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Warren Commission Hearings: Vol. X - Page 203« Previous | Next »

(Testimony of Dennis Hyman Ofstein)

Mr. Jenner.
All right; when you were Speaking freely without any prompting on my part, you mentioned Minsk and Moscow and others now that I have pressed you a little, what is your present recollection on that score now?
Mr. Ofstein.
That he had mentioned them, but exactly what they were, whether they were large towns or whether they were small towns I don't recall whether he just visited them or had some purpose in being there, he never did mention that at all.
He mentioned that he was in Moscow for the May Day parade at one and that the Soviets made a big show of power of their latest tanks and planes and so forth, and I asked him at one time about his freedom of movement, and he said that he had complete freedom of movement over there, that the MVD, I believe it was, had inquired of his neighbors about-him and had talked to him on one occasion or two, but that they didn't put any holds on him or restrict him from any areas or anything like that,"and I believe it was about this time that he mentioned he had married the White Russian girl.
Mr. Jenner.
Did he say anything about where the Russian girl he married was?
Mr. Ofstein.
No, sir.
Mr. Jenner.
What was your impression as to where she was?
Mr. Ofstein.
My impression was that he was living with her that he had her here in the United States.
Mr. Jenner.
But he didn't say anything that would lead you now to think or recall the statement on his part that she was with him in the United States, or is that an assumption on your part?
Mr. Ofstein.
Yes; he did mention it. He mentioned that he had gotten several books from the library at times to take home for him and his wife to read.
Mr. Jenner.
In his discussions of life in Russia to the extent you can relate them, did he ever voice any political doctrine or theory?
Mr. Ofstein.
No, sir.
Mr. Jenner.
Did you get any impression as to how he regarded his-life in Russia?
Mr. Ofstein.
Only that he didn't think it was the type of life that he wanted to lead.
Mr. Jenner.
Did he expand on that to any extent?
Mr. Ofstein.
Well, he said that the people there were poor, they worked and made just about enough to buy their clothes and their food; that the only ones who had enough money to buy anything else, any of the luxuries in life, were those who were Communist Party officials or high ranking members in party, and I asked him at one-time if he were a Communist and he said, "No."
Mr. Jenner.
Did he voice any criticism of the Communist Party members--did he make any negative remarks?
Mr. Ofstein.
No; only that he didn't think that he would enjoy the Communist way of life.
Mr. Jenner.
Did he express any views to you with respect to his reaction to the Government of the United States?
Mr. Ofstein.
No; he mentioned the last day he was With Jaggars-Chiles-Stovall I asked him what-he was going to do, where he would go to work, and he said he didn't know. He liked the type of work at .the company and that he would like to-stay with this-type of work and he would look around and if he didn't find anything else he could always go back to-the Soviet Union, and sort of laughed about it.
Mr. Jenner.
Do you think that comment of his with respect to returning to the Soviet Union was jocular?
Mr. Ofstein.
Yes; it was sort of a flippant remark--"If I don't get a job here, I can go someplace else," and I mentioned at the time to him of a couple other shops around town that did that kind of work and suggested that he go see them.
Mr. Jenner.
What was his response, if any to that?
Mr. Ofstein.
He said he might give them a try.
Mr. Jenner.
This was at the tail end of his employment with this company?
Mr. Ofstein.
Yes; this was the last day.
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