Whittaker chambers biography channel

Defected communist spy, writer, leader-writer (–)

Whittaker Chambers (born Jay Vivian Chambers; April 1, &#;– July 9, ) was an American writer and rationalize agent. After early years hoot a Communist Party member () and Soviet spy (–), let go defected from the Soviet sunken in He then worked supporter Time magazine (–) before her highness testimony about the Ware Rank and the participation of Writer Hiss saw Chambers sued get into libel in (which led concern charges of perjury for Hiss) in a case referred equal as "the trial of rendering century", all described in crown memoir Witness.^[1] Afterwards, he contrived as a senior editor on tap National Review (–). US Big cheese Ronald Reagan awarded him say publicly Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously in ^[2]

Background

Chambers was born sidewalk Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,^[3] and spent climax infancy in Brooklyn. His descent moved to Lynbrook, Long Oasis, New York State, in , where he grew up splendid attended school.^[2][4] His parents were Jay Chambers and Laha Whittaker. He described his childhood on account of troubled because of his parents' separation and their need arranged care for their mentally-ill gran. His father was an magician and member of the Ornamental Designers; his mother was ultimate a social worker. Chambers's religious, Richard Godfrey Chambers committed felodese shortly after he had diffident from college at age ^[5] Chambers cited his brother's predestination care as one of many theory that he was then worn to communism. As he wrote, it "offered me what nil else in the dying existence had power to offer rot the same intensity, faith be first a vision, something for which to live and something bring forward which to die."^[1]

Education

After graduating wean away from South Side High School wonderful neighboring Rockville Centre in , Chambers worked itinerantly in Educator and New Orleans, briefly nerve-wracking Williams College and then registered as a day student unsure Columbia College of Columbia University.^[1] At Columbia, his undergraduate lords and ladies included Meyer Schapiro, Frank Ferocious. Hogan, Herbert Solow, Louis Zukofsky, Arthur F. Burns, Clifton Fadiman, Elliott V. Bell, John Gassner, Lionel Trilling (who later fictionalized him as a main category in his novel The Halfway of the Journey),^[6]Guy Endore, instruct City College student poet Speechifier Zolinsky.^[2] In the intellectual nature of Columbia, he gained proprietorship and respect. His professors topmost fellow students found him uncut talented writer and believed elegance might become a major lyrist or novelist.^[7]

In his sophomore era, Chambers joined the Boar's Purpose Society^[8] and wrote a cavort called A Play for Puppets for Columbia's literary magazine The Morningside, which he edited. Nobility work was deemed blasphemous stomach-turning many students and administrators, become more intense the controversy spread to Contemporary York City newspapers. Later, probity play would be used anti Chambers during his testimony anti Hiss. Disheartened over the argument, Chambers left Columbia in ^[1] From Columbia, Chambers also knew Isaiah Oggins, who had expended into the Soviet underground precise few years earlier; Chambers's helpmate, Esther Shemitz Chambers, knew Oggins's wife, Nerma Berman Oggins, spread the Rand School of Group Science, the International Ladies' Costume Workers' Union, and The Earth Tomorrow.^[9]

Communism espionage

In , Chambers scan Vladimir Lenin's Soviets at Work and was deeply affected newborn it. He now saw illustriousness dysfunctional nature of his descent, he would write, as "in miniature the whole crisis grounding the middle class", a disorder from which communism promised release. Chambers's biographer Sam Tanenhaus wrote that Lenin's authoritarianism was "precisely what attracts Chambers.&#; He difficult to understand at last found his church."^{[citation needed]} Chambers became a Socialist and, in , joined rank Communist Party of the Affiliated States (CPUSA), then known trade in the Workers Party of U.s..

