Milton Wolff facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Milton Wolff
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| Born | October 7, 1915 Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, New York, United States of America |
| Died | January 14, 2008 (aged 92) Berkeley, California |
| Allegiance |  Spanish Republic United Kingdom United States of America |
| Service/ |
 International BrigadesSpecial Operations Executive  Office of Strategic Services |
| Unit | The "Abraham Lincoln" XV International Brigade |
| Commands held | Abraham Lincoln Battalion |
| Battles/wars | Spanish Civil War World War II |
Milton Wolff (born October 7, 1915 – died January 14, 2008) was an American soldier. He is best known for fighting in the Spanish Civil War. He was the last leader of the Lincoln Battalion, a group of American volunteers. He also believed in Communism, a political idea about how society should be organized.
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Milton Wolff's Early Life
Milton Wolff was born in Brooklyn, New York. His family was Jewish and had moved from Lithuania and Hungary. They were a working class family.
During the Great Depression, a time when many people had no jobs, Milton joined the Civilian Conservation Corps. This program helped young men find work. After returning to Brooklyn, he became involved with the Young Communist League. It was there that he decided to go to Spain to fight against Fascism. Fascism is a type of government where one leader has total control and often uses force.
Fighting in the Spanish Civil War
In early 1937, Wolff traveled to Spain to join the International Brigades. These were groups of volunteers from different countries who came to help Spain. When he first arrived, Milton wanted to be a medic because he believed in Pacifism. This means he was against war and violence.
However, after many soldiers were lost in a big battle, he decided to become a soldier instead. He joined a machine gun company. Milton was a smart person who learned a lot on his own. He didn't like fancy uniforms and often wore simple clothes.
After fighting for a year in several battles, the Brigade lost two important officers. In March 1938, Milton Wolff became the commander of the Lincoln-Washington Battalion. He led his group during the Battle of the Ebro. He left Spain in November 1938 when the International Brigades were sent home.
The famous writer Ernest Hemingway described Milton Wolff. He said Milton was "tall as Lincoln, gaunt as Lincoln, and as brave and as good a soldier as any that commanded battalions at Gettysburg."
Milton Wolff in World War II
In 1940, Milton Wolff volunteered to help the British Special Operations Executive. This group helped arrange weapons for people fighting against the enemy in Europe.
After the United States joined World War II, Wolff volunteered for the army in June 1942. He fought in Burma in late 1943. There, a general named General "Wild Bill" Donovan met him. General Donovan assigned Wolff to the O.S.S.. This was an American spy agency. Wolff's job was to work with groups in occupied Italy who were fighting against the fascists.
Milton Wolff's Later Life and Activism
After the wars, Milton Wolff continued to fight for what he believed in. He had to appear before the House Un-American Activities Committee. This committee investigated people thought to be communists. Wolff defended the Veterans of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade. He explained that he fought in Spain because he was Jewish. He knew that Jewish people were often the first to suffer when fascism took over.
Wolff also strongly supported civil rights for all people. He was against the Vietnam War. He even offered help from the older Lincoln Brigade veterans to the leader of North Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh, but his offer was not accepted.
Later, Wolff worked against apartheid in South Africa. Apartheid was a system of racial segregation. In the 1980s, he raised money for ambulances in Sandinista-ruled Nicaragua. He personally delivered twenty of them.
Milton Wolff wrote two books about his life. A Member Of The Working Class (published in 2005) was about his early life in New York. Another Hill (published in 1994) was about his time as a communist and his experiences in Spain. He started a third book, The Premature Anti-Fascist, but he did not finish it before he passed away.
Milton Wolff's Family Life
Milton Wolff was married and had two children. His family mostly lived in Stony Creek, Connecticut. His first marriage ended in divorce. Milton Wolff and his second wife are both buried in El Cerrito.
Books by Milton Wolff
- Another Hill: An Autobiographical Novel (1994; University of Illinois Press, 2001). ISBN: 978-0-252-06983-3
- A Member of the Working Class (iUniverse, 2005). ISBN: 978-0-595-37267-6
See also
In Spanish: Milton Wolff para niños
