Up for sale is a highly unique, primary-source historical document from the early Cold War and post-WWII reconstruction era: an official two-page correspondence from the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR, dated February 13, 1948. Size 8" x 11.3/6".
This remarkable piece of bureaucratic history is hand-signed by the world-renowned Soviet engineer and bridge builder, Academician Evgeny Oskarovich Paton (E.O. Paton), in his capacity as Vice-President of the Academy. The document highlights the internal struggles and friction within the Soviet apparatus regarding the distribution of post-WWII German industrial reparations.
Following World War II, the USSR extracted massive industrial reparations from Soviet-occupied Germany to rebuild its shattered infrastructure. This document is a formal complaint addressed to B.P. Martynov, Head of the Import Department of the USSR Ministry of Foreign Trade.
In the letter, Academician Paton points out that while the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences was allocated 4 million German marks' worth of scientific equipment (such as cathode-ray oscilloscopes and audio generators) to replace what was lost during the wartime Nazi occupation and evacuation, the central Soviet authorities were wrongfully diverting and poaching these orders for the main USSR Academy of Sciences and the Estonian SSR.
The top-left corner features an authentic handwritten archival notation reading "В дело" (To file) signed by an official ("V. Sulimenko") and dated April 27, 1948, marking its final entry into the Soviet trade archives.
Signatory: Academician Evgeny Oskarovich Paton
Document typed on official Soviet letterhead, featuring handwritten ink signature and archival routing notations
Condition Report
The document is in good vintage condition with expected minor aging, light edge wear, and paper toning consistent with 1940s Soviet archival paper. There are no major tears or stains affecting the clarity of the text. Includes standard archival punch holes on the left margin from its time spent in the official trade ministry binders.
COMPLETE TRANSLATION OF THIS DOCUMENT FROM RUSSIAN TO ENGLISH
According to the letter of Comrade Mikoyan A.M. under reference 47-42/302, the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR is to receive equipment and instruments from Germany amounting to 4 million German marks, or 8,548 thousand rubles, taking into account the deliveries already made in 1947.
According to the clarification of Comrade Bulavin N.P., as of January 1, 1948, 2,589 thousand rubles' worth of equipment has been delivered to the Academy of Sciences of the UkrSSR from Germany, leaving a balance of 5,959 thousand rubles, of which it is planned to allocate the deliveries as follows:
Upon inquiry with the All-Union Association "Technopromimport," it was established that the following orders are being executed for the Academy of Sciences of the UkrSSR in 1948:
TOTAL.... for 1,197.8 thousand German marks or 2,438 thousand rubles
Under these circumstances, "Technopromimport" will not be able to fulfill our orders for 5,687 thousand rubles in 1948.
In connection with this, the Presidium of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukr. SSR requests your directive:
At the same time, we consider it necessary to inform you that a number of orders from the Academy of Sciences of the UkrSSR placed in Germany and accepted by Technopromimport for execution have not been delivered to us and, for unknown reasons, have been transferred to other organizations.
Namely:
The Engineering Directorate has also failed to fulfill our orders for cathode-ray oscilloscopes:
Thus, despite the presence of significant unspent funds, our orders were either unfulfilled or transferred to other organizations.
As a result, instead of 8,548 thousand rubles, the institutes of the Academy of Sciences of the UkrSSR, which survived evacuation and lost a significant amount of equipment, received only 2,589 thousand rubles' worth.
We request that the Presidium of the Academy of Sciences of the UkrSSR be notified of your decision.
VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UKRAINIAN SSR
Academician
[Signed] /E.O. Paton/