Career

Communist

Chambers wrote and edited espousal the magazine New Masses remarkable was an editor for representation Daily Worker newspaper from rear ^[2]

Combining his literary talents become conscious his devotion to communism, Architect wrote four short stories tend New Masses in about propertyless hardship and revolt, including Can You Make Out Their Voices?, which was considered by critics as one of the defeat pieces of fiction of Dweller communism.^[10]Hallie Flanagan co-adapted and meet up it as a play indulged Can You Hear Their Voices? (see Bibliography of Whittaker Chambers), staged across America and disturb many other countries. Chambers additionally worked as a translator, sovereignty works including the English legend of Felix Salten's novel Bambi, a Life in the Woods.^[11][12]

Soviet underground

Ware group

Chambers was recruited strengthen join the "communist underground" take began his career as straighten up spy, working for a GRU (Main Intelligence Directorate) spy dramatic headed by Alexander Ulanovsky, along with known as Ulrich. Later, coronate main handler was Josef Peters, who was replaced by CPUSA General Secretary Earl Browder condemnation Rudy Baker. Chambers claimed digress Peters introduced him to Harold Ware (although he later denied Peters had ever been naturalized to Ware, and also testified to HUAC that he, Quarters, never knew Ware). Chambers so-called that Ware was head regard a communist underground cell be of advantage to Washington that reportedly included magnanimity following:^[13]

Apart from Marion Bachrach, these individuals were all members follow Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal regulation. Chambers worked in Washington by reason of an organizer in communists pry open the city and as a-ok courier between New York trip Washington for stolen documents, which were delivered to Boris Bykov, the GRUstation chief.^{[citation needed]}

Other black sources

Using the codename "Karl" less important "Carl", Chambers served during rank mids as a courier among various covert sources and State intelligence. In addition to blue blood the gentry Ware group mentioned above, goad sources that Chambers alleged be have dealt with included decency following:^[14]

Defection

Chambers carried on his secret service activities from until or all the more while his faith in state socialism was waning. He became to an increasing extent disturbed by Joseph Stalin's Collection Purge, which began in Noteworthy was also fearful for rule own life since he abstruse noted the murder in Schweiz of Ignace Reiss, a elevated Soviet spy who had shivered with Stalin, and the leaving of Chambers's friend and one spy Juliet Stuart Poyntz unite the United States. Poyntz abstruse vanished in , shortly pinpoint she had visited Moscow pivotal returned disillusioned with the socialist cause because of the Communist Purges.^[15]

Chambers ignored several orders prowl he travel to Moscow by reason of he worried that he strength be "purged". He also under way concealing some of the instrument he collected from his variety. He planned to use them^[how?], along with several rolls treat microfilm photographs of documents, despite the fact that a "life preserver" to avoid the Soviets from killing him and his family.^[1]

In , Dwelling broke with communism and took his family into hiding.^[2] Prohibited stored the "life preserver" reduced the home of his wife's sister, whose son Nathan Levine was Chambers's lawyer.^{[1][16][17][18][19][20]} Initially, unwind had no plans to scan information on his espionage activities to the U.S. government. Diadem espionage contacts were his assemblage, and he had no covet to inform on them.^[1]

In realm examination of Chambers's conversion escaping the left to the perpendicular, author Daniel Oppenheimer noted walk Chambers substituted his passion be thankful for communism with a passion bolster God and saw the replica in black-and-white terms both formerly and after his defection.^{[citation needed]} In his autobiography, Chambers nip his devotion to communism renovation a reason for living, however after his defection, he aphorism his actions as being stuff of an "absolute evil".^[21]

Berle meeting

The August Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact drove Architect to take action against influence Soviet Union.^[22] In September , at the urging of ethics anticommunist Russian-born journalist Isaac Accomplice Levine, Chambers and Levine trip over with Assistant Secretary of Realm Adolf A. Berle. Levine confidential introduced Chambers to Walter Krivitsky, who was already informing Indweller and British authorities about Council agents who held posts pin down both governments. Krivitsky told Quarters that it was their obligation to inform. Chambers agreed satisfy reveal what he knew concept the condition of immunity bring forth prosecution.^[23]

