Collection: Andreĭ Sedykh papers | Archives at Yale (original) (raw)

Collection

Call Number: GEN MSS 100

Scope and Contents

The Andrei Sedykh Papers consist of 2 boxes of correspondence, writings by various authors, and other papers. Box 3 holds restricted fragile papers (mostly newspaper clippings) for which preservation photocopies have been made. The papers span the dates 1887-1965.

Series I, Correspondence , contains incoming letters from notable Russian émigrés living in France and the United States, such as Mark Aleksandrovich Aldanov, Konstantin D. Bal'mont, Marc Chagall, Z. N. Gippius, Sergei Rachmaninoff, and Marina TSvetaeva. The bulk of the letters are in Russian; there are a few postcards and letters in French, and a letter in English from Pearl Buck discussing plans for a celebration in honor of Bunin's eightieth birthday.

The papers contain 62 letters and notes and 17 postcards from Ivan Alekseevich Bunin over a period of 28 years dealing with personal and business matters. Beginning in 1942 a number of the letters discuss the publication of Russian and English editions of Temnye allei and other works. Bunin's letter of October 9, 1942 includes corrections to the manuscripts of the first New York edition of Temnye allei. Several letters (e.g., August 18, 1947 and December 19, 1948) contain Bunin's reactions to criticism of him that had appeared in print. In later letters, Bunin becomes increasingly preoccupied with his poor health and desperate financial situation.

In addition to the letters of Bunin, there are 22 letters from his wife, Vera Nikolaevna, covering the period from 1950-57. Her description of Bunin's final days and death in her letter of November 18, 1953 was printed by Sedykh in Novoe russko slovo (Box 2, folder 72).

Aleksei Remizov is represented by 36 mostly brief items which display his well-known fondness for fanciful calligraphy. Most of the letters contain information for publication in the newspapers for which Sedykh worked as a correspondent.

The Correspondence includes 61 letters and 1 postcard from N. A. Teffi. She writes in a lively manner about personal affairs and her work, and often complains about her absentmindedness. In a letter of 1951 she gives a series of humorous anecdotes, "from the life of a crazy person," chronicling some of the more spectacular instances of her forgetfulness. Teffi also discusses Bunin in a few of the letters, portraying him in an unfavorable light; for example: "Na schet Bunina skazhu, chto ia ego boius'...On (kak eto ni grustno) po nature predatel'...Moi sovet -- otoidite poka ne pozdno." [December 1949] (With regard to Bunin I'll say that I'm afraid of him...He is (sad as it may be) a traitor by nature... My advice -- get away while it's not too late.)

In addition to the incoming correspondence, there are 11 letters written by Aldanov, Bunin, and others to third parties.

Series II, Writings , consists primarily of works written by other writers. Sedykh himself is represented only by newspaper clippings, mostly concerning Bunin, and a typescript of an interview with Bunin. Aside from one article by Sedykh in French, all of the writings are in Russian. There are a number of manuscripts by Bunin, most notably the stories printed in the first New York edition of Temnye allei. Writings also include two editorials by P. N. Miliukov, a chapter from a book by Vladimir L'vovich Burtsev, a short (4-line) poem by Bal'mont addressed to A. I. Kuprin, and a number of short items by Aldanov, Bal'mont, Remizov, and Teffi, presumably for publication in Segodnia or Poslednie novosti. Remizov, indulging in his enthusiasm for jokes, occasionally included information about fictitious authors or works in his notes to Sedykh, and sometimes succeeded in fooling him into publishing them. For example, in an "innocent-looking note" (Sedykh's words) headed "Literaturnaia khronika," Remizov informed Sedykh that TSvetaeva, who had recently moved to Paris, was to become the head of the monthly journal Shchiptsy ("Tongs"). Sedykh promptly published this item and on the following day received an irate letter from TSvetaeva (Box 1, folder 40), who apparently did not share Remizov's sense of humor.

Series III, Other Papers , includes addresses, newspaper clippings, photographs, and two sketches by Remizov. The bulk of the series consists of newspaper articles, programs, and photographs related to Bunin's Nobel Prize in 1933.

Dates

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

The materials are open for research.

Box 3: Restricted fragile material. Reference surrogates have been substituted in the main files. For further information consult the appropriate curator.

Conditions Governing Use

The Andrei Sedykh Papers are the physical property of the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University. Literary rights, including copyright, belong to the authors or their legal heirs and assigns. For further information, consult the appropriate curator.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The Papers were donated to the Yale University Library by Andrei Sedykh in 1964.

Extent

1.25 Linear Feet (3 boxes)

Language of Materials

Russian

Catalog Record

A record for this collection is available in Orbis, the Yale University Library catalog

Persistent URL

https://hdl.handle.net/10079/fa/beinecke.sedykh

Additional Description

Abstract

The papers contain correspondence, writings, photographs, and other papers concerning the lives of such Russian émigrés to the West as Mark Aldanov, Ivan Bunin, Marc Chagall, Alekseĭ Remizov, and N. A. Tėffi.

ANDREI SEDYKH (1902- )

Andrei Sedykh (pseudonym of IAkov Moiseevich TSvibak/Jacques Zwibak) is the author of 18 books of short stories, essays, history, travelogs and reminiscences. For most of his life he worked as a journalist, writing prolifically on a wide range of subjects. A prominent figure of the first wave of Russian emigration, he numbered among his friends and acquaintances most of the notable Russian émigrés in France and the United States, many of whom are represented in the papers.

Sedykh was born in Feodosiia, Russia on August 14 (August 1), 1902. He emigrated from Russia in 1920 and, after a brief period in Istanbul, settled in Paris where he studied at the Ecole des sciences politiques receiving his degree in 1925. He worked as a correspondent for Poslednie novosti, Segodnia (Riga) and Novoe russkoe slovo (New York), and in 1932 married the actress and singer Evgeniia Osipovna Lipovskaia (Jenny Grey). When Ivan Alekseevich Bunin was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1933, Sedykh accompanied him to Stockholm for the ceremonies as his secretary. During World War II Sedykh was forced to flee Paris, and in 1942 he emigrated to New York, where he began working as the city editor for Novoe russkoe slovo. He served as its managing editor from 1960-65 and in 1973 became editor in chief and president.

In addition to his career as a writer, journalist, and editor, Sedykh was active in philanthropic organizations. He created the Fond srochnoi pomoshchi at Novoe russkoe slovo to aid needy Russian emigrants and promoted the yearly collection for the Russian Literary Fund. He served as president of the Russian Literary Fund and vice-president of the American ORT (Obshchestvo rasprostraneniia truda) Federation, and for many years was the chairman of the executive committee of the American-European Friends of ORT. [Sources used: Kasack, Wolfgang, Dictionary of Russian Literature Since 1917 (New York: Columbia University Press, 1988); Tri iubileia Andreia Sedykh, ed. Leonid Rzhevskii (New York: Litfund, 1982); Who's Who in American Jewry, ed. Harold M. Glass (Los Angeles: Standard Who's Who, 1980).

Processing Information

Slavic names, titles, and quotations in their original languages have been transliterated in accordance with Library of Congress guidelines.

Subjects

Finding Aid & Administrative Information

Title

Guide to the Andrei Sedykh Papers

Status

Under Revision

Author

by Keith Langston

Date

June 1991

Description rules

Beinecke Manuscript Unit Archival Processing Manual

Language of description note

Finding aid written in English.

Repository Details

Part of the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library Repository

Location

121 Wall Street
New Haven, CT 06511

Opening Hours

Access Information

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