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 many interviews or documents detailing the life of Charles A. Barr exist. However, from just a few his recorded quotes, he captivated me with his fearlessness and passion for the Spanish cause. Without wasting time and without any experience in political activism, he got a passport merely weeks after his 18th birthday and left to fight in Spain soon after.
At this young age he already exhibited qualities that I aspire to one day have. I learned that he was a loyal friend and at times he could be impulsive. As I learned more about Charles Barr, he became less of an abstract idea from the past and more human. Through this research of Barr’s life, I also came to understand the Spanish Civil War in a different way. Instead of being told about a war that feels far off and impossible in my own world, I read about the actual experience of it from the perspective of someone who participated. In addition to inspiring me, Charles Barr broadened my understanding of the Spanish Civil War and the others who fought for a Republican Spain.
Introduction
In 1936, Fascist governments were gaining power across the European continent. In this same year Spain’s democratically elected government was threatened by a Nationalist military rebellion led by Francisco Franco. This rebellion turned into a civil war that would last three years. When Spain’s civil war began, volunteers from all parts of the world rushed to the aid of the Republicans despite their home countries denying any help. The stories of these volunteers should never be forgotten. Humankind has the opportunity to learn from its history and the lesson taught by the Abraham Lincoln Brigade in particular is one of solidarity, compassion, and bravery. Though the United States was not directly affected by the civil war in Spain so many fearless men and women traveled to this foreign country to fight the spread of fascism in the hope of saving the Spanish from an oppressive government and preventing this threat from one day arriving in their own country.
Charles A. Barr was a very young man in 1936 and his story as a volunteer in the Spanish Civil War encapsulates this spirit of camaraderie that defines the Abraham Lincoln Brigade. Barely finishing high school before he sailed to Spain, Barr had neither recorded political ties nor previous experience in activism, and yet he bravely decided to leave his family and fight in Spain. During his time in Spain he exhibited an enthusiasm that only a young man of 18 could possess even after a series of misfortunes; he was captured, experienced the loss of his left eye, and was held prisoners for months. He had a desire to upset the odds of the war and to be a hero for his fellow soldiers. He was unafraid of authority and occasional inconsistencies in his stories reveal his eagerness to climb above his station and tell a grandiose story. If told more frequently, Charles Barr’s story has the potential to inspire so many indifferent young people to rise up and become active in their communities, just the way he did.
Charles Barr and the Spanish Civil War
Charles Barr, known as Charlie to those close to him, was born on September 14, 1919 in Steubenville, Ohio. He left New York on the SS Laconia in September of 1937 to fight in the Spanish Civil War. He had never left the country before and received a passport just one month before leaving to Spain[1]. Unlike many other volunteers who had life-long connections to leftist political parties and activism, Charles Barr was only 18 and hadn’t yet had these important experiences. In high school, most students have most likely not decided on their opinions about foreign wars or Fascism. Volunteering for a war at this young age seems an absurd and idealistic idea to some, but this is exactly what Barr and so many others decided to do. This is the spirit that drove international brigades and Spanish citizens to fight for Spain.
While in Spain, Barr made a notable friendship. He met another young man named Charles Youngblood with whom he became very close friends. Youngblood was an African American volunteer from New York, and about the same age as Barr. In interviews Barr was quoted saying, “My best buddy was Charles Youngblood, a negro soldier who was an expert marksman. He was the salt of the earth”.[2] On March 10th of 1938, Barr and Youngblood fought alongside each other in a battle at Belchite.[3] Unfortunately, on this day in March, Barr and Youngblood found themselves surrounded by Nationalist soldiers with little cover from the enemy’s bullets. The two friends knew they had no easy escape and in the face of this terrifying situation they promised each other that whoever survived would find the other’s family upon return to the United States. After they had made their promise, they attempted to run from their enemy and retreat but in the process Youngblood took a bullet to the chest. In a move that can only be perceived as an instinctual act of loyalty, Barr stopped running to grab his friend’s body and tried to stop the bleeding from his wounds. During his frantic fuss over his fallen friend, Barr was shot in his left eye and ultimately captured by the Nationalist soldiers. Later on in his life, Barr recalled not being able to see and feeling a large amount of blood before he fell unconscious. The Nationalists took him to a camp where they kept other prisoners of war. At this prison, a doctor cut out the remaining bullet fragments and shrapnel without anaesthesia. Barr remembered begging for the doctor to stop but of course he didn’t, and again Barr fell unconscious.[4] For seven months Barr was kept at this camp where prisoners were frequently beaten and lived in poor conditions.
