Collection Summary
Alexander Vassiliev Papers
1895-2011
1930-1950
1895-2011
1930-1950
MSS85460
Vassiliev, Alexander
110 items
11 containers
4.2 linear feet
168 digital files (0.4 GB)
English
Russian
Collection material in English and Russian.
Manuscript Division, Library of Congress
Washington, D.C.
Journalist, author, espionage historian,
and former KGB operative. Notebooks, file guide, concordance, legal documents, and notes
compiled by Vassiliev from KGB files relating to KGB espionage activity in the United
States during the 1930s through the early 1950s. Digital files include material relating
to VENONA, the code name for the U.S. Army's Signal Intelligence Service's project to
analyze and decrypt Soviet communications primarily during World War II.
Selected Search Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the LC
Catalog. They are grouped by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and
by occupation and listed alphabetically.
People
Lowenthal, John, 1925-2003.
Vassiliev, Alexander--Trials, litigation, etc.
Vassiliev, Alexander.
Organizations
Frank Cass & Co.--Trials, litigation, etc.
Soviet Union. Komitet gosudarstvennoĭ bezopasnosti.
United States. Army. Signal Intelligence Service.
Subjects
Cold War.
Cryptography--United States.
Espionage--United States.
Intelligence service--Soviet Union.
World War, 1939-1945--Cryptography.
World War, 1939-1945--Military intelligence--United States.
World War, 1939-1945--Soviet Union.
Places
Soviet Union--Foreign relations--United States.
United States--Foreign relations--Soviet Union.
Titles
Intelligence and national security.
Occupations
Authors.
Historians.
Intelligence officers.
Journalists.
Acquisition Information
The papers of Alexander Vassiliev, author, journalist, espionage historian, and former
KGB operative, were given to the Library of Congress by Vassiliev in 2009. Additional
material was given to the Library by John Haynes in 2012.
Processing History
The papers of Alexander Vassiliev were originally processed by Kathleen O'Neill in 2010.
Digital files and a small addition were processed in 2013. The finding aid was updated
in 2013 and 2014.
Digital files were received as part of the Alexander Vassiliev Papers on a variety of
storage media, each of which was assigned a unique digital ID number. Use the digital ID
number to request access copies of the files associated with each media. A description
of the standard processes taken on all born digital records can be found in the
Processing History Note: Born Digital Collection Material at [https://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mss/eadmss.digital].
Other Repositories
Digitized versions of the file guide and concordance as well as the original,
transcribed, and translated notebooks can be found online as part of the Cold War
International History Project on the Woodrow Wilson International Center Web site at
[https://digitalarchive.wilsoncenter.org/collection/86/Vassiliev-Notebooks]
Copyright Status
Copyright in the unpublished writings of Alexander Vassiliev in these papers and in
other collections in the custody of the Library of Congress is reserved. Consult
reference staff in the Manuscript Division for further information.
Access and Restrictions
The papers of Alexander Vassiliev are open to research. Researchers are advised to
contact the Manuscript Reading Room prior to visiting. Many collections are stored
off-site and advance notice is needed to retrieve these items for research use. Access
to digital content is available onsite only in the Manuscript Reading Room and requires
advanced notice. Researchers are advised to contact the Manuscript Reading Room prior to
visiting.
Preferred Citation
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information:
Container or digital ID number, Alexander Vassiliev Papers, Manuscript Division, Library
of Congress, Washington, D.C.
Biographical Note
Date
Event
1962, May 1
Born, Moscow, Soviet Union
1984
Graduated, M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Faculty of Journalism,
International Section, Moscow, Soviet Union
1984
1985
Employed, International Department,
Komsomolskaya Pravda Daily
, Moscow, Soviet Union
1985
Cadet, Andropov Red Banner Institute, KGB, Moscow, Soviet Union
1987
Graduated, Andropov Red Banner Institute, KGB, Moscow, Soviet Union
1987
1990
Operative, First Department, First Chief Directorate, KGB, Moscow, Soviet
Union
1990
Resigned, KGB
1990
1996
Reporter and columnist,
Komsomolskaya Pravda Daily
, Moscow, Russia
1996
Moved to London, England
1999
Published with Allen Weinstein
The Haunted Wood: Soviet Espionage in America–The Stalin Era
. New York: Random House
2000
2009
Online producer,
BBC World Service
. Russian Section–Russian Services, London, England
2001
Sued Amazon.com and Frank Cass & Co., publisher of the
Intelligence and National Security Journal
, London, England for libel (lost the lawsuit in 2003)
2004
2006
Copublisher, editor, and designer,
The Hyde Park
, London, England
2009
Published with John Earl Haynes and Harvey Klehr
Spies: The Rise and Fall of the KGB in America
. New Haven: Yale University Press
Scope and Content Note
The papers of Alexander Vassiliev (b. 1962) span the years 1895-2011, with the bulk of
the material dating from the 1930s to the early 1950s. The papers are in Russian and
English and consist of original notebooks, summary narratives, documents pertaining to
Vassiliev v. Frank Cass & Co., and material relating
to the VENONA project. The papers are organized into two series: [Paper File](paper) and [Digital File](electronic).
