Milton Wolff RIP

Kyt · Jan 18, 2008

FresnoBee.com: California: Last commander of American forces in Spanish Civil War dies

Milton Wolff, the last American commander of anti-Fascist forces during the Spanish Civil War, has died. He was 92.

Wolff died Monday of heart failure in Berkeley, according to Peter Carroll, chairman of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives, an organization devoted to preserving the history of North American volunteers in the war.

Born in Brooklyn on Oct. 7, 1915, Wolff was only 21 when he stepped off the New York soapboxes, where he defended his Communist views, and into the Spanish war theater. By the time he was 22, he was the ninth leader of what was known as the Lincoln Brigade, which fought to support Spain's elected leftist government against Gen. Francisco Franco.

About 3,000 Americans fought in volunteer battalions in Spain, and more than 900 were killed. About 40 are still alive today.

While in Spain, Wolff befriended Ernest Hemingway, who was writing about the conflict. Wolff would later say Hemingway served him his first Scotch.

Wolff was "tall as Lincoln, gaunt as Lincoln, and as brave and as good a soldier as any that commanded battalions at Gettysburg. He is alive and unhit by the same hazard that leaves one tall palm tree standing where a hurricane has passed," Hemingway once wrote, according to the brigade archives.

Soon after the American fighters returned home on Dec. 15, 1939, Madrid fell to the Fascists, and the war was over.

But Wolff never stopped fighting for what he considered worthy causes, from integration in baseball to civil rights and against the Vietnam War.

Wolff is survived by his daughter, Susan Wallis; his son, Peter Wolff; four grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
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Kyt · Jan 18, 2008

Milton Wolff

Milton Wolff - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives: ALBA in the Classroom

Adrian Roberts · Jan 18, 2008

Seems to have been an independant thinker.

I don't think British Spanish Civil War vets were allowed to fight in WW2.

spidge · Jan 19, 2008

Adrian Roberts said: ↑

Seems to have been an independant thinker.

I don't think British Spanish Civil War vets were allowed to fight in WW2.
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Don't leave the story half told Adrian!........why!

Kyt · Jan 19, 2008

Adrian Roberts said: ↑

I don't think British Spanish Civil War vets were allowed to fight in WW2.
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Not completely true. It depended upon individual cases. There were some who, after returning from Spain, did join up. For example:

Alun Menai Williams who went on to join the RAF

Kyt · Jan 24, 2008

Milton Wolff obituary - Times Online

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