Identity Statement

Reference Code

HU OSA 312-0-3

Title

Correspondence

Date(s)

2001 - 2013

Description Level

Series

Extent and medium (processed)

5 Archival boxes, 0.62 linear meters

Content and Structure

Scope and Content (Abstract)

The series contains Alfred A. Reisch’s correspondence related to his research project on the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)'s secretly funded book distribution program. The correspondence covers the period from 2001 to 2013.

For his research, he contacted numerous individuals and institutions. For example, he corresponded heavily with old employees of the International Advisory Council (IAC) that were in charge of the program and former book distributors that were affiliated with the program, specifically, Peter Straka, who was owner of a book store in Vienna and one of the major distributors of books to Eastern Europe. Of particular interest is his correspondence with Marilyn Minden, the wife of the late George Minden, director of the program from 1959 to 1991. Additionally, Alfred A. Reisch contacted families of deceased participants of the program who provided him with photos and additional archival materials. Of special interest is the correspondence Alfred A. Reisch had with Beth Walker, the wife of the late Sam S. Walker, a head of the program from 1956 to 1959.

Extensive correspondence with the Hungarian American Enterprise Scholarship Fund (HAESF) is also included in the series. HAESF’s Senior Scholar Fellowship, awarded to Alfred A. Reisch, allowed him the necessary resources to conduct research on the archival materials for the program, which were deposited at the Hoover Institution’s Archives (HIA) at Stanford University in California. Additionally, the correspondence with archivists from the HIA and other archives, among them the National Archives and Record Administration (NARA) at College Park, Maryland, is included.

Also, in this series is his correspondence with the Agency Release Panel under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) on declassification of the program materials and other related files of the International Literary Center (ILC) dating from 1973 to 1991.

In addition, there is also a wide range of correspondence with old employees from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) and other intellectuals, historians, journalists, former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) operatives with whom Alfred A Reisch corresponded during the years of his research, specifically Ross Johnson (former Director of RFE/RL), Yale Richmond (Cold War scholar and former Foreign Service Employee) and Richard Cumming (former RFE/RL Security Chief).

Furthermore, the series includes Alfred A. Reisch’s correspondence with different publishing houses and the Central European University Press, which was the publisher of his book. Of particular interest is his correspondence with Mark Kramer, Program Director of Davis Center for Russian and Eurasians Studies at Harvard University and the author of the book’s introduction.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information

No destruction of documents took place in the course of processing with the exception of duplicates

Accruals

Not Expected

System of arrangement

The materials are organized alphabetically and then chronologically

Conditions of Access and Use

Conditions governing access

The general rules of research in OSA Research Room apply.

Conditions governing reproduction

Digital reproduction in OSA Research Room is allowed for educational and research purposes.

Languages

English, French, German, Hungarian

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Records are in good physical condition.

Description Control

Archivist's note

Processed by Clare Lewin, March, 2015.