ABSTRACT
Jozef Hieronim Retinger's travels in Europe as a representative of the Mexican labor movement brought international labor leaders to Mexico, including the socialist Zygmunt Zulawski from Poland. Retinger was involved in Mexican politics at the apogee, undertook crucial – preliminary – negotiations, and traveled about constantly on obscure missions or just as a series of adventures. Jose Alvaro Obregon was the object of Retinger's great admiration. Retinger's first mission, or perhaps unprompted adventure, was in the summer of 1919 when he left Mexico for the United States traveling on a "French safe conduct card" issued in Barcelona by the French consul there. Circumstantial evidence suggests that Retinger's oil politics were motivated in part to promote British, as against American interests. By 1930, Retinger ended his active role in Mexican oil negotiations and moved to other things. In 1926 Retinger received 240 shares of "the Mexican Syndicate" which suggests his personal involvement with the oil industry.
