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Biographical Note
Scope and Content of Collection
Title: Igor Birman papers
Date (inclusive): 1965-2009
Collection Number: 2019C138
Contributing Institution: Hoover Institution Library and Archives
Language of Material: In Russian and English
Physical Description:
7 manuscript boxes,1 oversize box, 3 sound cassettes, digital media
(4 Linear Feet)
Abstract: Igor Yakovlevich Birman was a Russian-American economist who predicted in 1981 the collapse of the Soviet Union, both economically
and politically. The Igor Birman papers contains correspondence, writings, interviews of and by Igor Birman, materials of
the Becker Commission on Soviet War Expenses and of the Foundation for Soviet Studies, conference papers, book reviews by
Igor Birman, photographs, sound recordings, and clippings.
Creator:
Birman, Igorʹ I︠A︡kovlevich, 1928-2011
Physical Location: Hoover Institution Library & Archives
Access
The collection is open for research; materials must be requested in advance via our reservation system. If there are audiovisual
or digital media material in the collection, they must be reformatted before providing access.
Use
For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
Acquisition Information
Acquired by the Hoover Institution Library & Archives in 2020.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Igor Birman papers, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
Biographical Note
Igor Yakovlevich Birman (July 25, 1928 – April 6, 2011) was a Russian-American economist who predicted in 1981 the collapse
of the Soviet Union, both economically and politically.
Igor Birman was born in Moscow in 1928, graduated from the Statistical Institute in 1949, and received Ph.D. in Economics
in 1960. He was the Director of Planning in three factories, then worked in research institutes. Birman was a member of the
commission on the economic reform (1965).
In 1974 Birman emigrated to the United States, where was employed chiefly as a consultant on the Soviet economy for the Pentagon
and taught at two universities. He disproved all basic estimates of the Soviet economy by the CIA and other sovietologists,
particularly, the size of the economy, comparative level of living, share and size of military expenditures, deficit of the
state budget, etc.
For many years, Dr. Birman served as president of the Foundation for Soviet Studies and published his articles in scholarly
periodicals, including the journal
Russia, which he helped establish and had edited together with Valeriĭ Chalidze. He retired in the early 1990s.
Igor Birman authored fifteen books translated into five languages and 200 articles in professional periodicals and in the
popular press.
Scope and Content of Collection
The collection includes vast amount of correspondence of Igor Birman with famous Soviet/Russian and American scholars; writers
and journalists representing the third wave of Soviet emigration; universities, institutions and organizations; and publishers
(relating to publications in Russian and English). Correspondence also includes letters relating to publishing project and
publication of Birman's book, lectures, and conferences.
Speeches and writings series includes drafts and final versions of Birman's essays on economics and politics.
Of great interest are 49 prints in the Photographs series depicting Igor Birman, and his wife, Albina Birman, with scholars,
politicians, writers, dissidents, etc.
Printed matter contains mostly clippings.
A small audiovisual series includes a video and audio interviews of Igor Birman.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Soviet Union -- Economic conditions -- 1985-1991
Economists -- United States
United States -- Emigration and immigration