Letter to the Editors: In Memory of Juan Dominguez Pazos
To the Editors:
This year, I am dedicating my contribution to ALBA to my late father and friend, Juan Domínguez Pazos (1902-1984), a veteran of the Lincoln Brigade who was born and raised in A Pobra do Caramiñal, Galicia, Spain. After being wounded in battle, he recuperated and then returned to the frontlines. He even stayed on when the Internationals left Spain.
Toward the end of the war, Juan crossed the Pyrenees and ended up in a French internment camp. Later, he was able to embark on a ship for Mexico, from where he returned to the United States. He was treated for complications of his war injuries in Boston, where he also met my mother.
Juan had been living and working here in New York City when the Republic was threatened. His entire family in Spain supported the Republic; his brother-in-law was the Republican mayor of their town in Galicia. His father was imprisoned and later died from the mistreatment that he received in jail.
Juan was already in his mid-thirties when he decided to join the International Brigades. He was also living in the US undocumented. I admire him not just for going to Spain, risking his life as all the volunteers did, but also for being willing to risk his ability to re-enter the country in which he wanted to live. He finally was able to do so—and he eventually became a US citizen.
Juan was a kind and gentle person, an excellent friend to all who knew him, and a wonderful husband and father. He lived to be 82 and was in good health until the end of his life.
I especially want to thank all of you at ALBA for keeping alive the memories and historical facts around this fundamental struggle against fascism, racism, and hatred—a struggle so necessary in our country and in the world today.
Lola Pazos, New York City
