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[[Image:454px-Whittaker Chambers.jpg|right|thumb]]

[[Image:454px-Whittaker Chambers.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Whittaker Chambers]]

'''Whittaker Chambers''' (born Jay Vivian Chambers, April 1, 1901 – July 9, 1961) was an American intellectual, editor of Communist publications, foreign editor of ''Time'' magazine, Soviet spy, and the most famous American witness against Communism. He is best known for his accusation and testimony against a senior American diplomat [[Alger Hiss]] charging him in 1948 with being a Soviet spy.  The spectacular case dominated politics in the late 1940s, leading to Hiss's conviction, and the rise of [[Richard Nixon]], and the virulent hatred of the left for Chambers for betraying their friends in the name of patriotism and Christianity. Chambers wrote for [[William Buckley]]'s ''National Review''. His ''Witness'' (1952) is one of the great autobiographies in American literature.

'''Whittaker Chambers''' (born Jay Vivian Chambers, April 1, 1901 – July 9, 1961) was an American intellectual, editor of Communist publications, foreign editor of ''Time'' magazine, Soviet spy, and the most famous American witness against Communism. He is best known for his accusation and testimony against a senior American diplomat [[Alger Hiss]] charging him in 1948 with being a Soviet spy.  The spectacular case dominated politics in the late 1940s, leading to Hiss's conviction, and the rise of [[Richard Nixon]], and the virulent hatred on the left for Chambers for betraying their friends in the name of patriotism and Christianity. Chambers wrote for [[William Buckley]]'s ''National Review''. His ''Witness'' (1952) is one of the great autobiographies in American literature.

==Youth and Education==

==Youth and Education==

Chambers was born in Philadelphia, [[Pennsylvania]] and spent much of his youth in suburban Long Island, New York. He got along poorly with his father, an artist and illustrator; he was on better terms with his mother, a former actress, and his grandfather, a leading political journalist. He had a miserable childhood as a loner whose parents frequently separated. After graduating from high school in 1919, he bummed around the country, discovering an empathy with the under class.  A brilliant student of language and culture, he displayed depth at Columbia University, where he was influenced by professors Mark Van Doren and of such friends as Meyer Schapiro, Louis Zukofsky, Clifton Fadiman, Langston Hughes, and Lionel Trilling. His poetry, drama, and stories convinced Columbia literary circles that he could become a major American writer--even a great poet. But Columbia expelled him in 1922--perhaps for a blasphemous play, or more likely for skipping class. No matter, he was a convert to Communism and the Party was now all that mattered.  

Chambers was born in Philadelphia, [[Pennsylvania]] and spent much of his youth in suburban Long Island, New York. He got along poorly with his father, an artist and illustrator; he was on better terms with his mother, a former actress, and his grandfather, a leading political journalist. He had a miserable childhood as a loner whose parents frequently separated. After graduating from high school in 1919, he bummed around the country, discovering an empathy with the under class.  A brilliant student of language and culture, he displayed depth at Columbia University, where he was influenced by professors Mark Van Doren and of such friends as Meyer Schapiro, Louis Zukofsky, Clifton Fadiman, Langston Hughes, and Lionel Trilling. His poetry, drama, and stories convinced Columbia literary circles that he could become a major American writer—even a great poet. But Columbia expelled him in 1922—perhaps for a blasphemous play, or more likely for skipping class. No matter, he was a convert to Communism and the Party was now all that mattered.  

==The [[Ware Group]]==

==The [[Ware Group]]==

In 1925, Chambers joined the [[American Communist Party]] and edited Communist periodicals, including ''[[Daily Worker|The Daily Worker]]'' and ''[[New Masses|The New Masses]]''.  Chambers joined the Communist underground in the spring of 1932. In 1933, he was sent to Moscow for intelligence training and when he returned to the United States, his main controller was [[J. Peters|Josef Peters]].  Peters introduced Chambers to [[Harold Ware]], head of the Ware group, a Communist underground cell in Washington that included [[Alger Hiss]], [[Henry Collins]] and [[Lee Pressman]].  Hiss, meanwhile, took a job on the legal staff of the [[Agricultural Adjustment Administration]].  Chambers worked in Washington as an organizer among Communists in the city and as a courier between New York and Washington for stolen documents which where delivered to [[GRU]] ''Illegal [[Rezident]]'' [[Boris Bykov]].  He worked in this capacity from 1934 until he left the Communist party in 1938 having been alienated by the [[Great Purge]] of [[Josef Stalin]].  Chambers tried to convince Hiss to leave the party also; the two sat up all night after dinner one night arguing the point.  Chambers recounted how Hiss, tears streaming down his face, refused to break with the Party because of his loyalty to his friends.  It was the fanaticism of Hiss's wife, Chambers believed, that kept him in the party.

