Scientists for Sakharov, Orlov and Shcharansky Records, 1975-2010
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http://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/tf658004rz No online items Register of the Scientists For Sakharov, Orlov And Shcharansky Records, 1975-2010 Finding aid prepared by Aparna Mukherjee, revised by Morris Pripstein and Elizabeth Phillips; machine-readable finding aid created by Michael C. Conkin Hoover Institution Archives 434 Galvez Mall Stanford University Stanford, CA, 94305-6010 (650) 723-3563 [email protected] © 1998 Register of the Scientists For 98007 1 Sakharov, Orlov And Shcharansky Records, 1975-20... Title: Scientists For Sakharov, Orlov And Shcharansky Records Date (inclusive): 1975-2010 Collection Number: 98007 Contributing Institution: Hoover Institution Archives Language of Material: English Physical Description: 32 manuscript boxes, 2 oversize boxes, 1 card file boxes, 12 videotape cassettes, 3 phonotape cassettes(15 linear feet) Abstract: Correspondence, speeches and writings, reports, memoranda, press releases, statements, petitions, lists, financial records, printed matter, photographs, video tapes, and sound recordings, relating to civil rights and dissident scientists in the Soviet Union, and especially to Andrei Sakharov, Yuri Orlov and Anatoly Shcharansky (Natan Sharansky). Includes some papers of Morris Pripstein, chairman of the organization. Physical Location: Hoover Institution Archives Creator: Scientists for Sakharov, Orlov and Shcharansky. Access Collection open for research. The Hoover Institution Archives only allows access to copies of audiovisual items. To listen to sound recordings or to view videos or films during your visit, please contact the Archives at least two working days before your arrival. We will then advise you of the accessibility of the material you wish to see or hear. Please note that not all audiovisual material is immediately accessible. Publication Rights For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Archives. Preferred Citation [Identification of item], Scientists For Sakharov, Orlov And Shcharansky Records, [Box no.], Hoover Institution Archives. Historical Note Scientists for Sakharov, Orlov and Shcharansky (SOS), formerly known as Scientists for Shcharansky, is a private non-governmental organization created by a group of physicists at the University of California, Berkeley. It came into existence in the summer of 1978 in response to the arrests of Yuri Orlov and Anatoly Shcharansky (later known as Natan Sharansky). There was a great deal of concern in the scientific community over the numerous violations of human rights affecting fellow scientists in many parts of the world. In the face of the seriously deteriorating plight of dissident scientist colleagues, the group felt the need to plot out a totally new course of action on behalf of their beleaguered colleagues, with the focus on the Soviet Union, but not exclusively so. A guiding principle was to engage individual scientists to act collectively in unorthodox efforts to publicly "encourage" the Soviet authorities to cease their human rights violations,by making the violaters pay a price for their transgressions. Examples of such actions included an unprecedented moratorium on scientific cooperation with the Soviet Union, a "Hostages for Elena Bonner" initiative where prominent Western scientists volunteered to serve as good-faith witnesses in the Soviet Union during the temporary release of Sakharov's wife for medical treatment in the West, and picketing of embassies and of selected scientists at scientific conferences. Within a short time, the SOS developed into a nationwide organization with a membership of 2,400 scientists including 13 Nobel laureates, 113 members of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and presidents of 20 major scientific societies, all committed to a personal moratorium on scientific exchange with the Soviet Union. This action was quickly denounced in a major article in Pravda, commissioned by the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, which included K.U. Chernenko and M.S. Gorbachev, future General Secretaries. After the Soviet scientist and Nobel laureate Andrei Sakharov was exiled to the city of Gorky in January 1980, SOS added his name and extended its moratorium campaign internationally. Within months, SOS grew into an international movement to promote the human rights of scientists, comprising more than 8,000 scientists from 44 countries. As a result of the efforts of the U.S. government during the 1980s and the work of SOS, among others, Andrei Sakharov was freed from his internal exile and Yuri Orlov, after years in KGB prison and labor camp, was released from Siberian exile and deported to New York City in October 1986 as part of a swap that