Abraham Richard Richstein, 83, a retired Army Colonel who was General Counsel of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency from 1981 to 1983, died of pneumonia May 25 at the Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.

He had lived off and on in Annandale since 1958.

Colonel Richstein, a native of New York, received a bachelor's degree from the City College of New York, a law degree from Fordham University, a master's degree in international law from New York University and a master's degree in international
relations from George Washington University.

He served as a military intelligence officer in Europe during World War II.

In 1946, while on the staff of the U.S. War Crimes Commission in Germany, he interrogated German Army General Alfred Jodl, who later was hanged for war crimes.

Colonel Richstein subsequently served on the faculty of the National War College, was a judge advocate and served as a treaty adviser for negotiations with the Soviet Union. He was a planner for the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1969 when he retired from the Army.

Among his decorations was the Bronze Star.

From 1969 to 1981, he was assistant general counsel for the Agency for International Development. At the arms control agency, he provided legal advice on the Strategic Arms Reduction Talks and Intermediate Nuclear Forces negotiations in Geneva.

After he retired again, he taught courses on law and arms control at the Defense Intelligence Agency University in Washington.

His wife of 56 years, Rosalind Richstein, died in 1998.

Survivors include two sons, Eric, of Germantown and Jonathan, of Alexandria; and a granddaughter.

On May 25, 2002 at Bethesda Naval Hospital, ABRAHAM R. RICHSTEIN,
beloved husband of the late Rosalind; loving father of Eric and Jonathan Richstein; devoted grandfather of Anna Olivia Richstein. Interment Wednesday, June 19, 2 p.m. at Arlington National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the charity of the donor's choice.