National Archives Hosts Ethel and Julius Rosenberg's Son and Granddaughter November 12
Press Release · Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Washington, DC
Screening and discussion of “Heir to an Execution: A Granddaughter’s Story”
More Information
On Wednesday, November 12, at 7 PM, the National Archives hosts Michael and Ivy Meeropol, the son and granddaughter of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg, for a screening and discussion of Ivy Meeropol’s documentary Heir to an Execution. This will be their first public appearance following the recent death of David Greenglass, Ethel’s brother and the lead witness for the government against the Rosenbergs.
This event is free and open to the public and will be held in the William G. McGowan Theater of the National Archives Building in Washington, DC. Reservations are recommended and can be made online. For those without reservations, seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. The doors to the building will open 45 minutes prior to the start of the program. Attendees should use the Special Events entrance, located on Constitution Avenue at 7th Street, NW. The building is fully accessible. Metro: Yellow or Green lines, Archives/Navy Memorial station.
Heir to an Execution: A Granddaughter’s Story
The trial and execution of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg during the height of the Cold War shook America. They were found guilty of providing secret information about atomic weapons technology to the USSR. The couple was sentenced to death on April 5, 1951 and were executed in June of 1953. In Heir to an Execution (2004; 99 minutes), the Rosenbergs’ granddaughter Ivy Meeropol searches for the “true” Rosenbergs and tries to answer the question that has haunted her family: What drove the Rosenbergs to sacrifice their lives and jeopardize the future of their children? Following the screening, Michael Meeropol will join his daughter to discuss the film and answer audience questions. Presented in conjunction with the exhibit “Making Their Mark: Stories Through Signatures,” in the Lawrence F. O’Brien Gallery of the National Archives Building through January 5, 2015.
Rosenberg-related records at the National Archives
- Read the heartbreaking letter written by Michael Rosenberg (now Meeropol) to the President, pleading: “Please don’t leave my brother and I without a Mommy and Daddy.” This original letter is in the Making Their Mark exhibit.
- Read formerly secret Grand Jury testimony transcripts from the trial of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg. These transcripts and trial evidence are held at the National Archives at New York.
- View the Universal News Clip from April 5, 1951, announcing the death penalty verdict.
- See the Jell-O Box Exhibit used in the espionage trial and read the Pieces of History blog post about this unusual piece of evidence.
- Examine documents from the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library that detail one of the first decisions facing the recently inaugurated President: whether to grant executive clemency to the Rosenbergs:
- Read the emotional appeal from Ethel Rosenberg to President Eisenhower, urging him to “take counsel with your good wife; of statesmen there are enough and to spare.”
- See the telegram from Julius’s mother to Mamie Eisenhower: “I beg of you to act… for an old woman whose days are spent weeping.”
To verify the date and times of the programs, view the Calendar of Events online.
# # #
For press information contact the National Archives Public Affairs staff at 202-357-5300.
Connect with the National Archives on:
Twitter: @USNatArchives
Facebook: USNationalArchives
Tumblr: http://usnatarchives.tumblr.com
15-12
This page was last reviewed on December 18, 2018.
Contact us with questions or comments.