Author: Soviets spied on George Orwell during Spanish Civil War

An author has discovered evidence that Soviet officials were spying on George Orwell and his wife while the former fought in the Spanish Civil War.

Giles Tremlett was doing research for his book on the International Brigades, a Communist-dominated group opposing General Francisco Franco’s uprising in Spain, when he found this evidence.

The International Brigades rejected Orwell’s bid to join them, so he became part of Poum, a different faction of the resistance that was viewed with suspicion.

Read more about the surveillance of Orwell and his wife and how it affected his later literature in the Guardian.

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