Activists Mark 1953 Rosenberg Execution

Dayton Daily News/Associated Press ^ | 6/17/03 | JIM FITZGERALD

[DPB101]

OSSINING, N.Y. (AP)--Pete Seeger was in New York City's Union Square in 1953 along with 5,000 other supporters of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg as the hour of the couple's execution drew near.

``We were waiting and hoping Eisenhower would give a last-minute reprieve,'' says Seeger, now 84.

``We learned that wouldn't happen, and then a great sigh, a great wail went up from the crowd when the time came and we knew they'd been executed.''

On the 50th anniversary of the execution Thursday, Seeger, Susan Sarandon, Harry Belafonte and other show business activists will appear at a benefit for the Rosenberg Fund for Children, which assists children of people imprisoned, attacked or fired for taking a public stand.

Robert Meeropol, the Rosenbergs' younger son, who runs the fund, calls it his ``constructive revenge.''

The execution of the Rosenbergs in the electric chair at Sing Sing on June 19, 1953, ended one of the most sensational cases of the McCarthy era. It was the first execution of civilians for espionage in U.S. history.

The Rosenbergs were arrested in 1950, accused of relaying to the Soviet Union secrets of the atomic bomb. They allegedly recruited Mrs. Rosenberg's brother, David Greenglass, who worked at the site of the first atom bomb test in New Mexico. Greenglass became a star witness against the Rosenbergs, testifying that he saw his sister transcribing his spy notes on a typewriter.

The judge who passed sentence, Irving Kaufman, told the Rosenbergs their actions had led to the Korean War and all its casualties, and added: ``Millions more of innocent people may pay the price of your treason.''

There were appeals, stays of execution and pleas for mercy from Pope Pius XII and Albert Einstein.

Morton Sobell, who was convicted with the Rosenbergs but spared the death penalty, was at Alcatraz when a guard told him they had been put to death.

``My emotions had already been hardened by the prison life,'' says Sobell, 86, who served 18 years.

``But the guard was kindhearted about it and even my fellow inmates knew it was like someone from my family had been killed.''

Meeropol, who was 6 at the time and was known then as Robbie Rosenberg, recalls: ``We were watching a ball game on television when trailers started coming across the screen about the scheduled execution. The adults sent us outside to play so we wouldn't see the news accounts and we played catch until it was too dark to see the ball. My parents had been killed right around sunset.''

A year and a half ago, Greenglass announced that he lied about the typewriter--and some other matters--to save himself and his wife.

While decoded Soviet messages released in recent years appear to show that Julius Rosenberg was indeed a spy, supporters say nothing he contributed to the Soviets--and certainly nothing his wife did--warranted the electric chair.

Meeropol's memoir, ``An Execution in the Family'' is being published on the anniversary. In it, he recounts his vague memories of Rosenberg family life; his and his brother's adoption by Abel and Anne Meeropol; his own studies of his parents' case, which opened him to the possibility they may have been spies; and his difficulty in understanding why parents of small children would engage in such risk.

But Meeropol is also suspicious that recently released evidence may be government ``disinformation.''

``What a horror story it would be for me to accept it and then later find out that I've spread their propaganda for them,'' he says. ``I couldn't live with myself.''

``My bottom line, instead, is that the United States government executed two people for doing something they knew those people didn't do.''

On the Net:

Rosenberg Fund for Children: http://www.rfc.org

[DPB101]

The men who fought against the regime the Rosenbergs supported are the ones who should be honored. I wonder if families of those listed below saw the memorial in Ossinging today. A reporter with guts should ask them what they think of Harry Belafonte, Ed Asner, Pete Seeger and Robert Meeropol.

Ossining, New York Goes to War
Korea 1950 - 1953
Honor Roll

Lt. John Kelvin Koelsch died in a North Korean prison camp. He was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions after his helicopter was downed. We can safely assume his death was not as quick as the Rosenberg's.

[Ronly Bonly Jones]

Where's a Viking Kitty now that we really need one?

[CougarGA7]

My only regret is that the death of the Rosenburgs was done by old Sparky. I really think it would have been more appropriate to have locked them in a room with someone with a pair of jumper cables and a needle nose plyers. Let the punishment befit the crime.

[aristeides]

Greenglass cooperated with the prosecutors and investigators. The death sentences on the Rosenbergs were an attempt to pressure them into cooperating too.

[MEG33]

They betrayed our secrets,our country,and their children.I rejoice that we once knew how traitors should be punished.

