David Crook
Encyclopedia
David Crook. A committed Marxist from 1931, he joined the International Brigades
during the Spanish Civil War
. After being wounded on his first day at the front, he was returned to a hospital in Madrid
. While in Madrid, he was recruited by the KGB
to spy on those whom the Stalinists called Trotskyites, a group which included George Orwell
. Crook later expressed regret for his part in the deaths of innocent members of the Workers' Party of Marxist Unification (POUM
). The KGB then sent him to China. There he taught English at Saint John's University, Shanghai
in order to spy on a Trotskyite whose arguments in fact began to convince him. Crook proceeded to Chengdu
where he was bombed by the Japanese and met his eventual wife, Isabel Brown, daughter of Canadian missionaries.
Hitler's invasion of Russia
in June 1941 ended this fling with Trotskyism. Upon his return to England, Crook re-joined the British Communist Party and the Royal Air Force
, then married Isabel. During the war, he worked for British intelligence throughout Asia and contacted local communist movements. After study at University of London, the Crooks returned to China to teach English in a rural school which trained staff for the foreign service of the future government. They entered Beijing with the victorious Communists in 1949. For the next forty years, the Crooks taught at the Peking First Foreign Languages Institute (now the Beijing Foreign Studies University
).
The Crooks published Revolution in a Chinese Village, Ten Mile Inn (London: Routledge & Paul, 1959; reprinted: New York: Pantheon Books, 1979) and The First Years of Yangyi Commune (London: Routledge & K. Paul, 1966).
Despite his long time loyalty to the Chinese Communist Party, David was imprisoned in 1967 by Red Guards
during the Cultural Revolution
, and was freed in 1973. His autobiography (see link below) describes his gradual (and qualified) recognition after emerging from prison of the faults of Mao Zedong
and of the shortcomings of Marxism. Ironically, reading George Orwell, on whom he had spied in Spain in the 1930s, was especially convincing. In 1989, the Crooks criticized the suppression of the Tiananmen Square protests
. Crook remarks in his autobiography, written shortly after, that 1989 marked the "end of my decades of adulation. I had thought that People's China was humanity's guide to a better world. I still acknowledge her past achievements. But her record has been tragically tarnished."
He was survived by his wife, teacher and social activist Isabel, and their three sons Carl, Michael and Paul.
International Brigades
The International Brigades were military units made up of volunteers from different countries, who traveled to Spain to defend the Second Spanish Republic in the Spanish Civil War between 1936 and 1939....
during the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
. After being wounded on his first day at the front, he was returned to a hospital in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
. While in Madrid, he was recruited by the KGB
KGB
The KGB was the commonly used acronym for the . It was the national security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 until 1991, and was the premier internal security, intelligence, and secret police organization during that time.The State Security Agency of the Republic of Belarus currently uses the...
to spy on those whom the Stalinists called Trotskyites, a group which included George Orwell
George Orwell
Eric Arthur Blair , better known by his pen name George Orwell, was an English author and journalist...
. Crook later expressed regret for his part in the deaths of innocent members of the Workers' Party of Marxist Unification (POUM
Poum
Poum is a commune in the North Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. The town of Poum is located in the far northwest, located on the southern part of Banare Bay, with Mouac Island just offshore....
). The KGB then sent him to China. There he taught English at Saint John's University, Shanghai
Saint John's University, Shanghai
St. John's University was an Anglican university located in Shanghai, China. Before the Chinese Civil War it was regarded as one of the most prestigious universities in Shanghai and China...
in order to spy on a Trotskyite whose arguments in fact began to convince him. Crook proceeded to Chengdu
Chengdu
Chengdu , formerly transliterated Chengtu, is the capital of Sichuan province in Southwest China. It holds sub-provincial administrative status...
where he was bombed by the Japanese and met his eventual wife, Isabel Brown, daughter of Canadian missionaries.
Hitler's invasion of Russia
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
in June 1941 ended this fling with Trotskyism. Upon his return to England, Crook re-joined the British Communist Party and the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
, then married Isabel. During the war, he worked for British intelligence throughout Asia and contacted local communist movements. After study at University of London, the Crooks returned to China to teach English in a rural school which trained staff for the foreign service of the future government. They entered Beijing with the victorious Communists in 1949. For the next forty years, the Crooks taught at the Peking First Foreign Languages Institute (now the Beijing Foreign Studies University
Beijing Foreign Studies University
Beijing Foreign Studies University is the best foreign language and international studies university in China, often named "the cradle of diplomats" in the country.It is located in Weigongcun, Beijing, People's Republic of China...
).
The Crooks published Revolution in a Chinese Village, Ten Mile Inn (London: Routledge & Paul, 1959; reprinted: New York: Pantheon Books, 1979) and The First Years of Yangyi Commune (London: Routledge & K. Paul, 1966).
Despite his long time loyalty to the Chinese Communist Party, David was imprisoned in 1967 by Red Guards
Red Guards (China)
Red Guards were a mass movement of civilians, mostly students and other young people in the People's Republic of China , who were mobilized by Mao Zedong in 1966 and 1967, during the Cultural Revolution.-Origins:...
during the Cultural Revolution
Cultural Revolution
The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, commonly known as the Cultural Revolution , was a socio-political movement that took place in the People's Republic of China from 1966 through 1976...
, and was freed in 1973. His autobiography (see link below) describes his gradual (and qualified) recognition after emerging from prison of the faults of Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong, also transliterated as Mao Tse-tung , and commonly referred to as Chairman Mao , was a Chinese Communist revolutionary, guerrilla warfare strategist, Marxist political philosopher, and leader of the Chinese Revolution...
and of the shortcomings of Marxism. Ironically, reading George Orwell, on whom he had spied in Spain in the 1930s, was especially convincing. In 1989, the Crooks criticized the suppression of the Tiananmen Square protests
Tiananmen Square protests
Tiananmen Square in Beijing has been the central point for several major historical protests, with their most commonly referred to Chinese name in parentheses....
. Crook remarks in his autobiography, written shortly after, that 1989 marked the "end of my decades of adulation. I had thought that People's China was humanity's guide to a better world. I still acknowledge her past achievements. But her record has been tragically tarnished."
He was survived by his wife, teacher and social activist Isabel, and their three sons Carl, Michael and Paul.
External links
- Hampstead Heath to Tian An Men - The autobiography of David Crook
- http://www.davidcrook.net/simple/summary.htmlBrief chronology of David Crook's Life and An Obituary in The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
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