding the insurgents. prizes of $500 each, for one under- Times invested considerable report- Rather than appear biased to- graduate essay and one graduate ing resources into Spain, assigning wards either side, this meant that essay. We publish here brief abstracts numerous temporary correspondents editors at various levels of the Times of the winning papers. The full essays and three permanent reporters to the were charged with creating “fairness” are posted on the ALBA/VALB war in its opening days. and “balance” by attempting to give website. My paper explores the experience Continued on page THE VOLUNTEER September 2007 Prieto and Johnson Continued from page equal weight to the reporters’ diver- the hope of lifting Roosevelt’s embar- als, and simple anti-fascists joined gent viewpoints. Even when this go, and for their own personal sanity. together with one goal: the defeat of approach was shown to be flawed, as After all, in the Spanish Civil War a Franco. Behind their Party slogans when William Carney’s dispatches Red Cross did not represent medical and optimistic tales, medical person- from Nationalist Spain were shown to asylum, but a target for Fascist nel were normal human beings, be false in mid 1937, the Times contin- bombers. subject to fear in the face of wartime ued to pursue the same editorial The story of the American Medical violence. Their story displays the ten- policy. This created a number of per- Brigade is one of heroism, internation- sions between fervent political beliefs sonal animosities among the reporting alism, and allegiance to the Popular and the horrible reality of one of the and editorial staff of the Times, and led Front of the 1930s. For a brief time in bloodiest wars in world history. Matthews in particular to become history, Communists, Socialists, liber- highly critical of news coverage during the war and its effect on public Bay Area Vets knowledge and opinion in the United Continued from page 4 States. Roosevelt to intervene to save the lively applause, but the audience Republic, but it had succeeded came to its feet with cheers for Abstract of: only in making FDR remark sadly, four Lincoln vets—nurse Hilda “Healing the Wounds of “Spain is the vicarious sacrifice of Roberts, David Smith, Nate Fascism: The American Medical us all.” Thorton, and Milton Wolff—who Brigade and the Spanish Civil Souls without Borders, made by spoke afterwards about their War” by Ashley Johnson journalist Miguel Angel Nieto involvement in the Spanish Civil and Tony Geist, which was War and reaffirmed the value of a n January 1937, under the jurisdic- recently screened at the Seattle life of activism. Collectively, they tion of the Medical Bureau to Aid Film Festival, had its premiere in presented a living history of the ISpanish Democracy, men and California with several of the great struggles of the 1930s and an women such as Dr. Edward Barsky, members of the cast in attendance. enduring spirit of anti-fascism. Nurse Fredericka Martin, Nurse The hour-long documentary won Salaria Kee, and hospital administra- tor/interpreter Mildred Rackley formed the American Medical Brigade to establish the first American hospital for the Loyalist troops in Spain. Catholics, Jews, African Americans, and many others joined from all walks of life to heal the wounds inflicted by Francisco Franco on the people of Spain. These men and women sailed to Spain with high hopes and a fervent dedication to the Popular Front. Many letters home expressed their opti- mism, while their diary entries show a darker side of their experiences. In this very public war, they remained Bay Area vets Hilda Roberts and Nate Thornton addressing the audience of Souls cheerful for the sake of the home front, without Borders. THE VOLUNTEER September 2007 Exhibition Continued from page trotskyists who died fighting vs. Franco? They are invisible in this exhibit and that’s shameful. —There was an anti-Stalinist left of some significance in this period that played an important role in the Spanish Civil War. You would not know that from this show, unfortunately. —Unfortunately, the views presented here are most disingenuous—really lies— the Communists were no better than the Nazis —A horribly one-sided view of history. Hardly a mention of communist atrocities or the soviet union’s effort to it was moving to see my worlds intersect the parallelisms between the 1930s wield control. I guess there are still unre- in the space where moral conscience meets and today: constructed communists and fellow human solidarity and action. —Remarkable exhibit. travelers in NYC and on the museum’s Congratulations on a brilliant job. staff. Relevance and Immediacy: Impeach Bush-Cheney, fascists in —According to the comments above, Intervention and Appeasement residence. our society still harbors unreconstructed By chronicling the involvement of —Now it’s time to fight fascism here fascists who have learnt nothing from his- New Yorkers in the Spanish Civil War, at home. Impeach and jail Bush, Cheney tory. Viva la quince brigada. “Facing Fascism” invites spectators to and the rest of Franco’s successors in the —An excellent exhibit, although more think about questions of intervention White House. emphasis could have been placed on the ac- and appeasement in our day. The rhet- —Excellent! Down with fascism— tivities of the Soviet Secret Police in Spain, oric of the Bush administration, which still alive in the 21st century. and on the Trotskyist critics of the Popular has tried to categorize opponents of Front in New York. Nevertheless, a gem of the Iraq invasion as supporters of “ap- Sins of Omission an exhibit. peasement,” found its way into one Many spectators chose to write entry in the guest book: about what they found “missing” in Spaniards React —Today, Maunanu Achamanadinjad the exhibition: “Not a mention of to New Yorkers Reacting and the Islamist Fundamentalists are the Lorca, killed by Franco”; “Wonderful How, or whether, to remember Fascists. Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid are exhibit—but needed songs of the war and memorialize the Spanish Civil the same type of people who appeased the and a huge copy of Guernica”; War is a burning political question in Fascists in the 1930s. George Bush and “Excellent but the songs are missing.” Spain today. For this reason, the reac- Tony Blair are the Republicans of today, Others wrote to complain of the tions of Spaniards that visited “Facing who are fighting this new type of fascism. alleged “invisibility” of the non-com- Fascism” transmit a strong sense of Signed, Loyal Americans who are the too munist left in the exhibition, or of the immediacy and urgency. The general silent majority. lack of attention to the ideological contours of the debate about historical Another visitor wrote the word strife within the left. Some of these memory in Spain are nicely captured “Idiot” in large letters across this en- complaints seem to be made by sym- in the inscriptions spontaneously jot- try, and yet another commented, pathizers of the non-communist left, ted down by Spanish tourists in the “Another chicken hawk, like Bush/ others by anti-communists and ene- museum’s guestbook. Cheney/Wolfowitz.” Several visitors mies of the left in general. —From a Spaniard born in 1941 and expressed a very different reading of —Where are the anarchists and raised in Franco’s Spain, thank you from

