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US sentences Soviet spy Rudolf Ivanovich Abel to 30 years & $3,000

William August Fisher (11 July 1903 – 15 November 1971), better known by the alias Rudolf Ivanovich Abel, was a Soviet intelligence officer.

William August Fisher (11 July 1903 – 15 November 1971), better known by the alias Rudolf Ivanovich Abel, was a Soviet intelligence officer. He adopted his alias to alert his Soviet KGB handlers when he was arrested in the USA on charges of espionage by the FBI in 1957.

Fisher was born and grew up in Newcastle upon Tyne in the North East of England in the United Kingdom to Russian émigré parents. He moved to Russia in the 1920s, and served in the Soviet military before undertaking foreign service as a radio operator in Soviet intelligence in the late 1920s and early 1930s. He later served in an instructional role before taking part in intelligence operations against the Germans during World War II.

Historical Significance

William August Fisher (11 July 1903 – 15 November 1971), better known by the alias Rudolf Ivanovich Abel, was a Soviet intelligence officer.

Events Before

  1. Christine Lagarde is born

    Christine Lagarde is born

  2. A New Year's event causes panic and stampedes at Yahiko Shrine in central Niigata, Japan, killing 124 people

    A New Year's event causes panic and stampedes at Yahiko Shrine in central Niigata, Japan, killing 124 people

  3. RCA records releases Elvis Presley's single "Heartbreak Hotel", his first million-seller (written by Mae Boren Axton and

    RCA records releases Elvis Presley's single "Heartbreak Hotel", his first million-seller (written by Mae Boren Axton and Tommy Durden)

  4. Nikita Khrushchev denounces Joseph Stalin at the 20th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union

    Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (né Dzhugashvili; 18 December [O.S. 6 December] 1878 – 5 March 1953) was a Georgian-born Soviet revolutionary and politician who led the Soviet Union from 1924 until his…

  5. French-Moroccan Agreement signed in Paris rescinds the Treaty of Fez, declaring independence of Morocco from France

    French-Moroccan Agreement signed in Paris rescinds the Treaty of Fez, declaring independence of Morocco from France

Events After

  1. The European Economic Community comes into effect, better known as the European Common Market

    The European Economic Community comes into effect, better known as the European Common Market

  2. Actress Jayne Mansfield and public relations manager Paul Mansfield's divorce is finalized, after 7-1/2 years of marriag

    Actress Jayne Mansfield and public relations manager Paul Mansfield's divorce is finalized, after 7-1/2 years of marriage

  3. "Great Balls of Fire" by Jerry Lee Lewis reaches #1 on the UK pop chart

    "Great Balls of Fire" is a 1957 popular song recorded by American rock and roll musician Jerry Lee Lewis on Sun Records and featured in the 1957 movie Jamboree.

  4. American actress Jayne Mansfield (24) weds Hungarian-American bodybuilder Mickey Hargitay (32) at the Wayfarers Chapel i

    American actress Jayne Mansfield (24) weds Hungarian-American bodybuilder Mickey Hargitay (32) at the Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes, California; divorce in 1964

  5. Actress Agnes Moorehead (57) divorces actor and film director Robert Gist (40) after 5 years of marriage

    Actress Agnes Moorehead (57) divorces actor and film director Robert Gist (40) after 5 years of marriage

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Sputnik 1 Launch

The Soviet Union launches Sputnik 1, the world's first artificial satellite, igniting the Space Age and the US-Soviet Space Race.

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"The Bob Cummings Show" premieres on NBC (later moves to CBS)

"The Bob Cummings Show" premieres on NBC (later moves to CBS)

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Emil Jannings dies

Emil Jannings, Swiss-born German actor, known for german actor, died on 1950-01-02. Emil Jannings was a Swiss-born German actor who was popular in Hollywood films in the 1920s.

The European Economic Community comes into effect, better known as the European Common Market

The European Economic Community comes into effect, better known as the European Common Market

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on November 15, 1957?
William August Fisher (11 July 1903 – 15 November 1971), better known by the alias Rudolf Ivanovich Abel, was a Soviet intelligence officer. He adopted his alias to alert his Soviet KGB handlers when he was arrested in the USA on charges of espionage by the FBI in 1957. Fisher was born and grew up in Newcastle upon Tyne in the North East of England in the United Kingdom to Russian émigré parents.
Why is US sentences Soviet spy Rudolf Ivanovich Abel to 30 years & $3,000 significant?
William August Fisher (11 July 1903 – 15 November 1971), better known by the alias Rudolf Ivanovich Abel, was a Soviet intelligence officer.

Explore More

November 15 in HistoryYear 1957