Biography

Begelman, Elias (Biegelman, Eli; Sims; Beal); b. August 24, 1912, Riga, Latvia; Latvian American; 7 years prior military service; Single; Metal Worker and Mechanic; CP 1932 (January 1936); Received Passport# 357847 on December 18, 1936 which listed his address as 457 West 123rd Street, NYC, and 176 Meserole Street, Brooklyn, New York; Sailed December 26, 1936 aboard the Normandie; Arrived in Spain on January 2, 1937; Served with the XV BDE, Lincoln BN, Jarama; Rank Teniente; Returned to the US on October 1, 1938 aboard the Paris; WWII Armed forces.

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Source: Sail; Scope of Soviet Activity; Cadre; Americans; Inventory North Americans; Lincoln; RGASPI; ALBA 124 Elias Begelman Papers; L-W Tree Ancestry.

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Biography Elias Begelman (1912-1959) was born in Riga, Latvia and grew up in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, New York. Telling his mother he was going to Chicago, Begelman joined the Abraham Lincoln Brigade and went to Spain in January 1937. He saw heavy action on several fronts, and also served for a stint as translator and interpreter for Brigade headquarters (he spoke eight languages). He returned to the United States in October 1938. Begelman later served in World War II.- Courtesy of Tamiment Library, NYU.

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Photograph: RGASPI Fond 545, Opis 6, Delo 862.