Guardian Newspapers has published two reviews of the new book by Giles Tremlett, ‘The International Brigades: Fascism, Freedom and the Spanish Civil War’. On Saturday 3 October, The Guardian’s review by Dan Hancox gave the following misleading impression: ‘The brigades drew an astonishing array of international literary figures – Orwell, Hemingway, Spender, Auden’. None of...
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The 80th anniversary Ebro commemorative tour organised this May by FIBI – Friends of the International Brigades in Ireland – coincided with Memorial Weekend in the USA. At the grave of Lincoln Battalion Ebro casualty John Cookson (killed in action, September 1938), located near Marçà in Catalunya, Nancy Wallach, ALBA Board member and daughter...
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From the third minute of this video, Friends of the International Brigades in Ireland are shown on their May 26 visit to the battlefield outside Corbera d’Ebre, where Kerry born Lincoln Battalion volunteer Thomas O’Flaherty had been among those brigadistas killed in action in September 1938, and whose nephew, Kerry Flaherty, carries an Abraham...
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The London Times reports: Crew members of a Spanish charity ship that rescued 218 migrants from the Mediterranean and brought them to Italy are being investigated for aiding illegal immigration, signalling Rome’s increasing intolerance of migrants. Italian authorities impounded the ship operated by Proactiva Open Arms after it landed in Pozzallo, Sicily. The public prosecutor in Catania argued...
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February 27 is the 81st anniversary of the death in action at Jarama of the Irish poet and Lincoln Brigadista Charlie Donnelly. At the 80th anniversary commemoration in Donnelly’s natively village last year, ALBA Board Member Nancy Wallach met with Nora Shovelin of the Clé (Left) Folk Club, which meets each month in Dublin’s Liberty Hall,...
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This Saturday, February 17, the annual Jarama commemorative march organised by AABI (Asociación de Amigos de las Brigadas Internacionales) began at its customary starting point, from the Rivas Vaciamadrid memorial – erected by FIBI (Friends of the International Brigades in Ireland) – in honor of the Irish poet Charlie Donnelly (1914-1937), of the James...
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The following is a reply to the address by the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, to the International Brigade Memorial Trust, on October 15. 2016 A Uachtaráin, a chara, Mr. President, compañero Presidente! We are inspired by your address today. You have kept the honor of Ireland’s flag flying high, as you always...
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The President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, officially opened the Annual General Meeting of the International Brigade Memorial Trust, held in Liberty Hall, Dublin, on October 15. Seated, left to right, are IBMT Ireland Secretary Manus O’Riordan, President Higgins, Sabina Higgins and IBMT Chairperson Richard Baxell. Standing, left to right, are IBMT North West...
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This article appeared in the 38th issue of the newsletter of the International Brigade Memorial Trust and is reprinted here with the IBMT’s permission. From the Shannon to the Ebro: The Limerick men who went to fight Franco, the Limerick International Brigade Memorial Trust, September 2014; Fighting for Republican Spain 1936-38: Frank Ryan and the Volunteers from Limerick...
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Cable Street in London’s East End, an area which is now predominantly Bengali as it had been predominantly Jewish in 1936, saw 1,000 people march this October 2 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the defeat of the attempt of the British Union of Fascists to stage their hate match through the area. See...
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The Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives (ALBA) is an educational non-profit dedicated to promoting social activism and the defense of human rights. ALBA’s work is inspired by the American volunteers of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade who fought fascism in the Spanish Civil War (1936-39). Learn more at our website or
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My grandfather (Nana), Suresh, moved to the United States in 1959 as a young man on a student visa pursuing his master’s degree. His parents, my great grandparents, sought value in being ‘foreign educated’ and bringing his education home – to Mumbai, India to run their family business. 2 years after my Nana moved...
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Peter N. Carroll, a respected and prolific writer, poet, and US historian, died after a short illness on September 16, surrounded by his family. He was 80. Born in New York City in 1943 to a secular Jewish family, Peter grew up in the Bronx and Queens, where his father worked as a composer,...
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LA RÉPUBLIQUE -QUOTIDINEN DE COMBAT RADICAL ET SOCIALISTE, February 5, 1938 Foreign Volunteer Arrested On March 27 last, 29 North Americans were arrested on board the boat Sans-Pareil while they were attempting to reach the Spanish Coast. They were sentenced to a prison term for violating the decree of February 18, 1937 on the...
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The “Spanija” series translates selected autobiographical accounts by Yugoslavian and Montenegrin volunteers of their actions in the Spanish Civil War. Dr. Ray Hoff used Google translate from Croatian to English and he edited the selections. As this is a machine translation, the idiomatic features of Croatian or Serbian and the translation of names and...
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The Spanija series translates select autobiographical accounts by Yugoslavian and Montenegrin volunteers of their actions in the Spanish Civil War. Dr. Ray Hoff used Google Translate from Croatian to English and he edited the selections. As this is a machine translation, the idiomatic features of Croatioan or Serbian and the translation of names and...
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Peter Verburgh’s translation from the French Newpaper Le Journal about a group of 29 Americans arrested in France. “29 American Volunteers Arrested in Muret” Le Journal, 5 April 1937 Toulouse, 4 April- The Control services of the Non-Intervention Committee do not remain inactive, especially with the help of the French Police and Gendarmerie. Thus...
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ALBA Board Member Steve Birnbaum made the trek on Memorial Day to the Home of Eternity Cemetary in Oakland, California to pay tribute to ALB veteran Hans Joachim. Joachim was born in Berlin, Germany in 1906 and moved to the US in 1924. He served in Spain with the George Washington Battalion and later...
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Please find attached photos of my visits to the graves of Lester Rowlson and Tersil Obriot last weekend. I left a brigade flag and a fresh white rose at each. ,,, I was also proud to include aspects of my Clapton CFC scarf; you might have heard of this small football club in London that...
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Peter Verbergh translated this article from CeSoir describing the arrest of the Dallet-Nelson Group. “The Interrogation of the Passengers of the Sans-Pareil”, CeSoir, March 29, 1937 (From our Special Correspondent) Perpignan March 28 (By Telephone) Yesterday morning around 10am, The Coast Guard Vessel Cebère docked in the port of Port-Vendres alongside the torpedo boat...
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Only five veterans of the Spanish Civil War are known to be buried in Virginia outside of Arlington National Cemetery: two in Richmond, two in Norfolk, and one in Big Stone Gap. ALB Tribute visited the graves of Harry Edward Farris and Thomas Moore in Richmond as well as Manuel Lizarrago and Crawford Morgan...
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ALBA's project to provide a complete list of the more than 2,800 individuals who left from U.S. territory to fight with the Spanish Republic
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