Mei Meadow

HONS 2011J

Final Essay

Professor Maria Hernández-Ojeda

Vincent Lossowski

Personal Statement

While researching the life and involvement of Vincent Lossowski in the Spanish Civil War, I initially came upon several interesting facts about his numerous military services and affiliation with the Communist Party online; however, it was only when I interviewed Paul Lossowski, Vincent Lossowski’s son, and read more personal artifacts such as letters between him and his mother and wife during his time in Spain that I achieved a better understanding of who Vincent Lossowski was. More formal correspondences and newspaper clippings from after the war documented the harassment by the U.S. government that Lossowski experienced for serving as a volunteer in Spain. I began to contextualize the facts with historical and societal influences during his life as well as familial anecdotes to piece together an interpretation of his life and experiences in the Spanish Civil War. (more…)

Somaly Tum

Spain Today: Film and Fiction

Professor Villa, The New School

May Levine Hartzman

Personal Statement

Before this semester, I didn’t know much at all, if anything, about the Spanish Civil War. It was never taught in my previous schools, and it wasn’t until I began my research and watched the 1984 documentary, The Good Fight, that I found out about the Abraham Lincoln Brigade and the thousands of other volunteers who traveled to Spain to fight against fascism. In total, there were about 40,000 volunteers from all over the world. While I was looking online at the Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives (ALBA), I came across a single folder from the Frances Patai Papers (Box 3, Folder 2) on May Levine Hartzman. I was drawn to her file because I wanted to learn more about the experiences of women who volunteered in the Spanish Civil War. After reading her biography, I found May Levine’s story to be very compelling and I hope to extend a similar feeling of hope and inspiration to others who are fighting for justice by sharing her legacy.  (more…)

Lila Norris

Spain Today: Film and Fiction

Professor Villa, The New School

Charles and Antoinette O’Flaherty

Personal Statement

I originally chose these papers because of my interest in female involvement in labor movements. Antoinette was an accomplished activist and organizer and her story fascinated me. However, after spending more time with the papers, I gained more of an interest in the brothers. Their early life in Irish Boston and how they were raised to become such interesting and dedicated organizers, protestors, and political activists caught my attention. I wanted to look into what type of person would choose to drop everything and join a band of amateur soldiers in a foreign land. Spending time with their writing and looking at their photos I felt an almost personal relationship with their stories, and got heartfelt and surprising answers to my questions.  (more…)

Andie Fortier

Cinematic Spain (Fall 2017)

Final Essay

Professor Sara Villa – The New School

David Miller

Personal Statement

I began my research reading a collection of letters that David Miller himself had written. I began to familiarize myself with his language and his extremely detail oriented, observant writing. Reading these letters allowed me to begin to infer certain things in regards to his experience, but most of all they sparked my curiosity and only pushed me further to ask more questions and find more answers. Many of these questions were answered by the in the Fredericka Martin Papers (ALBA #1 box#19 folder 16). Her correspondences with Miller, as well as her meticulous collection of newspaper articles and writings about Miller allowed me to view the Spanish Civil war through the eyes of an individual. It humanized what is so often inhuman.   (more…)

Jane Balfus

Cinematic Spain – Fall 2017

Final Essay

Prof. Sara Villa – The New School

Alvah Cecil Bessie

Alvah Cecil Bessie was born in a wealthy sector of Harlem in 1904 to a Jewish family. His father was an inventor, and also worked in business, which allowed for their affluent lifestyle. Bessie attended Columbia University and majored in English studies. He became involved in a friendship with Eugene O’Neill after college, who was a prominent  member of the Provincetown Players; a group of creatives involved in theatre, that began in Massachusetts. This relationship with O’Neill launched Bessie into a performance career. He acted for almost five years with the Provincetown company. He eventually moved to France in 1928 and pursued writing. He fell under the category of US-born writers and businessmen who relocated to Europe in the 1920s. A few years later, his concerns regarding Fascist ideology became increasingly more aggravated. It can be assumed that perhaps his proximity to Spain led him to solidify his supposed “radical communist thought”. Almost ten years after he moved to France, on the twenty second of January in 1938, Bessie sailed to Spain on the S.S. Lafayette with the intent to join the International Brigade’s fight against the Franco-led rebellion (Bessie Papers). (more…)