12 Facts About Dorothy Woodman

Dorothy Woodman was a British socialist activist, communist and journalist.

Dorothy Woodman was interested in Asia from an early age, and learned Sanskrit from a local poet.

Dorothy Woodman studied at University College, Exeter, where she became a socialist.

Dorothy Woodman worked for a short while as a schoolteacher, but soon left to become the secretary of the Women's International League.

In 1933, Dorothy Woodman was working as a journalist in Berlin, and covered the Reichstag fire.

Dorothy Woodman falsely claimed to be in a relationship with the defendant Georgi Dimitrov in order to gain access to him, and was then able to transfer messages between him and his friends, and co-ordinate his defence.

Dorothy Woodman reported from the meeting of British fascists at Olympia.

Dorothy Woodman met Kingsley Martin in about 1935, while the two were living in Cambridge, and the two remained in an open relationship until Martin' death.

Dorothy Woodman remained secretary of the Union of Democratic Control for many years, focusing on providing a voice to nationalist activists, particularly those from British colonies in Asia.

Dorothy Woodman worked closely with Jomo Kenyatta when he was a student in London, and with Krishna Menon and his India League, and organised the China Campaign Committee.

Dorothy Woodman worked as Asia correspondent for the New Statesman, and in 1962, wrote The Making of Burma, a book opposing colonialism.

Dorothy Woodman died in 1970, with those paying tribute including Indira Gandhi.