THE VOLUNTEER September 2007 Exhibition Continued from page the bottom of my heart for then and for the and who took action. [my translation] —It has been a surprise to meet this exhibition now. —Thanks to the American volunteers exhibition. I’m from Spain, from Basque —Franco never supported Hitler’s who helped the Spanish people, and thanks Country. I didn’t know anything about ideas. Viva España. especially to the women nurses that did Abraham Lincoln’s Brigade. Thank you —Fascist! Lies! [in response to above, their job taking care of children and the in- very much to these NY-ers in my name my translation] firm. As usual, the people proved to be and the rest of Spanish people. My grand- —I don’t know what you saw. But more admirable than the politicians pursu- ma’s family was death in Gernica’s crime. you must have been blind. [in response to ing their own interests. [my translation] Thanks. above, my translation] —Excellent work! As a Spaniard I feel —Thanks very much to all the —I am a Spanish woman, and I don’t deeply indebted with the men and women Americans who decided to fight in my share the vision of this exhibition. I have a from New York who fought for an ideal. country against the fascism. Thanks very doctorate in History and Geography. The —You Americans are not the saviors much. Spaniards are very proud of them exhibition is poor and reductionist. The of the world. Only those who lived through and we will try that all generations never War was a fight among brothers, spurred that war can know what kind of torture it will forget them. ¡Vivan las Brigadas by political leaders pursuing party inter- was. 30 years of dictatorship can’t be Internacionales!! ests. It’s a shame that in 2007 history is summed up in a small room in a museum. once again reinvented by current politi- I am not from Spain but my family is. Ah! Talking Back: Famous Last Words Shortly after the inauguration of —Now it’s time to fight fascism here at home. “Facing Fascism,” The New York Times Impeach and jail Bush, Cheney and the rest of published a remarkably tendentious and crotchety review of the show. Franco’s successors in the White House. Dozens of responses were sent to the paper, but none were published. Some cians (Zapatero) trying to cultivate There are many things here that ought to visitors chose to respond in the muse- divisiveness. [my translation] be returned to Spain. [my translation] um’s guestbook. For once, the last —I’m also a Spanish woman with a —The “Homeland” (Patria) is the words belong to them. doctorate in Contemporary History for the refuge of cowards. Franco was a patriot —Impressively organized exhibit, not Autonomous University of Madrid, and and a fascist, and for 40 years he subju- as biased as the negative reviews have this person that wrote above is what in gated us. Only with freedom have we claimed. Spain we call “a fascist.” Memory must Spaniards earned a place in the world. —Great exhibit. Eddie Rothstein got not disappear from Spain’s history as Yesterday, April 14, 2007, we commemo- it wrong in his New York Times review. Aznar’s government attempted to do. Long rated the 71st anniversary of what the —Excellent! The NYTimes review live Socialist Spain! [my translation, in re- fascists destroyed. Long live the Republic! was so unfair! You can see the conflict sponse to above] [my translation] from all the points of view involved. Good —I too am Spanish and I think that —Thanks to all the New Yorkers who luck with it. this exhibition doesn’t presume to talk went to our country when times were —Bravissimo. Balanced. Unlike the about the causes of the War, but rather to tough. Franco wasn’t that bad, and the re- New York Times review which did not re- demonstrate that the human spirit can be publicans weren’t that good. There was view the exhibition as much as give an so grand and generous that you can fight good and bad on both sides. Unfortunately. opinion of historical readings. even on behalf of people that you don’t ¡Viva España! [my translation] —Excellent show! Shame on the know, thousands of miles away. All of —And there you are, lurking “in the New York Times. Rothstein is a soul-less these testimonies of the Lincoln volunteers middle,” taking advantage of everything. crank. History is complex, of course. aren’t the declarations of politicians, they People have to respect the legitimate re- Courage is not. are the statements of men and women who gime, whether they like it or not!! saw injustice and the horrors of fascism, [response to above, my translation]

THE VOLUNTEER September 2007 Blood Transfusion in the Spanish Civil War: Dr. Norman Bethune By Peter H. Pinkerton experiences, and by a visit to Russia, International Brigades. He became enry Norman Bethune was a where he was impressed with the increasingly uncomfortable with the Canadian surgeon of Scottish availability and effectiveness of prospect of working within the Horigin. His parents had wide treatment, given as a “right” to the administrative and political interests in academia, the church, the individual, rather than as “charity.” environment of these organizations. arts, medicine and business. Bethune Returning to Montreal excited by what On his visits to hospitals and in had wide interests in medicine, poli- he had learned in Russia and from discussions with surgeons he became tics and the arts. He graduated in his own experience, he formed the aware of the very limited capacity for medicine in December 1916 in Toronto “Montreal Committee for the Security supplying blood for transfusion. He after being wounded while serving of the People’s Health.” Driven by conceived the idea of a centralized in Flanders in 1915. He received post- Bethune’s energy and dedication, a transfusion service based in Madrid, graduate surgical training in London comprehensive report was produced, providing blood for transfusion at the and returned to North America, set- advocating measures for delivery front. This was attractive in that he ting up a practice in Detroit. He was of health care services to enhance would have a clearly defined area of diagnosed with tuberculosis in 1926, universal access and to mitigate responsibility independent of from which he recovered, resolved to injustices. The report was rejected authority and the organized surgical work in the field of chest surgery. He both as an election issue in Quebec services. He laid his proposal before worked in Montreal for three years and by “organized medicine.” the Socorro Rojo (the only effective with Edward Archibald, one of the Bethune was angry, frustrated medical service at the time), which pioneers of chest surgery in North and disappointed at the rejection endorsed the idea. Funds were made America. Archibald had also been one of his proposals and was ready for available from the CASD. of the first to use blood transfusion in some practical action reflecting On November 21, Bethune and the Great War in 1915. his developing socialist and anti- Sorensen left for Paris and London, Bethune moved to Sacre Coeur fascist views. At this time, he was returning on December 6 to quarters Hospital in Cartierville near Montreal approached by the Committee to Aid assigned to them at 36 Principe de as head of the chest surgery service Spanish Democracy (CASD), which Vergara in Madrid, with supplies and in early 1933. The patients he saw invited him to head a surgical team in equipment to establish the Madrid with Archibald would tend to be Spain. He agreed to do so, although service, to be named the Servicio Anglophone middle class, whereas at he had no clear idea what this surgical Canadiense de Transfusion de Sangre. Sacre Coeur they would be “charity” team might contribute. In early Drivers, technicians, nurses and office patients from the poor Francophone November, on his way to Madrid, staff were hired from both foreign community. This experience he visited and was impressed by the volunteer and Spanish sources, exposed him to the juxtaposition of Blood Transfusion Service established including two Spanish physicians tuberculosis and poverty, and to the in Barcelona in September 1936 by Dr. involved with the small transfusion differences in treatment opportunities Duran Jorda, which was supplying service at the Madrid medical school. and outcome in the poor and well- blood to a limited area around Volunteer donors were solicited to-do. Incidentally, we know he was Barcelona. through newspapers and radio with using blood transfusion to treat In Madrid Bethune met with an overwhelming response. patients at Sacre Coeur. His social Henning Sorensen, a multi-lingual The first delivery of blood for conscience was aroused by these newspaper reporter of Danish transfusion was made on December extraction from Montreal, who was to 23. The service expanded rapidly, with Peter H. Pinkerton is a member of the act as his interpreter and liaison “about 10 gallons” (about 80 units) Department of Clinical Pathology, officer. With Sorensen, Bethune visited given in January 1937. Additional Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and hospitals and met with surgeons from centers were opened in Valencia and Department of Laboratory Medicine various organizations serving the Jaen; the staff increased to about and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Republican authorities and the 100, with 4,000 registered donors Ontario, Canada. 10 THE VOLUNTEER September 2007 Blood Transfusion in the Spanish Civil War: Dr. Norman Bethune

