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| alt =
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| caption =
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| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1915|12|20}}<ref>{{cite web | url=http://theava.com/archives/24195 | title=The Lincolns Are Leaving Us | work=''[[Anderson Valley Advertiser]]'' | date=9 October 2013 | accessdate=11 April 2015 | author=Williams, Nadya Connolly}}</ref>
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1915|12|20}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://theava.com/archives/24195|title=The Lincolns Are Leaving Us|work=''[[Anderson Valley Advertiser]]''|date=October 9, 2013|accessdate=April 11, 2015|author=Williams, Nadya Connolly}}</ref>
| birth_place = [[Anaheim, California]]
| birth_place = [[Anaheim, California]], U.S.
| death_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} (death date then birth date) -->
| death_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} (death date then birth date) -->
| death_place =
| death_place =
| nationality =
| nationality = [[United States|American]]
| other_names = Del Berg
| other_names = Del Berg
| known_for = Last surviving veteran of the [[XV International Brigade]]
| known_for = Last surviving veteran of the [[XV International Brigade]]
| occupation = farmer, soldier, union organizer
| occupation = Farmer, soldier, trade union activist/organizer}}

}}
'''Einsley Delmer "Del" Berg''' (born December 20, 1915) is an [[United States|American]] soldier and union organizer who volunteered to serve with the [[XV International Brigade]] (nicknamed Brigada Abraham Lincoln (the Abraham Lincoln Brigade) during the [[Spanish Civil War]].<ref name=AlbaVolunteer2012-07/><ref name=NYTimes2015-03-13/><ref name=UnionDemocrat2007-05-10/>
'''Einsley Delmer "Del" Berg''' (born December 20, 1915) is an [[United States|American]] soldier and union organizer who volunteered to serve with the [[XV International Brigade]] (nicknamed Brigada Abraham Lincoln (the Abraham Lincoln Brigade) during the [[Spanish Civil War]].<ref name=AlbaVolunteer2012-07/><ref name=NYTimes2015-03-13/><ref name=UnionDemocrat2007-05-10/>


==Biography ==
==Biography==
Born in [[Anaheim, California]], Berg briefly trained with the [[Oregon National Guard]] prior to going to [[Spain]] in 1937. He served in the [[United States Army]] during [[World War II]].<ref name=PeoplesWorld2014-01-28/><ref>[http://www.alba-valb.org/volunteers/delmer-berg Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives-Delmer Berg]</ref> Berg became a member of the [[Communist Party USA|Communist Party of the United States]] while in a Spanish hospital, while recuperating from a shrapnel wound to his liver.<ref name=UnionDemocrat2007-05-10/> He remained an interested and active party member up to the time of his last interview in 2014.<ref name=NYTimes2015-03-13/><ref name=PeoplesWorld2014-01-28/>
Born in [[Anaheim, California]], Berg briefly trained with the [[Oregon National Guard]] prior to going to [[Spain]] in 1937. He served in the [[United States Army]] during [[World War II]].<ref name=PeoplesWorld2014-01-28/><ref>[http://www.alba-valb.org/volunteers/delmer-berg Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives-Delmer Berg Berg profile], alba-valb.org; accessed January 23, 2016.</ref>


He became a member of the [[Communist Party USA|Communist Party of the United States]] while in a Spanish hospital, while recuperating from a shrapnel wound to his liver.<ref name=UnionDemocrat2007-05-10/> He remained an interested and active party member up to the time of his last interview in 2014.<ref name=NYTimes2015-03-13/><ref name=PeoplesWorld2014-01-28/>
Berg, who was raised on a farm, worked as a farm worker, cement finisher and landscape gardener, in the years following his demobilization. He fathered two sons Ernst and Tomas from two different marriages. He began to serve as a union organizer in the 1950s, and, in a 2007 interview, described the steps he took to discourage the attention of [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] agents. Berg became an official of the [[National Association for the Advancement of Colored People]] (NAACP), when he was elected the Vice President of the [[Stanislaus County]] branch.<ref name=UnionDemocrat2007-05-10/> In a 2007 interview with the ''[[Union Democrat]]'' Berg described delivering a petition to the racist county sheriff, demanding his resignation. Berg described testifying at a hearing in [[Washington, D.C.]] on farm conditions as a representative of the [[Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee]].<ref name=UnionDemocrat2007-05-10/>


