Rare Book & Manuscript Library
 

Isaak Naumovich Al'tschuler Papers, 1881-1964

Summary Information

At a Glance

Call No.: BA#0009
Bib ID 16872965 View CLIO record
Creator(s) Al'tschuler, Isaak Naumovich
Title Isaak Naumovich Al'tschuler Papers, 1881-1964
Physical Description 1 Linear Feet (1,5 Ms. Box, 2 oversize folders)
Language(s) Russian , French , German .
Access You will need to make an appointment in advance to use this collection material in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room. You can schedule an appointment once you've submitted your request through your Special Collections Research Account.

This collection is located on-site.

Arrangement

Arrangement

Material is arranged in five series.

Description

Scope and Contents

Papers include personal and professional correspondence, documents, manuscripts, photographs, drawings, printed materials. Most of the collection consists of Al'tschuler's personal and professional papers and letters from colleagues, patients and friends. Materials of the collection deal with professional affairs, revolution and civil war in Crimea, Al'tschuller's sanatorium in Yalta, emigration to Constantinople, Germany, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, activity of such organizations as Russkii zagranichnyi istoricheskii arkhiv and Vserossiiskii zemskii soiuz.

Letters from colleagues, patients and friends constitute approximately one third of the collections and contain interesting material on the Russian home front during World War I, the 1917 Russian Revolution, and the early years of the Russian emigration. Noted also should be a letter (unidentified) about the situation in Crimea under bolsheviks terror and letters to ALtschuller from France during 1940-1941, especially those of Prince P. Dolgorukov and Prince V. Obolenskii, describing conditions among Russian emigres in German-occupied France.

The manuscripts include Isaak Altschuller' school compositions, his notes and typescripts of Elenev's essay and unidentified poetry.

The documents include passports, certificates, financial records, contracts, the last will, passes, permits, memberships of professional and social organization, mandates, orders, documents issued by various authorities, including German, White Army, Bolshevik in Crimea, and other materials that chronicle a turbulent period of Russian history from the end of 19th century to the end of 1930s including chaotic course of military conflict in Crimea, revolution, civil war and emigration. Documents also include materials related to Dr. Altschuller's activities as a member of the Yalta chapter of the Vserossiiskii zemskii soiuz where he served as head of the Union's Medical and Sanitary Department, and as president of the Medical and Sanitary Commission of the Constantinople Committee to Aid the Starving in Russia. A small section of the third party materials include Grigorii Al'tshuller's document, Rodzianko's letter to Goremykin, draft of "Russkie Soiuzy" project, and Nikolai Bazhenov's busines card.

There is one photograph and two drawings of Isaak Altschuller.

The printed materials include three issues of a rare periodical published for the Allied forces in Crimea: nos. 8-10 (Feb. 1-5, 1919) of "Dernieres Nouvelles, and three issues of Yalta gymnasium journal "Chaiki" (1913-1914).

  • Series I: Correspondence, 1898-1964, undated

    Al'tsculer's personal and professional correspondence. Some subject oriented correspondence, i.e. related to the Vserossiiskii Zemskii Soiuz and Russkii zagranichnyi istoricheskii arkhiv is in the Series III: Documents--Subseries: Subject Files.

  • Series II: Manuscripts and Notes, 1880s-1930s, undated

  • Series III: Documents, 1881-1938

    Personal and professional documents and records of Isaak Al'tshculer. There are also a couple of personal documents of Mariia Abramovna Al'tschuler (nee Mass). The documents cover professional affairs, revolution and civil war in Crimea, Al'tschuller's sanatorium in Yalta, emigration to Constantinople, Germany, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia. Subject files of this series include materials related to the activity of such organizations as Russkii zagranichnyi istoricheskii arkhiv and Vserossiiskii zemskii soiuz. There are also various third party materials.

  • Series IV: Photographs and Drawings

  • Series V: Printed Materials, 1913-1919

Using the Collection

Rare Book and Manuscript Library

Conditions Governing Access

You will need to make an appointment in advance to use this collection material in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room. You can schedule an appointment once you've submitted your request through your Special Collections Research Account.

