description
Object description
Irish civilian member and secretary of Bethnal Green Branch of the Young Communist League in London, GB, 1933-1936; rifleman served with No 1 Coy, British Bn, 15th International Bde in Spain, 1/1938-3/1938; POW in San Pedro de Cardenas Prison, Burgos and San Sebastian Prison, San Sebastian in Spain, 4/1938-2/1939; teacher in German Democratic Republic, 1985-1990
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Dublin, Ireland and Stepney, London, GB, 1917-1933: family origins; father's employment in clothing industry; use of Yiddish in family home; background to family move from Dublin to Glasgow then London; employment as plumber in Stepney; living conditions in Stepney; story illustrating Jewish and non-Jewish relations. Aspects of period as member and secretary of Bethnal Green Branch, Young Communist League in London, GB, 1933-1936: joining Young Communist League; friends who volunteered to fight with International Bdes; incident of being attacked by members of British Union of Fascists on Cambridge Heath Road; activities; clashes between Metropolitan Police and Young Communist League. Aspects of POW exchange in Spain, 2/1939: POW exchange; story of being beaten by guards in San Pedro de Cardenas Prison, Burgos.
REEL 2 Continues: appearance on being released as POW in Paris, France, 2/1939; contacting friends of Leo Kusten in Paris, France; return to GB, 2/1939. Aspects of period as member and secretary of Bethnal Green Branch, Young Communist League in London, GB, 1933-1936: strength of British Union of Fascists; organisation in Bethnal Green; membership of Jewish Lads Bde; reasons for joining Young Communist League; Communist Party/Labour Party relations. Aspects of volunteering for International Bdes and journey to Spain, 12/1937: reasons for volunteering as secretary of Bethnal Green Branch, Young Communist League; recruitment; journey across France.
REEL 3 Continues: crossing Pyrenees Mountains to Figueras, Spain. Aspects of period as rifleman with No 1 Coy, British Bn, 15th International Bde in Spain, 1/1938-3/1938: training at Albacete; sheltering from rain in village; bombing in olive grove by Nationalist Air Force; clash with Italian tanks; capture by Italians at Calaceite, 3/1938. Recollections of period as POW in San Pedro de Cardenas Prison, Burgos and San Sebastian Prison, San Sebastian in Spain, 4/1938-2/1939: interrogation; Communist organisation in San Pedro de Cardenas Prison; POW response to visit by Pathe News; interpreters; sleeping arrangements.
REEL 4 Continues: character of rations; state of health; story of priest arranging supply of books; story of attempt by camp authorities to make POWs read Nationalist propaganda pamphlets; Christmas celebrations, 12/1938; escape attempts from San Pedro de Cardenas Prison; transfer to San Sebastian Prison; executions; communications with Spanish prisoners; question of nationality.
REEL 5 Continues: question of achievement of International Bdes in Spain; equality of treatment of nationalities in San Pedro de Cardenas Prison; attitude of British diplomats in Spain; being kitted out by Co-Operative Society on return to London; story of mother's reaction to his homecoming. Aspects of period as teacher in German Democratic Republic, 1985-1990: reasons for move to German Democratic Republic; state's intolerance of anti-Semitism; standard of living including high employment and lack of homelessness; reasons for return to GB, 1/1991.
