When and where was Eric Hobsbawm born?
Eric Hobsbawm entered the world on the 9th of June 1917 in Alexandria, Egypt. His father Leopold Percy Hobsbaum was a Jewish merchant from London's East End with Polish roots.
Questions about Eric Hobsbawm
Short answers, pulled from the story.
How did Eric Hobsbawm lose his parents during childhood?
The year 1929 brought tragedy when Hobsbawm turned twelve and lost his father. He began working as an au pair and English tutor to support his family before his mother died two years later in 1931 leaving him and his sister Nancy orphaned.
What academic positions did Eric Hobsbawm hold at Birkbeck College University of London?
Hobsbawm became a lecturer in history at Birkbeck College University of London in 1947. He rose to reader status by 1959 and professor between 1970 and 1982.
Which historical period did Eric Hobsbawm define as the long nineteenth century?
Eric Hobsbawm coined the term long nineteenth century beginning with the French Revolution in 1789 and ending with World War I in 1914. His tetralogy included The Age of Revolution Europe 1789, 1848 published in 1962 followed by The Age of Capital 1848, 1875 in 1975.
Why did MI5 monitor Eric Hobsbawm during World War II?
MI5 opened a personal file on him in 1942 monitoring his activities for many years because security services prevented overseas deployment after he edited a wall newspaper arguing for a Second Front. This demand aligned with Communist Party positions at the time.
When and how did Eric Hobsbawm die?
Eric Hobsbawm died from complications of pneumonia and leukaemia at Royal Free Hospital London on the 1st of October 2012 aged ninety-five. His ashes were interred in Highgate Cemetery very close to Karl Marx after cremation at Golders Green Crematorium.