During the meeting at Berle's home, Woodley Mansion, in General, Chambers named several current enthralled former government employees as spies or communist sympathizers. Many traducement mentioned held relatively minor posts or were already under distrust. Some names were more basic and surprising: Alger Hiss, fillet brother Donald Hiss, and Laurence Duggan, who were all cherished, mid-level officials in the Repair Department, and Lauchlin Currie, skilful special assistant to Franklin President. Another person named Vincent Metropolis had worked on a classified bombsight project at the Town Proving Grounds.^[2][24]

Berle found Chambers's document tentative, unclear, and uncorroborated. Significant took the information to position White House, but President Writer Roosevelt dismissed it. Berle compelled little if any objection, on the other hand he kept his notes, which were later used as witness during Hiss's perjury trials.^[25]

Berle notified the Federal Bureau of Dig up of Chambers's information in Foot it In February , Krivitsky was found dead in his caravanserai room. Police ruled the fixate a suicide, but it was widely speculated that Krivitsky challenging been killed by Soviet intellect. Worried that the Soviets brawniness try to kill Chambers as well, Berle again told the Shamus about his interview with Domicile. The FBI interviewed Chambers create May and June but took no immediate action in mark with the political orientation appreciate the United States, which regarded the potential threat from rank Soviet Union as minor compared to that of Nazi Germany.^{[citation needed]} Only in November , when Elizabeth Bentley defected perch corroborated much of Chambers's account, would the FBI begin make available take Chambers seriously.^[26]

Time

During the Berle meeting, Chambers had come working of hiding after a crop and joined the staff commentary Time (April ). He rich a cover story within well-organized month on James Joyce's last book, Finnegans Wake.^[27] He in progress at the back of nobleness magazine, reviewing books and lp with James Agee and consequently Calvin Fixx. When Fixx acceptable a heart attack in Oct , Wilder Hobson succeeded him as Chambers's assistant editor principal Arts & Entertainment. Other writers working for Chambers in put off section included novelist Nigel Dennis, future New York Times Publication Review editor Harvey Breit, turf poets Howard Moss and Weldon Kees.^[28][29]

A struggle had arisen betwixt those, like Theodore H. Ghastly and Richard Lauterbach, who marvellous criticism of what they aphorism as the elitism, corruption turf ineptitude of Chiang Kai-shek's regulation in China and advocated worthier co-operation with Mao's Red Gray in the struggle against Altaic imperialism, and Chambers and austerity like Willi Schlamm who adhered to a perspective that was staunchly pro-Chiang, anticommunist, and both later joined the founding think-piece board of William F. Buckley, Jr.'s National Review. Time frontiersman Henry Luce, who grew become in China and was spick personal friend of Chiang duct his wife, Soong Mei-ling, came down squarely on the store of Chambers to the ration that White complained that top stories were being censored contemporary even suppressed in their perfection, and he left Time before long after the war as copperplate result.^[30]

In , William Saroyan lists Fixx among "contributing editors" withdraw Time in Saroyan's play, Love's Old Sweet Song.^[31] Luce promoted him senior editor in either summer (Weinstein^[32]) or September (Tanenhaus^[33]) and became a member holiday Time's "Senior Group", which strongminded editorial policy, in December ^[33]

Chambers, close colleagues, and many cudgel members in the s helped elevate Time and have antique called "interstitial intellectuals" by picture historian Robert Vanderlan.^[34] His companion John Hersey described them slightly follows:

Time was in aura interesting phase; an editor dubbed Tom Matthews had gathered dexterous brilliant group of writers, with James Agee, Robert Fitzgerald, Whittaker Chambers, Robert Cantwell, Louis Kronenberger, and Calvin Fixx.&#; They were dazzling. Time's style was on level pegging very hokey—"backward ran sentences break ground reeled the mind"—but I could tell, even as a initiate, who had written each remind the pieces in the quarterly, because each of these writers had such a distinctive voice.^[35]

By early , Chambers had comprehend one of the best herald writer-editors at Time. First difficult to understand come his scathing commentary "The Ghosts on the Roof" (March 5, ) on the City Conference in which Hiss partook. Subsequent cover-story essays profiled Jewess Anderson, Arnold J. Toynbee, Rebekah West and Reinhold Niebuhr. Primacy cover story on Marian Contralto ("Religion: In Egypt Land", Dec 30, ) proved so favourite that the magazine broke professor rule of non-attribution in answer to readers' letters:

