Weiner, Rose

Rose Weiner grew up in New York and attended the Montefiore Hospital School of Nursing from 1929-1932. She volunteered as a nurse with the American Medical Bureau of the North American Committee to Aid Spanish Democracy (AMB) during the Spanish Civil War. Weiner sailed for Spain in March 1937 and was first assigned as a floor nurse with a 200-bed convalescent hospital. After five months, she was given full charge of nursing at the medical unit. Weiner also spent several months on the front lines with a Mobile Hospital Unit followed by another assignment in charge of a 200-bed surgical hospital, followed by a stint as chief nurse in a 1500-bed surgical and medical hospital in her last six months. When she returned from Spain she was chief nurse at the Montefiore Hospital and a public health nurse in the New York Public School System.

From the guide to the Rose Weiner Photographs, 1920-1995, (Tamiment Library / Wagner Archives)

Rose Weiner (1908-1995) was born in Lyubar, Russia into a Jewish family. As a child Rose experienced the harsh conditions of the Russian Revolution and counter-revolution while she, her mother and siblings awaited word from her father who had already migrated to the United States. On September 25, 1921, Rose and her family arrived at the Port of New York before moving to Milwaukee.

In order to continue her schooling, Weiner moved back to New York and attended the Montefiore Hospital School of Nursing from 1929-1932. After graduation, Rose accepted a position at Montefiore Hospital. In March 1937 she decided sailed to Spain as an American medical volunteer in support of the Loyalist forces in the Spanish Civil War. Weiner worked as a floor nurse in a convalescent hospital, of which she was soon given charge. She then spent several months working on the front lines before taking charge of a surgical hospital. During her last six months in Spain, Weiner served as chief nurse of a 1,500-bed surgical and medical hospital.

Rose returned to New York in 1939 and continued work at Montefiore Hospital. Although she applied for nursing positions in the American Red Cross, Army Nurse Corps and War Manpower Commission during WWII, Weiner was never granted any of these positions, on the grounds that she did not meet physical requirements. Soon after her attempts to serve in the war, Weiner left Montefiore and began work for New York City as a Public Health Nurse. Meanwhile, she worked toward her Bachelor of Science degree at Hunter College. Weiner later worked as a school nurse until she retired in the 1970s.

From the guide to the Rose Weiner Papers, 1933-1995, (Tamiment Library / Wagner Archives)