George Sossenko

Who was George Sossenko?

George Sossenko was a Russian-born American lecturer and activist. At age 17, he left his parent's home in Paris, France, to join those fighting against Francisco Franco's nationalist forces in the Spanish Civil War. He initially went to the offices of the French Communist Party, but was turned away, and then denied by the Socialists as well. They suggested he contact the anarchists, who sent him across the Spanish border in a caravan. He was sent to Barcelona, then received one week's worth of military training before being sent to the front. During the Civil War, Sossenko changed his name to Georges Jorat to avoid being found by his parents, and fought as part of the Sébastien Faure Century, the French-speaking contingent of the Durruti Column. After the Civil War, Sossenko later fought in World War II with the Free French.

Later on, Sossenko went to work for Michelin Tire as a mechanical engineer. He first worked in Texas, but was transferred to Atlanta, Georgia. In 1984, Sossenko sued Michelin after being threatened with losing his job. He lived in Atlanta with his wife Bernice for the remainder of his life. In 2004, Sossenko published a Spanish-language book titled Aventurero Idealista.