N.Y. WOMEN 'SPY' IS FREED BY REDS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00149R000300410014-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 17, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 9, 1998
• Sequence Number: 14
• Publication Date: March 27, 1964
• Content Type: NSPR

.. ' d For Release 2000 RDP75~dt 149R000300410014-2
Jour'! AL pAMERMAN
-CPYRGHT
Gabrielle Hammerstein, 39, New York opera singe'
flew back here last night after two years' imprisonmet
by F.a.ct. (:(.rn,an f!nmmnnicl-r nn ncr~inv,~n?s-_U---
mother, Dr. Gertrude Rosen-
hain, of 35-40 Std st., Jackson
Heights, Queers, who said her
daughter, freed because of ill
health, was incoherent on the
plane arid 'obviously affected by
her ordeal in prison."
Meanwhile In Berlin, U. S.
military authorities awaited the
"momentary" return of two Air
Force officers held captive by
the Soviets.
Military officials said t e
two Air Force officers co d
e freed at any time tod
hey indicated the first wa d
f their release might co e
rom President Johnson's Ea.,
-
r vacation White House n
Johnson City, Tex.
The airmen, Capt. David
Holland, 35, of Holland, Min .,
and Capt. Melviin Kessler,
of Philadelphia, were sh t
own over East Germa
March 10 when their RB-66
bomber strayed across the
border. A third crewman. In-
jured in parachuting from the
lane, was freed last week.
CPYRGHT
Miss Hammerstein, a striking The clemency presumably
redhead, had been in Berlin 'as granted by Walter Ulbricht,
two years as a singer and free- he bearded Cor:imunist leader
lance writer, when she was ar- 'f East German.;.
rested in East Berlin in Janu-
ary,. 1962.
CLEMENCY APPEAL
The following August she
was tried in a secret court ses-
sion on espionage charges the
Communists never have de-
tailed.
A U.S. spokesman said she
had served two years of a six-
year sentence when she was re-
leased "on the basis of a clem-'
ency appeal submitted by her
CONTACT 110THER . '
The mother had been trsvel-
ng in Europe when the East
erman State Dept. contacted
er to say her daughter would
e released.
Dr. Rosenhain said she met
er daughter al the Heinrich
eine checkpoint, on the Berlin
order and, took her to Frank-
urt for the flight home.
In their brief border trans-
ction, the mother said, there
as no mention of the prom-
sed release of two Air Fores
lawyer on behalf of her family."
Miss Hammerstein had told Hers held captive in East
reporters she had good contacts ermany.
Miss Hammerstein, who at-
in the Eastern zone, including ended Jackson Heights public
Communist propagandist Ger- 1 ehools, studied at New York
hart Eisler who jumped bail In University for L year before
the U. S. to flee to East Ger- nrbarking on a singing career.
many. The Communists officially
At that time a U. S. Mission isclosed the charges,' but Dr.
spokesman said Miss Hammer- i"Zosenhain said he rdaughter's
stein had "a long and compli- aptors used tie word "cs-'
. ionage."
"That- is, the. ridiculous word
hey used .for things she didn't
o," the mother added.
Approved For Release 2000/08/27 : CIA-RDP75-00149R000300410014-2