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Roman Brackman Papers

Call Number

MC.297

Dates

1940-2012, inclusive
; 1968-2005, bulk

Creator

Brackman, Roman, 1931-
Brackman, Roman, 1931- (Role: Donor)

Extent

6.05 linear feet
in 14 manuscript boxes and 1 half manuscript box.

Language of Materials

Materials are in English and Russian.

Abstract

Roman Brackman (1931- ) is a native of Moscow, Russia. In 1949 Brackman unsuccessfully attempted to escape from the Soviet Union and was sentenced to 10 years in the Norilsk Gulag penal labor camp. While there, he participated in a Norilsk prisoner uprising in the summer of 1953. He has written multiple works, including The Secret File of Joseph Stalin: A Hidden Life. The Roman Brackman Papers consist of materials created and collected by Brackman in the course of his research and writing related to various topics concerning Joseph Stalin and the history, politics, and economics of the Soviet Union and Russia. Materials include newspaper and magazine clippings in both English and Russian; articles written by Brackman; and correspondence. Publicity and reviews related to his book The Secret File of Joseph Stalin: A Hidden Life can also be found in this collection. The collection also contains subject files and correspondence related to other areas of interest to Brackman, including the political career of Richard M. Nixon, the Watergate scandal, and Republican Party activities in the late 20th century.

Biographical Note

Roman Brackman (1931- ) is a native of Moscow, Russia. In 1949 Brackman unsuccessfully attempted to escape from the Soviet Union and was sentenced to 10 years in the Norilsk Gulag penal labor camp. While there, he participated in a Norilsk prisoner uprising in the summer of 1953. After being released in 1955, Brackman left the Soviet Union and emigrated to the United States in 1962. He graduated from City College of New York (B.A., 1965) and earned his doctorate in history from New York University in 1980. Brackman has written multiple works, including The Secret File of Joseph Stalin: A Hidden Life.

Source: Brackman, Roman. From Hell to Paradise. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2012.

Arrangement

This collection has not been arranged by an archivist. The materials are arranged in the order in which they were received from the donor.

Scope and Contents

The Roman Brackman Papers consist of materials created and collected by Brackman in the course of his research and writing related to various topics concerning Joseph Stalin and the history, politics, and economics of the Soviet Union and Russia. Brackman's subject files often contain newspaper and magazine clippings in both English and Russian; photographs; research notes; and correspondence. Publicity, correspondence, and reviews related to Brackman's book The Secret File of Joseph Stalin: A Hidden Life, can also be found in this collection. The collection also contains subject files and correspondence related to other areas of interest, including the political career of Richard M. Nixon, the Watergate scandal, Jimmy Carter, and Republican Party activities in the late 20th century.

Conditions Governing Access

Materials are open without restrictions.

Conditions Governing Use

This collection is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use materials in the collection in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

Preferred Citation

Identification of item, date; Roman Brackman Papers; MC 297; box number; folder number; New York University Archives, New York University.

Location of Materials

Materials are stored offsite and advance notice is required for use. Please request materials at least two business days prior to your research visit to coordinate access.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Donated by Roman Brackman in August 2018; the accession number associated with this gift is 2018.032.

Collection processed by

Rachel Searcy

About this Guide

This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2023-08-20 17:48:54 -0400.
Using Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language: Finding aid written in English

Processing Information

At the time of accessioning, hanging files were removed and materials were housed in archival boxes.

In 2019, damaged folders were replaced with acid-free folders and original file titles were transferred to the new folder. Due to the mixture of Russian and English used on the file titles, as well as the penmanship of the creator, some titles were difficult to decypher and the archivist made their best judgement. Material was kept in its original order and listed to the file level.

Revisions to this Guide

September 2019: Record updated notes and file listing by Stacey Flatt to reflect processing of the material

Repository

New York University Archives
New York University Archives
Elmer Holmes Bobst Library
70 Washington Square South
2nd Floor
New York, NY 10012