David Crook facts for kids

David Crook (born August 14, 1910 – died November 1, 2000) was an important British person who spent most of his life teaching in China. He believed in Marxism, a set of ideas about society and economics. In 1931, he joined the International Brigades, a group of volunteers from different countries. They fought against a group called the Spanish nationalists in the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939).

After being hurt in the war, he was asked to work for a special Soviet Union group. He was sent to China during the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945). There, he met and married Isabel, who was also a teacher and social activist. After the Second World War and the Chinese Civil War, David and Isabel stayed in China. They taught English for many years.

The Crooks wrote important books about China. In 1959, they published Revolution in a Chinese Village, Ten Mile Inn. In 1966, they released The First Years of Yangyi Commune. These books helped people outside China understand what was happening there. David Crook passed away at age 90. He had spent his last 50 years in China. Even after being held for five years during the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976), his main beliefs stayed strong.

Early Life and Education

David Crook was born in London, England, in 1910. He went to Cheltenham College for his early education. Later, he studied at Columbia University in the United States. He finished his studies there in 1935. While at university, he took part in protests against Nazi Germany.

Working Around the World

David Crook was hurt on his first day fighting in Spain. He was sent to a hospital in Madrid. While there, he was asked to work for a special group from the Soviet Union. He was asked to gather information on certain people. Later, David felt sorry for some of the things he did during this time.

This special group then sent him to China. He taught English at Saint John's University, Shanghai. While teaching, he was also gathering information. He then moved to Chengdu. He was there when the city was bombed by the Japanese. In Chengdu, he met Isabel Brown, who would become his wife. Isabel's parents were missionaries from Canada.

When Germany invaded Russia in June 1941, David Crook's ideas changed. He went back to England and rejoined the Communist Party of Great Britain. He also joined the Royal Air Force, which is part of the British military. He and Isabel got married. During the war, he worked for British intelligence in Asia. He also connected with local groups who shared his beliefs.

Life in China

After studying at the University of London, the Crooks returned to China. They taught English at a school in the countryside. This school trained people for the future government's foreign service. They saw and took part in big changes happening in Chinese villages. These changes were about how land was owned and used. They wrote about their experiences in their famous book, Ten Mile Village (1959).

In 1949, David and Isabel entered Beijing with the new government. For the next 40 years, they taught at the Peking First Foreign Languages Institute. This school is now known as the Beijing Foreign Studies University.

Even though he had been loyal to the Chinese Communist Party for a long time, David Crook was held in 1967. This happened during a big political movement in China called the Cultural Revolution. He was set free in 1973. He later said that the people who held him were sincere, but they had made mistakes. After he passed away, his wife said that he understood that big changes can be difficult. He never blamed China for his time in Qincheng prison.

David Crook was influenced by the writer George Orwell, whom he had met in Spain. In 1989, the Crooks spoke out about the events at Tiananmen Square. In his book written in 1990, David Crook shared his hope for China. He believed that changing a society with hundreds of millions of people takes time. He was confident that China, which he and Isabel loved, would become a strong society. He hoped it would avoid the problems that other countries faced as they modernized.

Personal Life

David Crook passed away in Beijing in 2000. He was survived by his wife, Isabel, and their three sons. One of his sons, Paul Crook, has shared many stories about growing up in China as a foreigner during the Cultural Revolution.

See also

In Spanish: David Crook para niños