Former Teaching Fellow Denies Poland's Charges

A Harvard graduate student imprisoned for ten days by Polish authorities on charges of using offensive language and striking a Polish government official vigorously denied Saturday that he was guilty of either charge.

Andrew Field, a Teaching Fellow in Slavic Languages and Literature last year, was arrested on Jan. 21 at the Polish-East German border town of Slubice while en route from Moscow to Paris for a two week holiday with his wife. Since September, Field had been studying Russian literature in Moscow under the U.S.-Soviet cultural exchange program. Harvard officials indicated last night that Field was a student "in good standing" and was expected to return to the University next year.

Released on $3000 bail Friday, Field said, "I categorically state that I neither used abusive language nor struck anyone." He explained his arrest as "a linguistic misunderstanding" on the part of the Polish border official with whom he had spoken in Russian, but declined to go into details.

In arranging the trip to Paris, Field said he had applied for visas valid through Feb. 6. When the train reached the Poland-East Germany checkpoint, however, the officials told Field that the visas expired Jan. 6.

Taken Off Train

After a discussion with the border authorities, Field said he and his wife re-boarded the train, believing the matter had been resolved. But, just before the train crossed the East German frontier, they were taken off the train without being informed of the reason.

After being held overnight in Slubice, Field's wife was permitted to continue her journey, but Field himself was placed on an eastbound train and subsequently interrogated and imprisoned.