Letters from Peter Bloch to Alfonso Ramirez
Scope and Content Note
Collection of 151 letters written by Peter Bloch in New York to his colleague and friend Alfonso Ramirez in Venezuela. The letters, written in English, touch primarily on socialist ideological interpretations of world events, triggering commentaries about politics in North America, Europe (Germany) and Asia (mostly China). Also discussed are various aspects of the Caribbean islands and Latin America. Alfonso Ramirez’ replies in Spanish are not included.
Dates
- Creation: 1967-2008.
Creator
- Bloch, Peter (Person)
Language of Materials
This collection is in English.
Access Restrictions
Open to researchers.
Use Restrictions
There may be some restrictions on the use of the collection. For more information, contact:
Leo Baeck Institute, Center for Jewish History, 15 West 16th Street, New York, NY 10011
email: lbaeck@lbi.cjh.org
Biographical Note
Alfonso Ramirez and Peter Bloch maintained an epistolary friendship for almost five decades, after they had been introduced to each other by Ernest Mandel, the secretary of The Fourth International. Peter Bloch had worked with Ernest Mandel in Belgium until the 1960's, when he was an active member of the Socialist Workers Party and wrote for the SWP newspapers under the pseudonyms "Trent Hutter" and "James Parker". He broke away from the SWP over the party’s evaluation of the revolution in Cuba.
The historian and writer Peter Rafael Bloch was born on October 19th, 1921 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. In 1939 he escaped to England and later that year moved to Belgium to get reunited with his family. In 1942 he escaped to Switzerland where he stayed until 1949 when he immigrated to the United States. Peter Bloch studied Hispanic culture and history since his youth and became an authority on Puerto Rican culture. Peter Bloch died in New York on July 31st, 2008.
Extent
4 Folders : 90+107+50+39 pages.
Abstract
Collection of 151 letters written by Peter Bloch in New York to his colleague and friend Alfonso Ramirez in Venezuela. The letters, written in English, touch primarily on socialist ideological interpretations of world events, triggering commentaries about politics in North America, Europe (Germany) and Asia (mostly China). Also discussed are various aspects of the Caribbean islands and Latin America. Alfonso Ramirez’ replies in Spanish are not included.
Subject
- Fourth International (Organization)
- Socialist Workers Party (Organization)
- Title
- Guide to the Letters from Peter Bloch to Alfonso Ramirez, 1967-2008 MS 997
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Processed by LBI Staff
- Date
- © 2013
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
Repository Details
Part of the Leo Baeck Institute Repository