Iliya Vatenberg

Journalist and lawyer. A polyglot. Emigrated from Austria–Hungary to the United States in 1921. Moved to the Soviet Union in 1934. Worked as a journalist and as an editor in the English Section of the Foreign Languages Publishing House. A member of the Jewish Anti-Fascist Committee (JAC), established in 1942 to raise support for the Soviet Union from 'Jewish brothers throughout the world'. The activities of the JAC helped pave the way for the opening of the Second Front.

Arrested in January 1949, he was charged with Jewish nationalism, establishing an anti-Soviet underground organisation, ties to American intelligence, and high treason. The testimony against him was fabricated, and beatings and torture were used during the investigation. The trial was held behind closed doors–without the public and without the participation of either the prosecution or the defence. In July 1952, he was sentenced to death by firing squad with confiscation of property. He was executed on 12 August 1952. His ashes were interred in Common Grave No. 3 for unclaimed ashes at the New Donskoy Cemetery in Moscow. He was rehabilitated in 1955.

1950s

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The Final Statement

‘Since 1929, I have served the Soviet Union faithfully in the field of foreign trade, saving hundreds of thousands of roubles in Soviet foreign currency, and then, for nine years, I devoted all my strength to work on the ideological front.’

Citizens of the Court! Everything concerning the case materials has already been said. I only wish to draw the Court’s attention to the fact that all the evidence in this case directly proves my innocence, and that the charges are based solely on my own statements made during the preliminary investigation–statements which I have completely retracted. I gave those statements under the pressure of the circumstances that prevailed during the preliminary investigation. I do not wish to disclose those reasons in full, but if the Court deems it possible to believe me, I ask that I be acquitted.

If, however, the Court finds me guilty, I ask it to take into account that since 1921 I have followed the path of Lenin and Stalin as a member of the Communist Party. Since 1929 I have served the Soviet Union faithfully in the field of foreign trade, saving the Soviet state hundreds of thousands of roubles in foreign currency, and afterwards devoted nine years of all my strength to ideological work.

I also ask the Court to take into account that I chose the Soviet Union as my homeland when I was already a mature man, and I had no reason to betray that homeland.

If the Court finds me guilty, I ask that, in passing sentence, it take into consideration both my service and the time I have already spent in pre-trial detention. Although I do not know what I am to be punished for, if the Court believes that I have not yet been punished sufficiently, I ask that it impose such a sentence as would allow me to make use of my knowledge while living at home. I also ask that, should my wife be convicted, we be allowed to serve our sentences together.

I would also like to state that the record of my interrogation of 26 May 1949 was not a verbatim transcript. Later I came to understand why that record had been prepared. Before the interrogation I was told that Talmi had already been arrested and had pleaded guilty to every charge brought against him, but later I saw that he had in fact been arrested on the basis of my own statements. I declare before the Court that my statements concerning Talmi were false.

I also declare before the Court that I am innocent of both espionage and nationalism.

11 July 1952
Judicial Collegium of the Supreme Court, Moscow, Soviet Union.
Source: Unjust Trial: Stalin’s Last Execution.
For further information: Wikipedia.
Photo: Yevgeny Berkovich Portal.