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Volunteer Milton Morris White by Rose Molina Gonzalez
Rose Molina Gonzalez HONS 2011J- Spanish Civil War in Literature and Film Final Essay Professor Hernandez-Ojeda Milton Morris White Personal Statement Coming into my Spanish Civil War course at Hunter College, I did not have any expectations for the class or prior knowledge of this historical event. In fact, my grandmother was the one who pushed me to enroll in the class as she believed I would benefit from it. My initial impression was that it was going to be another history course with facts and dates. I was never a fan of history and so, I thought I would make the most out of this course…
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The International Ideal Unites the Human Race
Ayisha Siddiqa HONS 2011J Final Essay Professor Hernández-Ojeda Volunteer Bill Susman The international ideal unites the human race: essay on Bill Susman Personal Statement I expected this class to be a series of facts about war, and for us to discuss the events that unfolded prior to WWII in a statistical manner that eliminated the human experience and turned people into numbers. However, I was pleasantly surprised to learn about such a pivotal event through literature, fiction, poetry and art and for that reason I don’t think I will ever forget the emotions, losses and victories of the people who dedicated their lives to fighting fascism. Their…
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Volunteer Milton Morris White by Rose Molina Gonzalez
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Volunteer Raphaele “Ralph” Fasanella by Luisais Taveras
Luisais Taveras HONS 2011J – Spanish Civil War in Literature and Film Final Essay Professor Hernández-Ojeda Raphaele “Ralph” Fasanella Personal Statement (250) My knowledge or awareness of the Spanish Civil War was significantly limited to non-existent prior to taking this course. Overall, war and its historical figures are often displayed in a one-dimensional manner for the learner, taking away the human essence of lived experiences and the acknowledgment of the larger loss over its proclaimed victory. Consequently, when presented with the task to write a piece on a volunteer from the Abraham Lincoln Brigade for their participation in the Spanish Civil War, I envisioned conveying the life of a woman…
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Volunteer Milton Morris White by Rose Molina Gonzalez
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The Life and Legacy of Mosess “Moe” Fishman – by Ariana Ahmed
Ariana Ahmed Final Essay Professor Hernández-Ojeda HONS 2011J – Spanish Civil War in Literature and Film Personal Statement In step with a majority of the class, before enrolling in HONS 2011J – Spanish Civil War in Literature and Film, I had no understanding of what the Spanish Civil War was, why it was fought, and what it symbolized in a global context. As we dived into the material, I soon understood that the common cause of the Spanish Civil War was fascism; the Nationalists wanted to bring glory to the Spanish Empire and nationalism through fascist means, while the Republicans laid their lives out on the line to protect the…
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Volunteer Milton Morris White by Rose Molina Gonzalez
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Volunteer Leo Eloesser by Laura Alvim
Laura Alvim HONS 2011J Final Essay Professor Hernández-Ojeda Leo Eloesser, MD Personal Statement As an aspiring doctor and surgeon, I was very interested in the experience of doctors who volunteered in the Spanish Civil War and their practice of war medicine. While doing some research on the American Medical Bureau (AMB) – the medical corps associated with the Abraham Lincoln Brigade-, I came across Dr. Leo Eloesser, a thoracic surgeon from the San Francisco General Hospital. Dr. Eloesser’s commitment to global medicine captivated me. He was devoted to helping the people who needed him the most, independently of their geographic location, attending and teaching underserved communities all over the…
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The Story of Fredericka “Freddie” Imogene Martin
Eleni Mattas Professor Hernandez-Ojeda HONS 2011J 18 December 2020 The Story of Fredericka “Freddie” Imogene Martin Personal Statement: When I first began this semester I assumed this course would be just another history class. I did not expect to gain such a wide perspective of the various events that led up to World War 2. I especially was unaware of the events that transpired in Spain. When I heard about the American volunteers that willingly sacrificed their comfortable lives here in the States to fight overseas, I was inspired. Today, political involvement has been minimized to social media postings and small, diplomatic debates amongst friends and family. In the 1930s,…
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Volunteer Milton Morris White by Rose Molina Gonzalez
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The Life of Thomas Page, By Laila Abouhasswa
Laila Abouhasswa HONS 2011J, Section 01 Professor Hernandez-Ojeda 18 December 2020 Personal Statement Prior to taking this class, I had no background knowledge on the Spanish Civil War. I was aware of fascism in Italy and Germany but I never knew that it had occurred in Spain as well. Although I was not aware of this war, as I learned about it I found several similarities between the activism involved in the Black Lives Matter movement and the activism of the volunteers in the Abraham Lincoln Brigade. I have been very involved in the Black Lives Matter movement and I was able to draw similarities between my own experiences supporting…
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Volunteer Milton Morris White by Rose Molina Gonzalez
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Volunteer Ruth Davidow by Maggie Kearney
Maggie Kearney HONS 2011J Final Essay Prof. Maria-Hernandez Ojeda Ruth Davidow Personal Statement Ruth Davidow first caught my attention with her interview for the 1984 film The Good Fight my classmates and I streamed at the beginning of the semester. The documentary was one of my first real exposures to the Spanish fight against fascism, as I had never heard about the International Brigades in school beforehand. My only knowledge of this point in history before beginning this Spanish Civil War in Literature and Film course was Picasso’s Guernica, which conveyed the terror of the war only. I had no context for its role in world history or knowledge or…
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Volunteer Louis “Lou” Gordon by Gabriella Perez-Hernandez
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Volunteer Leonard Bertram Levenson – Elisheva Adler
Elisheva Adler Professor Maria Hernandez-Ojeda HONS 2011J – Spanish Civil War in Literature and Film 17 December 2020 Leonard Bertram Levenson: “Lenny” Personal Statement This semester, I have had the privilege of taking a course about the Spanish Civil War, taught by Professor Hernández-Ojeda. Prior to taking this course, I had no knowledge about the Spanish Civil War. This semester I have learned about the historical background that led up to the Spanish Civil War and the valiant efforts of the international brigade volunteers to support the Republic and fight the battle against fascism. I have had the honor this semester, to conduct research and delve even further into the…
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Volunteer Max Shufer by Student Adriana Chavez
Adriana Chavez María Hernández-Ojeda Final Essay HONS 211J –1 Volunteer Max Shufer by Student Adriana Chavez Personal Statement The American public school system does a pitiful job teaching us world history, nor does American culture encourage us to keep up with foreign affairs. I went into this class expecting to learn about Spain, not the US, and was excited to do so. However, I was flabbergasted by the connections I found between the Spanish Civil War and the current rise of fascism in the US. Additionally, though I wasn’t shocked to learn of my country’s non-intervention in the Spanish Civil War, I was surprised and proud to hear about the large number of Americans who bravely…
