New book takes a deep dive into the life of judge who sentenced Ethel and Julius Rosenberg

Ethel and Julius Rosenberg's trial for espionage captured the nation's attention in 1951. The judge in the case, Irving Robert Kaufman, sentenced the couple to death in an infamous decision. Now, Martin J. Siegel is taking a look at Kaufman's life and reexamining his legacy. Michelle Miller has more.
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[@247drycleaners9]

Alger Hiss always claimed that he was innocent too. Soviet documents decades later proved his guilt.

[@libertyann439]

The Rosenbergs had two little boys. There is a letter by Michel, the older boy, a plea to Eisenhower to spare their lives. It's exhibited at The Smithsonian.

[@user-zv7jq7hq1p]

the parents sold secrets and we're dealt with. No news here. Note to self: don't want to get executed, don't sell out the country you live. Simple Justice doing its thing.

[@MalEvansUSA]

They let their children down. They were horrible parents and awful people

[@sgraham4533]

@@user-zv7jq7hq1p too bad that isn’t still the policy. If it was half of our federal and state government would be in jail.

[@margaritoamargo6347]

@@user-zv7jq7hq1p Might want to remind the Republicans of this. They seem to believe Russian spies more than their own government.

[@fd9987]

@@user-zv7jq7hq1p. The Rosenbergs were guilty but did not deserve the penalty. They sold nuclear secrets. But without those secrets, Russia would have developed the bomb anyway. Scientists estimate that these secrets gave Russia a one year technology leap. That’s hardly an advantage. In addition, his brother railroaded him, and decades later, admitted to it to save his own life.

[@warrenbarnes9653]

I understand that, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia released certain information that indicated that the Rosenbergs had, in fact, provided them with information related to the U.S. nuclear program. So it appears correct that the Rosenbergs were convicted of espionage. However, I would not have wanted them to be executed. I believe that the Rosenbergs were the last people executed for that crime. I am sure that other commenters will correct me if I am mistaken on that point.

[@runoz2839]

12 days ago & no one has said any thing... 🙇🙇🙇🙇🙇🙇🙇🙇 seems not only intentional but very bias compared to the guy ACTIVELY in military putting things on the web, for so long got to pled to guilty what did he get ??? is it cuz he didn't sell them or hand them straight over to foreign (individual's) ??? smells aquatic.. 🦎🐲🐠🐟🐳🐋🐬🦈🦭🐧🦂🐙🦑🦀🦞🦐🐚💧

[@lindaestoll1104]

That’s what I remember, too. KGB released records show they were employed by Russia. The death penalty was the law and their choice to betray their country.

[@runoz2839]

@@lindaestoll1104 but also why was that law changed ??? guess... 🤨

[@leighfoulkes7297]

I could be wrong but I think Julies was guilty but Ethel was innocent or innocent on this occasion.

[@TGWazoo1]

It was already known both were guilty before the collapse of the USSR. The Venona decrypts could not be made public until Sen. Patrick Moynihan was able to get them unclassified decades later. This is what caused all the controversy about whether or not they were guilty.

[@Pou1gie1]

Apparently, even the Rosenberg's own son recently had to admit that they were guilty.

[@tananario23]

Link.

[@adofominka8767]

How would somebody who was a youth at the time know?

[@vivalaleta]

He was a child when his parents were executed. He does know more than anyone else.

[@adofominka8767]

@@vivalaleta sure he does

[@adofominka8767]

This judge did the same thing every judge does. That is do what the State wants them to do. They are nothing more than a rubber stamps for the repression, exploitation, and degradation of the state against ordinary people.

[@VW613]

Ethel was murdered. Julius, it turns out was a traitor.

[@searchthewind99]

How was he a traitor? I'd really like to know the facts.

[@VW613]

@@searchthewind99 He wanted to send/share the secrets for building an atomic bomb with Russia. He had knowledge of some parts of that and shared it with Russian agents. It would be difficult for any one person to pass the complete construction details of that type of bomb. But nonetheless he would have given them whatever information he could have.

[@searchthewind99]

@@VW613 From what I have gathered most of the evidence consisted of testimony from Julius' brother in law. The information provided by Greenglass was of little value and without either of the Rosenberg's assistance. Neither Rosenberg was a member of the atomic spy ring that stole the bomb secret. Julius did engage in non atomic espionage for the Soviets during the war when they were allies of the West. I think they were looking for scapegoats and because Julius was a Communist Party member, he was a perfect target.

[@hint0122]

She was just as guilty as he was.

[@searchthewind99]

@@hint0122 There's questions as to that.