and 5 delivery vehicles. Five months was enhanced by Bethune’s filming Brigades, not only was visited by after starting the service, Bethune’s his activities (Heart of Spain) to Bethune (offering transfusion support) organization was supplying a front promote fund raising in Canada. and visited Bethune’s service in 1,000 km long. As many as 100 The CASD sent a delegation to Madrid, but also published a transfusions might be given in a single review Bethune’s operation and description of Bethune’s service in day at times of high military activity. decided, with the encouragement of Madrid without mentioning Bethune. It is clear that Bethune appreciated Sorensen and other Canadians Duran Jorda was well aware of the need for prompt transfusion in the working with Bethune, to recall Bethune’s activities but never exsanguinating wounded and urged Bethune to Canada, on the excuse that mentions him in his extensive that transfusion be given as far forward a lecture tour would help fund-raising accounts of transfusion in Spain in the as possible, in casualty clearing stations at home. Bethune returned to Canada late 1930s. British authors, preparing and field hospitals. Transfusions were in May 1937 to an enthusiastic for the outbreak of hostilities with often given in primitive circumstances welcome and a highly successful Germany in 1939, were well aware of and “cold storage” of blood was lecture tour. In January 1938, he left the transfusion experience in Spain sometimes provided by immersion in for China with a Canadian-American reported by Saxton and Duran Jorda mountain streams. Medical Unit, where he joined the (who by then was advising the British) However, all was not well Communist forces under Mao Zedong. but never mention Bethune. within the “Instituto.” In March He died of septicemia from a cut Several factors are likely involved 1937 the Sanidad Militar took over sustained during surgery in in the lack of recognition. Bethune responsibility for medical services November 1938. never published a formal account of (including Bethune’s) and moved The Instituto continued to his activities, and our understanding to appoint a three-man committee function until the end of the war of his contribution comes largely from (Bethune and 2 Spanish physicians) under the direction of Dr. Vincente indirect sources. His commitment was to oversee the service, which was Goyannes and later Dr. Valentin de of short duration, and he had no re-named the “Instituto Hispano- la Loma, including the involvement established reputation in the field. His Canadiense de Transfusion de of Sorensen and other Canadian aggressive, irascible, boisterous and Sangre.” This change was in conflict members of Bethune’s team. Overall, unconventional character may have with Bethune’s temperament and about 5,000 units of blood were compromised appreciation of his intolerance of outside authority over transfused, accounting for almost 80% service by others. There is no question his affairs. On April 12 he cabled of the transfusions during the war. there were professional and political the CASD demanding the recall of Bethune’s main contribution to tensions between Bethune’s (and Canadian personnel. blood transfusion was to demonstrate perhaps other foreign medical) Furthermore, Bethune’s personal that the systematic collection and service(s) and the local medical conduct was causing difficulties. distribution of blood on a large scale establishment and the Sanidad Militar, The pressure of supporting his for transfusion near the front was which may also have tended to transfusion service, with its wide possible and could be quite quickly obscure the value of Bethune’s range of operations, and giving organized. He clearly realized the contributions. many transfusions himself was importance of prompt transfusion and Bethune never again visited Spain, affecting his behavior. He was short- went to great lengths to ensure nor did he express any regret that he tempered, drinking excessively, and availability near the battlefront. did not return to his transfusion promiscuous in his sexual activities. Curiously, his contributions have service. An interest in developing His Swedish secretary (and lover) was received little published attention, homes for orphans of the Spanish suspected of spying on the Republican including from those who were well Civil War proved transient and never side, and Bethune was suspected by aware of his activities. Reginald came to fruition, being overtaken by association. This suspicion on the part Saxton, a surgeon with the British his desire to serve the cause of the of skeptical Republican authorities contribution to the International Chinese Communist forces.

THE VOLUNTEER September 2007 11 What follows is the first episode of a new graphic serial about Paul Robeson’s adventures with the Abraham Lincoln Brigade in 1938. Three years later the vets made him an honorary member of VALB.

Robeson in Spain by Joshua Brown and Peter N. Carroll

Episode 1

Brought to you in part by a grant to The ALBA Arts & Letters Program from The Puffin Foundation, Ltd. Created in collaboration with The Bay Area Paul Robeson Centennial Committee

12 THE VOLUNTEER September 2007 THE VOLUNTEER September 2007 13 14 THE VOLUNTEER September 2007 THE VOLUNTEER September 2007 15 Book Reviews

