Loewenson Collection

Identity Statement

Reference code(s)	: GB 0369 LOE
Held at	: School of Slavonic and East European Studies   Click here to find out how to view this collection at http://www.ssees.ucl.ac.uk/archives/ ›
Full title	: Loewenson Collection
Date(s)	: 1631-1963
Level of description	: Collection (Fonds)
Extent	: 11 boxes, 1 outsize envelope, 1 roll
Name of creator(s)	: Loewenson | Lev Sergeevitch | 1885-1968 | Russian scholar
Detailed catalogue	: Click here to view repository detailed catalogue

Context

Administrative/Biographical history:

Lev Sergeevich Loewenson (1885-1968) was born in Moscow of German Jewish parentage. He studied at the Universities of Moscow, St Petersburg and Berlin. When World War One broke out he was in Berlin and was conscripted into the German Army because of his father's German nationality. Loewenson served as a medical orderly and Russian interpreter before being taken prisoner by the Romanian Army. After the war and his release he decided not to return to Russia because of the revolution. He instead settled in Berlin where he taught history, first at a grammar school and later at Berlin University. The coming to power of the Nazis forced Loewenson to leave Germany for England in 1933, where he made his living teaching Russian and was often known as Leo rather than Lev Loewenson. In 1940 he was briefly imprisoned in an internment camp as a German citizen. SSEES, where Loewenson had previously given a series of public lectures on Russian history obtained his release in order that he could work as first a library assistant and from 1942, acting librarian. He also taught Russian at SSEES summer schools and gave some classes in Russian history. During World War Two Loewenson collected material for a Russian-English military dictionary, much of this material is contained in this collection. It was hoped that this dictionary would be published by the War Office but in the end it was decided that such a work was no longer needed. He remained at SSEES until his retirement in 1956. He wrote many bibliographical and historical articles including revising many articles dealing with Russian history in "Encyclopaedia Britannica". Some of the material in this collection relates to Loewenson's research on these topics including copies of manuscripts (the originals are held at the British Museum Library and Bodleian Library, Oxford).

Content

Scope and content/abstract:

Papers of Lev Sergeevich Loewenson, comprising:
card index for Lowenson's Russian-English military dictionary, 1940-1945; papers on Loewenson's studies of Russia and Eastern Europe, including photocopies of manuscripts on Russia from the Bodleian Library, Oxford and the British Museum Library, card indexes and bibliographies of works on Russia and the Balkans in particularly those in SSEES and the British Museum Library, papers on lecture given by Loewenson on Russia and a Russian-English military vocabulary, 1648-1968; papers on Loewenson's studies of British history, including photocopies of manuscripts from the Bodleian Library, correspondence on Loewenson's appointment as assistant editor of "Writings on British History, 1901-1933" and annual reports of the Institute of Historical Research and the London Library, 1631-1963

Access & Use

Language/scripts of material:
English, French, German, Italian, Latin, Russian

System of arrangement:

Papers arranged in three classes as described in Scope and Content.

Conditions governing access:

Unrestricted access. Researchers wishing to consult the archives or seeking further information should contact UCL School of Slavonic and East European Studies (SSEES) Library, 16 Taviton Street, London WC1H 0BW.

Conditions governing reproduction:

Copies, subject to the condition of the original, may be supplied for research use only. Requests to publish original material should be submitted to the Librarian.

Finding aids:

Online catalogue available on the UCL Archives website.

Archival Information

Archival history:

Immediate source of acquisition:

Allied Materials

Related material:

National Register of Archives: Click here to view NRA record

Publication note:

Description Notes

Archivist's note:
Revised by Alan Kucia as part of the RSLP AIM25 Project.

Rules or conventions:
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description ISAD(G), 2nd edition 2000 and National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997

Date(s) of descriptions:
Revised Dec 2002