Title: Russian War Relief. Madison Committee: Records
Inclusive Dates: 1942-1947

Creator:

• Russian War Relief, inc. Madison Committee (Wis.)

Call Number: Mss 690

Quantity: 0.5 c.f. (2 archives boxes and 1 oversize folder)

Repository:

Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Library, Archives, and Museum Collections

Archival Locations:

Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)

COLLECTION MAY BE STORED OFF-SITE: see catalog entry to request materials and for additional information.

Abstract:

Records of the Madison, Wisconsin, affiliate of Russian War Relief, a national organization formed to provide medicine, clothing, and other humanitarian aid to the Soviet Union during World War II. Included are minutes; correspondence of Elizabeth Link, executive director; reports; Xeroxed clippings and a scrapbook; and press material both from the national organization and the Madison committee. Prominent correspondents include John Cudahy, Joseph E. Davies, and John Wickhem.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-mss00690

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Organized efforts in Madison, Wisconsin to aid the Russian war effort during World War II date to December, 1941, when a small group of women volunteered to knit articles of military and civilian clothing. Interest in humanitarian aid for the Soviet Union increased when a representative of the Russian War Relief, Inc., the national organization devoted to that purpose, visited Madison, in January 1942, and in March a Madison chapter was organized with Dr. Helen C. White as chairman and Elizabeth Link as executive director. Because of her numerous responsibilities Dr. White functioned chiefly in a figurehead capacity, and Mrs. Link became its most prominent member. In 1943 Dr. White formally resigned and was replaced by Judge John D. Wickham.

In 1943 a Wisconsin RWR Committee was formed. There is also reference in the records to a Dane County organization, but its relation with the Madison committee is unclear.

The Madison committee devoted itself to fundraising efforts such as concerts and cookbook sales, to solicitations of clothing and other in-kind contributions, and to publicity and public education. Although the national organization continued after the end of the war under the name American Society of Russian Relief, both the Madison and the Wisconsin RWR committees closed their offices in April, 1946.

The records consist of the files of Elizabeth Link, executive director. Included are minutes for the years 1942-1943, correspondence, reports on fundraising and clothing drives, clippings, and press releases and other publicity material from the national organization and the Madison committee.

The correspondence concerns fundraising activities; relations with the national office in New York City; and the response of various Madisonians such as Stuart Curry, E.A. Ross, and Lowell Frautschi to the organization's purposes. There is also information on the relationship between various local relief agencies and between the national RWR, the National War Fund, and the National Council of American-Soviet Friendship.

Acquisition Information

Presented by the Elizabeth Link Estate, Madison, Wisconsin, January 24, 1983. Accession Number: M83-4

Processing Information

Processed by Carolyn J. Mattern, 1986.

Box   1 Folder   1	Minutes, 1942-1943
Box   1 Folder   2-3	Correspondence, 1942-1947
Box   1 Folder   4	Reports, 1942-1946
Box   1 Folder   5	Clippings and scrapbook, 1942-1946
	Press material
Box   2 Folder   1-3	National office, 1942-1946
Box   2 Folder   4	Madison committee, 1945
Oversize Folder   1	Propaganda posters, 1943
Box   2 Folder   5	Miscellany, 1944, 1947