Our Notes & References

A fine Russian émigré literary archive belonging to the celebrated Cossack poet Nikolai Turoverov, mostly relating to the publications in the Cossack journal “Stanitsa”, and to the “Kazachii Al’manakh”, an album of Cossack poems, historical articles, and memoirs that came out in autumn 1939.

This archive comprises the surviving papers of the “Kruzhok Literaturov Kazakov”, a literary circle founded by Turoverov and others in order to promote the work of Cossack writers in emigration. Established in Paris on 11 December 1937 at a meeting of the editorial board of “Stanitsa”, the Circle wanted to “support and strengthen love for the native land and the Cossack way of life” by collecting, preserving and publishing the best literary and historical works by Cossack authors (Atamanskii Vestnik, 1937). 

The group met in Paris on the first Saturday of each month in the flat of the Catholic priest Abbé Charles Quenet, a great lover of Russian literature, who for many years provided material and financial support to young Cossack writers. The majority of the group’s work was published in “Stanitsa”: “Kazachii Al’manakh” was their only separate publication.

The Circle was disrupted and ultimately doomed by World War Two. Several individuals linked to the circle, including some who feature in the archive, such as Aleksei Achair and Mikhail Kovalev, were forcibly handed over to the Soviets in 1945. This publication therefore constitutes the final flourish of the pre-Revolutionary Cossack literary tradition, soon to be torn apart by war and betrayal.

The two main correspondents in the archive are Aleksei Achair (pseudonym of A. A. Gryzov) and Pavel Gusev.

Achair, a Siberian Cossack, was a poet living in Kharbin. He published his first work in Omsk in 1918 during the Civil War, and in emigration was a prolific writer who took a very active role in Kharbin’s literary affairs. In 1926 became the editor of the city’s main literary journal “Churaevka”.

Gusev, a Don Cossack, was the editor of “Stanitsa” (1932-39), the official journal of the Cossack Union. He was a founder member of the “Kruzhok Literaturov Kazakov”, and responsible for all prose work. Alongside Turoverov (who was in charge of poetry) and Vasilii Kriukov, Gusev was also part of the editorial board of “Kazachii Al’manakh”.

Further to this, the archive includes letters from Orenburg Cossack general (and member of the circle) Ivan Akulinin, Don Cossack general Vladimir Farafonov, and head of the Don Cossack archive in Prague Mikhail Kovalev. Significantly, it also contains rare holograph drafts by leading poets in the circle, including Nikolai Evseev, Boris Nomikosov, and the group’s secretary, the poet and artist Evgeniia de Zherve-Nomikosova.

List of Documents

General

Printed paper tag for the “Kruzhok Kazakov Literaturov” with handwritten note reading in Cyrillic “Arkhiv”.

Letters relating to the “Kruzhok Literaturov Kazakov”

Achair, Aleksei Alekseevich (1896-1960). Autograph letter to Turoverov, dated 12 December 1938. Detailed content on Cossack publications and Achair’s literary activities. 2pp. Slight nibble top right. Very good condition

Achair, Aleksei Alekseevich (1896-1960). Autograph letter to Turoverov, dated 25 January 1939. Detailed content on Cossack publications, mentions sending Turoverov’s verse for publication in the Kharbin magazine “Rubezh”. 2pp. Slightly marked with damp stains.

Achair, Aleksei Alekseevich (1896-1960). Autograph letter to Turoverov, dated 9 April 1939. Detailed content on Cossack publications and literary matters. 6pp. Rust stain from clip, slight tears to right edge.

Achair, Aleksei Alekseevich (1896-1960). Autograph letter to Turoverov, dated 28 May 1939. Extensive literary content, remarks how pleased he was to appear in “Stanitsa”. Talks about Irina Poliakova’s poetry. 4pp. Rust stains from clip, slight damage to right edge.

Achair, Aleksei Alekseevich (1896-1960). Autograph letter to Turoverov, dated 8 July 1939. Extensive literary content. 8pp. Rust marks from clip at top of letter, piece of paper torn away on margins of first, third and fours leaves, affecting content.

