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Forty years ago a group of Russians — nine Jews and two Christians — planned a daring escape from what was then called the Soviet Union. The dissidents had been denied requests to emigrate.
The group bought all the seats on a small charter flight from Leningrad's airport, planned to overpower the pilot, and hijack the plane to Sweden.
Instead, the group was arrested at the airport, charged with treason and imprisoned in the Soviet Union's gulags, also known as forced labor camps.
By 1978, eight of the dissidents had been released.
Former Colorado state representative Jerry Kopel, along with then-Senator Tillie Bishop, decided to try and free the remaining prisoners by establishing the Committee to Free the Leningrad Three.
Bishop and Kopel initiated a letter writing campaign.
In 1983 one of the dissidents was released, and in 1985 the other two prisoners were freed from Soviet prisons.
Bishop and Kopel were honored Oct. 18 at the Russian Jewish Community Foundation annual gala in Randolph, Mass., near Boston.
“I was very surprised,” said Bishop, regarding the honor. “Five of the former prisoners were there so it was quite a humbling experience. They were so appreciative.”
Then-Colorado Gov. Richard Lamm also participated in the effort to free the prisoners.
“We had quite a letter writing campaign going on,” Bishop said.
Source: The Boston Globe
The group bought all the seats on a small charter flight from Leningrad's airport, planned to overpower the pilot, and hijack the plane to Sweden.
Instead, the group was arrested at the airport, charged with treason and imprisoned in the Soviet Union's gulags, also known as forced labor camps.
By 1978, eight of the dissidents had been released.
Former Colorado state representative Jerry Kopel, along with then-Senator Tillie Bishop, decided to try and free the remaining prisoners by establishing the Committee to Free the Leningrad Three.
Bishop and Kopel initiated a letter writing campaign.
In 1983 one of the dissidents was released, and in 1985 the other two prisoners were freed from Soviet prisons.
Bishop and Kopel were honored Oct. 18 at the Russian Jewish Community Foundation annual gala in Randolph, Mass., near Boston.
“I was very surprised,” said Bishop, regarding the honor. “Five of the former prisoners were there so it was quite a humbling experience. They were so appreciative.”
Then-Colorado Gov. Richard Lamm also participated in the effort to free the prisoners.
“We had quite a letter writing campaign going on,” Bishop said.
Source: The Boston Globe
