GARY POWERS (LETTER OF THANKS FM ABEL FAMILY FOR RETURN OF ABEL)

Created: 4/4/1962

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

SUBJECT: Letter-al Tha.aka From Abel's Family

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Ta* followingranslation of the textetterecrae from the wife and daughter of Rodolt Ivanovtch ABELpublished la lava alia ooebruary;

"TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEViSFAFER 'IZVfcSTJYA1

Comrade Editor!

Helen and Lidia ABEL, the wife and riaofbtcr of Rudolf AREL--requeatr.liuo of our letter in yourin order that the entire public of the Soviet Colon might kasw about the humane act of the Soviet government.

J>je to denunciation by an adventurer and provocateur, our hoebssd and Lather Rudolfs Innocently arrested while tn.7 and accused of antt-atate crimes, allegedly because he conducted espionage oa behalf of the Soviet Union. Ha wss illegally sentenced to thirty yean of panal imprisonment.

"All our multiple aflorte Inward pardon fordear, innocently aeatenced lather and husband, including those to Lha Prasideal of the Unitnd Stataa, did nnt achieve positive reaolts.

urned to tha Soviet gcrcrnii.-nt and effected contact with relatives oi F. POWERS, sentenced In the USSR. From their side they appealed to the government of the USSR with tha request that ha bo pardoned and requested the government of. tocropletely is this matter.

"Tha Soviet authorities reacted favorably to these requests. Aaknown. F. POWERS waa freed. ebruary of thla year became for as,reat holiday. On that day the American government returned lo our larrily its father and husband.

Theranslation of- letter purporting

lo come fromife and daughter ol Rudolf ivanovich ABEi.a publishedeatU oo

"TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEWSPAPER

"Esteemed Comrade Editor I

and Udiahe wife and daughter oi Rudaifthe printing of our letter io fOOt paperorder that the eotlre public ot the Soviet Cniun might know about the humane act of tba Soviet government.

Do* to denunciation by en adventurer end provocateur, our huaband and father Rudolf ABEL,,innocently .trresfed while in. inT and accused of aati-*Uta Crimea, allegedly because he conducted espionage oa behalf of the Soviet Union. He was Illegally aenteuced to thirty years of penal imprisonment.

"AH our naulttplt efforts toward parifor ecr dear. Innocently sentenced tether arid husband! Including those to the President of the Unitnd StaUa, did not achieve positive results.

"Thereupon we turned to the Soviet government aad effected contact with relatives of F. POWERS, seateaced la th* USSR. From their aideppealed to th* government of the USSRta* request that he be pardoned and requested the jovernroeat ai. to reciprocate completely in thla matter.

Soviet authorities reacted favorably to these requests. As la known, F. POWERSfreed. ebruary of this year became inr us,reat holiday. Cn that day the American gtfverameal returned to our faintly ita father sad husband.

ApprovedFP m

Original document.

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