Mark Popovskii papers, 1980-1986

Summary Information

Description

Scope and Content

Collection contains correspondence, works, diaries and research materials of Mark Popovskii, a prominent literary figure of Russian emigration. The collection also contains writings by contemporary russian authors, photographs, videotapes and scrapbooks of Popovskii's articles in Russian émigré newspapers. The date span of the collection is 1957 - 2000. In the early 1980s a fire at Popovskii's New York apartment destroyed a large part of Popovskii's archive, so the Popovskii Papers contain a very limited number of pre-1980s materials. This also explains the gap in Popovskii's diaries. The bulk of the materials are dated 1985 - 2000.

The papers of Mark Popovskii, including corrected and annotated photocopied typescripts of his books "Russkie muzhiki rasskazyvaiut" (the story of Tolstoy's peasant followers in the U.S.S.R. during the period 1918 to 1977) and "On, ona i sovetskaia vlast'" (English title: "Sex in the Soviet Union"). Also included are questionnaires and interviews with Soviet emigres regarding their opinions of contemporary sex customs in the Soviet Union.

• Series I: Cataloged Correspondence

  Series contains Popovskii's original correspondence with prominent Russian literary figures

• Series II: Questionnaires

  Part of research project Writers in Exile, these questionnaires were sent to Russian emigre writers residing in North America. Responses vary from brief fill-in answers to multi-page free-form letters. Many responces have marks by Popovskii on the margins.

• Series III: Arranged Correspondence

  Series contain Popovskii's business and personal correspondence, predominantly from his New York period (1978 - 2000). Enclosed photographs were separated into Photographsseries. Paper enclosures (news clippings, postcards, literary works) kept on file. 1980 - 1987 letters from friends and family in USSR are addressed to Efim Rabinovich - evidently a nickname for Popovskii in order to confuse the Soviet censure.

• Series IV: Writings

  Typescripts and photocopies of typescripts for books, articles and lectures by Popovskii, book galleys, article clippings. Often with manuscript edits and notes by the author.

• Series V: Research Materials

• Series VI: Readers' Response

  Readers private and open letters, and polemics in émigré periodicals regarding Popovskii's articles. Arranged chronologically.

• Series VII: About Popovskii

  Biographical information, personal documents, memorabilia, reviews of Popovskii's books and other materials regarding his life and works.

• Series VIII: Diaries

• Series IX: Writings by others

  Series contains literary works by miscellaneous Russian authors. Mostly typescripts, often inscribed to Popovskii by authors.

• Series X: Printed Materials

• Series XI: Photographs

• Series XII: Video

  Duplicates stored as reference copies in Box 37

• Series XIII: Books by Popovskii

• Series XIV: Scrapbooks

  Oversized Scrapbooks contain glued newspaper clippings of articles by/about Popovskii in miscellaneous émigré and Russian newspapers.

• Series XV: Audio

  Series consists of over 300 audio cassette tapes, primarily of interviews conducted by Popovskii. Also included are recording of lectures, radio broadcasts, and events

• Series XVI: Correspondence, 1965-2004

• Series XVII: Writings (typescripts, manuscripts, published and unpublished, research materials, in Russian and English, 1961-2001

• Series XVIII: Diaries, 1977-2002

• Series XIX: Subject Files, 1879-1990s

• Series XX: Documents and Biographical Materials, 1960s-2004

• Series XXI: Photographs and Drawings, 1905-2003

• Series XXII: Writings by Others (some with related letters, Popovskii's editing, 1958-2003

Arrangement

This collection is arranged into 22 series.