Berg, who was raised on a farm, worked as a farm worker, cement finisher and landscape gardener, in the years following his demobilization. He fathered two sons from two different marriages. He began serving as a union organizer in the 1950s, and, in a 2007 interview, described the steps he took to discourage the attention of [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] agents. Berg became an official of the [[National Association for the Advancement of Colored People]] (NAACP), when he was elected the Vice President of the [[Stanislaus County]] branch.<ref name=UnionDemocrat2007-05-10/>
As his comrades died Berg was sought out for more frequent interviews. Berg's decision to volunteer to travel to a foreign country to fight fascism has been described as symbolic and inspirational.<ref name=Ava2013-10-09/> He was interviewed for an episode of the [[PBS]] show ''[[History Detectives]]'' to provide background about the experience of American volunteers when a segment was focused around an artifact from the Spanish Civil War.<ref name=PbsDelBerg/> Berg lives in [[Columbia, California]].<ref name=UnionDemocrat2007-05-10/> He [[centenarian|turned 100]] in December 2015.<ref>{{cite news|title =Feliz 100 cumpleaños, Delmer Berg|language = Spanish|publisher = foroporlamemoria.info|date=20 December 2015|url=http://www.foroporlamemoria.info/2015/12/feliz-100-cumpleanos-delmer-berg/|accessdate= 31 December 2015}}</ref>

In a 2007 interview with the ''[[Union Democrat]]'' Berg described delivering a petition to the racist county sheriff, demanding his resignation. Berg described testifying at a hearing in [[Washington, D.C.]] on farm conditions as a representative of the [[Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee]].<ref name=UnionDemocrat2007-05-10/>

As his comrades died Berg was sought out for more frequent interviews. Berg's decision to volunteer to travel to a foreign country to fight fascism has been described as symbolic and inspirational.<ref name=Ava2013-10-09/> He was interviewed for an episode of the [[PBS]] show ''[[History Detectives]]'' to provide background about the experience of American volunteers when a segment was focused around an artifact from the Spanish Civil War.<ref name=PbsDelBerg/>

Berg lives in [[Columbia, California]].<ref name=UnionDemocrat2007-05-10/> He [[centenarian|turned 100]] in December 2015.<ref>{{cite news|title=Feliz 100 cumpleaños, Delmer Berg|language=Spanish|publisher=foroporlamemoria.info|date=December 20, 2015|url=http://www.foroporlamemoria.info/2015/12/feliz-100-cumpleanos-delmer-berg|accessdate=December 31, 2015}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist|refs=<ref name=Ava2013-10-09>{{cite news|url=http://theava.com/archives/24195|title=The Lincolns Are Leaving Us|publisher=[[Anderson Valley Advertiser]]|author=Nadya Connolly Williams|date=2013-10-09|accessdate=2015-03-16|deadurl=No|quote=So what is the legacy of the Lincolns? Beyond this past history, men like Del Berg guide and inspire us to stand up and take action for what is Just. Around the world today, the sacrifice and courage of the International Brigades are remembered, honored and passed on to the young.}}</ref><ref name=PbsDelBerg>{{cite news|url=http://video.pbs.org/video/1982007551|title=PBS'a History Detectives: A Father's Forgotton Tribute in a Spanish Civil War Eulogy|publisher=[[History Detectives]]|accessdate=2015-03-16|deadurl=No}}</ref><ref name=UnionDemocrat2007-05-10>{{cite news|url=http://www.uniondemocrat.com/News/Local-News/Activist-remains-staunch-as-ever-at-91|title=Activist remains staunch as ever at 91|publisher=[[Union Democrat]]|author=Cat Sieh|date=2007-05-10|accessdate=2015-03-16|deadurl=No}}</ref><ref name=AlbaVolunteer2012-07>{{cite web|url=http://www.albavolunteer.org/2012/07/california-vets-del-berg-and-jim-benet|title=California Vets: Del Berg and Jim Benét|publisher=The Volunteer|date=July 2, 2012|accessdate=December 31, 2012|author=Nadya Williams}}</ref><ref name=NYTimes2015-03-13>
{{Reflist|
{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/15/magazine/the-last-volunteer.html?ref=magazine|title=The Last Volunteer|publisher=[[The New York Times Magazine]]|author=Dan Kaufman|date=2015-03-13|page=MM38|accessdate=2015-03-16|deadurl=No|quote=Del Berg, 99, is the last known surviving veteran of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, a contingent of nearly 3,000 Americans who fought to defend the democratically elected government during the Spanish Civil War of the 1930s.}}</ref><ref name=PeoplesWorld2014-01-28>{{cite news|url=http://peoplesworld.org/spanish-civil-war-vet-still-struggling-at-9|title=Spanish Civil War vet still struggling at 98|publisher=[[People's World]]|author=Henry Millstein|date=2014-01-28|accessdate=2015-03-16|deadurl=No|quote=Del's involvement with the Communist movement goes back to before his time in Spain. After a brief stint in the Oregon National Guard, where he got military experience that served him as a Brigadista, he became involved with the Young Communist League in Los Angeles-in part because the YCL could help him get to Spain.}}</ref>}}
refs=