This collection is located on-site.

Terms Governing Use and Reproduction

Single photocopies may be made for research purposes. The RBML maintains ownership of the physical material only. Copyright remains with the creator and his/her heirs. The responsibility to secure copyright permission rests with the patron.

Preferred Citation

Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Isaak Naumovich Al'tschuler Papers; Box and Folder; Bakhmeteff Archive, Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University Library.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Source of acquisition--Katia Jacobs. Method of acquisition--Gift; Date of acquisition--1994.

About the Finding Aid / Processing Information

Columbia University Libraries, Rare Book and Manuscript Library

Processing Information

Oct. 2022 -- processed by Katia Davidenko; bib ID assigned, AS record created.

Subject Headings

The subject headings listed below are found in this collection. Links below allow searches at Columbia University through the Archival Collections Portal and through CLIO, the catalog for Columbia University Libraries, as well as ArchiveGRID, a catalog that allows users to search the holdings of multiple research libraries and archives.

All links open new windows.

Genre/Form

Heading "CUL Archives:"
"Portal"
"CUL Collections:"
"CLIO"
"Nat'l / Int'l Archives:"
"ArchivedGRID"
Correspondence Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Documents Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Photographic prints Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID

Subject

Heading "CUL Archives:"
"Portal"
"CUL Collections:"
"CLIO"
"Nat'l / Int'l Archives:"
"ArchivedGRID"
Al'tschuler, Isaak Naumovich Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Crimea (Ukraine) -- History Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Dolgorukov, P. D., kni︠a︡zʹ (Petr Dmitrīevich), 1866-1951 Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Elenev, Nikolaĭ, 1894-1967 Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Elpatʹevskiĭ, S. I︠A︡. (Sergeĭ I︠A︡kovlevich), 1854-1933 Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Emigration and immigration -- Balkans -- 20th century Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Emigration and immigration -- Bulgaria -- 20th century Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Emigration and immigration -- Constantinople Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Emigration and immigration -- Czechoslovakia -- 20th century Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Emigration and immigration -- Germany -- Russians -- 20th century Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
I︠A︡rot︠s︡kiĭ, A. I. Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Krym, S. S. Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Obolenskiĭ, V. A., kni︠a︡zʹ (Vladimir Andreevich), 1869-1950 Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Printed ephemera Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Rodzi︠a︡nko, M. V. (Mikhail Vladimirovich), 1859-1924 Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Russia -- History -- 1904-1914 Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Soviet Union -- History -- Revolution, 1917-1921 Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Terapiano, I︠U︡riĭ, 1892-1980 Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Vilʹchkovskiĭ, S. N. (Sergeĭ Nikolaevich), 1871-1934 Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Vserossīĭskīĭ zemskīĭ soi︠u︡z Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
World War, 1914-1918 -- Russia Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID

History / Biographical Note

Biographical / Historical

Isaak Naumovich Altschuler (1870-1943), medical doctor, physician to Leo Tolstoy and Anton Chekhov. Medical graduate of Moscow University (1895), specialist in the treatment of tuberculosis, he made a medical practice in Yalta where he eventually started his own sanatorium (1918-1920). During the civil war Dr. Altschuller played a leading role in the Yalta chapter of the All-Russian Zemstvos Union and served as head of the Union's Medical and Sanitary Department.

After emigrating with his family from Russia in 1920, he continued working in his profession. Initially he worked at the Russian hospital in Constantinople, where in 1921 the hospital for tuberculosis was opened under his direction and care; he was president of the Medical and Sanitary Commission of the Constantinople Committee to Aid the Starving in Russia.

From 1920 to 1938 he lived and worked in Sofia, Belgrade, Birkenvorder sanatorium (Germany; 1922-1932), then in Prague till 1938. In 1935, Dr. Altschuller was elected member of the Council of Russian Historical Archive Abroad in Prague. In 1938 he and his family emigrated to the United States where hi lived firsts in Los Angeles and then since 1940 in New York.

Alternative spelling of Al'tschuler's last name includes: Al'tschuller; Al'tshuller; Al'tshuler.