Researcher: Jubaida Shahriar, Stuyvesant '25

Morris Mickenberg was born on December 1, 1908, in New York City. Of Jewish background, he grew up in a time when many immigrant families were striving to find their place in American society. Known also by the name Morris Maken, Mickenberg was remembered by friends for his acerbic wit — sharp, biting, and often cutting to the heart of a matter. He worked as a stage manager and printer, but his sharp mind found an outlet in politics as well. Politically active, Mickenberg joined the Communist Party in 1935 and soon rose to become its education director. By the time he applied for his passport on January 7, 1937 — number 368288 — his address was listed as 1067 Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn. At age 29, he was preparing to leave for Spain, driven by a clear conviction. As he put it simply, he “didn’t like Hitler and wanted to do something about it.”


On January 16, 1937, Mickenberg sailed aboard the Paris, arriving in Spain just four days later, on January 20. He joined the XV Brigade, Lincoln Battalion, serving in Company 2, Section 2, Group 3 as an adjutant, and later in Post Pingaron, Company 1. During the Ebro Offensive, he was part of the Lincoln-Washington Battalion’s Plana Mayor. Holding the rank of soldado (private), Mickenberg saw combat in some of the Spanish Civil War’s most significant battles, including Jarama, Brunete, and the Ebro Offensive. At one point, he was hospitalized at the International Clinic No. 7 in Mataró, a grim reminder of the harsh conditions faced by the volunteers.


After nearly two years in Spain, Mickenberg returned to the United States on December 20, 1938, aboard the Ausonia. His activism did not end there. Alongside fellow veterans William Herrick and Robert Gladnick, he attempted to form the Veterans of the International Brigades Anti-Totalitarian group — a move that led to his expulsion from the Veterans of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade (VALB). When World War II broke out, Mickenberg again answered the call, this time serving in the U.S. armed forces. Known for his sharp tongue and unwavering commitment to his ideals, Mickenberg remained active until his death on March 14, 1960, in New York City. He was laid to rest in Long Island National Cemetery in East Farmingdale, Suffolk County, New York.

Sources

Bibliography

Blinkhorn, Martin. 2015. Democracy and Civil War in Spain 1931-1939. London: Routledge.

Carroll, Peter N. 1994. The Odyssey of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade : Americans in the Spanish Civil War. California: Standford University Press.

Herrick, William. 1988. Jumping the Line : The Adventures and Misadventures of an American Radical. Edinburgh ; Oakland Ca: Ak Press.

“Mickenberg, Morris | the Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives.” 2019. The Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives. December 10, 2019. https://alba-valb.org/volunteers/morris-mickenberg/.