Twentieth Century: The Rosenburgs

Illustration from a French-language newspaper of the first person electricuted in the Sing-Sing electric chair, reproduced in the Mysteries of Life and Death, Leisure Press, 1979. Obtained from http://www.theelectricchair.com//mrsplace.htm

 Julius Rosenburg and his wife Ethel were the first Americans convicted and executed for treason during peacetime. In 1951, in a trial that lasted only twenty-three days, including jury selection and deliberation, Julius and Ethel were convicted of transmitting the United States' atomic military secrets to Russia. There were several appeals to the Supreme Court, but after a refusal of clemency from President Dwight D. Eisenhower, the Rosenburgs were electrocuted before sundown on June 19, 1953, at Sing Sing Prison in Ossining, New York.

Because the United States was the only country which possessed the intelligence of how to make an atomic bomb, it was believed that someone must have passed on that intelligence to the Russians. Klaus Fuchs, a German-born scientist living in Britain, was arrested and plead guilty to the act in February of 1950. There was increasing pressure on the American FBI because Fuchs said that he had an American courier, who had transmitted the information to the Soviets. The courier, Harry Gold, was arrested and plead guilty in May of 1950. The next man arrested was David Greenglass, Mr. Rosenburg's brother-in-law. Mr. Rosenburg, an engineer who operated a small machine shop with Greenglass, was then arrested because Greenglass fingered him. Greenglass was under pres sure from the FBI to give up a cohort because it was concluded that Greenglass did not have the technical expertise needed and Rosenburg, Greenglass's only communist relative, did. Mrs. Rosenburg was charged because she may have known of the plan and had t o be considered as an accomplice.

Julius Rosenburg's motive was allegedly based on the fact that he was a communist. Because he was a member of the Communist party, it was believed that Julius had allegiance not to his country but to his cause. The impression of communism at the time was that of Soviet Russia and the fighting in Korea.

Today there is still much controversy over the case. The 1940s and 50's were the era of McCarthyism and the Red Scare. Many people believe that this case was a witch-hunt against Communism. In their trial when the Rosenburgs were asked if they were communists, they plead the Fifth Amendment. Many people at that time considered this an admission of guilt. Others say that there was no evidence against the Rosenburgs except the testimony of convicted spies and liers, who were offered leniency in exchange for coming up with names. None of the other people involved were given more than thirty years imprisonment. The country is still split over the innocence or guilt of the Rosenburgs. This controversy has led many to believe that the American judicial system has purposely persecuted innocent citizens. As a result, Americans' trust and alliegance for their judicial system has been affected.

The Rosenburg boys, Michael and Robert, were adopted by the Meeropols and their identity and whereabouts were a secret until Louis Nizer wrote The Implosion Theory in 1973. They sued Nizer because he used personal letters and their new names without their permission. They thought his book was a lie and twisted their parents' lives. So they began giving lectures on their parents and in 1975 wrote their own book titled, We Are Your Sons. They filed a Freedom of Information Act law suit against the government and someday hope to have their parents case reopened.

New evidence has been found to prove and disprove the Rosenburgs' innocence and many books have been written on their case. For more detailed information see the following sources.

Meeropol, Robert & Michael. We Are Your Sons. Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1986.

"Treason," Microsoft ® Encarta. Copyright © 1994 Microsoft Corporation. Copyright © 1994. Funk & Wagnall's Corporation.

Milton, Joyce & Ronald Radosh. The Rosenburg File. New York: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1973.

Sharlitt, Joseph H. Fatal Error. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1989.