• Series I: Cataloged Correspondence
• Series II: Questionnaires
• Series III: Arranged Correspondence
• Subseries III.1: Prominent Individual Correspondents
• Subseries III.2: Publishers
• Subseries III.3: Family Correspondence
• Subseries III.4: Correspondence by subject
• Subseries III.5: Miscellaneous
• Series IV: Writings
• Subseries IV.1: Science and Ethics in USSR
• Subseries IV.2: Voino-Iasenetskii
• Subseries IV.3: Haffkine
• Subseries IV.4: Tolstoy and Tolstovtsy
• Subseries IV.5: Religion
• Subseries IV.6: Sex in USSR
• Subseries IV.7: Russians in America
• Subseries IV.8: Writers in Exile
• Subseries IV.9: Miscellaneous Writings
• Series V: Research Materials
• Subseries V.1: Tolstoy and Tolstovtsy
• Subseries V.2: Emigration
• Subseries V.3: Writers In Exile
• Subseries V.4: Notable Individuals
• Subseries V.5: Love and Sex in USSR
• Subseries V.6: General Subjects
• Series VI: Readers' Response
• Series VII: About Popovskii
• Series VIII: Diaries
• Series IX: Writings by others
• Series X: Printed Materials
• Subseries X.1: Periodicals
• Subseries X.2: Miscellaneous Publications
• Series XI: Photographs
• Subseries XI.1: Correspondence
• Subseries XI.1: Work Files
• Series XII: Video
• Series XIII: Books by Popovskii
• Series XIV: Scrapbooks
• Series XV: Audio
• Series XVI: Correspondence, 1965-2004
• Subseries XVI.1: Correspondence with Prominent People, 1975-2004
• Subseries XVI.2: General correspondence, 1977-2004 undated (personal correspondence with various people; organized chronologically), 1977-2004, undated
• Subseries XVI.3: Family Correspondence, 1978-2003
• Subseries XVI.4: Professional correspondence, 1965-2004 (correspondence with various people and organizations. Correspondence with Grani, Russkaia Mysl', Strana i Mir, and YMCA-Press see in Series IV: Subject Files (box 26-27), 1965-2004
• Series XVII: Writings (typescripts, manuscripts, published and unpublished, research materials, in Russian and English, 1961-2001
• Subseries XVII.1: Monographs, 1977-1984
• Subseries XVII.2: Articles and Essays, 1977-2001 (on science, Russians in America, writers in exile, personalia, general subjects; published and unpublished), 1977-2001
• Subseries XVII. 3: Poetry, Lectures, Presentations, Interviews, 1970s-1990s
• Subseries XVII.4: Drafts, Notes, Research Materials, Reviews on Popovskii's writings, undated, 1980-1996
• Subseries XVII.4: Printed publications, 1961-2000
• Series XVIII: Diaries, 1977-2002
• Series XIX: Subject Files, 1879-1990s
• Series XX: Documents and Biographical Materials, 1960s-2004
• Series XXI: Photographs and Drawings, 1905-2003
• Prominent People, 1920s-1995
• Series XXII: Writings by Others (some with related letters, Popovskii's editing, 1958-2003
• Subseries VII.2: Books and printed publications with authors' inscriptions, 1958-2002

Using the Collection

Restrictions on 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 off-site. You will need to request this material at least three business days in advance to use the collection in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room.

If you would like to use audiovisual materials in this collection, please contact the library to discuss access options as most of these materials have not been reformatted and are not readily available for use.

Names of interviewees are not to be cited or quoted.

Preferred Citation

Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Mark Popovskii Papers; Box and Folder; Bakhmeteff Archive, Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University Library.

Accruals

Materials may have been added to the collection since this finding aid was prepared. Contact rbml@columbia.edu for more information.

Existence and Location of Copies

Skolbin, Iurii, "Termidor", sent to Popovskii from the USSR: 76 pages on microfilm.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Papers: Source of acquisition--Popovskii, Mark. Method of acquisition--Gift; Date of acquisition--01/--/87. Accession number--B-87-2-10.

Additional accession numbers: 2000/01-10; 2000/01-22; 2000/01-36;

Gift of Mark Popovskiĭ, 1987.

Collection was assembled and donated to the Bakhmeteff Archives by Mark Popovskii. The first installment of the materials, containing corrected and annotated photocopied typescripts of his books Russkie muzhiki rasskazyvaiut" and "On, ona i Sovetskaia vlast'" along with research materials on contemporary sex customs in the Soviet Union, was received by the Bakhmeteff Archive in 1987. The bulk of the materials arrived in Oct. 2000 - Jan. 2001.

About the Finding Aid / Processing Information

Columbia University Libraries, Rare Book and Manuscript Library

Processing Information

Papers Processed EJS 01/--/87.

Revision Description

2010-01-20 Legacy finding aid created from Pro Cite.

2019-05-20 EAD was imported spring 2019 as part of the ArchivesSpace Phase II migration.

Biographical sketch

Russian author who emigrated to the United States in 1977. Editor of journal "Strana i mir" and author of numerous books on scientific subjects including "The Vavilov Affair" "Manipulated Science" and "The Story of Dr. Haffkine.

Popovskii, Mark Aleksandrovich (1922 - ), Russian writer journalist and essayist, was born in Odessa. A veteran of World War II, he started freelance literary work in 1946, and had numerous publications in the Soviet press (including 14 books), primarily dealing with issues of science and scientific ethics. During the 1970s two of Popovskii's books, Beda i vina akademika Vavilova and Zhizn' and Zhitie Voino-Iasenetskogo were rejected by the censor and circulated in samizdat. Popovskii also signed several letters in support of Russian dissidents. Systematically persecuted by KGB, he left the country in 1977 and settled in New York City, USA. In emigration he contributed to numerous Russian-language periodicals, and served as a North American editor of émigré journal Strana I Mir. He wrote and published numerous books, some were translated into English French and German. After the fall of the Soviet Union Popovskii's work started once again to appear in Russia.

Subject Headings

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