In 1925, Chambers joined the [[American Communist Party]] and edited Communist periodicals, including ''[[Daily Worker|The Daily Worker]]'' and ''[[New Masses|The New Masses]]''.  Chambers joined the Communist underground in the spring of 1932. In 1933, he was sent to Moscow for intelligence training and when he returned to the United States, his main controller was [[J. Peters|Josef Peters]].  Peters, a veteran of the [[Bela Kuhn]] revolution,<ref>[http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/hiss/8-3testimony.html Testimony of Whittaker Chambers] before the House Committee on Un-American Activities

(August 3, 1948).</ref> introduced Chambers to [[Harold Ware]], head of the Ware group, a Communist underground cell in Washington that included [[Alger Hiss]], [[Henry Collins]] and [[Lee Pressman]].  Hiss, meanwhile, took a job on the legal staff of the [[Agricultural Adjustment Administration]].  Chambers worked in Washington as an organizer among Communists in the city and as a courier between New York and Washington for stolen documents which where delivered to [[GRU]] ''Illegal [[Rezident]]'' [[Boris Bykov]].  He worked in this capacity from 1934 until he left the Communist party in 1938 having been alienated by the [[Great Purge]] of [[Josef Stalin]].  Chambers tried to convince Hiss to leave the party also; the two sat up all night after dinner one night arguing the point.  Chambers recounted how Hiss, tears streaming down his face, refused to break with the Party because of his loyalty to his friends.  It was the fanaticism of Hiss's wife, Chambers believed, that kept him in the party.

Chambers saved a collection of documents he received from Hiss to protect himself and his family against retribution from the secret apparatus as occurred in the [[Juliet Poyntz]] case.  Ten years later they became known as the "pumpkin papers."

Chambers saved a collection of documents he received from Hiss to protect himself and his family against retribution from the secret apparatus as occurred in the [[Juliet Poyntz]] case.  Ten years later they became known as the "pumpkin papers."

After leaving the Communist party, Chambers' politics shifted right. In the late 1930s, Chambers joined the staff of Time Magazine, where he would eventually rise to the position of senior editor and earn a yearly salary of $30,000. While at ''Time'', Chambers became known as a staunch anti-Communist, sometimes enraging his writers with the changes he made to their stories.

After leaving the Communist party, Chambers' politics shifted right. In the late 1930s, Chambers joined the staff of Time Magazine, where he would eventually rise to the position of senior editor and earn a yearly salary of $30,000. While at ''Time'', Chambers became known as a staunch anti-Communist, sometimes enraging his writers with the changes he made to their stories.

In late 1939, after the Soviet Union and Germany signed a non-aggression pact, Chambers approached assistant Secretary of State Adolf Berle and spent three hours detailing what he knew about Communist activity within the United States. In the wake of [[World War II]], Chambers' story was mostly ignored.

In late 1939, after the Soviet Union and Germany signed a non-aggression pact, Chambers approached assistant Secretary of State [[Adolf Berle]] and spent three hours detailing what he knew about Communist activity within the United States. In the wake of [[World War II]], Chambers' story was mostly ignored.

Chambers translated Felix Salten's children's book, Bambi, in 1927 while editing at the ''Daily Worker''.  As recounted on page 239 of ''Witness'', Chambers did so because wages on the ''Daily Worker'' were "intermittent and so small." He was asked to do the translation by Clifton Fadiman of Simon and Schuster, and the translation became an instant success, thus making Chambers an established translator.  Chambers also wrote reviews of the early volumes of Arnold Toynbee's ''[[A Study of History]]''.

Chambers translated Felix Salten's children's book, Bambi, in 1927 while editing at the ''Daily Worker''.  As recounted on page 239 of ''Witness'', Chambers did so because wages on the ''Daily Worker'' were "intermittent and so small." He was asked to do the translation by Clifton Fadiman of Simon and Schuster, and the translation became an instant success, thus making Chambers an established translator.  Chambers also wrote reviews of the early volumes of Arnold Toynbee's ''[[A Study of History]]''.

==Witness==

==Witness==

Personal financial pressures resulting from the legal battles Chambers endured at the hands of Hiss and the American Communist movement led Chambers to author his autobiography, ''Witness''.

Personal financial pressures resulting from the legal battles Chambers endured at the hands of Hiss and the American Communist movement led Chambers to author his autobiography, [["Witness"]].

Since its release in 1952, it has been reviewed thusly:

Since its release in 1952, it has been reviewed thusly:

While the Hiss trial propelled Nixon's political career, Chambers derived little benefit from it. His job at ''Time'' gone, Chambers went to work on his farm, writing his autobiography, ''Witness,'' which was published in 1952.

