The Volunteer » citizenship http://www.albavolunteer.org Founded by the Veterans of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade Mon, 30 Jan 2012 09:52:06 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.5 Matti Mattson, Citizen of Spain http://www.albavolunteer.org/2010/01/matti-mattson-citizen-of-spain/ http://www.albavolunteer.org/2010/01/matti-mattson-citizen-of-spain/#comments Tue, 19 Jan 2010 05:04:47 +0000 admin http://wpdev.joehooper.webfactional.com/?p=28 third surviving Lincoln vet to acquire Spanish citizenship. (Video)]]> On August 26, 2009, Matti Mattson became the third surviving Lincoln vet to take advantage of one of the key provisions of Spain’s controversial ‘Law of Historical Memory,’ which allows veterans of the International Brigades to acquire Spanish citizenship without renouncing their other nationality.
In becoming a citizen of democratic Spain, Mattson joins the ranks of his comrades Clarence Kailin (who recently passed away) and John Hovan.

At a ceremony in the private office of Fernando Villalonga, Spainís Consul General in New York, Mattson accepted the honor ‘not only for the guys that are buried here, but also for the guys that are buried in Spain. And there’s a lot of them.’

Matti Mattson (seated) at the consulate proceedings. Photo by Nicole Tung/New York Times (www.nicoletung.com).

Matti Mattsonís big day was covered by The New York Times, which published a significant article the next day. The article can be seen here.

ALBA and James D. Fernández produced a five-minute video reportage of the day, which can be viewed below:

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