Register of the Wayne Holder papers

Finding aid prepared by Hoover Institution Library and Archives Staff
Hoover Institution Library and Archives
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Title: Wayne Holder papers
Date (inclusive): 1920-2007
Collection Number: 2006C39
Contributing Institution: Hoover Institution Library and Archives
Language of Material: In English, Estonian and Russian
Physical Description: 7 manuscript boxes, 3 oversize boxes (4.0 Linear Feet)
Abstract: Acquired in 2006, the papers consist primarily of correspondence, writings, and photographs relating to the history and literature of Estonia. Of particular importance are the numerous photographs and writings in the papers that pertain to the struggle for renewed independence for Estonia in the years leading up to the break up of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Creator: Holder, Wayne, 1949-
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 2006.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Wayne Holder papers, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Biographical/Historical Note

1949 Born, Colorado
1982-1983 With Toomas Ilves, runs The Literary Storefront, a cultural center in Vancouver, British Columbi
1984 Travels to Estonia, then part of the Soviet Union. Meets with Estonian writers
1988 Guest editor of Cake, a literary journal. Issue has special section devoted to modern Estonian writing
1989-1990 Travels twice to Estonia, documents independence movement

Scope and Content of Collection

Acquired in 2006, the Wayne Holder papers in the Hoover Institution Library & Archives consist primarily of correspondence, writings, and photographs relating to the history and literature of Estonia. Of particular importance are the numerous photographs and writings in the papers that pertain to the struggle for renewed independence for Estonia in the years leading up to the break up of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Holder's interest in Estonia dates from the early 1980s, when he lived in Vancouver, B.C. and was close friends with Toomas Ilves, an Estonian-American also living in Vancouver. Holder and Ilves collaborated on the translation of works by a number of Estonian poets, including Marie Under. They were also for a time active in running the Literary Storefront, a cultural center in Vancouver that hosted public readings by many authors.
Holder first visited Estonia in 1984, when it was still part of the Soviet Union, and he met with a number of Estonian writers. He again visited Estonia in 1989 and 1990, when the independence movement there was gathering momentum, and both took and collected numerous photographs documenting this phenomenon. He also met with various cultural figures, from established writers to young members of the Estonian punk scene.
The Correspondence series in the papers contains a significant number of letters from Toomas Ilves, who later repatriated to Estonia and became that country's president, as well as from the Estonian writer, Juhan Habicht. The Speeches and Writings series is comprised mainly of poems that reflect Holder's experiences in Estonia. The Writings by others series consists largely of translations of works by Estonian writers. The Photographs and Oversize materials series contain many photographs that document the rise of the independence movement in Estonia during 1989-1990. There are also a large number of photographs (in the Oversize materials series) that originated in the photo services of the Union of Soviet Societies of Friendship and Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries. These depict scenes of economic and political life in the Soviet Union, largely in the late 1970s.
The papers also contain a quantity of research materials from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, and which consist of wire service reports and articles from serial issues that relate to Estonia, Eastern Europe, and the Soviet Union. These materials were sent to Holder by Toomas Ilves in the mid-1980s, when Ilves was head of the Estonian desk of Radio Free Europe in Munich.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged into 11 series: Biographical file, Correspondence, Speeches and Writings, Notes and writing fragments, Writings by others, Research materials, Subject file, Printed matter, Photographs, Sound recording, and Oversize materials

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Estonian literature
Estonia -- Civilization
Estonia -- Social conditions

 

Biographical file 1983-2007

General Physical Description note: 1

Scope and Contents note

Contains article, correspondence, and photocopies, relating to literary activities and travels of Holder, arranged by physical form.
box 1, folder 1

Correspondence, maps of Tartu and Tallinn, and travel brochure 1983-1984

box 1, folder 2

History of The Literary Storefront, article 2007

box 1, folder 3

Passport pages and visa issued for the Soviet Union, photocopies, and letter of invitation from the Estonian Writers Union 1990

 

Correspondence 1983-2004

General Physical Description note: 1

Scope and Contents note

Contains letters and enclosures, arranged alphabetically by name of correspondent.
box 1, folder 4

