Ziff weaves in personal, often painful accounts of biographies of those who had survived the war by fleeing Spain, many unable to forget even to this day. An exiled woman tenderly holds up an old, worn out fork while describing hunger she experienced as a child. Another man recalls his teenage years spent eating and sleeping beside his gun. Along with those interviews are ones with a new generation of Spaniards who were only babies when Franco finally stepped down in the early ’70s. Only now are they seeking to connect with a past that has been unknown to them. Ziff says, “I was impacted by how even today 70 years after the war how the haunting memories of repression, dictatorship impact life in contemporary Spain. How this exile still defines the identity of young people—three generations later, and what 30 years of fascism has meant for the Spanish people.”

“The discovery of 4,500 photographic negatives shot by famed war photographers Robert Capa, Gerda Taro and David “Chim” Seymour during the Spanish Civil War is given respectful treatment in writer-director Trisha Ziff’s Mexican Suitcase,” Robert Koehler writes in Variety:

The thrilling frontline photography — unique in its era — serves here to illustrate the many stories of exiles — and analysis by authors and historians … The emotional content is best expressed through several achingly beautiful music selections by Michael Nyman, who also co-produced.

More here.

Centelles, whose archive was purchased by the government in Madrid to be included in the national Civil War archive in Salamanca, is considered the most important among the Spanish photographers covering the Civil War. Last year, his portrait of a young black volunteer–included in the exhibit–set off a global detective search. The photography show at the KJCC will be accompanied by an exhibit at NYU’s Tamiment Library of original international magazines featuring some of Centelles’ images.

Trisha Ziff’s Mexican Suitcase (2011), which explores the significance for Spanish and Mexican historical memory of the miraculously recovered 4,500 negatives of Spanish Civil War photographs by Robert Capa, Gerda Taro, and David “Chim” Seymour;

Pamela Yates’ Granito: How to Nail a Dictator (2011), whose five main characters whose destinies are connected by the Guatemala of 1982, then engulfed in a war where a genocidal “scorched earth” campaign by the military exterminated nearly 200,000 Maya people. Now they become integral to the overarching narrative of wrongs done and justice sought that they have pieced together, each adding their tiny grain of sand, to the epic tale–a narrative that could unlock the past and settle matters of life and death in the present;

Impunity (2011), by Hollman Morris and Juan José Lozano, which investigates the sudden interruption to “peace and justice” process in Colombia due to the political and economic interests of the paramilitary war;

Prosecutor (2011), by Barry Stevens, a gripping profile of Luis Moreno Ocampo, chief prosecutor at the International Criminal Court in The Hague; and

Nostalgia for the Light (2010), in which director Patricio Guzmán travels to the driest place on earth, the Atacama Desert, where the sky is so translucent that it allows astronomers to see right to the boundaries of the universe, and where the harsh heat of the sun keeps human remains intact: those of Pre-Columbian mummies; 19th century explorers and miners; and the remains of political prisoners, “disappeared” by the Chilean army after the military coup of September 11, 1973.

ALBA will be joining the official program of activities in Madrid (program here, pdf)by participating in two round-table discussions. One will examine the role of the city of New York in supporting the Spanish Republic; the other will facilitate sharing thoughts and experiences among worldwide organizations of friends of the International Brigades on how to organize our work in the 21st century—now that the living memory of the veterans is disappearing. A monument dedicated to the International Brigades will also be erected in Madrid’s Ciudad Universitaria, an area of fierce fighting during the civil war.

As a Spaniard myself, I have always been moved by the courage, humanity and sheer boldness of the Brigadistas. I am proud to be working not only to keep the legacy of the Lincoln Brigade alive, but also to promote the relevancy of their idealism, vision and international solidarity in today’s world.

