Abraham Lincoln Brigade

During the Spanish Civil War (1936-39), almost forty thousand men and women from fifty-two countries, including 2,800 Americans, traveled to Spain to join the International Brigades to help fight fascism. The U.S. volunteers served in various units (medical, combat and transportation) and came to be known collectively as the Abraham Lincoln Battalion.

"The Spanish Civil War claimed an estimated 500,000 dead; of the American volunteers about one third (estimated: 800) died in Spain. Many of the remaining veterans continued their fight against fascism during World War II, as did thousands of Republican exiles. With their help, fascism was finally defeated in 1945. Ironically, the outbreak of the Cold War helped secure Franco’s position as Spain’s anti-Communist dictator. When, after his death in 1975, Spain finally became a democracy, the Spanish government made honorary citizens of the international volunteers. Many of them remained life-long activists." (2)

• This project celebrates and salutes their courage. Their war didn't end with this stance against fascism; some of those who served were infamously called before the HUAC Committee to testify against their comrades in arms.

Please add profiles to the project (must be set to public). Collaborators, feel free to update this project overview.

American "Notables" associated with the Abraham Lincoln Brigade and the cause of the Spanish Republicans include

• Ernest Hemingway
• Paul Robeson - Honorary member
• Dashiell Hammett
• Lillian Hellman
• Gypsy Rose Lee
• Dorothy Parker
• Sam Yorty
• Helen Keller
• Woody Guthrie

Resources

1. Abraham Lincoln Brigade members - Wikipedia list
2. The Abraham Lincoln Brigade and the Spanish Civil War
3. Abraham Lincoln Brigade Volunteer Database
4. The Front Lines of Social Change: Veterans of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade
5. The Odyssey of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade: Americans in the Spanish Civil War by Peter N. Carroll. 1994.