Frank C. Costanzo Papers
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Abstract
Frank Carl Costanzo (1912-1937?) went to Spain in early 1937 to join the International Brigades in the Spanish Civil War. As an officer in the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, Costanzo saw heavy action. He died in Spain in December 1937 or early 1938. This collection consists almost exclusively of letters from Frank Costanzo to his wife while he was in Spain
Historical/Biographical Note
Frank Carl Costanzo (1912-1937?) was a waiter and union member from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In early 1937, at 25 years old, Costanzo went to Spain to join the International Brigades, supporting the Loyalist cause in the Spanish Civil War. He hid the information that he had joined the war effort from his parents. After attending officers' training school, where he studied Spanish and military skills, Costanzo joined the staff of the Abraham Lincoln Battalion, and went with them into heavy action, fighting on at least four fronts. After spending time in a hospital with a sprained ankle, he returned to the front. Constanzo died in Spain in December 1937 or early 1938. He left behind a wife, Ida S. Costanzo and a son, Stan.
Arrangement
One folder, arranged in rough chronological order.
The files are grouped into one series:
Missing Title
- I, Spanish Civil War Letters
Scope and Content Note
Series I, Spanish Civil War Letters. The letters in this collection are almost all from Frank Costanzo to his wife, Ida, and written while Costanzo was in Spain. In them, Costanzo describes his day-to-day life in the battalion, touching upon details of the battalion's fight against fascist forces. In one letter, he writes by candlelight. In another, he writes from a dugout while under attack, with shells dropping very near to him. Responding to Ida's accusation that he had abandoned her, Costanzo tries to explain his reasons for having gone to Spain. In all the letters, Costanzo expresses his deep love for his wife and baby.
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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 Frank C. Costanzo Papers were donated to Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives at New York University in January 2001 by Costanzo's son, Stan Scott.
Separated Material
One photograph from the Frank C. Costanzo Papers has been transferred to the non-print section of the ALBA collection in the Tamiment Library (ALBA Photo #36).
