Quentin’s father Georges Kopp, born in 1902 in St Petersburg, was George Orwell’s Commander in Spain. He was born the year before Orwell and died the year after. They both lived through very turbulent times. In this talk, we learn not just about Kopp’s time with Orwell but also about his inventive engineering talent.

We hear of Georges Kopp’s early life before he went to The Spanish Civil War in 1936, his time with Orwell in Spain and his imprisonment by Russia’s NKVD, despite fighting against Franco. His Second World War included a very active time with the French Foreign Legion in the Battle of the Marne, and behind the lines in France for British Intelligence. His case officer was Anthony Blunt. He had the distinction of being wanted by both Stalin and Hitler at different times.

Kopp and Orwell remained friends throughout their sadly short lives. Orwell was a witness to Kopp’s marriage to Doreen Hunton and visited their home in Scotland.

Georges Kopp was an inventive engineer. His designs included everything from a child’s buggy (pre-cursor to Maclaren), a top loading washing machine (pre-cursor to Philips), and long wall coal cutting machinery.

Quentin Kopp is Chair of The George Orwell Society.