Republican parties. Preston readily Preston’s Authoritative Account concedes that the Communists’ methods were “unnecessarily brutal.” Updated, Expanded Still, he remains convinced that The Spanish Civil War: Reaction, the line followed by Negrín, the Revolution, and Revenge by Paul in 1986 and 1996.) While thoroughly Communists, and their Republican Preston. Third edition, revised and updated and about 50 percent longer allies—creating a conventional expanded. New York and London: W.W. than the second edition, the general army with a centralized command Norton & Company, 2007. points of Preston’s narrative remain structure, prioritizing winning the unchanged, as does his position in the war over making revolution, and By Sebastiaan Faber protracted “war of words” that has keeping up the increasingly desperate t is difficult not to be in awe of marked the field since 1936. fight against Franco in hopes of Paul Preston. It is also hard not to First, against competing accounts eventual foreign support from the Ienvy him. Over the past 30 years, from conservative scholars (such West—was by far the most realistic, he has become the world-wide author- as Payne, Malefakis, De la Cierva given the domestic and international ity of Spanish Civil War studies. Not and, more recently, Moa), Preston situation. only is he an astonishingly prolific argues that the outbreak of the war Third, against “neutral” and successful scholar, an influen- in July 1936 cannot be blamed on the commentators who maintain that tial mentor of several generations of provocations from the radicalized “atrocities were committed on both historians, and, as founder and director of the Cañada Blanch Centre for Contemporary Spanish Studies, a "[T]here is little sympathy here for the Spanish right, crucial promoter and sponsor of schol- arship on contemporary Spain. He is but I hope there is some understanding." Paul Preston also an engaging author of bestselling books, a prodigious researcher, and a generous and tireless participant in left. To be sure, Largo Caballero’s sides,” Preston convincingly argues electronic discussion forums, includ- revolutionary rhetoric was naïve and that Francoist repression of the enemy ing the ALBA listserv. As one of my irresponsible. However, in the end, was not only far more extensive, but Spanish friends puts it admiringly: the right was unwilling to accept also consciously planned and imposed Paul es una máquina. anything but a return to conditions from above, and therefore more The book under review, which before 1931 and was determined to morally reprehensible. came out in Britain last year, is use violence to set back the clock. Finally, Preston maintains that, the third iteration of Preston’s Nor does Preston agree with while the war was at base the result of chronological, overarching account accounts proposed by historians long built-up Spanish problems and of the Spanish Civil War. (Previous sympathetic to the Anarchist and tensions, its development, duration, editions came out at the 50th and 60th anti-Stalinist left (such as Esenwein and eventual outcome were crucially anniversaries of the war’s outbreak, or Bolloten) or right-wing anti- influenced by leaders and representa- Communists (such as Radosh), who tives of foreign nations. The war Sebastiaan Faber, currently serving on blame the defeat of the Republic would have evolved and ended quite ALBA’s Executive Committee, is chair on the violent suppression of social differently if it had not been for the of the Spanish department at Oberlin revolution by the Comintern-dictated spineless Western democracies that hid College. He is author of Exile and Cultural policy of the Spanish Communist behind the fig leaf of non-intervention, Hegemony: Spanish Intellectuals in Mexico, Party, allied with the middle-class 1939-1975. Continued on page 18 16 THE VOLUNTEER September 2007 Book Reviews

the need to teach the Spanish conflict History Matters: Teaching the within its national and international contexts. Spanish Civil War Today Teaching Representations of the Teaching Representations of the Spanish Civil War will be of great Spanish Civil War. Ed. Noël Valis. New university teachers, it gives all readers service to professors interested in York: Publications of the Modern the opportunity to engage with developing new classes or modifying Language Association, 2007. current thinking and to reflect on current courses, particularly since points of contact between Spanish the essays give overviews of key By Lisa Vollendorf fascism, violence, and democratic components of the war (e.g., the struggles and the same phenomena in Abraham Lincoln Brigade; North he Spanish Civil War looms other parts of the world since the African soldiers’ participation; large in numerous university 1930s. and party alliances in Galicia, the Tcourses offered by language Valis begins the book with a Basque Country, and Catalonia) and and history departments. Whether question that may strike readers its related cultural production (e.g., those classes focus on the war years, as purely rhetorical: “Why does film, literature, and memoirs). For all the Franco period, or even 20th cen- the Spanish Civil War continue to readers, the book represents a beacon tury Europe, instructors inevitably haunt us?” As the beautiful exhibit of hope as it implicitly highlights face difficult decisions about how to at the City Museum of New York the power of the Spanish Civil War sift through the abundant materi- in 2007 decisively demonstrated, to galvanize today’s students into als available about the period. As International Brigade volunteers, thought and action. Noël Valis points out in her excellent as well as their family members, Teaching students that history edited collection of essays, Teaching friends, and supporters, will have does indeed matter is no easy task, as Representations of the Spanish Civil War, highly personal, extraordinarily evidenced by the numerous references the difficulty of teaching the con- moving answers to this question. to both the challenges and rewards of flict relates as much to the contest for Similarly, the 36 essays in Valis’ book teaching this particular civil war. Yet “truth” as it does to the seemingly probe ideological, artistic, individual, anyone who has seen entire classes infinite historical and artistic interpre- group, and international responses cry in response to films about the war tations of the events of 1936-39. to this decades-long haunting. For or heard them cry out in indignation Valis’ book is published by the example, Valis’ short introduction after reading post-war novels knows Modern Language Association and contextualizes some of the key that this tragic moment has the power therefore speaks most directly to questions for discussions of the to serve as a crucial introduction to language and literature professors. Yet Spanish Civil War, including whether political action for today’s often readers of The Volunteer also will find we can agree upon definitions of a apolitical and disaffected younger much material of interest here and just or a good war. Like the other generation. Moreover, immigrant will likely come away from the contributors to the volume (including students whose home countries have volume with a long list of books, films, well-known scholars Antonio Cazorla- experienced their own civil wars in and ideas for further consideration. Sánchez, Enric Ucelay-Da Cal, David recent years and Generation X and Y Although a specialized book for Herzberger, Jo Labanyi, Shirley Americans who otherwise never have Mangini, Cary Nelson, Janet Pérez, considered the ravishing effects of war Lisa Vollendorf is an associate professor Randolph Pope, Joan Ramon Resina, come together in these classes to of Spanish at California State University, Adrian Shubert, Michael Ugarte, Mary consider the conceptual, political, and Long Beach, and author, most recently, Vincent, and numerous dynamic social impact of Spain’s violent years. of The Lives of Women: A New History of younger scholars), Valis emphasizes Inquisitional Spain. Continued on page 24 THE VOLUNTEER September 2007 17 Book Reviews