Back home, in New York, we also have an exciting fall coming up. You should not miss the upcoming photo exhibit of Agustí Centelles: The French Suitcase from October 5–December 17 at the King Juan Carlos I of Spain Center, NYU. It will be the first exhibit of 40 photographs Centelles took in Barcelona in the first few hours after the military uprising on July 18, 1936; his photo-reportage throughout the war; and the extraordinary photographs taken at the French concentration camp in Bram. A parallel exhibit of original copies of international magazines that featured Centelles war photos will be on display in NYU’s Tamiment Library. In addition, a symposium celebrating Centelles’ work will be held during the fall semester at NYU.

On the human rights front, ALBA is now accepting nominations for the 2012 ALBA-Puffin International Award for Human Rights Activism. As you know, the award is granted on an annual basis to individuals or organizations whose work has had an exceptionally positive impact on the advancement and/or defense of human rights. Honoring the work of our last laureate, Judge Baltasar Garzón, ALBA’s human rights program moves ahead with a mini-film festival, Impugning Impunity: A Human Rights Documentary Film Series, at the Museum of the City of New York from November 3-5. Please save the date.

After a very successful summer teachers’ institute in NY, I am pleased to announce that this fall we will be expanding our Development Day Program into Chicago and northern New Jersey, developing ways to include the history of the Brigade and the Spanish Civil War in the high school curriculum.

Last, I invite you to toast a la salud of the Lincoln veterans on December 9. A night of music, sharing, and dancing in the best spirit of the 30s at La Nacional, 239 West 14th Street (upper floor).  Get ready to dust off your berets!

If you have not done so already, please subscribe to our e-newsletter or check our website under “events.”

ALBA is sustained by the generosity of private philanthropy.  Thank you very much for all your support!

¡Salud!

Marina Garde

ALBA Managing Director

Majorie Cohn delivering Susman Lecture. Photo by Richard Bermack

Editor’s Note: Marjorie Cohn is a criminal defense lawyer, former president of the National Lawyers Guild, and currently professor at the Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego. On February 25, 2011, she presented the 10th annual ALBA-Bill Susman Lecture at Veterans Auditorium in San Francisco. The event was co-hosted by the San Francisco chapter of Veterans for Peace. Her remarks were extracted, in part, from earlier online writings and testimony before the House Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties of the Judiciary Committee of the House of Representatives in 2008.

A Spanish court has initiated criminal proceedings against six former officials of the Bush administration. John Yoo, Jay Bybee, David Addington, Alberto Gonzales, William Haynes and Douglas Feith may face charges in Spain for authorizing torture at Guantánamo Bay. If arrest warrants are issued, Spain and any of the other 24 countries that are parties to European extradition conventions could arrest these six men when they travel abroad.

Does Spain have the authority to prosecute Americans for crimes that didn’t take place on Spanish soil? The answer is yes. It’s called “universal jurisdiction.” Universal jurisdiction is a well-established theory that countries, including the United States, have used for many years to investigate and prosecute foreign nationals for crimes that shock the conscience of the global community. It provides a critical legal tool to hold accountable those who commit crimes against the law of nations, including war crimes and crimes against humanity. Without universal jurisdiction, many of the most notorious criminals would go free. Countries that have used this as a basis to prosecute the most serious of crimes should be commended for their courage. They help to create the just world in which we all seek to live.

Israel used universal jurisdiction to prosecute, convict and execute Adolph Eichmann for his crimes during the Holocaust, even though they had no direct relationship with Israel. A federal court in Miami recently convicted Chuckie Taylor, son of the former Liberian president, of torture that occurred in Liberia. A U.S. court sentenced Taylor to 97 years in prison in January.

Universal jurisdiction complements, but does not supersede, national prosecutions. So if the United States were investigating the Bush officials, other countries would refrain from doing so.

When the United States ratified the Convention Against Torture, it promised to extradite or prosecute those who commit, or are complicit in, the commission of torture.

President Obama, when asked whether he favored criminal investigations of Bush officials, replied, “My view is also that nobody’s above the law and, if there are clear instances of wrongdoing, that people should be prosecuted just like any ordinary citizen.” “But,” he added, “generally speaking, I’m more interested in looking forward than I am in looking backward.” Preoccupied with the economy and two wars, Obama reportedly wants to wait before considering prosecutions that would invariably anger the GOP.

