452. TELEGRAM TO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE OREL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Written on October 22, 1919 · First published on April 13, 1960, in Izvestia No. 88. Printed from the text in V. D. Bonch-Bruyevich’s handwriting, added to and signed by Lenin. · page 301

Chairman of the Executive Committee
Orel
Copy to the Chairman of the Cheka

Send absolutely at once to Council of People’s Commissars, Kremlin, Moscow, all manuscripts taken during the search at the home of the writer Ivan Volny.^[2] You are personally answerable for their safekeeping. Telegraph fulfilment.^[1]

Lenin
Chairman, Council of People’s Commissars

Notes

[1] The last sentence is in Lenin’s handwriting.—Ed.

[2] In the autumn of 1919, I. Volny was summoned to Moscow and received by Lenin. During a two-hour conversation, as Bonch– Bruyevich recounted later in his recollections, Lenin showed an interest in the writer’s creative plans and questioned him about everything he had seen.