A few months after the battle at Belchite, Charles Barr’s sister, Edna Lewis, received a letter from the National Chairman for the Friends of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade in New York City, David White. Mr White wrote in his letter that sadly, Charles Barr’s name appeared on the official casualty list and was killed in action. Within a week another letter was sent to Edna Lewis congratulating her on the terrible mistake made on the casualty list. Barr was not dead after all but being held prisoner at San Pedro de Cardeña and could be contacted through letters sent to the International Red Cross at Burgos. Correspondence between Edna Lewis and the Abraham Lincoln Brigade continued through Barr’s imprisonment and her concern for her brother’s well-being was clear in her frequency of letters and in her effort to find more information from anyone she could contact. However much she wrote, responses from Barr were very rare, with only one recovered message from him to his family in which he simply wrote, “I am well. Need chocolate and money”.[5] This was sent through the International Red Cross committee of Geneva, Switzerland while Barr was still being held prisoner in 1938. This was written after Barr had already lost his eye and had been prisoner for months. However, he mentions no complaint and reassures his family not to worry. From the little information we have on the conditions Barr suffered in the prison camp, it is clear that he had plenty to complain about but instead he remained strong.
William Carney was a New York Times correspondent whose task during the war was to publicize the struggle of American prisoners in Spain. He was, however, nicknamed “General Bill” by his critics because many considered him to be a Fascist sympathizer (Hochschild 178). Carney most likely favored the Nationalists because he was known to support the presence of the Catholic Church in Spanish affairs. Even so, he played an important role in bringing attention to American soldiers who were being held as hostages in Spain. Carney visited the prison where Charles Barr was being held and the two shared an interesting exchange. During his visits, Carney asked the American prisoners to write down their names and addresses so he could contact their families. A couple of the prisoners refused to do so out of distrust and dislike of Carney and his suspected political views. To those prisoners who would speak to Carney, he asked if they had any questions for him and no one replied except for Charles Barr. He replied to Carney, “Yes. Why aren’t you wearing your Fascist uniform?” Carney laughed at this and replied, “Do you really believe I am a Fascist or have ever worn a Fascist uniform?” (Eby 371). The men all grinned and let the conversation die at that. However, by other accounts, Carney answered Barr differently with a threatening question, “What do you want to do – lose your other eye?” (Eby 371). His brash remarks to “General Bill” are a reminder of his young age and instinct to provoke authority and speak his mind. Though Carney was there to do his job and to give a voice to these prisoners, Barr did not miss an opportunity to confront him with uncomfortable questions.
Charles Barr was able to escape imprisonment and leave Spain through an exchange negotiated by the International Red Cross and the U.S. State Department. The U.S. ambassador to Spain at that time was Claude G. Bowers. Barr was among the first 14 American prisoners to be exchanged and was the youngest in the group. The exchange took place on October 10, 1938 and these American soldiers were traded for enemy Italian fliers who were also being held. The prisoners were able to retrieve their passports, which were initially taken in Barcelona for safekeeping, and then they crossed the border into France where they awaited a departure to New York. Meanwhile, throughout the whole ordeal, Barr’s devoted sister Edna Lewis stayed in contact with anyone who could tell her about her brother’s state. In November of 1938, Barr was already in New York being treated for his eyes. A letter was sent to Edna Lewis on the 16th of November from a rehabilitation director named Gertrude Nilsson. She told Lewis that her brother was resting and waiting for a glass eye. She also assured Lewis that she should be very proud of her brother. As Barr’s return to the United States was very public and covered in local newspapers, he became a popular subject to interview. He spoke to various newspapers and reporters about his experience in Spain. He was outspoken and insisted that he was glad to have lost an eye for the cause and would gladly return to give up his other eye if it could help. He lamented the fact that Spain wasn’t allowing any more foreign volunteers but was confident that a loyalist victory was certain because they had such high morale. He claimed that Franco would be left without an army if the Italians pulled their support and he empathized with the 74 other Americans who were still left in the camp he had escaped.[6]
After Barr’s return from the war in Spain, he gave interviews to various newspapers in the United States. In these accounts he claimed to have joined the war effort as a pilot and having shot down 18 enemy crafts. However, in other documents he is listed as a chauffeur. The inconsistencies in his stories continued to appear. To another newspaper in his home state of Ohio, Barr spoke about a conversation he had with Hitler while he was still being held in Spain. However, there doesn’t seem to exist any record or proof that Hitler ever visited Spanish prisons during the civil war. Barr told newspapers that Adolph Hitler visited his camp and asked him directly why he had come to Spain. Barr answered Hitler by asking him the same question. Hitler laughed and mentioned Barr’s injury to his eye. Barr quickly assured Hitler that once he returned to the United States “he would be fitted for a glass eye that would look like the real thing”.[7] If this story is true, then Barr maintained formidable strength throughout his exchange with one of the world’s most hated figures is commendable. Instead of allowing himself to appear as a weak prisoner, he exhibited his staunch belief that he would return home and be fine despite the best efforts of the Fascists. If Barr exaggerated or embellished his stories, it was in his attempt to bring attention to the Spanish war that continued after his departure. At this time in his life, Barr was already an injured veteran of a war overseas, which makes it easy to forget Barr’s age, but he was still only 20 years old. He had a hunger for fighting and was extremely passionate. Everything Barr did was in the pursuit of helping the Spanish Republic.
