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March 2022
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Goodbye, Mr. Rittenberg28/8/2019 ![]() Photo: From left to right, Wang Yulin, Peter Man, Sidney Rittenberg, and Yang Qianli. Also posted at Quora Sidney Rittenberg (李敦白) was a young American GI who was in China at the end of the Second World War. After being discharged from the US Army, he traveled by foot from Shanghai to the remote city of Yan’an. He wanted to learn about the Chinese revolution. Being fluent in Chinese, he soon got accepted as a friend among historical figures of modern China … they included Communist leaders such as Mao Zedong (毛泽东), Zhou Enlai (周恩来), Zhu De (朱德), Deng Xiaoping (邓小平), Liao Chengzhi (廖承志), Ye Jianying (叶剑英), Li Xiannian (李先念). Liu Shaoqi (刘少奇), Wang Guangmei (王光美), etc. Those were exciting times, and Sidney decided to stay. He would one day write an autobiography titled “The Man Who Stayed Behind.” In 1949, Sidney was on the winning side of the Chinese Civil War. He was a well known person among the upper echelons of the Chinese Communist leadership. Life couldn’t be better but unpredictable disaster struck. For political reasons unrelated to Sidney and based on no evidence, Stalin accused Sidney to be an American spy. He was promptly arrested and locked up. Refusing to admit to be something that he was not, Sidney did not leave his cell until six years later when Stalin died. Despite the six years of wrongful imprisonment, Sidney wanted to stay and work for the Chinese government. He still wanted to be a part of China's historic revolution. He would get a high level job at the Broadcasting Administration and he would meet his wife Wang Yulin (王玉琳) there. Four kids and twenty years later, Sidney would get embroiled in another political turmoil. This time it was the Cultural Revolution. He was accused to be a spy again, this time by Jiang Qing (江青), Chairman Mao’s wife and a member of the so-called “Gang of Four.” He would be locked up for ten years. When Sidney got out of jail, China had undergone great changes. For reasons of health and family considerations, Sidney decided to relocate his family to America. His dream to be a bridge between the East and the West did not end. By chance Sidney learned how he could contribute to China's transformation by bringing much needed American investments and businesses into China. He would set up Rittenberg Associates and help many major American corporations establish business relations with China. Sidney never blamed China for his incarceration, and he continued to love China and be a friend of China. Sidney passed away on the 24th of August. He was 98 years of age. The following is my attempt of a remembrance: Sidney Rittenberg obituary It is with sadness that I received the news that Sidney Rittenberg has left us for the Great Beyond. I was lucky enough to have been introduced to such a unique person who had such a unique experience during such a historic era in the history of China. Meeting a historical person face-to-face caused all the fuzzy images of China of the past to come alive. The person who introduced us is also a distinguished gentleman by the name of Yang Qianli (杨千里). He has been a leader in China in the satellite industry since China had satellites. In fact, he was the technical leader of China's first communications satellite. Mr. Yang is 86 and has been dealing with health problems as most octogenarians do, but he refuses to rest and is already going full monty (not in the sense of the English comedy of the same name) in the launching of another Satellite Convention in October, which he founded and still chairs. With people like Mr. Yang, who can stop China? I did not get to meet Sidney many times, because he was about to retire and let his eldest daughter Jenny (whom I've also met) take over the reins of his consulting company. On the other hand, every meeting we had was a tremendously enjoyable edifying experience. The one thing about Sidney I find most striking is that he could joke about his solitary confinements in China. I have to believe him when he said he held no grudges. This is how Sidney described being released at the end of his first imprisonment. He said, "Stalin finally did something good. He died." When a South Carolina radio host introduced him as an American son who had returned from China disillusioned with his ideals, he retorted, "If I were disillusioned with my ideals, I would be a Republican." Sixteen years of incarceration did not blunt his acute mind, sharp wit, and quick tongue. Most importantly, it did not turn him into a bitter old man. Like most products of the colonial Hong Kong education system, I never had the urge to learn anything about Chinese history of the 20th century. It was perhaps just as well. Hong Kong people did not get involved in politics and worked hard to improve their lot within the economic system established and ruled by the capitalist West. If I had read any books on the subject of modern China before, I would not have remembered any of them because the people, the places, and the events simply did not register. It was different when I read Sidney's autobiography "The Man Who Stayed Behind." My ignorance drove me to read more books about the era so that I could better understand the man and the historical backdrop of his life story. Zhou Enlai (周恩来) was no longer just a handsome face on a faded archive picture. He toasted Sidney and his wife Wang Yulin (王玉琳) at their wedding, saying that the couple was a great example of the bridge between the East and the West. Wang Guangmei (王光美), the wife of Liu Shaoqi (刘少奇), the nation's First Lady, was no longer just the stately woman dressed in China's traditional long dress (cheongsam; 长衫) representing China on state visits with her husband, the president of China. She was someone Sidney actually dated a couple of times while he was at Yan'an. Jiang Qing (江青) was no longer just a despicable character in my father's historical novel about the Luxun Art Academy (鲁艺) at Yan'an. She was of course much more. She also threw Sidney in jail for ten years and almost broke his family apart if not for the resoluteness of his wife Yulin. People, places, and events suddenly took meaning. With this infusion of meaning, I was able to study and better understand what happened in China for the past hundred years. Bit by bit I began to discern the reality that has been warped by the deliberate dishonesty with which the Western mainstream media has been presenting the story of China (read "What is China?"). Allow me to warn readers who read supposedly "liberal" press such as the New York Times or Washington Post. They would describe Sidney as someone who had become disillusioned in his beliefs. Sidney, bless his soul, would beg to differ. My having lived and worked in China for almost twenty years of course helps me make my own judgment of what is real. I must however attribute a significant portion of my edification and understanding of China to having met and chatted with Sidney. I heard many stories