[@mac609]

For anyone that has been to the museum, are there enough places to sit? I've been dying to go to the museum, but both me and my husband and I have some physical limitations.

[@w.urlitzer1869]

roy cohn.

[@WaitingtoHit]

Roy Cohn.

[@chloedoritoloco8537]

🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩

[@osirismoon]

Lowest common denominator

[@vvevv88]

Remarkable. So glad the story stuck with him over 30 years. More people deserve to know about the Rosenbergs.

[@EP-hm5ue]

Yeah. That the Rosenbergs were guilty as hell.

[@JasonNowak-Estrada-wu1fv]

Maybe she didn’t deserve to die but she (Ethel) knew what her husband and brother were doing!!!!

[@tranurse]

True, David Greenglass’s wife was involved in it too. Ethel probably did know, but a wife back then probably wouldn’t have turned in her husband.

[@yucol5661]

Yeah. We can condemn the judge and their crime both at the same time

[@kevoneill159]

My recollection of books on the subject he was in constant contact with the government and agreed to the death penalty that was pivotal in being selected and yes upon the fall of the soviet union evidence showed their involvement. Her brother who actually stole the secrets got 10 years

[@Tim.NavVet.EN2]

Part of the reason why both got the death sentence seems to be that there was a (Soviet )master spy handler, and they knew his (her?) name. The Feds were hoping that they would give up the name for a lesser sentence.....

[@thewebdiva5903]

Why would Russia admit the used the Rosenberg as spies? What did they get out of it?

[@swoozie65v]

I live right by the fort he worked for and never even knew it😮. You would think they would have taught us that in school since soo close but no.

[@kellywright540]

Venona baby, Venona! We had scooped up thousands of messages sent by the Soviets and started cracking them in the 1940's and early 1950's. The program was code named Venona and started identifying spies. Though not by name, the FBI was able to match people to travel and then their association with other spies. For instance, a certain spy code named Homer who worked at the British consulate was traveling back and forth between DC and New York to visit his pregnant wife during the months of January through May in 1949. Well, you go through a list of people working at the British consulate and just by coincidence, Donald Maclean's wife was pregnant during those months and was staying in New York. And now you have identified a spy. Same thing with Julius Rosenberg and he was guilty as hell. Ethel was mentioned to but just in passing. They tried to get Julius to drop some dimes on other spies but he was really wrapped up in that whole communist stuff. Did he deserve the chair? Everything that I have read says yep. Did Ethel? There's a whole debate about that and many, including the FBI liaison with the Venona Project thought she should have done just 20 or 30 years. The evidence though, for Julius was there but they couldn't say where the evidence really came from. Venona was so top secret that even President Truman wasn't told about the project. The one person who DID know about the project was Kim Philby, the British double agent who leaked it's existence to Moscow in the late 1940's. The Venona project started in 1943 and ended in 1980. Full disclosure of the Venona project came in 1995.

[@teamcougars]

I don’t understand how people can be ashamed of where they come from, especially if they are from a hardworking family tree not everyone is rich or born into money my parents were very hardworking lowr middle class, ya more money would have been nice and made life easier, I never ever was ashamed of my parents it gave me a good work ethic and pride for what we did have my dad always made sure I had what I needed and a good portion of what I wanted not to mention I never went to bed hungry thankfully, I have always had the uptmost respect for my parents ❤❤ they worked hard and we always had small trips, usually camping as a family in the summer both of my parents were gone now and I miss them terribly, especially my dad he was truly one of my very best friends I would sell my soul to have just one more day and conversation with him and to have one more hug from him he gave the very best hugs you felt them through your entire body and you felt like you could take on anything or anyone after a hug from him I had a massive ischemic stroke 9 years ago and recovery has been so hard without him by my side 😢

[@runoz2839]

WELL SPOKEN & EXPRESSED🙌... GOD BLESS YOU & YOUR FAMILY ... ESPECIALLY DAD 🙏

[@runoz2839]

cuz

[@paulleach5081]

“All-American couple”? Hardly. Guilty or not they were very unusual.

[@briandelaney9710]

Stalinists were not all American

[@paulleach5081]

@@briandelaney9710 A lot of Russian immigrants in America thought the Soviet Union was a big success and because Stalin helped defeat fascism he was our good friend. But spying for the Soviets was still spying. And Stalin was a monster.

[@AlbertSpeerPhd]

LOL "Seemingly all American couple" what a joke.

[@JFKismyhusband_]

Have you read speers books he wrote while inprisoned?

[@kdizzle901]

That’s become the journalists go to line

[@gretaweiss6802]

It took him “30 years to pen Judgment and Mercy “ because look how he types! With one finger! 😮😂 1:03

[@CJinMono]

His life and legacy will always have a stain on it. Bravo to the person who stood up and spoke out at that funeral.