Back in the United States, Charles Barr continued to raise awareness for soldiers who still suffered in the prison camps in Spain. He wrote a story entitled “Hungry Men in a Room”. This story was distributed in a pamphlet encouraging people to sign a petition seeking to retrieve prisoners of war from Spain. His short story revolved around two men who were held in a prison camp. On the grounds of this camp there was a church, but masses took place in the courtyard because the church itself was filled with weapons and Italian-made bombs. The irony Barr uses in his story of a holy house of worship used as a warehouse for weapons while prisoners pray outdoors is purposely shocking. With this detail he questions the platform of the Nationalists who claimed to be religious and defended the Catholic Church. The two men in the story have only one last cigarette that they desperately want to smoke but promise to save it for later. The main characters believed they would die in this camp but continuously put off smoking the cigarette for another time though it was all they thought of. They hold on to this last cigarette as a symbol of the hope they still have of being rescued from imprisonment. If these images aren’t provocative enough, Barr outwardly warns readers at the end of the story that they will not sleep well at night if they do not sign the petition. Barr’s loyalty to his fellow soldiers, and his passion for the cause did not allow him to simply forget. He wanted to keep fighting. This is the spirit embodied by the Republican fighters and all of the international brigade volunteers. They can be characterized by the same compassion and ferocity. After the Spanish Civil War ended, and the bombing at Pearl Harbor happened in 1941, Barr went on to enlist in the army so he could fight in World War II despite his vision impairment.
The Abraham Lincoln Brigade was comprised of courageous men and women who felt it was their duty to help in the fight against Fascism. Even those who had no connection to Spain understood that resisting Fascism was important for everyone. They had to protect their ideal of freedom. If Spain’s democratically elected government was being overthrown, then it was clear that this could happen to any country without the right support. Charles Barr was an admirable young man who risked his young life for this cause. He personified the spirit of the Republican plight and even after being captured, losing an eye, and being sent home to Ohio, he never gave up believing that the loyalists would win the war. This is the passion that contributed to the Republican’s prolongation of this civil war, which the Rebels believed would only last a few weeks. They had a military and weapons at the ready, but the Spanish Republicans and international brigades had a spirit that could not be defeated.
Works Cited
ALBA Archives Vertical Files: Individuals, ALBA #19 Box 1, Folder 1a. Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives. Tamiment Library/Robert F. Kennedy Library, Bobst Library, New York, NY
Carl Geiser Papers ALBA #4, Box 1, Folder 48. Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives. Tamiment Library/Robert F. Kennedy Library, Bobst Library, New York, NY
Eby, Cecil B. Comrades and Commissars: The Lincoln Battalion in the Spanish CivilWar. Pennsylvania State University Press, 2007, pg 368-371
Hochschild, Adam. Spain in Our Hearts: Americans in the Spanish Civil War, 1936-1939. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016, pg 154, 178
Robert Steck Papers ALBA #104. Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives. Tamiment Library/Robert F. Kennedy Library, Bobst Library, New York, NY
[1] Carl Geiser Papers
[2] Robert Steck Papers
[3] ALBA Archives Vertical Files: Individuals
[4] ALBA Archives
[5] Robert Steck Papers
[6] Robert Steck Papers
[7] ALBA Archives Vertical Files: Individuals