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Katherine Oppenheimer
Katherine Oppenheimer
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Brief
Known For
German American biologist, botanist, and wife of J. Robert Oppenheimer.
Bio Dates and Places
  • Born Date: August 8, 1910.
  • Born Place: Germany.
  • Death Date: October 27, 1972.
Career
  • Past occupations: Botanist, lab technician under Dr. Hempelmann at Los Alamos.
  • Previous Place of Work: Los Alamos Laboratory, University of Pennsylvania (for her degree).
Education
University of Pittsburgh, University of Munich, Sorbonne University, University of Grenoble, University of Pennsylvania (degree in botany), UCLA (graduate studies).
Main Milestones
Birth
August 8, 1910
Katherine Vissering 'Kitty' Puening was born in Recklinghausen, Westphalia, Prussia, Germany, to Franz Puening and Käthe Vissering. She was their only child.
Immigration to the United States
May 14, 1913
At the age of two, Kitty immigrated to the United States with her family aboard the SS Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse. Her father, a metallurgical engineer, had secured employment with a steel company in Pittsburgh, and the family settled in the suburb of Aspinwall, Pennsylvania.
High School Graduation
1928
Kitty graduated from Aspinwall High School in June 1928. Following this, she enrolled at the University of Pittsburgh, studying mathematics, biology, and chemistry.
Travel to Europe
1930
In March 1930, Kitty sailed to Europe, where she met Frank Ramseyer, an American music student in Paris. She returned to the United States on May 19, 1930.
Association with Joseph Dallet
1934
After returning to the United States in August 1934, Kitty moved in with Joseph Dallet, a member of the Communist Party of America. They became common-law spouses and were deeply involved in communist activities.
Separation from Joseph Dallet
1936
Kitty and Joseph Dallet separated in June 1936. She then moved to live with her parents in Claygate, England, and worked as a German-to-English translator.
Joseph Dallet's Death
1937
Joseph Dallet was killed in action on October 17, 1937, while fighting in the Spanish Civil War. Kitty had planned to join him but was delayed due to health issues.
Marriage to Richard Stewart Harrison
1938
Kitty married Richard Stewart Harrison, a medical doctor, on November 23, 1938. She had met him while enrolled at the University of Pennsylvania.
Marriage to J. Robert Oppenheimer
1941
Although the exact date of her marriage to J. Robert Oppenheimer is not specified in the provided sources, it is known that she married him after her divorce from Harrison. Her son, Peter, was born on May 12, 1941.
Life at Los Alamos
1943-1945
Kitty and J. Robert Oppenheimer moved to Los Alamos, New Mexico, in March 1943, where Robert became the director of the Manhattan Project's Los Alamos Laboratory. Kitty worked as a lab technician under Louis Hempelmann and later hosted social gatherings for the community.
Security Hearing Testimony
1952
Kitty was called as a witness in her husband's security hearing by the Atomic Energy Commission. She firmly stood her ground, answering questions about her past communist affiliations and emphasizing her opposition to communism.
Death
October 27, 1972
Kitty Oppenheimer died in Panama City, Panama, on October 27, 1972.
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Timelines
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Communist Party Involvement

Joining the Communist Party
1935
Kitty joined the Communist Party through her husband Joseph Dallet and became involved in various activities, including serving as a 'literary agent' for the party.
Spanish Civil War Involvement
1937
Kitty planned to join the International Brigades in Spain but was prevented from doing so due to French government prohibitions and her husband's death.
Leaving the Communist Party
Late 1930s to Early 1940s
Kitty left the Communist Party, later stating that she no longer believed in its international connections.

Early Life and Education

Birth
August 8, 1910
Katherine Puening was born in Recklinghausen, Germany.
Move to the United States
Early 1920s
Kitty moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with her family, where she grew up in a privileged environment as the daughter of an engineer.
Education
Late 1920s to Early 1930s
Kitty pursued her higher education, eventually enrolling in graduate studies at UCLA in 1939.

Marriages and Personal Life

First Marriage
Early 1930s
Kitty's first marriage was to musician Frank Ramseyer, which was annulled a few months later.
Second Marriage
Mid-1930s
Kitty married Joseph Dallet, a communist organizer, who died in 1937 fighting in the Spanish Civil War.
Third Marriage
Late 1930s
Kitty married doctor Richard Harrison, whom she divorced in 1940 to marry J. Robert Oppenheimer.
Marriage to J. Robert Oppenheimer
1940
Kitty married J. Robert Oppenheimer in Virginia City, Nevada, the day her divorce from Harrison was finalized.

Security Hearings and Later Life

FBI Interview
1952
Kitty was interviewed by the FBI, confirming details of her past association with the Communist Party.
Atomic Energy Commission Hearings
1953-1954
Kitty testified multiple times during her husband's security clearance hearings, emphasizing her opposition to communism and minimizing Robert Oppenheimer's connections to the ideology.
Death
October 27, 1972
Katherine Oppenheimer died in Panama City, Panama.

Main milestones

Birth
August 8, 1910
Katherine Vissering 'Kitty' Puening was born in Recklinghausen, Westphalia, Prussia, Germany, to Franz Puening and Käthe Vissering. She was their only child.
Immigration to the United States
May 14, 1913
At the age of two, Kitty immigrated to the United States with her family aboard the SS Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse. Her father, a metallurgical engineer, had secured employment with a steel company in Pittsburgh, and the family settled in the suburb of Aspinwall, Pennsylvania.
High School Graduation
1928
Kitty graduated from Aspinwall High School in June 1928. Following this, she enrolled at the University of Pittsburgh, studying mathematics, biology, and chemistry.
Travel to Europe
1930
In March 1930, Kitty sailed to Europe, where she met Frank Ramseyer, an American music student in Paris. She returned to the United States on May 19, 1930.
Association with Joseph Dallet
1934
After returning to the United States in August 1934, Kitty moved in with Joseph Dallet, a member of the Communist Party of America. They became common-law spouses and were deeply involved in communist activities.
Separation from Joseph Dallet
1936
Kitty and Joseph Dallet separated in June 1936. She then moved to live with her parents in Claygate, England, and worked as a German-to-English translator.
Joseph Dallet's Death
1937
Joseph Dallet was killed in action on October 17, 1937, while fighting in the Spanish Civil War. Kitty had planned to join him but was delayed due to health issues.
Marriage to Richard Stewart Harrison
1938
Kitty married Richard Stewart Harrison, a medical doctor, on November 23, 1938. She had met him while enrolled at the University of Pennsylvania.
Marriage to J. Robert Oppenheimer
1941
Although the exact date of her marriage to J. Robert Oppenheimer is not specified in the provided sources, it is known that she married him after her divorce from Harrison. Her son, Peter, was born on May 12, 1941.
Life at Los Alamos
1943-1945
Kitty and J. Robert Oppenheimer moved to Los Alamos, New Mexico, in March 1943, where Robert became the director of the Manhattan Project's Los Alamos Laboratory. Kitty worked as a lab technician under Louis Hempelmann and later hosted social gatherings for the community.
Security Hearing Testimony
1952
Kitty was called as a witness in her husband's security hearing by the Atomic Energy Commission. She firmly stood her ground, answering questions about her past communist affiliations and emphasizing her opposition to communism.
Death
October 27, 1972
Kitty Oppenheimer died in Panama City, Panama, on October 27, 1972.
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Days in Chronicle
15
27 October, 1972
Kitty Oppenheimer died of an embolism in Panama City.
18 February, 1967
Robert Oppenheimer died.
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Katherine Oppenheimer

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