Che Guevara: Birth to leaving Cuba Quiz

Answer: 14 May 1928

Before those aware of the date on Che's birth certificate (14 June 1928)reach for the 'correction' button, I would point out that his mother (when interviewed by his main biographer Jon Lee Anderson) admitted that, in order to hide the fact that she was three months pregnant, when marrying Che's father, Che's birth was registered a month later than the actual date.

Answer: Ernesto

Ernesto was the name of Che's father whilst Roberto was that of his grandfather.

Answer: Asthma

Its says something for Che's force of character that he threw himself wholeheartedly into every one of his various projects whereas he could have - quite justifiably - used his serious medical problem as an escape clause.

Answer: Rugby Union

Che was taught how to operate a glider by a rich uncle but rugby remained his favourite sport.

Answer: Alberto Granado

The greater part of the journey was completed other than on a motorcycle as the machine unretrievably broke down fairly early on. The 'incorrect' names quoted all played some part in Che's life although, not necessarily, to his benefit.

Answer: Mexico City

Fidel Castro had taken part in an unsuccesful plot to overthrow Batista and had been arrested. A death sentence on him had been commuted to solitary imprisonment through the intervention of the Catholic Church. When Batista sought 'legitimacy' by planning elections, Castro was released under an amnesty.

His campaigning against Batista made Cuba an unsafe place for him so he followed his brother Raoul to Mexico City where he met Che in July 1955.

Answer: Granma

Apparently, they were lucky to have landed on Cuban shores at all because the ship was a floating 'death-trap'.

Answer: All of them

It was suspected that his first few months of running Cuba, Castro wished to give the impression that the revolution was not Communist led so wanted to get Che away from the limelight.

Answer: President of the Cuban National Bank

In Spanish, the word for 'economist' is very similar to the one for
'communist'. Che claimed that he thought Castro had said at a Cabinet meeting that he'd wanted a good communist to take charge of the bank so volunteered and, suprisingly, got it! Apparently, Che worked so hard at both jobs that he worked through the night as well as day and people turning up for appointments at three in the afternoon were informed that their appointment had been for 3 a.m!

Answer: Aleida March

Hilda Gadea was Che's first wife who he married in Mexico City. He fell in love with Aleida during the revolution and when they worked together in the Instituto Nacional de Reforma Agraria and Hilda agreed to divorce Che although they had not formally separated. Celia Sanchez was Castro's partner and 'Tania' Bunke was a German Communist who interpreted for Che when he visited East Germany and later participated in the Bolivian revolution.