Revolution and Civil War

Harvard Library holds a number of collections of original and microfilmed documents related to the events of the October Revolution of 1917, the Civil War and following years. 

See also: Russian revolutionary literature at Houghton Library of Harvard University (a collection of Russian revolutionary literature printed before 1917)

Revolution and Civil War Collections

Leaders of the Russian Revolution

This collection contains microform reproductions of the personal archives of nine Russian revolutionary leaders from the former Central Party Archive. The archives cover the years 1878-1952.

1858 microfiches, 421 microfilm reels

Contents:
pt. 1. Martov, L. (1873-1923) (34 fiches)
pt. 2. Zasulich, Vera (1849-1919) (34 fiches)
pt. 3. Ordzhonikidze, Sergo (1886-1937) (121 reels)
pt. 4. Kirov, S.M. (1886-1934) (45 reels)
pt. 5. Zhdanov, A.A. (1896-1948) (517 fiches, 35 reels)
pt. 6. Molotov, V.M. (1890-1986) (111 fiches)
pt. 7. Trotsky, Leon (1879-1940) (1129 fiches)
pt. 8. Axelrod, P.B. (1850-1928) (33 fiches)
pt. 9. Kalinin, M.I. (1875-1946) (220 reels)

Collection guide: online and PDF

The Papers of the Red Army, 1918-1923 : Bumagi Krasnoĭ Armii, 1918-1923 

Papers of the Red Army: political and internal intelligence reports, 1918-1938
Bumagi Krasnoĭ Armii, 1918-1923 from the holdings of Russian State Military Archive Moscow, Russia. Accompanied by printed guide which replicates the contents of reel 1 and serves as a finding aid to the collection.

76 reels

The Papers of the White Army, 1917-1921 : Bumagi Beloĭ Armii, 1917-1921 : from the holdings of Russian State Military Archive Moscow, Russia 

Accompanied by printed guide which replicates the contents of reel 1 and serves as a finding aid to the collection.

71 reels

The Intercepted letters of the Russian revolutionaries, 1883-1917 : Perli︠u︡strat︠s︡ii, 1883-1917

 

Letters intercepted by The Department of Police of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The Fifth Department of the Special Secion of the Department of Police (secret unit). Accompanied by printed guide which replicates the contents of reel 1 and serves as a finding aid to the collection.

 

175 reels

Documents concerning the investigation into the death of Nicholas II, 1918-1920
(Sokolov investigation documents)

Contains documents compiled for the investigation into the deaths of Czar Nicholas II and his family. Records include testimonies, orders, and other court papers, in addition to correspondence, reports, and photographs. Much of the material pertains to the examination of articles used as material evidence in the investigation which was conducted by N.A. Sokolov, Coroner of the Court. Photographs (with negatives) are of the royal family and the house and area in Ekaterinburg where they were killed. Also includes some correspondence in English concerning the disposition of the belongings of Nicholas and his family.

Finding aid  

[Russian anti-revolutionary posters]
 [1918-1921?] 
44 posters
 A collection of posters of counterrevolutionary propaganda.

A digitized item

José María Castañé collection of political broadsides from revolutionary Russia, 1917-1920
17 political broadsides with appeals, statements and announcements from various Russian political parties, including an address to the citizens of Russia from Petr Kropotkin, and several branches of the Russian government in Petrograd and Moscow between the years of 1917 and 1920. Topics range from appeals to the workers, peasants and soldiers, and women-workers to protect the new state from enemies, to proclamations on May 1st holiday and anniversaries of the October revolution.

Finding aid

Collection of Russian revolutionary broadside drawings
5 matted watercolor drawings. 
Unprocessed.