Alex Buchman
Encyclopedia
Alexander Buchman was an American
.
Alex Buchman was born May 16, 1911 in Cleveland, Ohio
, a son in a wealthy family. After earning a degree in aeronautical engineering in 1933, he decided to travel in Asia
. He first went to Japan
, but the Japanese government labeled him a “Communist”, and refused to let him stay. Buchman then went to China
and spent the following six years in Shanghai
where he got in touch with a mixed group of Trotskyists from the U.S. and South Africa
. He also got to know Wang Fanxi
, a prominent Chinese Trotskyist and one of the leaders of the Chinese Left Opposition. In Shanghai, he also met Debbie Bloomfield who became his wife.
When Alex Buchman left China in 1939, he went to Mexico
to meet Leon Trotsky
. Buchman spent five months, from autumn 1939 to April 1940, in Coyoacán
and worked as one of Trotsky’s guards. As an amateur photographer, Buchman documented a lot of Trotsky’s last year in life, including in black-and-white motion pictures.
Alex Buchman never officially joined any party. Alex Buchman died in Los Angeles
on January 7, 2003.
Alex Buchman never joined any party. He was avowedly not a Communist, but supported the philosophies of socialism. He stridently did not approve of Lenin's and Stalin's policies.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Alex Buchman was born May 16, 1911 in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, a son in a wealthy family. After earning a degree in aeronautical engineering in 1933, he decided to travel in Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. He first went to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, but the Japanese government labeled him a “Communist”, and refused to let him stay. Buchman then went to China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and spent the following six years in Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
where he got in touch with a mixed group of Trotskyists from the U.S. and South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. He also got to know Wang Fanxi
Wang Fanxi
Wang Fanxi was a leading Chinese Trotskyist revolutionary.Born near Hangzhou in the Zhejiang province, he joined the Communist Party of China, then an illegal organisation, in 1925. In 1927, he went to Moscow to study at the Communist University of the Toilers of the East...
, a prominent Chinese Trotskyist and one of the leaders of the Chinese Left Opposition. In Shanghai, he also met Debbie Bloomfield who became his wife.
When Alex Buchman left China in 1939, he went to Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
to meet Leon Trotsky
Leon Trotsky
Leon Trotsky , born Lev Davidovich Bronshtein, was a Russian Marxist revolutionary and theorist, Soviet politician, and the founder and first leader of the Red Army....
. Buchman spent five months, from autumn 1939 to April 1940, in Coyoacán
Coyoacán
Coyoacán refers to one of the sixteen boroughs of the Federal District of Mexico City as well as the former village which is now the borough’s “historic center.” The name comes from Nahuatl and most likely means “place of coyotes,” when the Aztecs named a pre-Hispanic village on the southern shore...
and worked as one of Trotsky’s guards. As an amateur photographer, Buchman documented a lot of Trotsky’s last year in life, including in black-and-white motion pictures.
Alex Buchman never officially joined any party. Alex Buchman died in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
on January 7, 2003.
Alex Buchman never joined any party. He was avowedly not a Communist, but supported the philosophies of socialism. He stridently did not approve of Lenin's and Stalin's policies.
External links
- The Lubitz TrotskyanaNet provides a biographical sketch and a selective bibliography on Alex Buchman