Researcher: Sienna Ng, Stuyvesant '25

Herman Barr was born on July 22, 1913 in New Utrecht, Brooklyn, NY. Brooklyn in the 1900s saw a large influx of immigrants, particularly from Europe, resulting in nearby neighborhoods becoming large ethnic communities. Herman’s parents were among these immigrants; his father, Jacob Barr immigrated from Mogilev, Belarus, while his mother, Celia Barr came from Rascov, Moldova. Herman grew up in a Jewish family along with his two brothers, Sydney and Isidore Barr, and one sister, Anna Touger. Herman and Sydney followed in their father’s footsteps and became printers.


In 1926, Herman joined the Communist Party and eleven years later, on March 10, 1937, he sailed aboard the Washington and landed in Spain to fight in the Spanish Civil War against fascism–something that the Communist Party and Herman’s comrades were heavily against. Herman was among the 1,250 Jewish volunteers from the United States in the International Brigades, which was 38% of the total USA volunteers while Jews were only 4% of the USA population. Herman arrived in Spain on April 8, 1937 and served alongside other Americans and Canadians in the Washington Battalion, the 59th battalion of the People's Army and part of the 15th International Brigade. The majority of these international volunteers from the United States had little wartime experience, and their training in Spain was extremely brief and limited. Nonetheless, all of them shared the same grit, determination, and mindset despite their limitations.


In July 1937, Herman fought in the Battle of Brunete, a major Republican offensive that occurred near Madrid, aimed at relieving pressure on the capital and regaining territory. The battle of Brunete was one of the most significant battles that the Abraham Lincoln Brigade contributed heavily to. However, it ended in a stalemate with losses on both sides, little progress made, and Herman was wounded in action. He spent some time at a hospital in Murcia, and after the major casualties at Brunete, the Washington Battalion was dismantled and the remaining soldiers–Herman included–merged forces with the Abraham Lincoln Battalion to form the Abraham-Washington Battalion. Herman returned to the United States on July 20, 1938 aboard the Champlain. He married Vivian Barr in January of 1942 and together they had a daughter named Deborah Barr. He passed away at age 57 in Saddle Brook Bergen, New Jersey.
 

Sources

“Barr, Herman.” The Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives. Accessed June 13, 2025. http://alba-valb.org/volunteer-directory/.

“Barr, Herman.” Universitat De Barcelona . Accessed June 13, 2025. http://sidbrint.ub.edu/brigadista/barr-herman#dades-brigadista.

Berlowitz, Judith. “Herman Barr.” Geni, May 30, 2025. http://www.geni.com/people/Herman-Barr/6000000074455416874.

Sugarman, Martin. “Jews in the Spanish Civil War.” Jewish Virtual Library. Accessed June 13, 2025. http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jews-who-served-in-the-international-brigade-in-the-spanish-civil-war.