With the exception of the original notebooks, the [Paper File](paper) series consists entirely of
printouts of the scanned and born-digital material found in the [Digital File](electronic). The notebooks were
created during Vassiliev's work on a book project supported by the Foreign Intelligence
Service of Russia (SVR). For this project, he partnered with Allen Weinstein to write a
book on KGB operations in the United States. Vassiliev was a former operative in the KGB
and the SVR gave him access to KGB files relating to its espionage activity in the
United States during the 1930s through the early 1950s. The notebooks, handwritten in
Russian, contain Vassiliev's direct transcriptions from these files as well as his
margin notes. When Vassiliev left Russia in 1996, he left the notebooks behind and did
not retrieve them until 2001. The original notebooks were used in writing
Spies: The Rise and Fall of the KGB in America
(2009), coauthored by Vassiliev, John Earl Haynes, and Harvey Klehr. Included
with the original notebooks are a file guide, a file concordance, transcripts, and
English translations of the notebooks. The transcribed and translated versions duplicate
the pagination and page layout of the original handwritten notebooks.
The summary narratives consist of material Vassiliev wrote to comply with restrictions
set forth by the SVR. These restrictions prohibited Vassiliev from sharing the original
notebooks with Allen Weinstein. Vassiliev, therefore, prepared SVR-screened summary
narratives of the notebooks. These sanitized summary narratives in English were used as
the basis for the book,
The Haunted Wood: Soviet Espionage in America–The Stalin Era
(1999), coauthored with Weinstein. Although the summary narratives are based on
the KGB files transcribed in the notebooks, the span dates reflect the events chronicled
in the narrative text, not the dates of the transcribed files.
The documents relating to the lawsuit Vassiliev v. Frank Cass
& Co. include copies of legal documents, correspondence, and trial notes.
The libel suit stemmed from an article, "Venona & Alger Hiss" by John Lowenthal,
published in 2000 in the journal
Intelligence and National Security
.
An addition to the [Paper
File](paper) consists of material printed out from digital files donated by John Haynes
in 2012 and primarily relates to the VENONA project.
The [Digital File](electronic)
series contains born-digital summary narratives, scans of the original notebooks, file
guide, transcriptions and translations of the notebooks, and material relating to the
lawsuit Vassiliev v. Frank Cass & Co. The addition
contains scans of the VENONA cables, an index and concordance to the VENONA materials,
as well as scans and translations of the original Vassiliev notebooks. The "Index and
Concordance to Alexander Vassiliev's Notebooks and Soviet Cables Deciphered by the
National Security Agency's VENONA Project" by John Haynes indexes proper names, cover
names, organizational titles, events, and subjects. The digital version of the
translated notebooks in the addition are an updated version of the translation files
that appear in the Notebooks folder and have revised footnotes as well as other
editorial changes.
Arrangement of the Papers
This collection is arranged in two series:
-
[Papers File, 1895-2008 ](paper)
-
[Digital File,
1895-2011](electronic)
Catalog Record: [https://lccn.loc.gov/mm2009085460]
Container List
Container
Contents
1-11
Paper File, 1895-2008
1895-2008
Original notebooks, summary narratives, documents pertaining to Vassiliev v.
Frank Cass & Co. and VENONA project cables.
Arranged by topic or type of material.
