Laura Montoya Hons 2011J Hunter College-CUNY Professor María Hernández-Ojeda                                                                                                                                              Jewish Involvement in the Spanish Civil War: The Story of Mark Straus Personal Statement           It is not often one gets the chance to go through primary…

Alyssa Fernandes HONS 2011J Hunter College-CUNY Professor Hernández-Ojeda Charles A. Barr Personal Statement             Before this year I had never heard of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade and was surprised to discover that these incredible stories, not yet 100 years old, were not shared more frequently. When tasked with researching the life of one Abraham Lincoln Brigade volunteer, I knew it would be difficult to choose one person from the lengthy list of brave women and men. I decided that I would try to uncover the story of someone less known, who perhaps didn’t acquire much fame but still deserved to be acknowledged.             Within the Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives, not…

Sarah Elnewishy HONS 2011J Hunter College-CUNY Professor Hernández-Ojeda Sidney Vogel Personal Statement             In my search for a volunteer to focus my research on, I came across hundreds of individuals with varying occupations and participation in the Spanish Civil War. What drew me to Dr. Sidney Vogel was his passion and dedication to caring for the lives of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade soldiers. In my class on the occurrences of the Civil War, I learned about the disturbing conditions of the International Brigades and their dedication for the cause they were fighting for. I often found myself thinking of the medical professionals that had the job of treating the gruesome…

Kelly Schmaeling HONS 2011J Professor Hernández-Ojeda Hunter College-CUNY Introduction            I came across Emma Goldman’s name while looking for women writers in the Spanish Civil War. While I found many famous male fiction and nonfiction writers (Hemingway, Hughes and Orwell, etc.) that reported on and wrote about the war, there were very few women. I had originally wanted to write this narrative on an author because of my love for literature. I wanted to choose a female because, as a feminist, I wanted to further shed light on the important roles that women played in the Spanish Civil War. When I came across Emma and read…

Hannah Ellerbeck HONS 2011J Final Essay Professor Hernàndez-Ojeda Benjamin Iceland Personal Statement             As a vibrant, passionate, young college graduate, Benjamin Iceland’s involvement in the Spanish Civil War interested me greatly due to our similar age and upbringing. Though he was born 86 years before I was, his life as a college student in New York City rings true to mine in many respects. We were both born and raised in New York City and went to colleges in New York City as well. As someone who prides myself in learning, I feel a relation to Benjamin Iceland as he was able to incorporate his…

Raymi Echavarría Final Essay HONS 2011J Professor Hernández-Ojeda Personal Statement           Some notable literature and film of American volunteers in the Spanish Civil War depict issues of race and gender as non-existent in Spain and show the war as being one that indefinitely united those on the left. Because the Republican side of the war was sustained mostly by passion, ideology, and a strong conviction that those on the Republican side were fighting for the moral good by seeking to halt the spread of fascism, it is difficult to avoid romanticizing the Republican front. The American volunteers lacked U.S. national support, military equipment, proper military training and…