Achair, Aleksei Alekseevich (1896-1960). Autograph letter to Turoverov, dated 25 July 1939. Literary content, writes about health, experience during Civil War, mention of Admiral Kolchak and Vladislav Khodasevich. 2pp (possibly incomplete?). Damage to right edge, with bits of words missing

Achair, Aleksei Alekseevich (1896-1960). Autograph letter to Turoverov, dated 25 September 1939. Literary and personal content, mentioning the new war. 2pp. Very good condition

Achair, Aleksei Alekseevich (1896-1960). Autograph letter to Turoverov, dated 20 November 1939. Extensive literary content. 4pp. Light damp staining, very good condition

Achair, Aleksei Alekseevich (1896-1960). Autograph letter to Turoverov, dated 14 January 1940. Literary content. 4pp. A few damp stains, and pieces chewed off, barely affecting content

Akulinin, Ivan Grigor’evich (1880-1944). Autograph letter to Turoverov, dated 26 May 1944. Literary content about Akulinin’s failed attempts to publish his material, and about his poor health. With 1p informing Turoverov of a Cossack publication (“Kazach’i Dumy), and an encyclopedia that are for sale 3pp. Very good condition.

Danilov, Ivan I. Autograph letter to Turoverov, dated 12 August 1938. Responds to Turoverov’s invitation to submit his poetry for publication. 1p. Very good condition

Danilov, Ivan I. Autograph letter to Turoverov, dated 19 September 1938. Responds to Turoverov’s corrections/edits of his poetry. 2pp. A little ruffled and torn at top.

Danilov, Ivan I. Autograph letter to Turoverov, dated 20 November 1939. Asks for address of Dmitry Oznobshin (1869-1956) and discusses literary matters. 1p. Very good condition

Farafonov, Vladimir Ivanovich (1883-1969). Autograph letter to Turoverov, with address stamp of Управление делами Русской эмиграции, dated 6 May 1944. Financial account of books sold. 1p. One corner torn off, affecting message

Farafonov, Vladimir Ivanovich (1883-1969). Autograph letter to Turoverov, with address stamp of Управление делами Русской эмиграции, dated 9 May 1944. Financial account of books sold. 1p. Very good condition

Gusev, Petr Viktorovich (1899-post 1945). Typed letter, signed, to Turoverov, dated 6 March 1937. Discusses “Stanitsa”, a literary competition, portraits of Matvei Platov, and other literary matters. 1p. Very good condition

Gusev, Petr Viktorovich (1899-post 1945). Autograph postcard to Turoverov, dated 30 April 1937. Discusses ex-libris, and matters relating to “Stanitsa”. 1p. Very good condition

Gusev, Petr Viktorovich (1899-post 1945) Typed letter, signed with handwritten note, to Turoverov, dated 13 September 1937. Congratulates Turoverov on appearance of his book. Said he has visited General Arsenii Gulevich (1866-1947), asks Turoverov if he has visited General Gerasimov, etc. 1p. Very good condition

Gusev, Petr Viktorovich (1899-post 1945). Autograph postcard to Turoverov, dated 15 September 1937. Talks about deliveries of books and journals. 1p. Very good condition

Gusev, Petr Viktorovich (1899-post 1945). Autograph postcard to Turoverov, dated 8 October 1937. Acknowledges receipt of manuscript, discusses deliveries, asks if he has sent Abbé Quenet his book, provides address. 1p. Very good condition

Gusev, Petr Viktorovich (1899-post 1945). Typed letter, signed, to Turoverov, 21 October 1937. Thanks him for his review of “Stanitsa”. Discusses book and postcard sales and General Gulevich. Gives Nikolai Evseev’s address. 1p. Very good condition

Gusev, Petr Viktorovich (1899-post 1945). Typed letter, signed, to Turoverov, 10 October 1937. Discusses invitations, General Gulevich and an article by Adamovich – in regards to latter, discusses Jews and Russian patriotism. Postscripts on financial matters. 1p. Very good condition

Gusev, Petr Viktorovich (1899-post 1945). Typed letter, signed, to Turoverov, 1 February 1939. Discusses preparations for soiree. 1p. Very good condition

Gusev, Petr Viktorovich (1899-post 1945). Typed letter, signed with manuscript corrections, to Turoverov, 18 May 1941. Discusses personal matters and financial affairs. 1p. Very good condition, light damage not affecting text to right side.

Gusev, Petr Viktorovich (1899-post 1945). Typed letter, signed, to Turoverov, 11 May 1944. Hopes Turoverov has received money, jokes about American bombing, asks where are verses for compendium. 1p. Folded, splits, corner torn.

Gusev, Petr Viktorovich (1899-post 1945). Typed letter, signed, to Turoverov, 20 May 1944. Passes on letter from Turoverov’s cousin and sends back books with apologies that none have sold. Says nearly all antiquarian bookshops in Berlin and Leipzig have been reduced to ashes. Talks about other publishing activities. 1p. Darkened on right side, very good condition.

Goncharov G. Autograph letter to Turoverov, dated 26 January 1938. Expresses pleasure at recent visit, says he hopes Turoverov will like his poetry. 1p. Good condition.