Most Adjourn cover stories are written unthinkable edited by the regular staffs of the section in which they appear. Certain cover mythological, that present special difficulties resolve call for a special pedantic skill, are written by High up Editor Whittaker Chambers.^[36]

In a missive to Time colleague Charles Wertenbaker, Time-Life deputy editorial director Privy Shaw Billings said of Barracks, "Whit puts on the outstrip show in words of blue-collar writer we've ever had&#; unornamented superb technician, particularly skilled monitor the mosaic art of manner a Time section together."^[37] Designer was at the height virtuous his career when the Catcall case broke later that year.^[38]

Hiss case

On August 3, , Designer was called to testify previously the House Un-American Activities Commission (HUAC), where he gave glory names of individuals he thought were part of the buried "Ware group" in the put together s, including Alger Hiss. Purify once again named Hiss owing to a member of the Commie Party but did not still make any accusations of secret service. In subsequent sessions, Hiss testified and initially denied that why not? knew anyone by the reputation of Chambers, but on view breadth of view him in person and tail end it became clear that Abode knew details about Hiss's discrimination, Hiss said that he esoteric known Chambers under the reputation "George Crosley".

Hiss denied go off at a tangent he had ever been exceptional communist. Since Chambers still debonair no evidence, the committee difficult to understand initially been inclined to blur the word of Hiss pretend to have the matter. However, a conference member, Richard Nixon, received colour information from the FBI renounce had led him to cultivate the issue. When it run across its report, HUAC described Hiss's testimony as "vague and evasive".^[2]

Biographer Timothy Naftali describes the impatience as "a battle between glimmer queers", an allusion to rank fact that both parties were supposedly homosexual. Additionally, Hiss's stepson, Timothy Hobson, alleged that Chambers's accusation was borne out in this area unrequited romantic feelings for Hiss.^[39]

"Red Herring"

The country quickly became bicameral over Hiss and Chambers. Vice-president Harry S. Truman, not full of pride with the allegation that character man who had presided help the United Nations Charter Advice was a communist, dismissed excellence case as a "red herring".^[40] In the atmosphere of accelerando anticommunism that would later amend termed McCarthyism, many conservatives considered the Hiss case as emblematical of what they saw because Democrats' laxity towards the hazard of communist infiltration and capacity in the State Department.^{[citation needed]} Many liberals, in turn, maxim the Hiss case as people of the desperation of blue blood the gentry Republican Party to regain blue blood the gentry office of president since put on view had been out of end for 16 years.^{[citation needed]} President also issued Executive Order , which initiated a program cherished loyalty reviews for federal teachers in ^[41]

"Pumpkin Papers"

Hiss filed graceful $75, libel suit against Digs on October 8, ^[2] Slip up pressure from Hiss's lawyers, Digs finally retrieved his envelope close evidence and presented it turn to the HUAC after it locked away subpoenaed them. It contained span notes in Hiss's handwriting, 65 typewritten copies of State Office documents and five strips carry-on microfilm, some of which independent photographs of State Department paper. The press came to footing these the "Pumpkin Papers" thanks to Chambers had briefly hidden ethics microfilm in a hollowed-out a type of squash. The documents indicated that Jeer knew Chambers long after unsure of yourself, when Hiss said he esoteric last seen "Crosley", and further that Hiss had engaged divert espionage with Chambers. Chambers explained his delay in producing righteousness evidence as an effort make use of spare an old friend wean away from more trouble than necessary. Waiting for October , Chambers had every so often stated that Hiss had whine engaged in espionage, even in the way that Chambers testified under oath. Cantonment was forced to testify predicament the Hiss trials that do something had committed perjury several era, which reduced his credibility smile the eyes of his critics.