1-4
Notebooks, 1923-2008
[
See also Digital File, same heading](e-Notebooks)
1923-2008
1
File guide, undated
undated
1
File concordance, 2008
2008
1
Yellow notebooks, undated
undated
1
No. 1, 1935-1965
1935-1965
1
Original
1
Transcribed
1
Translated
1
No. 2, 1934-1971
1934-1971
1
Original
1
Transcribed
1
Translated
1
No. 3, 1934-1957
1934-1957
1
Original
1
Transcribed
1
Translated
2
No. 4, 1923-1950
1923-1950
2
Original
2
Transcribed
2
Translated
2
Black notebook, 1932-1954
1932-1954
2
Original
2
Transcribed
2
Translated
3
White notebooks, undated
undated
3
No. 1, 1930-1947
1930-1947
3
Original
3
Transcribed
3
Translated
3
No. 2, 1927-1975
1927-1975
3
Original
3
Transcribed
3
Translated
4
No. 3, 1934-1951
1934-1951
4
Original
4
Transcribed
4
Translated
4
Odd pages, 1928-1949, 1992
1928-1949, 1992
4
Original
4
Transcribed
4
Translated
4-6
Summary narratives, circa
1895-1977
[
See also Digital File, Vassiliev chapters](e-Chapters)
circa 1895-1977
4
Crook, 1934-1940
1934-1940
4
Double agent (Boris Morros), circa
1895-1957
circa 1895-1957
4
Enormoz, 1904-1992
1904-1992
4
Golos-Bentley-Browder, 1907-1951
1907-1951
4
Golos-Bentley-Browder (addition),
1934-1945
1934-1945
4
The Hammers, 1917-1972
1917-1972
5
Information on the United States,
1923-1948
1923-1948
5
Itshak Akhmerov and "Pal's" group,
1941-1945
1941-1945
5
Martha Dodd and Alfred Stern,
1924-1975
1924-1975
5
Operations in the United States
5
1933-1940
5
1933-1940 (addition, New York station in
the 1930s)
5
1941-1945
5
1945-1950
6
"O.S.S.-NKVD cooperation,"
1942-1945
1942-1945
6
Skeletons in the closet,
1937-1946
1937-1946
5
Washington sources, 1900-1977
1900-1977
(3 folders)
6
Alexander Vassiliev v. Frank Cass
& Co., 1992-2003
[
See also Digital File, Trial documents](e-Trial)
1992-2003
6
Correspondence
6
Vassiliev, 1997-2003
1997-2003
6
Others, 1992-2000
1992-2000
6
Court records
6
2001-2002
6
2003
6
Apr.-June
6
May
6
June
6
Interviews, 1992-2003
1992-2003
6
Notes
6
2000-2002, undated
(2 folders)
6-11
Addition, Haynes file, VENONA
project cables, 1940-1947, 2010
[
See also Digital File, same heading](e-Addition)
1940-1947, 2010
6
Addis Ababa–Bogota KGB, 1944-1947
1944-1947
6
Canada Trade–Havana KGB, 1943-1947
1943-1947
6
Istanbul KGB, 1943-1945
1943-1945
6
Kazvin–KGB circular, 1944-1947
1944-1947
6
London GRU, 1940-1947
1940-1947
(1 folder)
7
(2 folders)
7
London KGB–Meshed Diplomatic,
1942-1946
1942-1946
7
Mexico City KGB, 1944-1947
1944-1947
(2 folders)
7
Montevideo Diplomatic–Montevideo KGB,
1944-1945
1944-1945
7
New York-Buenos Aires–New York KGB-1941-1942,
1941-1943
1941-1943
7
New York KGB-1943, 1943
1943
(1 folder)
8
(1 folder)
8
New York KGB-1944, 1944
1944
(5 folders)
9
New York KGB-1945, 1945
1945
(2 folders)
9
Ottawa Diplomatic–Prague KGB, 1940-1944
1940-1944
9
San Francisco KGB, 1943-1946
1943-1946
(2 folders)
9
Sofia KGB, 1941-1947
1941-1947
9
Special studies, 2010
2010
9
Stockholm Diplomatic, 1944
1944
9
Stockholm GRU, 1940-1945
1940-1945
(1 folder)
10
(1 folder)
10
Stockholm KGB, 1941-1946
1941-1946
(2 folders)
10
Stockholm Naval GRU, 1942-1945
1942-1945
(2 folders)
10
Tokyo Diplomatic–USA Diplomatic,
1942-1946
1942-1946
10
USA GRU, 1941-1945
1941-1945
11
USA Naval GRU, 1942-1943
1942-1943
(3 folders)
11
USA Trade–Washington KGB, 1942-1946
1942-1946
Digital File, 1895-2011
1895-2011
Scans of the original notebooks, file guide, transcriptions and translations of
the notebooks, Vassiliev chapters (summary narratives), and materials relating to
the lawsuit Vassiliev v. Frank Cass & Co. Also included is an addition titled
"Haynes file" containing scans of the VENONA cables, an index and concordance to
the VENONA materials, and translations of the original Vassiliev notebooks. The
material is primarily PDF files with the exception of the the Vassiliev chapters
which are Windows Microsoft Word documents. The series comprises a total of 168
digital files and 413.4 MB of data.
Arranged by topic or type of material.
Notebooks, [
See also Containers 1-4, same heading](Notebooks)
mss85460_1_1
Concord file (concordance file),
2008-2009
2008-2009
Notebooks (scanned originals),
2005-2006
2005-2006
Notebooks trans (translations and
transcriptions), 2008-2009
2008-2009
Trial documents, 2006
[
See also Container 6, Alexander Vassiliev v.
Frank Cass & Co.](Trial)
2006
mss85460_1_1
Vassiliev chapters,
2005
[
See also Containers 4-6, Summary
narratives](Summary)
2005
mss85460_1_1
Addition, Haynes file,
1940-1947, 2011
1940-1947, 2011
mss85460_1_1
Index and concordance, 2011
2011
Transcribed notebooks, 2011
2011
VENONA project cables,
1940-1947
[
See also Containers 6-11, same heading
](Addition)
1940-1947