emphasis not just on the war’s political outcome, but also the invention of a 3 Novelists & a War warrior Jewish male identity. Trinity of Passion: The Literary Left & revolutionary family during World Measuring the “truth” of fiction the Antifascist Crusade. By Alan M. War I. Their routes to Communism, remains a complicated matter, though Wald. University of North Carolina Spain, and writing novels,” Wald Wald succeeds for the most part in Press, 2007. observes, “collectively comprise a vital separating history from sheer subset of the literary Left as well as a imagination. One wishes he also By Peter Carroll hitherto neglected segment of Jewish addressed the changing contexts in his study of U.S. writers on the American cultural history.” which the three novels were written— left is the second volume of a Contrasting their fictional Bessie’s in the heat of the McCarthy Tplanned trilogy, focusing on the characters with various biographical period, Herrick’s in the era of impact of the Spanish Civil War, narratives of specific soldiers in Spain, Vietnam, and Wolff’s in the post- World War II, issues of racial identity, Wald deconstructs the primary Franco 1970s and ‘80s. and the labor movement on various themes that emerge in their works: an literary endeavors. As in his earlier volume, Exiles from a Future Time, Preston Continued from page 16 which examined writers whose works expressed the issues of the 1920s and early 1930s, Wald proves to be an as- Hitler’s and Mussolini’s support for and its gift for efficient, engaging nar- tute reader and sensitive critic of a Franco, Stalin’s less-than-enthusiastic rative that skillfully combines the wide range of authors, some scarcely and anything but disinterested sup- general sweep with the telling or sur- known (Leonard Zinberg), others emi- port for the Republic, and the prising detail. nent and still influential (Chester thousands of foreign volunteers who Preston is also a disciple of the Himes, Irwin Shaw, Arthur Miller). joined the International Brigades. maverick American historian Herbert The book’s first chapter, which Preston represents a third genera- Southworth, who maintained that the will be of special interest to our tion of brilliant British historians of student of the Spanish Civil War can readers, is titled “Tough Jews in the 20th century Spain. The first was and should be rigorous and Spanish Civil War.” It probes the Gerald Brenan, whose Spanish intellectually honest, but never thematic interrelationships of three Labyrinth was published in 1943, three politically neutral. As Preston writes novels written by veterans of the years before Preston’s birth. The sec- in his introduction, his book does not Abraham Lincoln Brigade: Alvah ond was Raymond Carr, Preston’s aim “to find a perfect balance Bessie’s The Un-Americans (1957), teacher at Oxford, whose history of between both sides”: “Despite what William Herrick’s Hermanos! (1969), Spain came out in 1966. (Preston also Franco supporters claim, I do not and Milton Wolff’s Another Hill (1994). studied with Hugh Thomas, whose believe that Spain derived any benefit What the three novelists shared, Spanish Civil War [1961] is generally from the military rising of 1936 and besides the Spanish war, were their considered less brilliant than efficient the military victory of 1939.” Hence, origins in secular New York Jewish and timely.) Preston’s approach to “there is little sympathy here for the families. Spanish history is indebted to that of Spanish right, but I hope there is “All suffered the loss of or his predecessors—and to the British some understanding.” alienation from their fathers at a historiographical tradition more gen- Preston’s identity as a British young age. Two were won to erally—in its liberal outlook; its focus historian is also clear from his interest radicalism in the early Depression.… on individual agency, particularly in biography, which has been his main The third [Herrick] was born into a from political and intellectual elites; Continued on page 24

18 THE VOLUNTEER September 2007 Added to Memory’s Roster

Moe volunteered to fight, but he was anti-Communist crusade. rejected for lack of military experi- When Congress passed the ence. However, his skill as a truck McCarran Act in 1950, obliging all driver was needed, and a second designated subversive organizations application for service was accept- to register with the federal govern- ed—with the proviso that he recruit ment and creating heavy penalties 10 other volunteers. Fishman quickly for leaders who refused to cooperate, found the men, though none actually the entire executive committee of the showed up. The recruiters took him Continued on page 20 anyway. Moe arrived in Spain in April 1937 Among all the people we and trained as a foot soldier in the worked with, I knew I could trust George Washington battalion. In his Moe Fishman. Whatever we did to- first action, he was wounded during gether, I could trust him to do, to be, Mosess “Moe” the battle of Brunete, near Villanueva to take care of whatever had to be de la Canada, in July 1937. He spent a taken care of. Fishman year in convalescence in Spain before —Milton Wolff (1915-2007) returning to his home in New York. Moe Fishman was consistent in He then spent another two years in his devotion to the vets. Mondays, The seemingly indestructible Moe hospitals as doctors fused bones in his Wednesdays, Fridays he was at the Fishman, who represented the public injured leg, leaving him with a life- office, did whatever needed to be face of the Veterans of the Abraham long limp. done. There was no question of his Lincoln Brigade (VALB) for more than During his lengthy recuperation loyalty to our organization. half a century, died of pancreatic can- from war injuries, Fishman stayed in —Abe Smorodin cer on August 6, 2007, in New York. He touch with New York humanitarian The loss of every vet is a great was 92. aid organizations providing assistance one, so many of them embodiments During the past year, Moe had at- for the civilian refugees of the Spanish of beliefs and a kind of commitment tended public events around the Civil War. He worked in the ware- that resides in some deep place in all United States and Spain to commemo- house of the Joint Anti-Fascist Refugee of us, we hope. Because Moe has rate the 70th anniversary of the Committee while studying to become been one of the most prominent outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, a a licensed radio operator. His skills public faces of the VALB for so long, war that pitted rebellious generals, led enabled him to serve in the Merchant because he’s been a stalwart since by General Francisco Franco, backed Marines during World War II. returning to the US after being shot by Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, After that war, Fishman worked in Spain and holding down the fort against the legally elected Spanish again for the refugee aid commit- for 70 years, this feels particularly Republic. tee, even after it was targeted by the sharp. Vets will survive Moe, but he Born in New York on September House Committee on Un-American carried the standard with relentless 28, 1915, Fishman left school during Activities (HUAC) for alleged sub- spirit and, even, charm. the Depression and became a laundry versive activities in 1946. Indeed, it —Peter Glazer worker and truck driver. He partici- was Fishman’s proximity to that case pated in unionizing his fellow workers that changed his life when HUAC set Condolences to all on the loss of and found a commitment to social jus- its sights on the VALB and President a great spirit and a wonderful hu- tice issues as a member of the Young Harry Truman’s attorney general man being. It was my honor to know Communist League. listed the group as a subversive orga- him. When the war in Spain began, nization in 1947 as part of the postwar —Jamie O’Reilly

