Lloyd Edward Johnson was 41-years old when he arrived in Spain in April 1937. He was the oldest of four sons born to Norwegian immigrants Seavert and Nesina Johnson. Johnson was born and raised in St. Paul, Minnesota. He applied for a position as an apprentice electrician with the Northern Pacific Railway Company when...
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Pursuit of Reason, Philadelphia: Adelante Press, 1971, p.19-20 “Wat’s dis, wat’s dis?” Colonel Jean LeBeau bounced along the line of fire like a bullet-proof ball. “Come ‘lone der, Yanks. Let’s go! Up de hill, up de hill!” The Colonel put his whole, squat body into his appeal to get the men moving. He waved...
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The Volunteer for Liberty, V.1, No. 24, November 17, 1937 After six months on the Cordoba front, the American Hospital Unit under Dr. A. I. Friedman (of Hackensack, N. J.) is now at Villa Paz for a short period of reorganization before, leaving for the Fifteenth Brigade. The American Hospital of the South and...
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The Volunteer for Liberty, V2, No. 31, August 5, 1938. The Army of the East is coming to the aid of the Levante! Like a bolt of lightning this sweeping thought penetrated every company, every unit, every soldier in the Army. How? Where? Again the smashing lightning idea. Along a front of more than...
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That morning when I heard that Manch was killed— Beneath the almond tree our company Was lined up for its bread and jam and coffee. I saw his sergeant, Aaron, passing by. I called to him; he told me...
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The Volunteer for Liberty, V. 2, No. 31, September 5, 1938. The cabo in the Spanish people’s army should realize that not only has he many responsibilities in connection with the whole life of the soldiers in his squad, but also that it is necessary to train himself in such a way as to...
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The Volunteer for Liberty, V2, No. 25, July 19, 1938 The cabo in the performance of his tasks plays a very important part in the functioning of a military machine. The squad, being the basic unit, must function properly in every way, if the peloton, section, company, etc. , are in turn to function...
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The Volunteer for Liberty, V2, no. 25, July 19, 1938 The functions of a Cabo is to see that his men execute quickly and efficiently the order of his superior officers. To this end he must have, first, an extensive knowledge of military technique; secondly; the respect of his squad; third, a sense of...
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The Volunteer for Liberty, V2, No. 25, July 19, 1938 Ode to the Fly The fly, the fly, oh me, oh my, it gets in my hair, it sits on my chair. In spite of all “Flit” it gets in...
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Among the 35,000 volunteers who traveled to Spain to support the Loyalist cause during the Spanish Civil War were two Iraqis. This is what we know about them.
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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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