<ref name=Ava2013-10-09>
{{cite news
| url = http://theava.com/archives/24195
| title = The Lincolns Are Leaving Us
| publisher = [[Anderson Valley Advertiser]]
| author = Nadya Connolly Williams
| date = 2013-10-09
| page =
| location =
| archiveurl =
| archivedate =
| accessdate = 2015-03-16
| deadurl = No
| quote = So what is the legacy of the Lincolns? Beyond this past history, men like Del Berg guide and inspire us to stand up and take action for what is Just. Around the world today, the sacrifice and courage of the International Brigades are remembered, honored and passed on to the young.
}}
</ref>
<ref name=PbsDelBerg>
{{cite news
| url = http://video.pbs.org/video/1982007551/
| title = PBS'a History Detectives: A Father's Forgotton Tribute in a Spanish Civil War Eulogy
| publisher = [[History Detectives]]
| author =
| date =
| page =
| location =
| archiveurl =
| archivedate =
| accessdate = 2015-03-16
| deadurl = No
| quote =
}}
</ref>
<ref name=UnionDemocrat2007-05-10>
{{cite news
| url = http://www.uniondemocrat.com/News/Local-News/Activist-remains-staunch-as-ever-at-91
| title = Activist remains staunch as ever at 91
| publisher = [[Union Democrat]]
| author = Cat Sieh
| date = 2007-05-10
| page =
| location =
| archiveurl =
| archivedate =
| accessdate = 2015-03-16
| deadurl = No
| quote =
}}
</ref>
<ref name=AlbaVolunteer2012-07>
{{cite web
| url=http://www.albavolunteer.org/2012/07/california-vets-del-berg-and-jim-benet/
| title=California Vets: Del Berg and Jim Benét
| publisher=The Volunteer
| date=2 July 2012
| accessdate=31 December 2012
| author= Nadya Williams
}}
</ref>
<ref name=NYTimes2015-03-13>
{{cite news
| url = http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/15/magazine/the-last-volunteer.html?ref=magazine
| title = The Last Volunteer
| publisher = [[The New York Times Magazine]]
| author = Dan Kaufman
| date = 2015-03-13
| page = MM38
| location =
| archiveurl =
| archivedate =
| accessdate = 2015-03-16
| deadurl = No
| quote = Del Berg, 99, is the last known surviving veteran of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, a contingent of nearly 3,000 Americans who fought to defend the democratically elected government during the Spanish Civil War of the 1930s.
}}
</ref>
<ref name=PeoplesWorld2014-01-28>
{{cite news
| url = http://peoplesworld.org/spanish-civil-war-vet-still-struggling-at-9/
| title = Spanish Civil War vet still struggling at 98
| publisher = [[People's World]]
| author = Henry Millstein
| date = 2014-01-28
| page =
| location =
| archiveurl =
| archivedate =
| accessdate = 2015-03-16
| deadurl = No
| quote = Del's involvement with the Communist movement goes back to before his time in Spain. After a brief stint in the Oregon National Guard, where he got military experience that served him as a Brigadista, he became involved with the Young Communist League in Los Angeles-in part because the YCL could help him get to Spain.
}}
</ref>
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Berg, Delmer}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Berg, Delmer}}
[[Category:1915 births]]
[[Category:1915 births]]