THE VOLUNTEER September 2007 19 Added to Memory’s Roster

Continued from page 19 leaders, Moe and Milt, faced an empty on Pacifica’s Democracy Now program, VALB resigned. In its place, two Lincoln treasury and considered disbanding greeted guests at the opening night of veterans stepped forward: Milton Wolff the organization. They decided to poll the exhibition “Facing Fascism,” spoke became the National Commander; some of the vets, who resoundingly to a high school class on New York’s Moe Fishman became the Executive opposed the idea. Meanwhile, Moe west side, and shared a podium with Secretary/Treasurer and served the or- had received a letter from a Spaniard Harry Belafonte, while handling a mul- ganization in an executive capacity for who had worked with the VALB in titude of office details and giving the rest of his life, more than a half cen- New York in the 1940s and was now interviews to visiting journalists. tury of dedicated service. in a Franco prison. Moe responded Moe was also an active member of Fishman and Wolff led the VALB by summoning a campaign to aid all Veterans for Peace, proudly carrying defense before the Subversive Activities political prisoners of Spain. An aid the VALB banner to parades. Control Board in 1954. After their ef- and amnesty project became VALB’s Moe is survived by his partner, forts failed, they pursued the appeals major focus until the dictator died in Georgia Wever. process that concluded with a favorable his bed in 1975. To raise funds for the For years, seemingly forever, Moe court ruling in the 1970s, declaring the prisoners and their families, the recon- Fishman stood at the center of a halo attorney general’s list and the SACB’s stituted VALB held its first reunion in that surrounded the Americans who rulings unconstitutional. Through it a decade in 1957, an annual ceremonial fought in the Spanish Civil War. He all, Fishman reminded the vets, “we gathering that continues now under relished the spotlight and used it well. have not forgotten that our main pur- the auspices of the Abraham Lincoln Lean, well-dressed in suit and tie, pose in life is our anti-Franco activity.” Brigade Archives. dark eyebrows and brown mustache “The long fight is over,” Moe As more veterans reached retire- offset by a full, gray head of hair, he wrote soon afterward to vet Herman ment age and returned to the VALB in carried the vitality of a young man’s “Gabby” Rosenstein, “and we are in the 1970s, Moe remained a constant in cause into his old age. Each year at the (so to speak) a legitimate non-subver- the organization’s activities. He partic- annual reunion, it was his voice that sive organization. I’m not sure that is ipated in innumerable panels and announced recent deaths and called good. Maybe we better do something conferences, spoke to students in high the roll of the surviving veterans in subversive and get back on it other- schools and colleges around the coun- attendance. wise the public we are trying to reach, try, and traveled to international His silence brings the end of an era. especially the youth constituency, will meetings about the Spanish Civil War. —Peter N. Carroll look askance at these ‘revisionists’ In his public talks, as well as in inter- who have stopped being subversive views, he revealed an incredible Clifton Holman and have a U.S. Court of Appeals that memory for names and historical de- agrees we are not. How about that?” tails, linking past and present Amsbury During the dark years of the effortlessly. (1910 – 2007) blacklists, Fishman kept the VALB Moe had the patience to listen to organization running. He helped the most asked, often hostile questions This past May 28, VALB’s San produce dozens of four-page issues and yet typically offered clearly recited Francisco Bay Area Post lost yet of The Volunteer to keep the vets ap- answers. He seldom allowed a speaker another stalwart from its all too prised of various Cold War political to escape a comment with which he rapidly thinning ranks: long-time cases; rallied support for individual disagreed. Sometimes he seemed a re- Richmond, California, resident Clifton defense trials; and participated in pro- lentless questioner, assuring that the Amsbury. Clifton had mustered the test demonstrations against Spanish role of the Lincoln volunteers received strength to attend this year’s annual government policies and cultural ac- its proper due. He was direct, articu- VALB reunion in Oakland and fully tivities in the United States. late, and unselfconscious. intended to be present for the By 1957, however, the two VALB In just one month, Moe appeared Continued on page 21

20 THE VOLUNTEER September 2007 Added to Memory’s Roster

Continued from page 20 Republican Government, he joined the Herbert “Hy” Tabb international brigades fighting to defend Spanish democracy. He arrived (1913-2007) in Spain at the end of August 1937, Hy Tabb, a Lincoln veteran with received his basic training in proficiency in foreign languages, has Tarrazona de la Mancha, served with died in New York at the age of 94 after the Lincolns on the Ebro front, and a long progressive illness. was wounded in March 1938 and Tabb was a rebel throughout his evacuated to a succession of hospitals. life—an active trade unionist and a By the time he had healed sufficiently fighter for justice. In Spain, he served to rejoin his unit, the international as a machine gunner and translator brigades were being sent home. He from time to time. He returned home was repatriated at the end of 1938. to work as a printer and proofreader at Like other surviving Lincoln vets, The New York Times. the remainder of Clifton’s long life Tabb studied foreign languages at was shaped, defined and inspired by several colleges, and he and his wife, his experience in Spain. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II, married and, together with his wife Shirley, raised four children. He worked for the California State Employment Office until 1971, when unveiling of San Francisco’s he retired to pursue a second career waterfront monument to Abraham in anthropology, which he taught at Lincoln Brigade volunteers next fall. Contra Costa Community College for But it was not to be. He had been in another 20 years until he was obliged declining health for some time and, on to retire at age 80. And all the while Memorial Day, died peacefully at he remained steadfast in his support home surrounded by family. of progressive causes, especially Clifton was born on July 16, 1910, opposition to U.S. interventionism in Longton, Kansas, the second of four around the world. In 1987 Clifton brothers. From earliest childhood he traveled to Nicaragua with a exhibited an insatiable curiosity about VALB contingent to deliver Toyota the world around him, together with a ambulances for the victims of the Tamaara, both graduated with MA de- marked independence of mind and a U.S.-proxy war against the Sandinista grees in Slavic Linguistics from New wit to match. It is no surprise that he Government. York University in 1972. His facility developed a keen interest in the To the very end Clifton remained with languages enabled them to travel burning social and political issues of unwaveringly committed to the widely and live abroad. They were his day, heightened by the insights ultimate good fight. He remains an generous benefactors to ALBA over gained from academic training in inspiration to all of us who have been the years. anthropology at UC-Berkeley and the fortunate enough to know him and Hy leaves behind a loving family University of Nebraska. who strive to continue that noble that remembers him as “a real Clifton understood the menace of struggle. mensch.” fascism in the 1930s and, with the —R. H. Bartley Falangist uprising against Spain’s

THE VOLUNTEER September 2007 21 General Contributions We also welcome contributions to specific ALBA programs such as our website education modules, traveling art exhibitions, publications and administrative office operations.

SPONSOR: • Lewis B. Cullman • Ruth and Jacob Epstein Foundation • Wellfleet Foundation, Inc. in memory of Steve Nelson •

ASSOCIATE: • Edith Cohen • Terry and Bob Corbin in honor of Maynard Goldstein • Bill J. Crouch in memory of Clifton Amsbury • Ruby Dee Davis • Lola and Isaiah Gelman • Blanche Gibons in memory of Sam Gibons • Thomas Knight • Jane Koenig • Henry and Suzanne Linschitz in memory of Michael Russo • Gerri Matsusewitch • Patricia Munday in memory of Arthur Munday and Alvin Warren • Edith Oxfeld • Nieves Pousada in memory of Alvin Warren • H. David Prensky • Sally and Robert Prestandrea • Michael Ratner • Arthur Rosen • Rosalind and Fred Scheiner • Donald and Doris Shaffer in honor of Milt Felsen • Tessie Sacher • David L. Smith • Theodore and Calla Smorodin in honor of Abe Smorodin’s 10th decade • Esther Surovell • Helene Susman • Marjorie Kalins Taylor •

