Ethel and Julius

Ethel and JuliusSuper Secret Agents

Scandalous!

Ethel (Greenglass) Rosenberg

• Sept. 25, 1915 – June 19, 1953• New Yorker• Grew up super poor• Aspiring actress/singer

Julius RosenbergJulius Rosenberg

• May 12, 1918 – June 19, 1953• New Yorker

• Youth Communist Leader• Accused of espionage

Accusations of Soviet Espionage

• The Rosenbergs were accused of sending Soviet researchers information about the Manhattan Project.

• Worked with Sobell, Fuch, Greenglass, Feklisov, Perl, Gold, etc.

• “Worse than murder”• 1,000’s of reports sent via

Emerson Radio about technology USSR used to later shoot down U-2 planes.

Two Year Struggle• The case against the

Rosenbergs lasted two years

• Julius was unswayed by charges against Ethel

• David Greenglass, Ethel’s brother, testified against the two.

• Ethel was not allowed to appear domestic during the trial.

June 19, 1953• The pair were sentenced to

death after many attempted appeals on their behalf

• 4 of the 5 needed Supreme Justices changed their vote against the execution

• Letters, demonstrations, and a message from the Pope for mercy were made in their defense.

• Their two young sons picketed, “Don’t kill my Mommy and Daddy.”

• Death by electrocution (twice for Ethel)

Unguiltified• In the years after her

death, Greenglass admitted that though his sister was seen typing notes – it was possible that she was not a part of the espionage.

• However, Julius Rosenberg was undeniably guilty.