Joseph Buttinger
Encyclopedia
Joseph Buttinger was an Austria
n politician and, after his immigration to the United States
, an expert on East Asia.
Buttinger was born into a working-class family and left school at age 13 to help support his family. He became a youth movement leader in Austria and, by the age of 24, was secretary of the Social Democratic Party
. After being imprisoned for several months in 1934, he became chairman of the Socialist underground and a leader of the anti-Fascist movement. When Germany occupied Austria
in 1938, he and his American-born wife Muriel Gardiner
fled to Paris
, where he was chairman of the exiled Socialists. In 1939, several months before the fall of France, the couple moved to the United States
with Gardiner's daughter from a previous marriage, Connie, whom Joseph later adopted.
In 1941, he and his wife arranged US visas for his brother Alois Buttinger
and his family; one of the references for the visa application was signed by Alfred Einstein.
During and after World War II
, Buttinger helped establish many of the refugee programs for the International Rescue Committee
(IRC). His personal actions helped smuggle thousands of anti-Fascist refugees out of Europe. For over 40 years he served as director of the IRC's Paris office and European division, and as an IRC board member and vice president.
In the 1950s, Buttinger and his wife subsidized the democratic socialist magazine Dissent
, edited by Irving Howe
. He also wrote "In the Twilight of Socialism", which was a history of Austrian Socialism in the years 1934-38. During the 1950s, he aided North Vietnamese refugees in South Vietnam and took an abiding interest in the history and culture of that country. Initially a friend and supporter of Ngo Dinh Diem
, Buttinger became disillusioned with Diem's dictatorial ways and renounced him. He formed the American Friends of Vietnam, and became a prominent scholar of that country's culture and politics, producing a two-volume work entitled Vietnam: A Dragon Embattled. He also produced several other books on Vietnam and on the history of socialism.
In 1972 the Austrian Government awarded him its Golden Order of Merit. According to the New York Times, the then-Chancellor of Austria, Bruno Kreisky
, observed that `Mr. Buttinger was such a hero that if he had returned he would have become Chancellor.'
The Mina Rees Library of the CUNY Graduate Center
owns the “Joseph Buttinger Rare Book Collection on Utopias.”
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n politician and, after his immigration to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, an expert on East Asia.
Buttinger was born into a working-class family and left school at age 13 to help support his family. He became a youth movement leader in Austria and, by the age of 24, was secretary of the Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party of Austria
The Social Democratic Party of Austria is one of the oldest political parties in Austria. The SPÖ is one of the two major parties in Austria, and has ties to trade unions and the Austrian Chamber of Labour. The SPÖ is among the few mainstream European social-democratic parties that have preserved...
. After being imprisoned for several months in 1934, he became chairman of the Socialist underground and a leader of the anti-Fascist movement. When Germany occupied Austria
Anschluss
The Anschluss , also known as the ', was the occupation and annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938....
in 1938, he and his American-born wife Muriel Gardiner
Muriel Gardiner
Muriel Morris Gardiner Buttinger was an American psychoanalyst and psychiatrist.-Early Life and career:...
fled to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, where he was chairman of the exiled Socialists. In 1939, several months before the fall of France, the couple moved to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
with Gardiner's daughter from a previous marriage, Connie, whom Joseph later adopted.
In 1941, he and his wife arranged US visas for his brother Alois Buttinger
Alois Buttinger
In February 1934, Alois Buttinger, an Austrian socialist, was director of the Sonnenhof Lind children's centre in Villach-Lind, part of Villach in Austria....
and his family; one of the references for the visa application was signed by Alfred Einstein.
During and after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Buttinger helped establish many of the refugee programs for the International Rescue Committee
International Rescue Committee
The International Rescue Committee is a leading nonsectarian, nongovernmental international relief and development organization based in the United States, with operations in over 40 countries...
(IRC). His personal actions helped smuggle thousands of anti-Fascist refugees out of Europe. For over 40 years he served as director of the IRC's Paris office and European division, and as an IRC board member and vice president.
In the 1950s, Buttinger and his wife subsidized the democratic socialist magazine Dissent
Dissent
Dissent is a sentiment or philosophy of non-agreement or opposition to a prevailing idea or an entity...
, edited by Irving Howe
Irving Howe
Irving Howe was an American literary and social critic and a prominent figure of the Democratic Socialists of America.-Life and career:...
. He also wrote "In the Twilight of Socialism", which was a history of Austrian Socialism in the years 1934-38. During the 1950s, he aided North Vietnamese refugees in South Vietnam and took an abiding interest in the history and culture of that country. Initially a friend and supporter of Ngo Dinh Diem
Ngo Dinh Diem
Ngô Đình Diệm was the first president of South Vietnam . In the wake of the French withdrawal from Indochina as a result of the 1954 Geneva Accords, Diệm led the effort to create the Republic of Vietnam. Accruing considerable U.S. support due to his staunch anti-Communism, he achieved victory in a...
, Buttinger became disillusioned with Diem's dictatorial ways and renounced him. He formed the American Friends of Vietnam, and became a prominent scholar of that country's culture and politics, producing a two-volume work entitled Vietnam: A Dragon Embattled. He also produced several other books on Vietnam and on the history of socialism.
In 1972 the Austrian Government awarded him its Golden Order of Merit. According to the New York Times, the then-Chancellor of Austria, Bruno Kreisky
Bruno Kreisky
Bruno Kreisky was an Austrian politician who served as Foreign Minister from 1959 to 1966 and as Chancellor from 1970 to 1983. Aged 72 at the end of his chancellorship, he was the oldest acting Chancellor after World War II....
, observed that `Mr. Buttinger was such a hero that if he had returned he would have become Chancellor.'
The Mina Rees Library of the CUNY Graduate Center
CUNY Graduate Center
The Graduate Center of the City University of New York brings together graduate education, advanced research, and public programming to midtown Manhattan hosting 4,600 students, 33 doctoral programs, 7 master's programs, and 30 research centers and institutes...
owns the “Joseph Buttinger Rare Book Collection on Utopias.”
Works
- "In the Twilight of Socialism" (1952)
- "The Smaller Dragon -- A Political History of Vietnam" (1958)
- "Vietnam: A Dragon Embattled" (Praeger, 1967)
- "A Dragon Defiant: A Short History of Vietnam" (1972)
- "Vietnam: The Unforgettable Tragedy" (1977).
External links
- "An Influential Political Journal Celebrates Its Golden Anniversary", Gerald Sorin, Forward, 16 January 2004