freed U.S. journalist Nicholas Daniloff and accused Soviet spy Gennadi Zakharov; he then went on to establish a successful academic career at Cornell University. Anatoly Shcharansky (Natan Sharansky), who was imprisoned by the KGB for his work on behalf of the Jewish emigration movement was also released in 1986 and settled in Israel where he served for awhile as Minister of Industry and Trade in the government. Register of the Scientists For 98007 2 Sakharov, Orlov And Shcharansky Records, 1975-20... As promised in its moratorium pledge, SOS disbanded after the three scientists were freed. Scope and Content Note The Scientists for Sakharov, Orlov and Shcharansky collection in the Hoover Institution Archives was donated in 1998 by Morris Pripstein, professor of physics at the University of California, Berkeley, and a founding member of SOS, on the 20th anniversary of the founding of SOS. It consists mainly of the organization's correspondence and administrative records (see General Office File), as well as records of other organizations involved with the issues of human rights and writings of individual scientists (see Subject File). There is also a large volume of correspondence of the chairman of SOS, Dr. Morris Pripstein, with scientists and activists representing various universities and organizations (see Chairman's File). Finally, the audio-visual part of the collection forms a complementary addition to the records of SOS. General note Scientists for Sakharov, Orlov and Shcharansky will be abbreviated throughout as SOS Subjects and Indexing Terms Orlov, Yuri, 1924- Sakharov, Andreĭ, 1921- Shcharansky, Anatoly. United States--Foreign relations. Dissenters--Soviet Union. Human rights--Soviet Union. Phonotapes. Russia (Federation) Scientists--Soviet Union. Scientists--United States. Soviet Union. Video tapes. General Office File, 1978-1989 Scope and Contents note Addresses, agreements, articles, brochures, bulletins, clippings, financial records, flyers, guest book, lists, maps, memoranda, messages, minutes of meetings, newsletters, notes, outline, documents relating to the origin, development, and future goals of the Scientists for Sakharov, Orlov and Shcharansky, postal records, press releases, printed matter, programs, proposals, remarks, reports, schedule, signatures, speeches, statements, statistical records, telegrams, testimony, travel records, and miscellany, either issued or received by SOS, relating to the activities of SOS, arranged alphabetically by physical form Box 1, Folder 1 General Folder 2 Address given at the anniversary meeting of the Royal Society by President Andrew Huxley, 1982 November 30 Folder 3 Agreements on scientific and technical cooperation, including cooperation in the exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes, between the National Academy of Sciences of the United States and the Academy of Sciences of the Soviet Union Folder 4 Articles Folder 5 Brochures Folder 6 Bulletins Folder 7-8 Clippings Financial records General Folder 9 General Folder 10 Agreements. Includes an agreement relating to the Washington Research Institute grant to the SOS Bank statements Register of the Scientists For 98007 3 Sakharov, Orlov And Shcharansky Records, 1975-20... General Office File, 1978-1989 Folder 11 1978-1980 Box 2, Folder 1-2 1981-1984 Folder 3 1985-1986 Box 3 Bills Folder 1 Payment records for bills Folder 2 Telephone bill statements Folder 3 Budget Folder 4 Checkbook Folder 5 Correspondence Folder 6 Deposit and debit slips Folder 7 Invoices Folder 8 Memoranda Folder 9 Notes Folder 10 Receipts Box 4, Folder 1 Reports Folder 2 Gottfried, Kurt, member, SOS Executive Committee. See also Chairman's File and Subject File Folder 3 Robinson, Louis G. Folder 4 Miscellany Folder 5 Flyers Folder 6 Guest book Lists General General Folder 7 General Folder 8 Address - United States Folder 9 Distribution Folder 10 Fund-raising Folder 11 Mailing Membership Folder 12 General Folder 13 Directory of key forum members Pledge Folder 14 Cancelled envelopes Folder 15 Moratorium pledge lists Box 5, Folder 1-2 Moratorium pledge lists Folder 3 Press Folder 4 Signatures by institution Folder 5 Affiliates - United Kingdom Folder 6 Contributors Folder 7 Fellows of Royal Society of London Guarantors Folder 8 United Kingdom Folder 9 United States Folder 10 Hostage-exchange volunteers Folder 11 Internees Folder 12 Invitees Folder 13 Participants in a tutorial Folder 14 Professional societies Scientists and scholars Folder 15 General Box 6, Folder 1 List of Refusenik scientists from Moscow Folder 2 List of scientists and scholars compiled for United Nations dinner Folder 3 Sponsors Folder 4 Volunteers Countries Folder 5 General Folder 6 Italy Register of the Scientists For 98007 4 Sakharov, Orlov And Shcharansky Records, 1975-20... General Office File, 1978-1989