[GreenLanternCorps]

Nobody here saw "Love at First Bite"?

Jeez...


As for the real life Rosenbergs, He was a traitor, she probably helped him, they earned their penalty.

[DPB101]

One of the best comedies ever! But we may be in a minority. I've recommended it to others and they think it is silly.

The "black chicken...catch it! catch it!" scene is ROFLMAO material.

[mark502inf]

While decoded Soviet messages released in recent years appear to show that Julius Rosenberg was indeed a spy, supporters say nothing he contributed to the Soviets--and certainly nothing his wife did--warranted the electric chair.

How do the supporters know what he contributed? Or what his wife didn't do? There was sufficient evidence at the time to prove "beyond a reasonable doubt" that they both were guilty. And more evidence has been found since then in the old Soviet archives. Their "supporters" are offereing faith-based, not fact-based arguments. BTW, notice the weasel words of "accused" and "allegedly" in the article--obviously the reporter has a "point of view" on this issue.

[Irene Adler]

Does the article mention why the older son was not at the demonstration? I seem to recall that just one son now appears at these events. I wonder if the other son has become disillusioned with the cause or if something has happened to prevent his participation.

[DPB101]

Michael appears to be as stone cold a thug as Robert. He spoke last fall at the National Lawyers Guild with Lynne Stewart (who is accused of helping Islamic terrorists). Michael, surprise, surprise, is a teacher at some rinky dink New England college. He wrote a book lamenting that Clinton completed the Reagan Revolution. Well...at least these two are not voting for RATS.

[MEG33]

I believe because he cooperated.Greenglass refused to sacrifice his children(his words) on the Soviet altar and testified against his sister.

[nopardons]

Nailed in one; everything said,nothing else to add. LOL

[nopardons]

No, the lights did NOT " dim " all over N.Y.C. when the switch was pulled.

[nopardons]

You're not alone. "LOVE AT FIRST BITE " is one of the all time BEST comedy films ever made. I love that movie and still laugh loudly; it hasn't grown stale and never disappoints.

[DPB101]

Been scanning the wires tonight. This is the only account of this memorial. It is in Asia, the UK, Canada and in hundreds of outlets in the USA.

This is how the left wins. 50 years ago, the guilt of the Rosenbergs was not in doubt except among the CPUSA crowd. IT was probably the last time the financial elites, the intelligentsia and the average working stiff were in agreement on a political issue of large importance. But the left has been able to gnaw away at that unity. They never give up. And they pass their fanaticism down to their kids. You can bet if the Meeropol brats have kids, they too are communists. Their lives will center around getting revenge the death of Julius and Ethel just as their parents lives have.

[I_Love_My_Husband]

To everyone:

Last night NP, DPB101 and myself found out an enormous amount of information about the Rosenbergs.

Here is a brief synopsis of what we learned last night.

The Rosenbergs did not have to die! They CHOSE to. Why? Because their God was communism. Eisenhower did NOT want to have them killed and the FBI had an open phone line with them. They chose not to confess and spare their life. There was a lot of evidence about what they did which WAS harmful to the US at the time.

The bombshell we learned was that Oppenheimer, Szil. and a lot of the other scientists working on the H Bomb were....left leaning and some (like Opp) were definite communists with ties to the CPUSA.

McCarthy wanted to shed light on this and in fact Opp did report to the McC's committee. They only relieved him of his duties as the head scientist and did nothing else further to him. President Truman and President Eisenhower did nothing about it and did not want McC to pursue this issue against Opp.

It's all so complicated but we spent an enjoyable time on the *other* thread last night about it. It went on for hours, possibly a couple of days!

God bless. McCarthy WAS right, and history has proven this.

[nopardons]

Post a link to the thread with the info ... your synopsis was good, but so much info is on the other thread. You did one heck of a fantistic job ferretting it all out.

[I_Love_My_Husband]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/929408/posts

[nopardons]

You're absolutely 100% correct about the lefties. They pass their disgusting positions down to each new generation; proagandize their own. They used to be better at it, having Communist summer camps, where they all sent their kids to be further propagandized. I don't think those still exist, though. David Horowitz and many of the " Hippie / Yippie / SDS/ RED DIAPER BABIES/ leaders " went to them. These people's strength is their patience. They don't give up because they lose one minor battle and they view incrimentalism as their friend.

[DPB101]

What did you two do to the guy on the other thread who claimed the Rosenberg's rights were violated? I don't see him here. You did something. I know women. There is probably more involved than just you two. There usually is. Tell the truth. What happened to him?