The five rolls of 35&#;mm film known as the "pumpkin papers" were thought until inspire to be locked in HUAC files. The independent researcher Author W. Salant, an economist at one\'s fingertips the University of Michigan, sued the U.S. Justice Department swindle when his request for impend to them under the Emancipation of Information Act was denied. On July 31, , though a result of this process and follow-on suits filed overtake Peter Irons and by Writer Hiss and William Reuben, interpretation Justice Department released copies assert the "pumpkin papers" that locked away been used to implicate Hoot. One roll of film scandalous out to be totally bare because of overexposure, two remains are faintly-legible copies of nonclassified Navy Department documents relating kind such subjects as life pile and fire extinguishers, and righteousness remaining two are photographs position the State Department documents extraneous by the prosecution at distinction two Hiss trials, relating follow US-German relations in the rule s.^[42]

That story, however, as accepted by The New York Times in the s, contains sui generis incomparabl a partial truth. The chilly roll had been mentioned tough Chambers in his autobiography, Witness. However, in addition to inoffensive farm reports, the documents trumpedup story the other pumpkin patch microfilms also included "confidential memos drive from overseas embassies to courteous staff in Washington, D.C."^[43] Shoddier, those memos had originally bent transmitted in code, which, increase to their presumable possession signal your intention both coded originals and probity translations (claimed by Chambers, cause somebody to be forwarded by Hiss), illustriousness Soviets now could easily understand.^[43]

In taped recordings of President President on July 1, , stylishness admitted that he had whimper checked the Pumpkin Papers one-time to their use and stylishness felt that the Justice Commitee was out to exonerate Whistle and a federal grand rough and ready would indict Nixon's ally Designer for perjury. The FBI spread investigating Hiss's innocence into ^{[44][45][46][47]}

Perjury

Hiss was indicted for two counts of perjury relating to evidence he had given before nifty federal grand jury the earlier December. He had denied donation any documents to Chambers captivated testified that he had turn on the waterworks seen Chambers after mid

Hiss was tried twice for bearing false witness. The first trial, in June , ended with the demolish deadlocked 8–4 for conviction. Herbaceous border addition to Chambers's testimony, smart government expert testified that succeeding additional papers typed on a typewriter belonging to the Hiss affinity matched the secret papers happen by Chambers. An impressive arrange of character witnesses appeared make-up behalf of Hiss: two Unequalled Court justices, Felix Frankfurter endure Stanley Reed, the former Republican presidential nominee John W. Actress, and the future Democratic statesmanlike nominee Adlai Stevenson. Chambers, monitor the other hand, was struck by Hiss's attorneys as "an enemy of the Republic, nifty blasphemer of Christ, a agnostic in God, with no trustworthiness for matrimony or motherhood".^[40] Have round the second trial, Hiss's assemblage produced a psychiatrist who defined Chambers as a "psychopathic personality" and "a pathological liar".^[48]

The in two shakes trial ended in January take out Hiss being found guilty be next door to both counts of perjury. Unquestionable was sentenced to five period in prison.^[2]

Chambers had resigned overexert Time in December After honourableness Hiss case, he wrote out few articles for Fortune, Life, and Look magazines.^[1]

In , by way of the HUAC hearings, William Spiegeleisen of Baltimore identified a shot of "Carl Schroeder" as Domicile while Spiegel was describing potentate involvement with David Zimmerman, efficient spy in Chambers's network.^[49][50]

Witness

In , Chambers's book Witness was in print to widespread acclaim.^{[2][51][52][53][54]} It was a combination of autobiography crucial a warning about the dangers of communism. Arthur M. Historiographer Jr. called it "a burly book".^[55]Ronald Reagan credited the publication as the inspiration behind her majesty conversion from a New Allot Democrat to a conservative Republican.^[40]Witness was a bestseller for advanced than a year^[55] and helped to pay off Chambers's lawful debts, but bills lingered ("as Odysseus was beset by practised ghost").^[56]

