Cold War postal survey continues

by Ingert Kuzych

The Canadian Postal Museum and The Ukrainian Weekly are continuing to cooperate in a ground-breaking venture focusing on mail exchange between the Soviet Union and the rest of the world during the Cold War period, roughly 1945 to 1991. The attempt is being made to get some idea of how pervasive Soviet censorship was during this time. Were all mails censored, or was it only particular types? Did this occur more during certain periods? Was the surveillance blatant or discreet?

It would also be important to determine what sort of preventive actions letter-writers undertook to foil the efforts of censors.

It is hoped that as many Weekly readers as possible will participate in this unprecedented survey in order to give as representative a cross-section of the Ukrainian diaspora as possible. Submittals can be made in one of three ways: either by regular mail, e-mail or fax.

Survey participants should not feel they need to limit their responses to the questionnaire reproduced on the right. If you can relate additional information or can include pertinent examples, so much the better!

Please fill out the survey even if your letter exchanges were only very limited. If you personally did not send mails to Ukraine during this time period, perhaps you know of someone who did. Please pass on the survey to any such correspondents.

The questionnaire does not seek anyone's name and anonymity is assured.

The more respondents that take part, the more accurate and valid the final tabulations and analysis will be. If the response to this questionnaire is positive, the results will be published in The Ukrainian Weekly in the not too distant future. The Canadian Postal Museum may also use the information as the basis for museum exhibitions, publications and further research.

The "Immigrant Letter" Questionnaire

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, February 25, 2001, No. 8, Vol. LXIX

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