General 1985-1989

box 1, folder 5

Bullock, Merry 1984-1990

box 1, folder 6

Ellison, John 1986

box 1, folder 7

Habicht, Juhan 1984-1991

box 1, folder 8

Ilves, Toomas (Tom) 1983-1986

box 1, folder 9

Keenan, Johanna 2004

box 1, folder 10

Kitching, Juta 1986

box 1, folder 11

Kross (?), Jaan 1985

box 1, folder 12

Kurman, George 1984-1990

box 1, folder 13

Murray, John 1984

box 1, folder 14

Olljum, Alar 1985-1989

box 1, folder 15

Talts, Helga 1984-1985

box 1, folder 16

Tamm, Riina 1986

box 1, folder 17

Venclova, Tomas 1985-1990

 

Speeches and writings 1983-1991

General Physical Description note: 1-2

Scope and Contents note

Consists primarily of poems and other writings about Estonia.
box 1, folder 18

"An Age of Exile," poem 1983

box 1, folder 19

"The Astronomer's Wife," poem 1983

box 1, folder 20

"Born in Exile," poem 1984

box 1, folder 21

"Coming to Know," poem 1984

box 1, folder 23

"Dreaming on Our Feet," poem 1984

box 1, folder 24

Estonia essay 1984

box 1, folder 25

George Orwell article 1984

box 1, folder 26

"Last Words to...," poem 1984

box 1, folder 27

"More Famous Last Words," poem 1984

box 1, folder 28

"Night Watchmen," poem 1984

box 1, folder 29

"On the Field of Mars," poem 1984

box 1, folder 30

"Revolt of the Schoolchildren," poem 1984

box 1, folder 31

"Sunbathing," poem 1984

box 1, folder 32

"Table Talk in Tallinn," poem 1984

box 1, folder 33

"To the Flowers of Tallinn," poem 1984

box 1, folder 34

"Too Cold," poem 1984

box 1, folder 35

Untitled poem 1984

box 1, folder 36

Untitled poem 1984

box 1, folder 37

"Visit to a Small Country," poem 1984

box 1, folder 38

"Watching the Seagulls," poem 1984

box 1, folder 39

"The Word Was There Before Me," poem 1984

box 1, folder 40

"In Russian, To Be Silent Is an Active Verb," poem 1985

 

"The Fifteenth Official Language," Cake, vol. 2., no. 1 1988

Scope and Contents note

Issue contains a special section on Estonian literature edited by Holder
box 2, folder 1

Correspondence and typescript drafts 1988

box 2, folder 2

Printed copy 1988

box 2, folder 3-8

Autobiographical novel (incomplete) 1991

box 2, folder 9

To Be Remembered in the Kingdom of the Rats 1991

box 2, folder 10

Young Estonia 1991 1991

 

Notes and writing fragments 1984-1990

General Physical Description note: 2-3

Scope and Contents note

Consists of incomplete drafts of poems and notes, largely relating to Estonia.
 

Notebooks 1984-1990

box 2, folder 11-12

1984

box 3, folder 1-2

1990

box 3, folder 3-4

Notes and fragments 1984-1990

 

Writings by others 1936-1990

General Physical Description note: 3-4

Scope and Contents note

Contains original texts and translations of poems, largely by Estonian writers.
box 3, folder 5

Unidentified 1984-1990

box 3, folder 6

Alver, Betti 1936-1939

Scope and Contents note

English translations by George Kurman.
box 3, folder 7

Habicht, Juhan 1987

box 3, folder 8

Hurley, Maureen 1990

box 3, folder 9

Ilves, Toomas 1984

box 3, folder 10

Kareva, Doris 1983-1985

Scope and Contents note

English translations by Toomas Ilves.
box 3, folder 11

Luik, Viivi 1968

Scope and Contents note

English translations by Riina Tamm.
box 3, folder 12

Rävää, Annus (pseudonym of Helmut Tarand) 1984

Scope and Contents note

In Estonian, with English translations by Wayne Holder and Toomas Ilves.
box 3, folder 13

Sermat, Vello 1989

box 3, folder 14-16

Under, Marie 1958-1963

Scope and Contents note

In Estonian, with English translations by Wayne Holder and Toomas Ilves.
box 4, folder 1-2

Under, Marie 1958-1963

Scope and Contents note

(Contd.)
box 4, folder 3

Vahing, Vaino 1990

box 4, folder 4

Venclova, Tomas 1988

box 4, folder 5

Zoltán, Sumonyi 1985

 

Research materials 1984-1992

General Physical Description note: 4-5

Scope and Contents note

Consists of wire service reports and articles, largely relating to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Eastern Europe, and the Soviet Union.
 

