V. Mitrofanovic Puriskevic papers

Collection description

Holding institution (official language):: Archives de l’Université Libre de Bruxelles

Postal address:: Campus du Solbosch AX1.222, Avenue Franklin Roosevelt 50 / Franklin Rooseveltlaan 50, 1000 Bruxelles

Web address:: http://bib.ulb.ac.be/fr/bibliotheques/archives-de-lulb/index.html

Scope and content:: This fonds contains documents related to the ‘Jewish question’ in Russia (and Soviet Russia), Ukraine and Romania, antisemitism and the discriminations faced by the Jews in the early 20th century. Among the relevant material we find handwritten notes by V. Puriskevic (on the Jewish question in Russia, the Jewish population in Ukraine, Jews and Bolsheviks/Bolshevism, Jews and their supposed role in the Russian revolution, etc), as well as antisemitic material (leaflets, cartoons), reports (i.a. on Jewish functionaries in Soviet Russia etc.), correspondence addressed to or collected by Puriskevic, documentation (press cuttings, antisemitic articles and other publications), etc. See files no. 13.1, 14, 20.4, 20.7, 30.1, 34.7, 35.8, 42.1, 42.33, 47.1, 47.2, 47.4, 47.5, 47.6, 49.2, 53.3, 54.5, 68 and 89. The files cover ca. 1891-1919 (mainly 1917-1919).

Archival history:: The family of V. Puriskevic emigrated to Belgium. His widow had kept his archives and bequeathed them to the ULB.

Administrative/biographical history:: Vladimir Mitrofanovic Puriskevic was born in Kishinev (Bessarabia) in 1870. He held a degree in classical studies and made a career as functionary and politician, notably at the head of the zemstvo of Akkerman, as ministerial assistant, attaché to the economic department of the Ministry of the Interior, and as founder of the Union of the Russian People (later the Union of Archangel Michael). Puriskevic was a member of the 2nd and 3rd Duma, where he represented the monarchist extreme right. His speeches were marked by antisemitism. Convicted for having taken part in an anti-Bolshevik conspiracy, he was granted amnesty. During the civil war he founded and led the national monarchist party. He participated in the assassination of Rasputin on the night 7 December 1916. Puriskevic died in Novorossijsk (on the Black Sea) in 1920. (J. Blankoff, Inventaire des Papiers de Vladimir Mitrofanovic Puriskevic (années 1907 à 1920), Bruxelles, Service des Archives de l’ULB, 1981.)

Finding aids:: J. Blankoff, Inventaire des Papiers de Vladimir Mitrofanovic Puriskevic (années 1907 à 1920), Bruxelles, Service des Archives de l’ULB, 1981.