description
Object description
Irish Jewish civilian, secretary of Bethnal Green Young Communist League, east London, 1933-1936. Served as rifleman with British Bn 15th International Bde in Spain 12/1937-4/1938. POW in San Sebastian and San Pedro de Cardenas 4/1938-2/1939. Worked as teacher in East Germany (GDR) and Germany 1985-1991
Content description
REEL 1 Jewish family background in Dublin, Ireland: father's employment; learning English; move to London, 1931. Activities in Stepney, East London during 1930s: employment as plumber; living conditions; story illustrating Jewish and non-Jewish relations; joining Young Communist League <YCL>; activities of British Union of Fascists <BUF> in Bethnal Green; YCL activity at Cable Street, 1936; friends who volunteered to fight with International Brigades <IB> in Spain; being attacked by BUF in Cambridge Heath Rd, East London; marches and demos to BUF headquarters; clashes between police and YCL. Recollections of David 'Tony' Gilbert, POW exchange in Spain, 1939 and of being beaten by guards in San Pedro de Cardenas prison.
REEL 2 Continues: appearance on being released as POW in Paris, 2/1939; contacting friends of Leo Kusten in Paris; return to GB. Recollections of period in Bethnal Green, East London during 1930s: strength of BUF; CP organisation in Bethnal Green; membership of Jewish Lads Bde; reasons for joining YCL and connections with Hitler coup, 1933; Communist Party/Labour Party relations, ideological foundations in East London. Decision to volunteer as secretary of Bethnal Green YCL; interview, recruitment; crossing border into France, 1937.
REEL 3 Continues: crossing Pyrenees to Figueras, Spain; training at Albacete; question of Army discipline; sheltering in rain in village after period at front;enemy bombing attack on British Battalion in olive grove; clash with Italian tanks; capture by Italian unit at Calaceite, 4/1938; interrogation of POWs; being interrogated; Communist organisation in San Pedro; POW response to Pathe news visit; interpretors; sleeping arrangements.
REEL 4 Continues; living conditions in San Pedro; state of health; story of priest arranging supply of books, POWs use of them; camp authorities' attempts to make POWs read Francoist pamphlets; Christmas, 1938; escape attempts at San Pedro; transfer from San Pedro to San Sebastian; Basque aid for IB volunteers, 2/1939; period in San Sebastian prison, executions; communications with Spanish prisoners; question of his own nationality.
REEL 5 Continues: question of what was achieved by IBs in Spain; equality of treatment of nationalities in San Pedro; attitudes of British diplomats in Spain and GB; kitted out by Co-Operative Society on return to London; story of mother's reaction to his homecoming. Aspects of period as English teacher in East Germany, 1985-1991: reasons for going; intolerance of anti-semitism; standards of living including lack of unemployment, homelessness.