DONORS: • Estelle Abrahamson • Bernard Aisenberg • Dorothy Ames • Clifton and Shirley Amsbury • Leonard Bacich • Gail and Howard Baker • Enzo and Marta Bard • Catherine Blair and Stephen Becker • Jane Bjoze • Martha Bloom • Charles Bloomer • Judith Lorne Bly • Sander Bolis • Regula Boorstein • Vernon Bown • Adele and Sam Braude • Kiki and Ed Brodkin • Nancy Hall Brooks • Elaine Bunn in memory of Tommy Lloyd • Claire Carsman • Larry and Christine Carsman • Kevin M. Cathcart • Douglas and Rosemary Corbin • Abe Cotton • Barbara Dane • Andres and Maria Delgado • Stan and Adam Distenfeld • Art D’Lugoff • John Downes, Jr. • Mr. and Mrs. John J. Dropkin • Nadine Etkes • Laura Falb • Antonio Farina, Jr. • Anne Foner • Herbert Freeman • Nathan Friedman • Rebecca Friedman • Karen Furey • Milton Garberg • Isaiah Gellman • Hyman Gold • Arthur and Eleanor Golden • Sara Goldstein • Peter Goodman • Sondra Gorney • Matilda Graff • Alba Greco • Ed Greer • Doris Griss • Sigrid Hackenberg • Kathleen Hager and Arthur Wasserman • Earl Harju • William and Lucille Harmon • Norma J. Hart in memory of Al Schwartz • Jefferson Hendricks • Estelle Herskovitz • Alexander Hilkevitch honoring Dr. Aaron Hilkevitch’s 95th birthday • John G. Hovan • James Howard • Henry and Judy Jacobs • Lee Joseph • Estelle Katz • Ruth Kavesh • Helen Keenan • Evine Kimerling • Claire and Marvin Klenosky in memory of Sylvia Liss • Bella and Murray Kranz • Beatrice and Henry Krivetsky • Edwin Krales • Lillian Lanser • Florence Lefcourt • Robert Lehrer • Henrietta and Max Levine • Celia Lewis • Sara Lieberman • Louis Linn • Marlene Litwin • Bessie Loewe • Ervin Loretz • Barbara Lowitt • Fred Magdoff • Addie Marks • Charlotte Pomerantz Marzani • Janet Marzullo • Margaret and Arnold Matlin • Harold Mellman • Lyle Mercer • Thelma J. Mielke • Nina Miller • Ellinor R. Mitchell • George Nelson • Rita Neri • Barbara Neuberger • Hoseph Nichols • Saul Ostrow • Rose Pessak • Betty and Leonard Pollack • Harold Reiss • Margery Resnick • Ruth H. Richwerger • Louis K. Robbins • Ramon and Dagny Rodriguez • Stanley Romaine • Howard and Lisa Rose • Naomi Rosenblum • Mildred Rosenstein • Ida Roth • Herbert G. Rubenstein • Helen Rucker • Naomi Rucker • Tessie Sacher • Terry Sadin • Daniel Schaffer • Arnold Schlanger • Judith Schoenherr • Herman Schwide • Richard Sidon • Henry and Morrie Silvert • Josephine Simon • Elizabeth and Irwin Solinger • Elaine Spiro • Dmitri R. Stein • Harold Stephens • Richard Stiller • Luise Stone • Jane Van De Bogart • Harriet Vincente • Ron Viner • Tedd Watts • Bernice Weissbourd • Carol Wells • Irving and Evelyn Wolff •

We have received the above general contributions through August 1 and are grateful for the continued help of our great supporters and friends. Donations received after August 1 will be listed in the December issue of The Volunteer.

22 THE VOLUNTEER September 2007 National Monument Contributions

Sponsor ($5,000 - $9,999): • Jennifer Howard DeGolia • WE ARE ALMOST THERE – and we could not have done it without you, our loyal friends and supporters. We are Supporter ($1,000 - $4,999): hoping that by the end of this year there will be a • Anonymous • Paul Blanc in dedication and celebration at the site of the NATIONAL memory of Esther Silverstein Blanc MEMORIAL in San Francisco, honoring the volunteers of the and Irene Spiegel • David N. Bortz Abraham Lincoln Brigade. We will keep you posted. in memory of Louis Bortz • Burton We still need your help. Please – if you have friends and J. Cohen • Frances Goldin • Steven colleagues who would be thrilled to know that this Jonas • Dennis Mar in memory memorial to the Lincoln Brigade is going to be a reality, of Coleman Persily • The Rick Foundation • Tamaara D. Tabb • spread the word! Or call us in the ALBA office – 212-674-5398. We will never give up! Friend ($500 - $999): If you’ve already contributed to this campaign, please • Larry Carsman • Frank Dell consider an additional gift. • Henry Doherty in memory of Checks should be made payable to ALBA and mailed to Robert G. Colodny • Aleix Martinez ALBA, 799 Broadway, Suite 341, New York, NY 10003. For and Mar Jimenez • Francisco M. Rodriguez • Giovanna Benadusi more details, call (212) 674-5398. and Fraser Ottanelli in honor of Thank you again for your support. Rose and Abe Smorodin •

Associate ($100 - $499): Donations made after August 1 will appear in the December 2007 issue of The Volunteer. All donations to the • Francisco Andraca • Kiko Andraka and Gail Osterweil in memory of NATIONAL MEMORIAL will be placed on the ALBA website, Francisco Andraca Sr. and Isabel www.alba-valb.org. Galan • David and Carolee Bessie in memory of Alvah Bessie • Susan M. Billings • Ellen Broms • George Coles in memory of Clifton Amsbury • James V. Compton • Bill J. Crouch in memory of Clifton Amsbury • Barbara Dane • Thomas C. Doerner • Lewis and Edith Drabkin • Paulette Nusser Dubetz • Jose and Selma Fortoul • Ayesha Gill • Angela Giral • Kate and Maynard Goldstein • Sigrid Hackenberg • Robert Hamburger, Jr. • Ellis and Ellen Harris • Paul J. Heinricher in memory of Lincoln Vet Stanley A. Heinricher • Stanley G. Heinricher in memory of Lincoln Vet Stanley A Heinricher • Michael Heller • Corlan Johnson • Joseph Gordon Konick in memory of Joe and Leo Gordon • Ruth W. Levitan • Suzanne and David Manning • George Markham • Matti Mattson in honor of Joe Hautaniemi • Timothy Michel • Nancy A. Newkirk • Richard K. Olmo • Michael Organek • Lola Pazos in memory of Juan Dominguez Pazos • Nancy I Phillips in memory of Paul Wendorf • Mollie Portner • Rebecca Schachter in honor of Philip Schachter • Rosalind and Fred Scheiner • James O. Sehon • Ramon Sender • Harry and Yetta Sokol in memory of Esther Silverstein Blanc • Michael Tanzer and Hester Eisenstein • Pierre-Paul Villafafila • Lise Vogel in memory of her father Dr. Sidney Vogel • Nancy E. Wallach in memory of Lincoln Vet Hy Wallach • Continued on page 24

