Southern Illinoisan in Carbondale, Illinois

Fled U S in 1949 Eisler Dies at 71 in Berlin

Gerhardt Eisler, once identified as the No 1 Communist spy in the United States, died at 71 in Berlin during a visit to the Armenian Socialist Soviet Republic. An East German official agency ADN reported his death. Eisler had fled the U S in 1949 after serving time for contempt of Congress and false statements regarding a leave permit. He later became a high ranking East German propagandist and chaired the State Radio Committee.