Spanish Civil War Collection 1909, 1925, 1931-2013

This collection contains correspondence, pamphlets, periodicals, newspapers, press releases, writings, clippings, brochures, fliers, and posters from the era of the Spanish Civil War, and later, documenting American and international fund-raising for humanitarian relief of Republican Spain; American and international public opinion about the war; the participation of Jews in the International Brigades; and analyses, commemorations, and reminiscences of the war and, particularly, of the International Brigades, in later years. About 10% of the collection comprises papers of Charles S. Zimmerman, secretary-manager of the Local 22 of the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union, in his capacity as a leader of the relief organization Trade Union Relief for Spain (Series I). This material provides a lively impression of labor circles in New York City in this era, and the attitudes of labor leaders toward the events in Spain. Series II.2 contains additional material from organizations active in the era of the Spanish Civil War that did not appear to have any direct connection to Zimmerman, such as appeal letters with only a generic greeting, as well as loose pamphlets and fliers. Other noteworthy items in the collection include original writings and correspondence of various provenances that were collected together by archivists at the Bund Archives (Series II.1); a significant number of publications and periodicals, as well as some posters, of the anarchist-leaning Spanish trade union confederations known under the joint acronym CNT-FAI, in English as well as other languages (Series II.2, II.4.A, and II.5); two issues (one as a photocopy) of the Yiddish newspaper Botvin, published by the one specifically Jewish unit in the International Brigades, the Naftoli Botwin Company of the Palafox Battalion (Folder 145/Oversize Box 17); illustrated contemporary periodicals from Spain (Series II.4.B/Oversize Box 18); and the proceedings of an international conference held in Tel Aviv, Israel, in 1972, that focused on Jewish participation in the International Brigades (Folder 98). ; This collection contains correspondence, pamphlets, periodicals, newspapers, press releases, writings, clippings, brochures, fliers, and posters from the era of the Spanish Civil War, and later, documenting American and international fund-raising for humanitarian relief of Republican Spain; American and international public opinion about the war; the participation of Jews in the International Brigades; and reminiscences and commemorations of the war and, particularly, of the International Brigades, in later years. A portion of the material on relief work pertains to trade union activities, as documented in papers of Charles S. Zimmerman, of the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union, in his capacity as leader of Trade Union Relief for Spain, in New York City. Other organizations represented include the Medical Bureau and North American Committee to Aid Spanish Democracy; the Spanish Information Bureau in New York; the Friends of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade; and the Israeli branch of the association of volunteers in the International Brigades. There are also autobiographical manuscripts by Benjamin Lubelski and Sigmund Stein, who participated in the International Brigades; and contemporary publications in a variety of languages, including publications of the anarchist-leaning Spanish trade union confederations CNT-FAI. ; This collection was created in the Bund Archives of the Jewish Labor Movement, which had the practice of creating subject collections. The most substantial portion of the materials from a single source comprises papers of Charles S. Zimmerman (about 10% of the collection), pertaining to his activities in helping to raise funds for relief efforts in Republican Spain during the Spanish Civil War (Series I). Another significant portion of the collection (approximately 60%) is made up of archival materials of various provenances related directly to the era of the Spanish Civil War (Series II). The remainder of the collection (approximately 30%) comprises other research materials pertaining to the Spanish Civil War, or Franco's Spain (Series III).