THE VOLUNTEER September 2007 2 National Monument Contributions continued from page 23 Donor ($1 - $99): • Isak Arbus in memory of Al Prago • Lucille Banta • Eugene Baron • James Benet • Phiip L. Bereano in memory of Perla Bereano • Dan and Jeanne Bessie in memory of Alvah Bessie • Kathryn S. Blalock • Thompson Bradley in memory of Bill Gandoff • Julianne Clark • Daniel and Susan Cohen • Juanita Contreras • Alice D. Correll • Joseph Dimow • Polly Nusser Dubetz • Edie and George Fishman • Martha Friedberg in honor of her father Saul Friedberg • Victor Fuentes • Barbara Gingher • Rhoda and Sheldon Glickman • Hilda Grunblatt • Rosalind Guaraldo • Norma J. Hart in memory of Al Schwartz • Sue Hestor • Joan Intrator • Estelle Jelinek • Lillian R. Jones • Beatrice and Henry Krivetsky in honor of Greta Sugarman • Marian Kroon in memory of Freddie Martin • Lillian T. Lanser • Jack Lerman • Marlene Litwin • Barbara Mason • Dick and Gerry Meister • Richard Miller • Gloria and Bill Powers • Michael P. Predmore • Paul Preuss • Sally Rainer in honor of Abe Osheroff • Marsha Raleigh • Gus and Joanne Ricca in honor of Carl Geiser • Bill Ritchey in honor of Moe Fishman • Bill Ritchie in memory of William B. Morrell and Morris Davis • L.W. and Kazuko Rogers • Bill Roller • Susan Saiz • Kraig A. Schwartz • Lucille and Richard Seeley • Patricia Sitkin • Erin Sheehan • Ted Solis • Eunice Stack • Margot Steigman • Dmitri R. Stein • Roslyn Stein • Richard and Elizabeth Tesh • Ethel Tobach • Ron Viner • Gloria F. Waldman • Mance Webb • Morris Weiss • Karel Weissberg and Eliott Spiker in memory of Ernest Amatniek • Jeri Wellman and Nick Bryan in memory of Saul Wellman • Lois and Robert Whealey • Peter M. Wolff • Jack and Bebe Ziebel • Preston Continued from page 1 passion over the past couple of Spanish historians such as Julián aces and epilogues. One curious decades. His tremendously engaging Casanova have pointed out that, for all stylistic feature of this book, for in- portraits in Franco (1993), ¡Comrades! its merits, British historical Hispanism stance, is its authoritative tone, with its (1999), Doves of War (2002), Juan Carlos has been weak on social history, meth- lack of direct references to primary (2003) and, most recently, Idealistas bajo odologically conservative, and and secondary sources (a lack partly las balas (2007), showcase Preston’s reluctant to engage with theory. To made up by an extensive bibliographi- enduring fascination with the impact some extent, this is true for Preston’s cal essay). Preston’s narrative voice, it of history on individuals’ lives and work as well, which tends to reserve seems, tells us how it is. This makes their impact on history. its meta-historical comments for pref- for wonderfully efficient storytelling, but is in tension with the notion, to which Preston himself subscribes, that History Matters any narrative of the war is necessarily Continued from page 1 contentious, if not precarious. To his As Valis’ book convincingly dem- Civil War provides a much-needed great merit, however, Preston has pro- onstrates, the Spanish Civil War should road map for those interested in navi- duced brilliant disciples such as Helen not be taught as an anomaly, but as an gating the difficult task of making that Graham, Sebastian Balfour, Mike episode whose multiple meanings and connection clear to university students. Richards, and Chris Ealham, who repercussions must be grasped in con- The book will help instructors across have gone on to become outstanding text. In this fundamental sense, the the country develop courses that help and innovative cultural and social his- teacher’s role is not dissimilar to the students develop the knowledge and torians in their own right. role of all who fight for democracy: we empathy they need to further the fight share a deep belief in the connection for a peaceful, democratic future the between commitment and knowledge, world over. www.alba-valb.org action and education, past and present. Teaching Representations of the Spanish

2 THE VOLUNTEER September 2007 Preserving the past… Donor ($1 - $99): • Isak Arbus in memory of Al Prago • Lucille Banta • Eugene Baron • James Benet • Phiip L. Bereano in memory to change the present. of Perla Bereano • Dan and Jeanne Bessie in memory of Alvah Bessie • Kathryn S. Blalock • Thompson Bradley in memory of Bill Gandoff • Julianne Clark • Daniel and Susan Cohen • Juanita Contreras • Alice D. Correll • Joseph Dimow • Polly Nusser Dubetz • Edie and George Fishman • Martha Friedberg in honor of her father Saul Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives Friedberg • Victor Fuentes • Barbara Gingher • Rhoda and Sheldon Glickman • Hilda Grunblatt • Rosalind Guaraldo • Norma J. Hart in memory of Al Schwartz • Sue Hestor • Joan Intrator • Estelle Jelinek • Lillian R. Jones The Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives (ALBA) is an independent, nonprofit • Beatrice and Henry Krivetsky in honor of Greta Sugarman • Marian Kroon in memory of Freddie Martin • Lillian educational organization devoted to enlightening the American people about T. Lanser • Jack Lerman • Marlene Litwin • Barbara Mason • Dick and Gerry Meister • Richard Miller • Gloria our country's progressive traditions and democratic political values. Over the past and Bill Powers • Michael P. Predmore • Paul Preuss • Sally Rainer in honor of Abe Osheroff • Marsha Raleigh • twenty-five years ALBA has created the largest U.S. collection of historical sources Gus and Joanne Ricca in honor of Carl Geiser • Bill Ritchey in honor of Moe Fishman • Bill Ritchie in memory of relating to the Spanish Civil War, including letters, diaries, public documents, William B. Morrell and Morris Davis • L.W. and Kazuko Rogers • Bill Roller • Susan Saiz • Kraig A. Schwartz • photographs, posters, newspapers, videos, and assorted memorabilia. This Lucille and Richard Seeley • Patricia Sitkin • Erin Sheehan • Ted Solis • Eunice Stack • Margot Steigman • Dmitri unique archive is permanently housed at New York University's Tamiment Library, R. Stein • Roslyn Stein • Richard and Elizabeth Tesh • Ethel Tobach • Ron Viner • Gloria F. Waldman • Mance where students, scholars, and researchers may learn about the struggle against Webb • Morris Weiss • Karel Weissberg and Eliott Spiker in memory of Ernest Amatniek • Jeri Wellman and Nick fascism. Bryan in memory of Saul Wellman • Lois and Robert Whealey • Peter M. Wolff • Jack and Bebe Ziebel • For more information go to: WWW.alba-valb.org

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