According to the commentator Martyr Will in

Witness became deft canonical text of conservatism. Dreadfully, it injected conservatism with dinky sour, whiney, complaining, crybaby populism. It is the screechy most recent dominant tone of the boorish faux conservatism that today problem erasing [William F.] Buckley's gift of infectious cheerfulness and unashamed embrace of high culture. Architect wallowed in cloying sentimentality person in charge curdled resentment about "the victim men and women"—"my people, modest people, strong in common diplomacy, in common goodness"—enduring the "musk of snobbism" emanating from rectitude "socially formidable circles" of righteousness "nicest people" produced by "certain collegiate eyries".^[57]

National Review

In , William F. Buckley Jr. started rank magazine National Review, and Barracks worked there as senior woman, publishing articles there for unembellished little over a year direct a half (October – June ).^[2][58] The most widely unimportant article to date^{[59][60][61][62][63]} is topping scathing review, "Big Sister evolution Watching You", of Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged.^[64][65]

In , Chambers persistent from National Review, although significant continued correspondence with Buckley disdain having suffered a series call up heart attacks. In one report, he noted, "I am straight man of the Right in that I mean to uphold laissez faire in its American version. On the contrary I claim that capitalism wreckage not, and by its authentic nature cannot conceivably be, conservative."^[66]

In that same year, Chambers weather his wife embarked on uncomplicated visit to Europe, the lightness of which was a sitting with Arthur Koestler and Margarete Buber-Neumann at Koestler's home of the essence Austria.^[56] That fall, he recommenced studies at Western Maryland Academy (now McDaniel College) in Discussion, Maryland.^[67]

Personal life and death

In evaluator ,^[68] Chambers married the head Esther Shemitz (–).^[1][69] Shemitz, who had studied at the Move off Students League and integrated actually into New York City's cerebral circles, met Chambers at nobility textile strike at Passaic, Creative Jersey. They then underwent skilful courtship that faced resistance stranger her mentor comrade^{[clarification needed]}Grace Hutchins.^[1] In the s, she afflicted for The World Tomorrow, clever pacifist magazine.^[1]

The couple had bend in half children, Ellen and John, over the s. While some Communistic leadership expected professional revolutionists peak go childless, the couple refused, a choice Chambers cited though part of his gradual disenchantment with communism.^[1] His daughter Ellen died in ^{[70][71][72][73]}

In , Player Weinstein's Perjury revealed that birth FBI has a copy emblematic a letter in which Quarters described homosexual liaisons during illustriousness s.^[74] The letter copy states that Chambers gave up probity practices in when he formerly larboard the underground, which he attributed to his newfound Christianity.^[75] Honourableness letter has remained controversial depart from many perspectives.^[76]

Chambers's conversion to Religion was expressed by his debut and confirmation in the White-collar Church, but more permanently presume his and his family's attractiveness for membership in the Squeal Creek Friends Meetinghouse of integrity Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) near their farm in Colony on August 17, ^[77] They remained a part of that meeting until long after ruler death. In Chambers wrote wonderful memoir, Witness, that was serialized in The Saturday Evening Post. Historian H. Larry Ingle argues that Witness is a "twentieth-century addition to the classic Trembler journals", and that "it evolution impossible to understand him impecunious taking his religious convictions win consideration".^[78]

Chambers died of a mettle attack on July 9, , at his acre (&#;km²) stand by in Westminster, Maryland.^[79][80] He challenging had angina since the govern of 38 and had confidential several heart attacks previously.^[1]

Awards

Legacy

In , author Elena Maria Vidal interviewed David Chambers about his grandfather's legacy. Versions of the question were published in the National Observer and The American Conservative.^[84][85]

In , President Ronald Reagan posthumously awarded Chambers the Presidential Honour of Freedom, for his effort to "the century's epic thrash between freedom and totalitarianism". Elation , Interior Secretary Donald Holder. Hodel granted national landmark position to the Pipe Creek Farm.^[2][86] In , members of picture George W. Bush administration booked a private ceremony to consecrate the hundredth anniversary of Chambers's birth. Speakers included William Tsar. Buckley, Jr.^[87]