Last month Federal Judge Alvin Hellerstein ordered the release of David Greenglass' 1950 Grand Jury testimony against my parents, Ethel and Julius Rosenberg. The statements of most of the Grand Jury witnesses, including Ruth Greenglass, were released in 2008, but at that time David Greenglass was still alive and objected to the release of his testimony. Greenglass family members still object, and the window to appeal Hellerstein's ruling has not yet closed, so a further delay remains possible. It is more likely, however, that there will be no appeal, and this final disclosure will occur before the end of the summer.
This is big news. When Ruth Greenglass' testimony was released, it caused a minor sensation in the mainstream media. Although she was a cooperating witness and under oath, Ruth made no mention of my mother typing David Greenglass' handwritten notes. At trial the next year, both the Greenglasses swore that Ethel typed notes from their key espionage meeting; that testimony resulted in my mother's execution.
If David's statements echo Ruth's, they will provide further proof that David and Ruth invented their decisive testimony against my mother at some time between their Grand Jury appearance and the trial. That would not surprise me; after reviewing the FBI files and other records in the 1980's, my brother and I came to that conclusion, although the mainstream media ignored us. However, I did not expect that either Ruth's or David's Grand Jury testimony would differ so starkly from what they swore to at trial.
I predict that when David's transcript is released, the media will pounce on this increasingly compelling evidence of my mother's innocence. That's a bombshell, but they may miss the bigger story.
The core of the government's case was that my parents met with the Greenglasses on September 25th, 1945 at the Rosenberg apartment in New York City. At that meeting, the Greenglasses claimed, David gave a sketch of the cross-section of the atomic bomb to my father, and Ethel typed David's accompanying hand-written notes. The prosecutor claimed this drawing gave away the most important secret known to mankind, and in summarizing the case against Ethel, dramatically stated that as Ethel hit the keys, she struck blow upon blow against her country.
What the media missed is that Ruth's Grand Jury testimony made no mention whatsoever of the September 25th meeting. I bet David's won't mention it either. I'm confident of this because a careful analysis of Soviet and US Government files indicate that Ruth Greenglass transmitted David's sketch to a KGB agent, without my parents' involvement, on December 21st, 1945 and that the sketch was logged in to the KGB files on December 27th. There is no evidence, other than the Greenglass's trial testimony, that a September meeting ever took place. Furthermore, David's sketch was flawed and worthless, and if it had been given to my father in September it should have arrived in Moscow no later than early October.
Your courage and determination are inspiring. I will keep a good thought that this testimony exonerates Mrs. Rosenberg. David Greenglass turned up o 60 Minutes some years back-with an awful disguise.It seems he spent a long life trying to justify himself. He is now deceased? Is there any contact with his children?
Thank you for your comment. David Greenglass died last summer. His children have changed their name and shun publicity. My brother and I are easy to find, and would be willing to talk with them if they contact us.
I only wish I had read your blog before meeting you briefly at the CCR First Wednesday gathering on July 1, at which your wife Rachel and daughter Ellen made an impressive presentation. I of course was aware of the ups and downs of attitudes toward the Rosenberg case over the years, as I was in high school at the time, and had a politically aware family. Over the years I followed commentaries and shifting interpretations, and knew about your family foundation. The 50s, 60s, and following of course shaped my evolving views. I also knew Rachel was your daughter when I heard her at CCR gatherings. Had I read parts of your blog--and Rachel's-- I would have been able to tell you how much I admired it. Very moving and rigorously honest.