Evidence that Bush officials set a policy that led to the torture of prisoners at Guantánamo continues to emerge. According to ABC News, Gonzales met with other officials in the White House and authorized torture, including waterboarding. The Office of Professional Responsibility, which reports to the U.S. attorney general, drafted a report that excoriates Yoo and Bybee for writing the infamous torture memos. Haynes, Addington and Feith participated in decisions that led to torture. The release of additional graphic torture memos by the U.S. Department of Justice is imminent. It is the responsibility of the United States to investigate allegations of torture.…

If the United States refuses to investigate now, it will be more likely that some future administration will repeat this scenario. The use of torture should be purged from our system, much like we eradicated slavery….

The President can no more order the commission of torture than he can order the commission of genocide, or establish a system of slavery, or wage a war of aggression.

A Select Committee of Congress should launch an immediate and thorough investigation of the circumstances under which torture was authorized and rationalized. The high officials of our government and their lawyers who advised them should be investigated and prosecuted by a Special Prosecutor, independent of the Justice Department, for their crimes. John Yoo, Jay Byee, and David Addington should be subjected to particular scrutiny because of the seriousness of their roles in misusing the rule of law and legal analysis to justify torture and other crimes in flagrant violation of domestic and international law.

Jonathan Turley in conversation with Baltasar Garzón, recipient of the 2011 ALBA/Puffin Award for Human Rights Activism. New York City, 14 May 2011. Photo Richard Bermack

Among the distinguished guests at ALBA’s 2011 reunion to honor Judge Garzón were Professor Jonathan Turley of George Washington University Law School, who interviewed the Judge; as well as Larry Cox, Executive Director of Amnesty International USA, and Michael Ratner, President of the Center for Constitutional Rights, who both gave speeches at the event. See videos of all three here:

]]> http://www.albavolunteer.org/2011/06/turley-cox-and-ratner-on-garzon/feed/ 0 http://www.albavolunteer.org/2011/06/bay-area-honors-bradley-manning-and-human-rights-struggles/ http://www.albavolunteer.org/2011/06/bay-area-honors-bradley-manning-and-human-rights-struggles/#comments Thu, 16 Jun 2011 13:38:06 +0000 The editors http://www.albavolunteer.org/?p=3997 [/caption] The program focused on the parallels between the internationalism of the Lincoln Brigade and the obligation to respond to human rights issues today. Peter Carroll, acting as MC, explained that the local vets had been in the forefront of humanitarian aid campaigns for the Soler Children’s Hospital in Havana, for ambulances and wheelchairs in Nicaragua, and for medical aid to anti-apartheid groups in South Africa. This tradition reinforces the newly created ALBA-Puffin Award for Human Rights Activism. A 15-minute clip of the New York ceremonies, including Judge Baltasar Garzon’s acceptance of the first ALBA-Puffin Award, drew spontaneous applause. Jeff Paterson, head of the Oakland-based group Courage to Resist, discussed the case of Bradley Manning, the soldier accused of releasing government documents in the Wikileaks case. Among those documents is evidence that the U.S. government tried to influence Spanish judges in dealing with cases of torture at the Guantanamo base in Cuba and to have Judge Garzón removed from the case. Manning is accused of aiding the enemy when, in fact, like the information released by Daniel Ellsberg, the information Manning is accused of releasing reveals to the American public the atrocites that are being committed in their name. For more on the case, go to www.bradleymanning.org and www.couragetoresist.org.]]>

Jeff Paterson described the persecution of Bradley Manning by the military and the distortions of his case by the Obama adminstration and the media. Photo Richard Bermack

The 75th Bay Area reunion, held in Berkeley, California, on Memorial Day, was graced with a surprise guest. Looking spry and mobile at age 95, Delmer Berg, one of the five surviving veterans of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, took the floor. The Columbia, California, resident advised the audience to keep up the good fight and to be wary of what the mainstream media says about current affairs.

