'CRAZY' SPY FINALLY FREED

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00149R000300410012-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 17, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 27, 2000
• Sequence Number: 12
• Publication Date: May 15, 1964
• Content Type: NSPR

~_py Ur/e-p/,e-(
Lrno~i7
,,i
/- k or dl6-a & 00/08
"ZO NEWS MAY 1 5 19
CPYRGHT
One day. I snatched an injection syringe, stuck it into
my arm and threatened to "inject air into my veins," and
kill myself.
r was allowed-to -write a
Then I surrendered the instrument.
i
The next day, I was called into the warden's office. He
lectured me and warned I "had to realize I was a crim-
inal." When I tried to answer he backhanded me across
the face. I punched. him right back. It took five guards to
subdue me. I was dragged back to my cell, my !a
ce and
body a welter of black bruises.
The next, day my East German lawyer arrived. He coun-
seled me to "cooperate more readily." He told me we- had ,
heard from my mother, and that she was welL
This is the. last installment in the exclusive
account of the author's experienFes at the hands of
Communist agents. Miss Hammerstein was released
March, 26 after serving '27 months in Russian and
i, 'East Germa'ii jails.
By GAIBRIELE HAMMERSTEIN
(as told to Peter Hahn)
(Copyrlsbt, 1964, by North American Newspaper Ainance. Inc.
NEW YORK - I faced the judge of the East
German "People's Court," and heard him pro-
nounce my sentence for- "espionage."
"In the name of the people of the German Democratic ike
public, I hereby sentence you to six years of penal servitude."
My "henous crimes" had been that I fooled the Russia:
w,unwes mace a tougn ror me. 1 decided to press for transfer
to. a prison hospital.-
So I became quietly happily "na.oa " T became silent . ~,..,t_
I ink to myself all the time. I took the garbage .--an in our cell
anii banged it against the door, shrieking with laughter for two
hours or so. Then I refused 'to eat, get up, keep up my bodily
hygiene.
Afte
b
i
f
r some
eat
ngs
rom the guards, I was transferred to.,
Waldheim, near Karl Marx City (formerly Chemnitz),'close to
the Czechoslovakian border.
Waldhelin, a penitentiary with a separate prison hospital,
secret service into believing I was feeding them secret docu
1 ments from U. S. intelligence files. But the "documents" ha
been fabrications.. ,
I wasn't' allowed legal counsel. I wasn't allowed to see a
American consular official. After five months in Russian' jails
.. I was handed to the Germans for sentencing. And their kanga
roo court did its work.
1st Lt: "Bubi," and Maj. Turpylin took me to the judges
chambers.
"Why don't you make It easy for yourself? We can us
English-speaking prisoners. We could let you live in Moscow
almgst' a _ free woman, while you did broadcasting work for us
Or we could use you for writing radio scripts on our propa
Banda programs." -'
I told them their suggestion was' ridiculous.
I was transferred to Halberstadt Penitentiary, where about
500 victims of Red police terror are paying their "debt to Corn
munist society.",
There were only nine women in the maximum-security
cellblock where I was held. All had been sentenced for espionage.
I.shared a cell with 2 women.
I refused to work.- I demanded, a visit from U. S. au
Ns.look
was heaven compared with Halberstadt, We were still confined
to cells, but the treatment was that accorded sick patients.
Meanwhile, my lawyer told me the U. S. government was'
oing, everything possible to effect my 'release. Then; In April
1963, I was told my mother had come to see me. She whispered
I
here was a chance. for freedom.
In February, I? was notified ? by my lawyer that I "might
pe released within a few months,"
On March 24, the great day came. I was taken to Hohen
choenhausen near Berlin once more. Maj. Tuipylin and Lt.
"Bubi" tried to get me to ask "for political asylum" in East
"
ermany or Russia. 1 just laughed at them.
I was handed to a U. S. Military Mission representative. An
merican, car whisked .7e through the wall to West Berlin. '
\ly mother had joined is, and we were ;flown to Frankfurt,
here we hoarded a U. 5 ? ncund jet.
As 'our plane winged toward Now York, I reflected on the
Last 27 months. It had been worth the pain, anguish and fear.
he fact that I had deterred the Reds even a little, while they
rdeal.
Approved For Release 2000/08/27 CIA-RDP75-00149R000300410012-4