Tamara Bunke | |
|---|---|
 Bunke in 1962 wearing the tilted beret of the newly formed Cuban People's Defence Militia | |
| Born | Haydée Tamara Bunke Bider November 19, 1937 Buenos Aires, Argentina |
| Died | August 31, 1967 (aged 29) Vallegrande Province, Bolivia |
| Cause of death | Killed in action |
| Resting place | Che Guevara Mausoleum Santa Clara, Cuba |
| Nationality | East German Argentine Cuban Bolivian |
| Occupation(s) | Communist revolutionary East German/Cuban spy Journalist |
| Organization | National Liberation Army |
Haydée Tamara Bunke Bider (November 19, 1937 – August 31, 1967) was an Argentine-born East German revolutionary known for her involvement in feminism, leftist politics, and liberation movements.
Born to communist parents, Bunke joined the Free German Youth at fifteen and later studied philosophy at university. She was recruited as an interpreter for the Socialist Unity Party of Germany, where she met Che Guevara during his visit to Leipzig. In 1961, she moved to Cuba and participated in the Cuban literacy campaign and Federation of Cuban Women.
Bunke was recruited for Bolivian Campaign, Che Guevara's guerrilla expedition in Bolivia aimed at sparking revolution across Latin America. Using the alias Tania, she infiltrated Bolivian high society and developed ties with Bolivian President René Barrientos.
In 1966, her cover was blown, leading her to join Guevara's armed guerrilla campaign in Bolivia. During this time, she was responsible for the food and monitoring radio communications. Bunke was killed in 1967 during an ambush by Bolivian Army Rangers while attempting to escape with a leg injury and fever.