Kaz’min, F. Autograph letter to Turoverov, dated 21 August 1938. Talks about arrangements for giving talk to the Правление Общество Взаимопомощи Казаков. 2pp. Good condition.

Kaz’min, F. Autograph letter to Turoverov with address of Правление Общество Взаимопомощи Казаков, dated 14 September 1938. Thanks Turoverov for speech he gave to the Society. 1p. Good condition.

Kovalev, V. Autograph letter to Turoverov, dated 7 June 1939. Discusses Turoverov giving talk at Cossack evening. 1p. Soiled and torn, mostly in blank margin

Kovalev, Mikhail Anikievich (1884-1946). Typed letter to Petr Viktorovich Gusev, with typed details of Русский заграничный исторический архив (30 January 1939). Thanks Gusev very much for sending copies of “Kazachii Al’manakh” and “Stanitsa”. On reverse, autograph letter from Gusev to Turoverov, dated 1 February 1939. 2pp. Very good condition.

Kramorov, V. Autograph letter to Turoverov printed address of the Правление Казачьего Хутора имени Атамана А.П. Богаевского, dated 27 May 1938. Discusses arrangements for visiting. 1p. Traces of folds, dirtied at folds.

Morgunov, Klavdii Vasil’evich (1884-?). Autograph letter to Turoverov, dated 15 September [1939?]. Discusses possible contributions to the Kruzhkok Literaturov Kazakov. 2pp. Very good condition.

Pokiakoff. Autograph letter to Turoverov on a ‘carte pneumatique’, postmarked 22 May 1944. Discusses visiting Akulinin, literary matters and events. 1p. Very good condition

Poliakova, Irina M. Autograph letter to Turoverov, undated. Sends verses for Kazachii Al’manakh, including one dedicated to Abbé Quenet that had already appeared in “Stanitsa”. 2pp. Very good condition.

Turoverov, Aleksandr Nikolaevich. Autograph letter to Turoverov, dated 31 October 1937. Discusses practical, personal and literary matters. 2pp. Very good condition.

?Turoverov, Aleksandr Nikolaevich. Autograph letter to Turoverov, in pencil, undated. Discusses printing publications and other literary and financial matters. 4pp, very good condition.

Poems

De Zherve (Zherve-Nomikosova), Evgeniia. Fair copy of untitled poem (“Конечно – небо великое”) addressed to Aleksandr Nikolaevich Turoverov, with fair copy of untitled poem by A.N. Turoverov in pencil on the reverse. Dated 20 February 1939 1p.

De Zherve (Zherve-Nomikosova), Evgeniia. Fair copy of “Hungaria”, Undated. 1p. Very good condition.

De Zherve (Zherve-Nomikosova), Evgeniia. Unsigned fair copy of untitled poem (“Как сдружило крылатое слово”) initialled N[ikolai].T[uroverov], Undated. 1p. Paper creased and torn.

Evseev, Nikolai Nikolaevich (1892-1974). Fair copy of untitled poem (“Разлив Хопра, баркась рыбачий”), dated 6 December 1939 1p. Very good condition.

Evseev, Nikolai Nikolaevich (1892-1974). Fair copy of untitled poem (“Опять пришел Никола Зимний”), dated 17 December 1939 2pp. A little marked, right side lightly torn.

Nomikosov, Boris Arkadevich (1901-1967) Handwritten drafts of two untitled poems, (“Точно зеркало темное Дон” – printed in “Kazachii Al’manakh”, and “Ранее утро туманное”). Undated 2pp. Very good condition.

Popov, A.A. Typescript of poem titled “La Chanson”, dated 1 June 1944 1p. Very good condition.

Unknown hand. Two untitled poems by Pushkin and a selection of sayings by Koz’ma Prutkov. “Для календаря” written down side., undated. 2pp. Slight tears but otherwise very good.

Personal letters

Natasha Turoverov. Autograph postcard to Turoverov and his children, 20 September 1937. Thanks Turoverov for his book, which she liked very much. Discusses weather and personal matters. 1p. Very good condition.

Popoff. Telegram in French congratulating Turoverov on the holidays. 1p. Roughly torn.

T and V Mos––. Autograph letter to Aleksandr Nikolaevich Turoverov, dated 19 April 1944 4pp. Very good condition.

Iva––. Handwritten letter to Turoverov and family wishing them Happy New Year, dated 8 January 1940 2pp. Very good condition.

Provenance

Personal archive of N. Turoverov.

Bibliography

For more information see: https://www.litdic.ru/kruzhok-kazakov-literatorov.