Happy birthday, Del!
Del Berg at the 2012 Bay Area ALBA event. Photo Richard Bermack.
One of the two last reported living veterans of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, Delmer Berg, is turning 98 tomorrow, Friday December 20. We invited you to send your birthday greetings earlier this week and have been completely overwhelmed by the response. The package to Del has gone out; below is a small sampling of your good wishes.
We were very fortunate this past Spring to have the opportunity to shoot a video interview with Del. He and his wife, June, were very gracious hosts and we look forward to screening the final edition. In the meantime we hope you enjoy the pre-edited sneak-peek below.
Happy Birthday Del! You are a true American hero!
Warmest wishes from Nancy Wallach,
-Daughter of Lincoln Vet Hy Wallach
Dear Del Berg, your participation in fighting against Fascism in Spain is part of history, and a glorious chapter in democratic Spain’s history. I was six years of age and living in Barcelona with my family, and remember the Italian bombers bombarding the city every two days, later every day. And I remember later that year the parade of some International brigaders marching down the Ramblas to the cheers of our people. I wish you a happy birthday, good health, and may you live for many more birthdays.
– Alex Gabriles, Houston, Texas
Dear Mr. Berg,
A MOST HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! You are a hero. My great uncle, a Polish immigrant in Paris, fought in the Spanish Civil War as well. Although he was not an American and not an Abraham Lincoln Brigade member, like you he wanted to fight fascism. Enjoy your birthday and I’m grateful to you for having fought the good fight! Long, healthy life to you.
Best regards,
Rita Calderon
New York City
Dear Mr. Berg,
I am honored to say Happy Birthday to you today. You fought for freedom in my country and you put your life at risk for this cause. Just for this I am tremendously proud of you. My generation of Spaniards needs to always remember what ALB did and I will make sure I pass the torch to the next generation. I wish you many more wonderful birthdays and all the recognition you deserve.
With sincere gratitude.
-Gerardo del Cerro Santamaría, Spain
Wishing you a very happy birthday. I so deeply admire what you and your fellow members of the Lincoln Brigade did in Spain.
Salud,
Dan Kaufman, New York
Mr. Berg
I feel lucky, and honored to be able to send you these wishes for a happy birthday, and to give you my eternal thanks for what you and your comrades did for all of us. I have been lucky enough to meet some of you Lincolns and other International Brigaders, and I feel those meetings to have been highlights of my life.
Thank you forever, Sir.
-Ted Solis, Arizona
Dear Mr. Berg,
You embody the fortitude of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, its lessons of which will endure for generations. My uncle, Sam Schiff, was a Vet and I know he would have sent his own birthday greetings if he could, but I will do it for him. The Vets have taught us much, and you continue teaching us. Happy Birthday and I hope the coming year brings you good health, happiness and music in your life.
En la lucha,
Alan Jay Rom, Massachusetts
Dear Del,
Happy Birthday to you, Del. I hope to see you at the next reunion in Berkeley.
Salud,
Bruce Barthol
Happy Birthday Delmer!
Best wishes to you and your family, and thank you for your service to international solidarity and democracy.
Luke H. Gordon, United Steelworkers
(son of Louis Gordon, Lincoln Brigade Volunteer, WWII Veteran and Union Activist)
Dear Del,
Want to wish you a very Happy Birthday.
And I hope you have a good many more!
Stay well.
Salud
Judy Montell, California
Dear Mr. Berg,
I wish you a very happy birthday and I send you my heartfelt gratitude for your decision so many years ago to come to Spain and fight for our Republic.
We honour the International Brigades and we will never forget your compromise and your ideals. You and your comrades set an example to the youth of today. Mil gracias, Salud y Republica!!
Dr. Almudena Cros, Spain
Dear Del:
Although I don’t know you, I’ve read of your various exploits and want you to know that I admire you greatly.
My late uncle, Julie Kornblatt, was one of your comrades-in-arms in Spain and I am very proud of him and of all of the Lincolns.
Congratulations and regards,
-Don Cohen, Los Angeles
Dear Delmer,
The Friends of the International Brigades in Spain wish to send you the warmest greetings in your 98 anniversary. As your grand son said when he was graduated, you and all of you are our inspiration for the coming challenges and struggles we have to run to defend the working class rights and to achieve a fairer and better world.
Salud!
Asociación de Amigos de las Brigadas Internacionales, Spain
Happy Birthday! And Thank you very much for all you have done in your life for the rest of the people in the world. My grandfather was an officer- Liutenant of Sanitary- 12th Army of the Republic.
Pere Moral i Armengou
Mr. Berg:
We have never met, but I wish to congratulate you on your birthday. I am certainly that being the last living vet is a bittersweet experience, but we are glad that you are with us.
My father’s brother, Jack Freeman, died in Spain and I have only heard stories about him for my entire life; I am glad that you have had the opportunity to personally be able to share your life with others.
Best
-Josh Freeman
I thank ALBA for their online notice of your upcoming birthday and want to wish you the very best celebration and many more to follow.
My dad, Charlie Nusser, was a fellow volunteer in Spain and always believed his time there the most important of his whole life. You, he and all the men and women who followed their principles and went to Spain to fight Franco and fascism, should always be remembered, held in a place of high honor and thanked for their participation in “the good fight.”
May you (to borrow a “Star Trek” expression) live long and prosper. And many thanks to you for risking your life for the Spanish people and the world!
Salud!
-Polly (Nusser) Dubetz
Muuuchas felicidades en tu 98 cumpleaños.
Desde el corazón de Castilla, mi más sincero abrazo para tí, compañero eterno de la lucha de nuestro pueblo contra el mal y el fascismo. Los jóvenes de este país nunca os olvidaremos.
¡Salud Del!
-Eduardo Lanuza, Spain
Dear Mr. Berg,
It is my pleasure to be able to congratulate you on your 98th birthday. I admire your spirit and ideals, and as an Irishman living in Spain now, I can sense the gratitude that most Spaniards feel towards the International Brigades. Thank you for fighting The Good Fight.
Best wishes,
Salud!!!
-John Callanan
Querido y admirado brigadista, desde Valencia (España)
SALUD
¡NO PASARÁN!
-Isabel Esteve, Spain
Feliz cumpleaños. Los españoles no os olvidamos. Gracias! Un abrazp
[…] leaves Mr. Del Berg, 98, as the last known living US survivor of the Abraham Lincoln […]