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 lack of hesitance in standing up for justice will always be awe provoking. Furthermore, focusing on one individual’s story and life’s work as my final project created an even more personal and tangible understanding of the Spanish Civil war for me. Bill Susman was exactly the age I am today when he decided to leave the comfort of his home and stand in the trenches to make sure that hate and oppression did not engulf the world without a fight. It allowed me to see the very particular joy Bill has left behind in the world through his work in the archives, sharing songs of the Spanish Civil war with his family and making activists out of his children.
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 whose trajectory resembled the career path I desire to one day have. Nonetheless, my quest brought me to Raphaele Fasanella, whose only similarities we shared included being born in the same month, our upbringing in the Bronx, and lack of formal education in the arts, but unlike him, I will not go on to have my work displayed in exhibits across the United States. Due to COVID-19, access to physical documents had become unattainable and created some hurdles in connecting the dots between certain life events and their chronological occurrence. Regardless, I was able to form a well-rounded view of Raphaele’s life through the analysis of biographies written about him, his paintings, and a recording of an interview he had done from the Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives Oral History Collection.
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 freedom of their mother country. Either way, both sides needed fighters that were passionate for their cause, and that is how I discovered Mosess “Moe” Fishman, who fought with the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, the American comrades of the Republicans. Fishman’s New York roots and bravery shone through his biography, and this deep research into his background, who he was before, during, and after the war, only goes on to solidify his status as a victor of the Spanish Civil War, despite which side actually won the war.
On a more personal note, as I read his biography, interviews with radio shows, testimonies from his family, it felt like I had already met Moe Fishman in the past. This is because my grandfather is also a veteran of war – the Bangladeshi Liberation War of 1971 – and embodies parts of who Fishman had become as a result of his involvement with the Spanish Civil War. As a parallel, while my grandfather was never given the vocabulary to understand the western notion of fascism, he definitely saw it happen right before his eyes. His main reason to enlist in the liberation war was to fight back against Pakistan’s fascist and authoritarian oppression against the region of Bangladesh, formerly known as East Pakistan. Decades ago, Fishman and my grandfather both embodied the nationalism, bravery, and loyalty of the same veteran as they both enlisted as a promise to prevent fascism in a country they loved so much.
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 world. His exceptional language learning abilities allowed him to master nine different languages, facilitating his communication with the natives of the multiple countries he lived and worked at. He was also a musician and passionate about the arts, having many notable artists in his friendship circle, including Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo. Eloesser’s compassion, humbleness, commitment to service, and global social justice turned his life into an extraordinary adventure filled with striking achievements that serve as an inspiration for me as a person and as a future doctor. In this essay, I will tell his story, highlighting his participation and experience as an American medical volunteer in the frontline of the Spanish Civil War, and I hope that other readers will be just as inspired by his character as I was.
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, young people picked themselves up and physically went to fight for things they believed. I was especially interested in women’s role in the Spanish Civil War; women like Freddie, who dropped everything to run hospitals abroad and save lives. These women were the backbone of the entire cooperation. Without women like Freddie, the hospitals on the frontline in Spain would not have been as nearly efficient as they were. I got a chance to personally speak with one of Freddie’s relatives. Barbara Martin is Freddie’s cousin (related through their fathers). The two communicated for many years through letters. It was with both Barbara’s article on ALBA’s website and our interview how I was able to learn all about Freddie’s life and her accomplishments. I am honored to have the opportunity to embody her legacy through my writing.
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