Revision as of 19:43, 23 January 2016

Einsley Delmar Berg
Born (1915-12-20) December 20, 1915 (age 108)[1]
Anaheim, California, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Other namesDel Berg
Occupation(s)Farmer, soldier, trade union activist/organizer
Known forLast surviving veteran of the XV International Brigade

Einsley Delmer "Del" Berg (born December 20, 1915) is an American soldier and union organizer who volunteered to serve with the XV International Brigade (nicknamed Brigada Abraham Lincoln (the Abraham Lincoln Brigade) during the Spanish Civil War.[2][3][4]

Biography

Born in Anaheim, California, Berg briefly trained with the Oregon National Guard prior to going to Spain in 1937. He served in the United States Army during World War II.[5][6]

He became a member of the Communist Party of the United States while in a Spanish hospital, while recuperating from a shrapnel wound to his liver.[4] He remained an interested and active party member up to the time of his last interview in 2014.[3][5]

Berg, who was raised on a farm, worked as a farm worker, cement finisher and landscape gardener, in the years following his demobilization. He fathered two sons from two different marriages. He began serving as a union organizer in the 1950s, and, in a 2007 interview, described the steps he took to discourage the attention of Federal Bureau of Investigation agents. Berg became an official of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), when he was elected the Vice President of the Stanislaus County branch.[4]

In a 2007 interview with the Union Democrat Berg described delivering a petition to the racist county sheriff, demanding his resignation. Berg described testifying at a hearing in Washington, D.C. on farm conditions as a representative of the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee.[4]

As his comrades died Berg was sought out for more frequent interviews. Berg's decision to volunteer to travel to a foreign country to fight fascism has been described as symbolic and inspirational.[7] He was interviewed for an episode of the PBS show History Detectives to provide background about the experience of American volunteers when a segment was focused around an artifact from the Spanish Civil War.[8]

Berg lives in Columbia, California.[4] He turned 100 in December 2015.[9]

References

  1. ^ Williams, Nadya Connolly (October 9, 2013). "The Lincolns Are Leaving Us". Anderson Valley Advertiser. Retrieved April 11, 2015. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  2. ^ Nadya Williams (July 2, 2012). "California Vets: Del Berg and Jim Benét". The Volunteer. Retrieved December 31, 2012.
  3. ^ a b Dan Kaufman (2015-03-13). "The Last Volunteer". The New York Times Magazine. p. MM38. Retrieved 2015-03-16. Del Berg, 99, is the last known surviving veteran of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, a contingent of nearly 3,000 Americans who fought to defend the democratically elected government during the Spanish Civil War of the 1930s. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ a b c d e Cat Sieh (2007-05-10). "Activist remains staunch as ever at 91". Union Democrat. Retrieved 2015-03-16. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ a b Henry Millstein (2014-01-28). "Spanish Civil War vet still struggling at 98". People's World. Retrieved 2015-03-16. Del's involvement with the Communist movement goes back to before his time in Spain. After a brief stint in the Oregon National Guard, where he got military experience that served him as a Brigadista, he became involved with the Young Communist League in Los Angeles-in part because the YCL could help him get to Spain. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives-Delmer Berg Berg profile, alba-valb.org; accessed January 23, 2016.
  7. ^ Nadya Connolly Williams (2013-10-09). "The Lincolns Are Leaving Us". Anderson Valley Advertiser. Retrieved 2015-03-16. So what is the legacy of the Lincolns? Beyond this past history, men like Del Berg guide and inspire us to stand up and take action for what is Just. Around the world today, the sacrifice and courage of the International Brigades are remembered, honored and passed on to the young. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  8. ^ "PBS'a History Detectives: A Father's Forgotton Tribute in a Spanish Civil War Eulogy". History Detectives. Retrieved 2015-03-16. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  9. ^ "Feliz 100 cumpleaños, Delmer Berg" (in Spanish). foroporlamemoria.info. December 20, 2015. Retrieved December 31, 2015.
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