Workoff, Seymour Herman, 1917-1937.

Seymour Herman Workoff volunteered in the Spanish Civil War as part of the Washington Battalion and later with the Abraham Lincoln Brigade. He died in the battle of Belchite, Hijar Del Pueblo, Spain in September 1937. Workoff was born in October 1917 and worked as an apprentice ship-fitter. The collection contains correspondence from Seymour to his brother Irving for the period of time of his service in the Spanish Civil War. The collection also contains a passport photograph of Seymour.

From the description of Seymour Herman Workoff papers, 1937. (New York University). WorldCat record id: 473452651

Seymour Herman Workoff was born in New York City in October 1917. He was an apprentice ship-fitter living in the Bronx prior to his enrollment in the International Brigade. Workoff sailed to France on March 12, 1937 aboard the S.S. Ile de France. In late March, Workoff, along with 24 other American men, was stopped by the French police on a boat destined for Spain. The men were charged with trying to enter Spain to enlist in the army and were sentenced to 20 days in prison. After spending 3 weeks in prison in a small town near the border between France and Spain, Workoff successfully made it across the border into Spain. A story about the men's arrest appeared in the New York Times on April 1, 1937.

In Spain, Workoff became a member of the George Washington Battalion. He was a sergeant in a machine-gun company and fought along the Jarama front near Madrid. In July 1937, his battalion merged into the Abraham Lincoln battalion. Workoff died in September 1937 in the Battle of Belchite, Hijar Del Pueblo, Spain.

From the guide to the Seymour Herman Workoff Papers, 1937, (Tamiment Library / Wagner Archives)