Herman Rosenstein Papers
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Abstract
Herman Rosenstein (1915-c.2000) fought with the International Brigades in Spain from June 1937 until the winter of 1938, using the nom de guerreHerman "Gabby" Klein. A first-aid worker during World War II, Rosenstein remained active in community and international politics throughout his life. This collection consists of Rosenstein's letters, military documents and memorabilia from Spain, as well as articles, correspondence and other material from Rosenstein's life after the Spanish Civil War.
Historical/Biographical Note
Herman Rosenstein was born in 1915, son of a garment worker and the youngest of five children. During the Depression Rosenstein worked as a bookkeeper for the William Morris Agency in New York City. He came into political awareness at a time when the threat of Nazism was making itself felt even in his Jewish neighborhood in the borough of Queens, New York. But when Rosenstein declared that he was going to Spain to join the antifascists in the International Brigades, his mother tried to prevent him from going by taking away his passport. Rosenstein soon procured another one, using his mother's maiden name, Klein, and sailed for Spain in June 1937. Going by the name Herman "Gabby" Klein throughout his time in Spain, Rosenstein fought at first with the Canadian Mackenzie-Papineau Battalion, and later transferred to the Lincoln-Washington Battalion. He saw heavy action, distinguishing himself in battle, and was promoted to sergeant. Rosenstein remained in Spain until the International Brigades were evacuated from the country in the winter of 1938.
During World War II Rosenstein was a first-aid worker, seeing action in the Pacific and in Europe. After the war, he worked as an auto mechanic, an electrician, a warrant officer, and later on the Housing Commission in Santa Monica, California. Rosenstein was a community activist and member of the California Democratic Council. He participated in Vietnam anti-war marches and supported numerous other political causes. He remained involved with the Veterans of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade (VALB) throughout his life, in 1986 traveling to Nicaragua with other veterans in support of the new Sandinista government. Rosenstein married his wife, Mildred, in 1941. They had a son, Paul, who became mayor of Santa Monica; and a daughter, Frances.
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically within each series.
Organized into two series:
Missing Title
- Series I: Spanish Civil War, 1936-1939.
- Series II: Correspondence, Clippings and Subject Files, 1941-1993.
- Series III: Unprocessed Material
Scope and Content Note
Series I: Spanish Civil War Files, 1936-1939, consists of Rosenstein's letters to his sister, Gertrude (signed with his family nickname, Hymie); memorabilia, including Spanish and German banknotes with handwritten notations indicating that they were taken from prisoners in Belchite, Teruel, and Fatarella; and a copy of the Lincoln Brigade newsletter "Our Fight," with a piece on Rosenstein's heroic actions in battle.
Series II: Correspondence, Clippings and Subject Files, 1941-1993, consists of articles about Rosenstein and other veterans, including reports of their involvement with the Nicaraguan revolution in the 1980s. Also included are certificates of recognition and citations for Rosenstein's community activities; correspondence; and membership books and other VALB material.
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Access Restrictions
Materials are open to researchers. Please contact the Tamiment Library & Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives for more information and to schedule an appointment, tamiment.wagner@nyu.edu or 212-998-2630.
Use Restrictions
Any rights (including copyright and related rights to publicity and privacy) held by the Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives (ALBA), were transferred to New York University in November 2000 by the ALBA Board of Governors. Permission to publish or reproduce materials in this collection must be secured from the Tamiment Library & Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives. For more information, contact tamiment.wagner@nyu.edu or 212-998-2630.
Preferred Citation
Published citations should take the following form:
Identification of item, date; Collection name; Collection number; box number; folder number;
Tamiment Library/Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives
Elmer Holmes Bobst Library
70 Washington Square South
New York, NY 10012, New York University Libraries.
Provenance
The Herman Rosenstein Papers came to New York University in January 2001 as part of the original acquisition of ALBA collections, formerly housed at Brandeis University. An additional donation of material was made by the Rosenstein family in July 2006. A third donation was received from Ada Hollie and Paul Rosenstein via ALBA in March 2011.