Biography George Orwell

Biography George Orwell

Author of "1984" and "Homage to Catalonia"

George Orwell, whose real name was Eric Arthur Blair, was born on June 25, 1903, in Motihari, Bengal, India, during the time of British colonial rule. His father worked in the Indian Civil Service, and Orwell spent his early years in India before being sent to England for education. Orwell attended prestigious schools such as St. Cyprian's and Eton, where he developed a keen interest in literature and writing.

In the 1920s, Orwell began his career as a writer and journalist. He chose the pseudonym George Orwell to avoid embarrassing his family with his literary pursuits. Orwell's early works, including "Down and Out in Paris and London" (1933) and "Burmese Days" (1934), drew on his experiences working various menial jobs and living among the lower classes.

One of Orwell's most famous works is "Animal Farm" (1945), a satirical novella that allegorically depicts the Russian Revolution and the subsequent rise of Stalinism. Another seminal work is "Nineteen Eighty-Four" (1949), a dystopian novel that explores the dangers of totalitarianism and the erosion of individual freedom.

Orwell's time in Barcelona is associated with the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). In 1936, Orwell traveled to Spain to fight against the fascist forces led by General Francisco Franco. Orwell joined the International Brigades in December 1936 to fight fascism in Spain He joined the POUM (Partido Obrero de Unificación Marxista), a Marxist anti-Stalinist militia. Orwell fought on the front lines and was injured by a sniper's bullet, an experience he later documented in his book "Homage to Catalonia" (1938).

Orwell fought with the POUM militias  (Marxist Unification Workers' Party) at the the Aragon front. In April 1937, he returned to Barcelona and shortly afterwards, the conflict between the CNT-FAT and the POUM broke out with the Government of the Generalitat, which had the support of the Republican Left and the Communist-oriented United Socialist Party of Catalonia.
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​​There is now a plaque dedicated to George Orwell in the lobby of the Reial Acadèmia de Ciències i Art on La Rambla street in Barcelona (Royal Academy of Sciences and Arts of Barcelona). In May 1937, George Orwell spent three nights on the roof of the Academy, as part of a squad that defended the headquarters of the POUM, which was located in the building on the opposite side of the La Rambla street, now the Hotel Rivoli Rambla. After May, Orwell returned to the Aragon front, where he was wounded. He was treated in Tarragona and Barcelona and then he and his wife decided to return to England, stopping over Banyuls.

The George Orwell Society organizes a bi-annual tour through the locations where Orwell spent the Spanish Civil War. This route is organised by George Orwell's son, Richard Blair, and Quentin Kopp, son of Orwell's commander (Georges Kopp), starts in Barcelona and retraces the events of May 1937 and ends in Aragon.

Orwell's time in Barcelona was a critical period in his life, as it shaped his political views and influenced his skepticism toward totalitarianism. He witnessed the complex political dynamics within the anti-fascist camp, where rival factions such as the Communists and anarchists were often in conflict. Orwell's disillusionment with the infighting and betrayal among leftist factions in Spain contributed to his growing criticism of Soviet-style communism.

Throughout his life, George Orwell remained a committed democratic socialist and a staunch advocate for individual liberty. He died on January 21, 1950, at the age of 46, succumbing to complications from tuberculosis. Despite his short life, Orwell left an enduring legacy through his works, which continue to be widely read and studied for their insights into political and societal issues.

Quotes George Orwell


"If liberty means anything at all it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear." - George Orwell

"Political language – and with variations this is true of all political parties, from Conservatives to Anarchists – is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind." - George Orwell

"Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four." - George Orwell

"Political language has to consist largely of euphemism, question-begging and sheer cloudy vagueness." - George Orwell

"All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others." - George Orwell

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