[@EP-hm5ue]

Rosenbergs we’re guilty as sin.

[@scotthockenberry3085]

He carried out the law, whether or not you oppose the death penalty as I do.

[@chicagoeconomist1643]

Are we claiming he didn’t give nukes to the Russians?

[@CyberneticOrganism01]

The trial would be controversial even now. We're still living in a continuing Cold War. Stalin and the Soviet Union were bad, but that doesn't mean the Rosenbergs deserve the death penalty.

[@ilhuicatlamatini]

Wow, fascinating career

[@tapptom]

Both were Jews and Cohn hated his own Jew bgk

[@jamesmcenaneymcenaney5297]

Japanese Americans were greatest Americans in WW2. Were they self hating?

[@TRHARTAmericanArtist]

They helped a monster - Stalin. No tears for the Rosenbergs.

[@CyberneticOrganism01]

They may not have that in mind when they did it. They were helping the Russian people.

[@hus390]

Guilty as charged! Soviet papers of the era revealed that they were indeed traitors!

[@CyberneticOrganism01]

"Knowledge of atomic research should not be the private property of any one country but should be shared with the rest of the world for the benefit of mankind." -- Klaus Fuchs, nuclear physicist who shared atomic bomb secrets with Russians. Let's remember these words for his sake.

[@davanmani556]

No Jews on the jury and the case took place in Brooklyn. He went to Fordham University.

[@darrylnelson05]

Duality of Man

[@margo3367]

Fascinating. The McCarthy era was a dark time in American politics. Now, we have another of Roy Cohn’s acolytes running for President. Another dark time in America.

[@hint0122]

It wasn't a dark time, based on what we know about how many people were spies

[@MiaTheodoratus]

Still guilty of murdering them.

[@PeterPan54167]

The gave the Soviet Union blueprints to the bomb. Everyone knew they were guilty.

[@user-yr4xm7iz5b]

Julius’ Soviet code name- “Liberal”…not ironic at all

[@cythatnerd]

His code name was Antenna

[@user-yr4xm7iz5b]

@@cythatnerd his code name WAS Antenna- then changed to Liberal

[@bkboy87]

30 years to write a book? Makes sense if you're only typing with two fingers.

[@CyberneticOrganism01]

books need research

[@caliconservative407]

But trump walks free😮

[@user-zv7jq7hq1p]

and liberals are harming every child in the US. .... oh well, we all end up in the same spot.

[@tapptom]

SCHINE was Cohns BFs name!

[@Jewish.Redneck.Hybrid]

As he should, but Biden should get the Rosenberg Treatment.

[@newtongrubby]

They were murdered

[@user-yr4xm7iz5b]

The death penalty, as it turns out, is the penalty, for treason of that degree

[@seand67]

Bye spies

[@hus390]

A shoddy CBS reporter indeed. Judge Kaufman’s decision are still popular and widely supported today.

[@japanjack62]

A wise sentence...

[@davevogelar9965]

They were traitors.

[@zoebear1992]

I didn't know this and the fact they were murdered by our country is very sad, prison yes but 💀 NO. The punishment doesn't fit the crime. No one's life is worth less than money, power, fame, drugs, material things.

[@clarissanickersonfourman]

Yet Trump is still allowed to wander around. Interesting.

[@user-vd2jk7dl3p]

He hasn't committed treason. Of course Biden has allowed our border to be completely overrun and we know that people from the terrorist watch list are coming over. We have caught some of them but no clue how many got away. Yet there is no impeachment for Biden. Clearly does not care about this country.

[@fatimamirza2100]

Not just “wander around” but get a rerun for POTUS. He’ll win too!

[@rad4579]

there was no insurrection.

[@AriusBLK]

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. The Rosenthal’s made a decision, they met the consequences. Period.

[@melissageiger71]

Off the subject totally but ..why is it now fashionable fot ladies to cross one foot over the other while standing? Looks like they have to pee really bad. I don't understand it at all but welcome to the future.. it's fashionable to be goofy

[@lg5683]

The Clintons?

[@ge0rgeharris218]

The Clinton's haven't anything to do with this! Your out of context as there isn't anything even close to that case!

[@el7jake]

Oh, come ON, people! Stop dragging current politics into this story.

[@kathyestes6577]

@@el7jakeCurrent politics are strongly influenced by the same issues. But I am not aware of anything relevant to the Clintons. Russian interference has been shown in the republicans party.

[@tananario23]

Don’t forget to vote April 15th!

[@brianberman72]

You meant Bush

[@sallybrown4947]