Joseph Hansen American Trotskyist Date of Birth: 16.06.1910 Country: USA

1. Early Life and Political Radicalization
2. Secretary and Protector to Leon Trotsky
3. Involvement in the Socialist Workers Party
4. Unification of the Fourth International
5. Support for Cuban Revolution
6. Legacy and Death

Early Life and Political Radicalization

Joseph Hansen was born in Richfield, Utah, as the eldest of 15 children in a poor Norwegian family led by tailor Conrad Hansen. As the only child who attended college, Hansen's political transformation began during the Great Depression, leading him to become a devout socialist and join James P. Cannon's Trotskyist group.

Secretary and Protector to Leon Trotsky

In the late 1930s, Hansen and his wife traveled to Mexico to work for Leon Trotsky. From 1937 until Trotsky's assassination, Hansen served as his secretary and bodyguard. He and Charles Cornell prevented the assassin, Ramón Mercader, from escaping after mortally wounding Trotsky.

Involvement in the Socialist Workers Party

Upon returning to the United States, Hansen worked as a merchant seaman while becoming editor of the Socialist Workers Party's newspaper, "The Militant." He served on the SWP's National Committee from 1940 to 1975. As editor of "Fourth International" (1940-1941 and 1955-1959), Hansen sought to reconcile the Fourth International's International Committee and International Secretariat factions after their split in 1953.

Unification of the Fourth International

In 1963, after the two factions reunited, Hansen became one of the Fourth International's leaders and editor of its English-language journals, "World Outlook" and later "Inprecor."

Support for Cuban Revolution

Hansen was a staunch supporter of the 1959 Cuban Revolution and authored "Dynamics of the Cuban Revolution: A Marxist Appreciation." He visited Cuba with Farrell Dobbs in the early 1960s and played a key role in the founding and operation of the Fair Play for Cuba Committee.

Legacy and Death

Joseph Hansen passed away from an infectious disease on January 18, 1979, in New York City. His wife and close associate, Reba Hansen, remained a member of the SWP until her death in 1990. Hansen's contributions to Trotskyism and international socialism continue to be remembered and studied by activists worldwide.