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

Document Type: 
Collection: 
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
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
March 27, 1964
Content Type: 
NSPR
File: 
AttachmentSize
PDF icon CIA-RDP75-00149R000300410014-2.pdf84.41 KB
Body: 
.. ' 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