from Sidney of course, including his presence near Tiananmen Square in 1989, what he overheard at a meeting of the Foreign Correspondents' Club, how his client Craig McCaw was the first foreigner to fly a private jet inside China, and also how he had come to the conclusion that China must open up for development (Deng's adage: "Development is the hard truth."). It's what I interpret to mean that China must play the West's game in order to achieve its objectives. It is better described by the subtitle of my friend Jeff J. Brown's book China Rising. It says "Capitalist Roads, Socialist Destinations." People who don't understand this will be befuddled by the current Chinese society. The one thing that I could easily notice from those few meetings with Sidney was his immutable love for China, even though he had decided to spend his last years in America. After all, Sidney had a Chinese family and he probably dreamed in Chinese at times and considered himself at least in part Chinese. He certainly had a better claim than some of us who besmirch our own heritage. Sidney has now left us to join the orchestra of the ethereal realm. We don't know where that is, but we know where his heart is. Peter Man Author of "The Unconquered" Comment:
Norman Tan: "Did he tell you his motivation to return to the US?" PM Response: "Revolution is hard. It’s not for everyone. By the time Sidney was released, he was in his late fifties, in bad health, and owned nothing but his family and his sanity. After US and China established official relations on Jan 1st, 1979, Sidney’s American family sent a mail to Beijing, addressed to Sidney Rittenberg with no address. They did not know Sidney’s whereabouts and thought that he had died. Sidney got the letter. One thing led to another and the Rittenberg family decided to move to America. There must be many reasons, but an important one would be better healthcare. Sidney had a heart condition that China at the time did not have the medical expertise to handle properly. His life in America was not easy at first, and Sidney always extolled the virtues of his wife Yulin, who was the anchor in his turbulent life. Sidney was speaking at schools to make ends meet when a computer company’s CEO walked up and talked business. Even then, it was Yulin who pulled the strings. That first deal was a World Bank financed purchase of $20 million dollars in computers. From this experience, Sidney learned that he could be the bridge he had always wanted to be and make money at the same time. The consultant business was accidental. China had changed and so must he. The rest is history." William Kimley: "SHORTLY AFTER he returned from China I had the privilege of having dinner with Sidney in the wine cellar of the Hotel Mac in Point Richmond CA. A long and pleasant evening. He discussed many things with us that I have not subsequently run across in writings or interviews. MANY GUESTS were interested in how Sidney survived solitary confinement. He said he developed a routine which included keeping his cell immaculate. He would clean three bricks a day using a small stick and a piece of cloth to clean every hole. His cell was so clean many guards would remove their shoes when entering. WHEN interrogated he always told the same story, “The USA is China’s best friend in the world and China best realize that.” DURING his second imprisonment he had a visit from his friend Zhou Enlai who asked if he needed anything. Sidney started to complain about the food and his bed. Zhou said none of that stuff mattered and he arranged for Sidney to get the daily newspaper. In retrospect Sidney said that was a major part of his survival. He, unlike other prisoners, knew what was happening and even the date. There was a guard at the door who had to sit on a stool and watch through a small window; they could not talk. However, holding up the paper so they could both could read, Sidney would, using thumbs up or down, comment on articles. Sidney said he felt the guard was more of a prisoner, at least he could walk around. TOWARD the end of his second imprisonment many high ranking military, bureaucrats and even leaders like Jiang Qing were his neighbors. He said many, maybe most, sort of went crazy and he could hear them, including Jiang, shouting nonsense and making ridiculous demands. Sidney thought this was because westerners tended (he emphasized “tended”) to have a self image based on memories of accomplishments, relationships, victories and achievements that they could “revisit” so they basically always knew who they were. Many Chinese had self images which were based on feedback from those around them. When this feedback was withdrawn the person they thought they were ceased to exist. He made it clear he was “just guessing” as he did not have any expertise in such matters. WHEN HE decided to return to the U.S. he went to the reopened U.S. Embassy and the young man at the window asked for his passport. Sidney said he lost it. Asked when this happened Sidney said 1946. The man looked up and seriously asked “Did you report it to the police?” A wonderful person. PM Response: "Thanks for sharing. Sidney did go into some details about his incarcerations in his book. He was a very intelligent man, which may be one of the main reasons why he survived intact. It was perhaps a bit harder than he would like us to believe. In the end, he proved to have the indomitable will of the revolutionaries he had so wanted to be a part of. He knew that revolution was not a garden party. There will be blood. He emerged without becoming a bitter and vindictive old man. Considering Deng Xiaoping was purged twice during the Cultural Revolution at 65 and 71 years of age, and he had dedicated his life to the revolution since he was in his teens. Deng’s brother committed suicide rather than being humiliated by the Red Guards, and Deng’s son became a paraplegic after falling from a four story building trying to evade the Red Guards. What if Deng had become a bitter old man? Sidney knew he was not alone and he knew that he would survive the ordeal. After he was released, Yulin went and got a complete rehabilitation of Sidney’s good standing in the party, receiving compensation and an apology. Sidney will be remembered in China’s history. He was the first US citizen to join the Chinese Communist Party. He lived a long and fruitful life. He passed away in the presence of his family and loved ones. The party of which he was a member has succeeded beyond his wildest dreams. When it was time to go, I could see him smiling in satisfaction as he remembered Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s last words, 'The revolution has not yet succeeded; my comrades, you must keep on striving.'" Simon Lim: "What a fascinating story and beautifully told. As someone who has left China as a small child the more I read stories like this the more I’m interested in rediscovering my heritage." Joe: "Your grasp of historical events humbled the average Chinese, me inclusive. Well written, thank you."
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