Helen Levitov Sobell
Encyclopedia
Helen Levitov Sobell was the wife of Morton Sobell
and she petitioned to save the Rosenbergs.
she worked at the National Bureau of Standards as a spectrometer
technician. In 1938 she married Clarence Darrow Gurewitz and they divorced in 1945.
She went to work at the General Electric Company in Schenectady, New York
where she met, then married Morton Sobell
. She studied physics at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
. After moving to New York City
in 1947. She was awarded an M.S. from Columbia University
in 1950.
After being accused of spying, she and her husband fled to Mexico. They were abducted on August 16, 1950 and were turned over to the Federal Bureau of Investigation
. She was not prosecuted, but her husband was convicted of "conspiracy to commit espionage" and sentenced to 30 years in federal prison
.
She then taught science at the Elisabeth Irwin High School. Her husband was released from prison in 1969. She then got her Ph.D.
in computer education from Teachers College, Columbia University
in 1972. The Sobells divorced in 1980 and she moved to San Francisco in 1981.
She had Alzheimer's disease
and died on April 15, 2002 at a nursing home in Redwood City.
Morton Sobell
Morton Sobell is a former spy for the Soviet Union. Sobell was an American engineer working for General Electric and Reeves Electronics on military and government contracts. He was found guilty of spying for the Soviets , and sentenced to 30 years in prison...
and she petitioned to save the Rosenbergs.
Biography
She was born on March 13, 1918 in Washington, DC as Helen Levitov. She attended Wilson Teachers College. During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
she worked at the National Bureau of Standards as a spectrometer
Spectrometer
A spectrometer is an instrument used to measure properties of light over a specific portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, typically used in spectroscopic analysis to identify materials. The variable measured is most often the light's intensity but could also, for instance, be the polarization...
technician. In 1938 she married Clarence Darrow Gurewitz and they divorced in 1945.
She went to work at the General Electric Company in Schenectady, New York
Schenectady, New York
Schenectady is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 66,135...
where she met, then married Morton Sobell
Morton Sobell
Morton Sobell is a former spy for the Soviet Union. Sobell was an American engineer working for General Electric and Reeves Electronics on military and government contracts. He was found guilty of spying for the Soviets , and sentenced to 30 years in prison...
. She studied physics at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Stephen Van Rensselaer established the Rensselaer School on November 5, 1824 with a letter to the Rev. Dr. Samuel Blatchford, in which van Rensselaer asked Blatchford to serve as the first president. Within the letter he set down several orders of business. He appointed Amos Eaton as the school's...
. After moving to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1947. She was awarded an M.S. from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in 1950.
After being accused of spying, she and her husband fled to Mexico. They were abducted on August 16, 1950 and were turned over to the Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
. She was not prosecuted, but her husband was convicted of "conspiracy to commit espionage" and sentenced to 30 years in federal prison
Federal prison
Federal prisons are run by national governments in countries where subdivisions of the country also operate prisons.In the United States federal prisons are operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. In Canada the Correctional Service of Canada operates federal prisons. Prison sentences in these...
.
She then taught science at the Elisabeth Irwin High School. Her husband was released from prison in 1969. She then got her Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in computer education from Teachers College, Columbia University
Teachers College, Columbia University
Teachers College, Columbia University is a graduate school of education located in New York City, New York...
in 1972. The Sobells divorced in 1980 and she moved to San Francisco in 1981.
She had Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
and died on April 15, 2002 at a nursing home in Redwood City.