After a long ovation, the theater became quiet as the names of the recently deceased were read. Included on the list were two stalwarts of the Bay Area, Nate Thornton and Hank Rubin.

Vet Delmar Berg with ALBA director Marina Garde. Photo by Jeannette Ferrary.

The program focused on the parallels between the internationalism of the Lincoln Brigade and the obligation to respond to human rights issues today. Peter Carroll, acting as MC, explained that the local vets had been in the forefront of humanitarian aid campaigns for the Soler Children’s Hospital in Havana, for ambulances and wheelchairs in Nicaragua, and for medical aid to anti-apartheid groups in South Africa. This tradition reinforces the newly created ALBA-Puffin Award for Human Rights Activism. A 15-minute clip of the New York ceremonies, including Judge Baltasar Garzon’s acceptance of the first ALBA-Puffin Award, drew spontaneous applause.

Jeff Paterson, head of the Oakland-based group Courage to Resist, discussed the case of Bradley Manning, the soldier accused of releasing government documents in the Wikileaks case. Among those documents is evidence that the U.S. government tried to influence Spanish judges in dealing with cases of torture at the Guantanamo base in Cuba and to have Judge Garzón removed from the case. Manning is accused of aiding the enemy when, in fact, like the information released by Daniel Ellsberg, the information Manning is accused of releasing reveals to the American public the atrocites that are being committed in their name. For more on the case, go to www.bradleymanning.org and www.couragetoresist.org.

Bruce Barthol at the Bay Area event. Photo by Richard Bermack.

The day climaxed with an enthusiastic program of Spanish Civil War songs, performed by Randy Craig, Tony Marcus, Barrett Nelson, Heather Bridger, and director Bruce Barthol. Richard Bermack organized the slide show that accompanied the performance, including his photographic portraits of the vets.

Spain in/and the United States

Screening and discussion of two documentaries about Spaniards in the US.

NYU’s Department of Spanish and Portuguese and its King Juan Carlos I of Spain Center, together with the Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives and the Comisión de Archivos de La Nacional, are pleased to present filmmaker Luis Argeo, who will screen and discuss his two documentaries which explore the history of Spaniards in the United States.  NYU Professor James D. Fernández will introduce Argeo and moderate the discussion.

7:00 pm

AsturianUS (2006, 52 minutes)

The town of Arnao (Asturias, Spain) grew under the wing of a Mining and Zinc Company. After the closure of its factory at the beginning of the 20th century, many of its employees emigrated to West Virginia and Pennsylvania, searching for the American dream. In Spelter (WV) and Donora (PA), the descendents of those Asturian workers want to preserve their roots and traditions. But now, they are AsturianUS.

8:15 pm

Corsino, by Cole Kivlin (2010, 65 minutes)

Corsino was one of the thousands of Spanish children who were uprooted as a result of Franco’s uprising in 1936. In his case, what was supposed to be a temporary destination (the US) ended up becoming his home. It’s the place where Corsino stopped being Corsino Fernández to become Cole Kivlin: a Texan, father of many, amateur writer, and almost an All American archetype who sits on his porch to watch the hours go by. Sixty years later, Kivlin decides to go back to Asturias to find himself again and trace his origins: he vindicates memory not as a way to settle issues with the past but as the only way to understand himself, and ultimately explain himself to others.

Monday, April 18, 2011

7:00 pm

La Nacional

239 West 14^th St

Free and open to the public

Jeff Paterson of Courage to Resist speaks at the Die-In for Peace in San Francisco, this past December 16. Photo Jeff Johnson

The Bay Area program–on May 29th at Freight & Salvage (tickets here)–will feature Jeff Paterson, of Courage to Resist, who will speak on the political and legal struggle to defend Army Pfc. Bradley Manning, accused WikiLeaks whistle blower, and a stirring musical performance of Spanish Civil War Songs of Courage & Resistance, once more directed by Bruce Barthol.

For ticket information click here (New York) or here (Bay Area), or visit the ALBA website.