Edward Ross Balchowsky

Edward "Eddie" Ross Balchowsky (February 16, 1916 – November 27, 1989) was an American poet, artist, musician and composer who served in the Abraham Lincoln Brigade during the Spanish Civil War.

After graduating from high school, Balchowsky attended the University of Illinois and The Art Institute of Chicago, intending to become a professional concert pianist. During his college years, he made friends with political leftists who made him aware of growing fascism and antisemitism in Germany and Spain. He took an interest in leftist politics on campus, but denied being political and rejected political parties and ideological labels.

Balchowsky was a charismatic and influential figure. Folk singer Utah Phillips wrote "Eddy's Song" about Balchowsky, and Jimmy Buffett said Balchowsky was an inspiration to him, in general, and specifically inspired the song "He Went to Paris".

Death

Balchowsky died in 1989 in Chicago after being hit by a CTA subway train in what some have speculated was a suicide. He was 73.

The Associated Press quoted Terkel as saying when Balchowsky died, "To me, he was Lazarus. Eddie had lived about seven different lives. A number of times we thought he had died and he'd show up again, usually with younger and younger girls."