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty 1984-1986

box 4, folder 6

Background reports 1984-1985

box 4, folder 7

Research bulletins 1984-1985

 

Wire service reports and articles from serial issues 1984-1986

box 4, folder 8-10

1984

box 4, folder 11

1985

box 5, folder 1-4

1985

Scope and Contents note

(Contd.)
box 5, folder 5

1986

 

Baltic Republics Discussion List 1991-1992

box 5, folder 6-9

1991

box 5, folder 10-11

1992

 

Subject File 1958-1991

General Physical Description note: 6

Scope and Contents note

Contains clippings and articles, largely relating to Estonia, Estonian literature, and the Soviet Union.
box 6, folder 1

Armenia 1978-1985

box 6, folder 2

Baltic States 1988-1991

box 6, folder 3

Environment--Soviet Union 1992

box 6, folder 4

Estonia 1980-1991

box 6, folder 5

Gorbachev, Mikhail 1988

box 6, folder 6

Jääger, Merle 1988-1989

box 6, folder 7

Kaplinski, Jaan 1978-1988

box 6, folder 8

Soviet Union--History 1988-1990

box 6, folder 9

Under, Marie 1958-1983

 

Printed matter 1985-1990

General Physical Description note: 6-7

Scope and Contents note

Consists of serial issues and monographs, largely relating to Estonia, Estonian-Americans, and Estonian culture.
 

Serial issues 1985-1990

box 6, folder 10

Miscellaneous 1985-1990

box 6, folder 11

Cake, vol. 2, no. 1 1988

box 6, folder 2

Eesti Elu 1990 March

box 6, folder 13

Esto America 1984 January-September/October

box 6, folder 14

Keel ja Kirjandus, no. 6 1988

box 6, folder 15

Looming, no. 2 1990

box 6, folder 16

Vikerkaar, no. 3 1989

 

Monographs 1985-1989

box 7, folder 1

Siniland, Sirje, Viro Ja Venäjä 1985

box 7, folder 2

E Stuudio 1989

 

Photographs 1920-1990

General Physical Description note: 7

Scope and Contents note

Consists of negatives, contact sheets, and prints, largely relating to scenes and personalities in Estonia.
box 7, folder 3

Negatives 1990

box 7, folder 4

Contact sheets 1990

 

Estonia 1989-1990

box 7, folder 5

Unidentified 1989-1990

box 7, folder 6

Folk dancers 1990

box 7, folder 7

Independence movement 1989-1990

box 7, folder 8-11

Tallinn and Rocca-al-Mare 1990

box 7, folder 12

Estonian House and Estonian legation (former site), London, England 1990

box 7, folder 13

Finland 1990

box 7, folder 13

Holder, Wayne 1990

box 7, folder 15

Ilves, Toomas 1990

box 7, folder 16

Kelam, Tunne 1990

box 7, folder 17

Leningrad 1990

box 7, folder 18

Under, Marie 1920

box 7, folder 19

Sound recordings 1973-1983

General Physical Description note: 7

Scope and Contents note

Consists of one audio cassette of readings of Estonian poetry.
 

Oversize materials 1978-1990

General Physical Description note: 8-10

Scope and Contents note

Contains a poster, miscellaneous serial issues, a scrapbook of photographs taken in Estonia and compiled by Holder, and large-size photographs depicting economic and political life in the Soviet Union.
box 8, folder 1

Holder, Wayne, scrapbook with numerous photographs depicting scenes and personalities in Estonia 1987-1990

box 8, folder 2

Kaplinski, Jaan, poster announcing publication of his book, The Same Sea in Us All 1985

box 8, folder 3

Miscellaneous serial issues 1985-1990

box 9, folder 1-4

"The USSR--A Society of True Democracy," exhibit of large-size photographs produced by the Union of Soviet Societies of Friendship and Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries, Moscow 1978

box 10, folder 1

"Socialist Economic Integration in Action," exhibit of large-size photographs produced by the Union of Soviet Societies of Friendship and Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries, Moscow 1978

box 10, folder 2

"Vladimir and Suzdal Historico-Architectural Preserve," exhibit of large-size photographs produced by the Union of Soviet Societies of Friendship and Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries, Moscow 1979