Oppen, George
1908 - Born in New Rochelle, New York on the 4th of April.
1917 - The family moved to San Francisco where Oppen attended Warren Military Academy.
1926 - Oppen started attending Oregon State Agricultural College. Here he met Mary Colby, a fiercely independent young woman from Grants Pass, Oregon.
1929 - He and Mary spent some time in New York, where they met Louis Zukofsky, Charles Reznikoff, musician Tibor Serly, and designer Russel Wright, among others.
- George came into a small inheritance which meant that they had relative financial independence.
1930 - They moved to California and then to France, where, thanks to their financial input.
1933 - The Oppens returned to New York where, together with Williams, Zukofsky and Reznikoff, they set up the Objectivist Press.
1936 - Oppen abandoned poetry and joined the Communist Party serving as election campaign manager for Brooklyn and helping organize the Utica New York Milk Strike.
1943 - Oppen was deferred from military service while working in the defense industry. Disillusioned by the CPUSA and wanting to assist in the fight against fascism.
1945 - He was awarded the Purple Heart and returned to New York.
1975 - Oppen was able to complete and see into publication his Collected Poems.
1984 - Died on the 7th of July.
1917 - The family moved to San Francisco where Oppen attended Warren Military Academy.
1926 - Oppen started attending Oregon State Agricultural College. Here he met Mary Colby, a fiercely independent young woman from Grants Pass, Oregon.
1929 - He and Mary spent some time in New York, where they met Louis Zukofsky, Charles Reznikoff, musician Tibor Serly, and designer Russel Wright, among others.
- George came into a small inheritance which meant that they had relative financial independence.
1930 - They moved to California and then to France, where, thanks to their financial input.
1933 - The Oppens returned to New York where, together with Williams, Zukofsky and Reznikoff, they set up the Objectivist Press.
1936 - Oppen abandoned poetry and joined the Communist Party serving as election campaign manager for Brooklyn and helping organize the Utica New York Milk Strike.
1943 - Oppen was deferred from military service while working in the defense industry. Disillusioned by the CPUSA and wanting to assist in the fight against fascism.
1945 - He was awarded the Purple Heart and returned to New York.
1975 - Oppen was able to complete and see into publication his Collected Poems.
1984 - Died on the 7th of July.
Page last updated: 6:16pm, 30th May '07