While the Hiss trial propelled Nixon's political career, Chambers derived little benefit from it. His job at ''Time'' gone, Chambers went to work on his farm, writing his autobiography, ''Witness,'' which was published in 1952.

Critics of Chambers, then and now, maintain that his life was a paradox and he experienced so many changes of lifestyle and philosophy that his testimony was unreliable and self serving.   

Critics of Chambers, then and now, maintain that his life was a paradox and he experienced so many changes of lifestyle and philosophy that his testimony was unreliable and self-serving.   

Before his death, Chambers served briefly as senior editor of [[William F. Buckley Jr.]]'s ''[[National Review]].''

Before his death, Chambers served briefly as senior editor of [[William F. Buckley Jr.]]'s ''[[National Review]].''

==Members of the Karl group==

==Members of the Karl group==

"Karl" and "Carl" were cryptonyms used by Chambers in the mid-1930s as courier between the [[CPUSA]] secret apparatus and Soviet intelligence.  It appears that after the mysterious death of the NKVD Illegal Rezident [[Valentin Markin]] in August 1934, within days the Karl group was transfered to the GRU Illegal Rezident [[Boris Bykov]].  Below is a partial list of members.

"Karl" and "Carl" were cryptonyms used by Chambers in the mid-1930s as courier between the [[CPUSA]] secret apparatus and Soviet intelligence.  It appears that after the mysterious death of the NKVD Illegal Rezident [[Valentin Markin]] in August 1934, within days the Karl group was transferred to the GRU Illegal Rezident [[Boris Bykov]].  Below is a partial list of members.

*[[Noel Field]], United States Department of State

*[[Noel Field]], United States Department of State

* Kimmage, Michael. ''The Conservative Turn: Lionel Trilling, Whittaker Chambers, and the Lessons of Anti-Communism'' (2009)

* Kimmage, Michael. ''The Conservative Turn: Lionel Trilling, Whittaker Chambers, and the Lessons of Anti-Communism'' (2009)

* Swan, Patrick. ''Alger Hiss, Whittaker Chambers, and the Schism in the American Soul'' (2003) by a conservative

* Swan, Patrick. ''Alger Hiss, Whittaker Chambers, and the Schism in the American Soul'' (2003) by a conservative

* Tanenhaus, Sam. ''Whittaker Chambers: A Biography'' (1998), outstanding scholarly biography; by a conservative [http://www.amazon.com/Whittaker-Chambers-Biography-Library-Paperbacks/dp/0375751459/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1253962730&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]

* Tanenhaus, Sam. ''Whittaker Chambers: A Biography'' (1998), outstanding scholarly biography; by a conservative [https://www.amazon.com/Whittaker-Chambers-Biography-Library-Paperbacks/dp/0375751459/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1253962730&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]

* Weinstein, Allen. ''Perjury: The Hiss-Chambers Case'' (1978), the standard scholarly study; by a conservative

* Weinstein, Allen. ''Perjury: The Hiss-Chambers Case'' (1978), the standard scholarly study; by a conservative

* Chambers, Whittaker. ''Witness'' (1952)

* Chambers, Whittaker. ''Witness'' (1952)

* Chambers, Whittaker. ''Odyssey of a Friend - Whittaker Chambers' Letters to William F. Buckley, Jr. 1954-1961'' ed. by William F. Buckley (1969)

* Chambers, Whittaker. ''Odyssey of a Friend - Whittaker Chambers' Letters to William F. Buckley, Jr. 1954-1961'' ed. by William F. Buckley (1969)

* Chambers, Whittaker. ''Notes from the Underground: The Whittaker Chambers/Ralph de Toledano Letters, 1949-1960'' (1997) [http://www.amazon.com/Notes-Underground-Whittaker-Chambers-1949-1960/dp/0895264250/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1253962730&sr=1-6 excerpt and text search]

* Chambers, Whittaker. ''Notes from the Underground: The Whittaker Chambers/Ralph de Toledano Letters, 1949-1960'' (1997) [https://www.amazon.com/Notes-Underground-Whittaker-Chambers-1949-1960/dp/0895264250/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1253962730&sr=1-6 excerpt and text search]

==See also==

==See also==

* [[Alger Hiss]]

* [[Alger Hiss]]

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[[Category:Political Operatives]]

[[Category:Political Operatives]]

[[Category:Cold War]]

[[Category:Cold War]]

[[Category:Espionage]]

[[Category:Espionage]]

[[Category:Former Leftists]]

[[Category:Former Leftists]]