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'''Trude Lash''', formerly '''Gertrude Pratt''', nee '''Wenzel''' (June 1908 – 4 February 2004) was a personal close friend of First Lady [[Eleanor Roosevelt]] and a [[KGB]] operative, secretary of the [[Universal Declaration of Human Rights|United Nations Human Rights Committee]], and founder of the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute at the FDR Presidential Library in Hyde Park, New York.

'''Trude Lash''', formerly '''Gertrude Pratt''', née '''Wenzel''' (June 1908 – 4 February 2004) was a personal close friend of First Lady [[Eleanor Roosevelt]] and [[KGB]] operative, secretary of the [[Universal Declaration of Human Rights|United Nations Human Rights Committee]], was active in may prominent [[liberal]] causes and a founder of the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute at the FDR Presidential Library in Hyde Park, New York.

==Background==

==Background==

Trude Lash joined the International Student Service (ISS), and returned to her homeland.  In Germany she worked for a newspaper at the time of the [[National Socialist]] accession to power, and was critical of the new régime. Together with her first husband, Eliot Pratt, moved to the United States permanently, and assisted other refugees leaving seeking to leave Germany.

Trude Lash joined the International Student Service (ISS), and returned to her homeland.  In Germany she worked for a newspaper at the time of the [[National Socialist]] accession to power, and was critical of the new régime. Together with her first husband, Eliot Pratt, moved to the United States permanently, and assisted other refugees leaving seeking to leave Germany.

Trude succeeded [[Joseph Lash]] as general-secretary of the ISS.  Joseph Lash was investigated by the [[House Un-American Activities Committee]], and became good friends with First Lady [[Eleanor Roosevelt]].  Joe Lash worked closely with [[Molly Yard]]. Joe Lash and Yard were prominent members of the [[Popular Front]] and staunch fellow travelers of the [[Communist]] bloc. In 1944 Trude and Joseph Lash were married.

Trude succeeded [[Joseph Lash]] as general-secretary of the ISS.  Joseph Lash was investigated by the [[House Un-American Activities Committee]], and became good friends with First Lady [[Eleanor Roosevelt]].  Joe Lash worked closely with [[Molly Yard]]. Joe Lash and Yard were prominent members of the [[Popular Front]] and staunch fellow travelers of the [[Communist]] bloc. After divorcing her first husband, Trude and Joseph Lash were married in 1944.

==KGB activities==

==KGB activities==

A Venona decryption from May of 1943 discloses contact with Trude was maintained by Aleksej Sokirkin, First Secretary of the Soviet Embassy in Washington, D.C. for [[KGB|Soviet intelligence]].  The decrypt proposes using Trude to process information on Eleanor Roosevelt (Kapitansha).  It also suggests bringing [[Elizabeth Zarubina]], who handled many high-level important cases, into close touch with her.  

A Venona decryption from May 1943 discloses contact with Trude was maintained by Aleksej Sokirkin, First Secretary of the Soviet Embassy in Washington, D.C. for [[KGB|Soviet intelligence]].  The decrypt proposes using Trude to process information on Eleanor Roosevelt (Kapitansha).  It also suggests bringing [[Elizabeth Zarubina]], who handled many high-level important cases, into close touch with her.  

Venona decrypt 786-787 New York to Moscow 26 May 1943 reads as follows,

Venona decrypt 786-787 New York to Moscow 26 May 1943 reads as follows,

:To [[VIKTOR]].

:To [[VIKTOR]].

[[Image:Lash.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Trude Lash with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt]]

[[Image:Lash.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Trude Lash with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt]]

:For processing [ [[Roosevelt]] ]’s wife we [2 groups unrecovered]  her great friend Gertrude PRATT, wife of the well-known wealthy Elliot PRATT. [15 groups unrecovered] patroness and guide.  In this line contact is being maintained with her by Aleksoj SOKIRKIN, the official representative of the MOSCOW Anti-Fascist Student Committee [0% who arrived] [6 groups unrecovered] “Syndicate” [People’s Commissariat for Foreign Affairs].  [38 groups unrecovered]  The latter circumstances for bringing [ [[Elizabeth Zarubina]] ] into close touch with her with a view to [119 groups unrecovered or unrecoverable] or scientific worker.  [87 groups unrecovered] [64 groups unrecoverable] [Roosevelt] [1 group unrecovered] [Translators note: This unidentified group is not simply an inflexion added to [Roosevelt]. It is possible that it is added to form an oblique case of the word KAPITANShA – "Captain’s wife" [Roosevelt’s wife] which might have been adopted to replace the form “wife of "CAPTAIN" [Roosevelt] which is used at the opening of the message. [71 groups unrecovered] for further processing.

:For processing [ [[Roosevelt]] ]’s wife we [2 groups unrecovered]  her great friend Gertrude PRATT, wife of the well-known wealthy Elliot PRATT. [15 groups unrecovered] patroness and guide.  In this line contact is being maintained with her by Aleksoj SOKIRKIN, the official representative of the MOSCOW Anti-Fascist Student Committee [0% who arrived] [6 groups unrecovered] “Syndicate” [People’s Commissariat for Foreign Affairs].  [38 groups unrecovered]  The latter circumstances for bringing [ [[Elizabeth Zarubina]] ] into close touch with her with a view to [119 groups unrecovered or unrecoverable] or scientific worker.  [87 groups unrecovered] [64 groups unrecoverable] [Roosevelt] [1 group unrecovered] [Translators note: This unidentified group is not simply an inflexion added to [Roosevelt]. It is possible that it is added to form an oblique case of the word KAPITANShA – "Captain’s wife" (Roosevelt’s wife) which might have been adopted to replace the form “wife of "CAPTAIN" (Roosevelt) which is used at the opening of the message. (71 groups unrecovered) for further processing.]

:[[MAKSIM]]  

:[[MAKSIM]]  

==Roosevelt Institute founder and board member==

==Roosevelt Institute founder and board member==

In 1987 Lash helped to combine the separate Eleanor Roosevelt and Franklin Roosevelt institutions into a single entity, the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute.<ref>http://www.gwu.edu/~erpapers/mep/displaydoc.cfm?docid=erpn-trulas</ref> The Roosevelt Institute is the nonprofit partner to the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum in Hyde Park, New York, and supports the Library's exhibits and programs.<ref>http://www.rooseveltinstitute.org/about</ref>

In 1987 Lash helped to combine the separate Eleanor Roosevelt and Franklin Roosevelt institutions into a single entity, the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute (FERI).<ref>http://www.gwu.edu/~erpapers/mep/displaydoc.cfm?docid=erpn-trulas</ref> The Eleanor Roosevelt Institute, founded in 1972, built the Eleanor Roosevelt wing of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library in Hyde Park, New York. The Roosevelt Institute is a nonprofit partner of the FDR library and supports the Library's exhibits and programs.<ref>http://www.rooseveltinstitute.org/about</ref>

 

 

==References==

==References==

{{reflist}}

{{reflist}}

    

    

==External link==

==External links==

*[http://csh.gn.apc.org/Archives/Students%20in%20the%2030s/main/StudentInThe30s.html The Student Movement of the Thirties: A Political History]

*[http://csh.gn.apc.org/Archives/Students%20in%20the%2030s/main/StudentInThe30s.html The Student Movement of the Thirties: A Political History]

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[[Category:KGB Agents and Sources]]

[[Category:KGB Agents and Sources]]