2' El APPROVED FOR RELEASE 01 August 2012 - AR 70-14 _o July 1958 SUBJECT: R"~uest for Authorization to Obligate up to fron AEDINUSAUR ml. It is requested that SH Division be authorized to expend up to its project AEDINOSAUR to_oover the costs of publishing a Russian language.edition of Boris book, "Dr. Zhivago.? 2. The book was published in Italian by Feltrinelli in April l?S8 and is expected to be available in English this fall. The Soviet Union has rejected the novel for publication in the SR ?ivision is anxious to have the book available as soon as possible for distribution in Russian to Soviet nationals traveling abroad, especially to those attending the Brussels Keir. Representatives of this Division and the General Counse1?s office are currently negotiating with a cleared publishing agent in New York Gity'to arrange for European publication of the book in Russian so that the edition will be available for distribution by 1 September 1956 at the latest. - 3. Pasternak's T??upage novel, "Dr. Zhivago? is considered to be the most heretical literary'work by a Soviet author since Stalin's death. Pasternah's humanistic messagewwthat every person is entitled to a private life and deserves respect as human being, irrespective of the extent of his political loyalty or eontribotion to the state?? poses a fundamental challenge to the Soviet ethio of sacrifice of the individual to the Communist system. There is no call to revolt against the regime in the novel, but the heresy which "Dr. Zhivago? preaohes?- politioal passivity--is fundamental. Easternak suggests that the small, unimportant people who rennin passive to the regime?s demands for active participation and emotional involvement in official oampaigns are superior to the political "activists" favored by the system. Further, he dares hint that_soeiety might function better without these fanatios. h. Fasternek is recognized ty'non-Soviet critics to be the greatest living Russian writer. His originality of poetic expression and his disinterest in political themes brought him into disfavor with the Stalinist regime in the l930?s. Rather than submit ano become an unwilling instrument of the party, Pasternak withdrew into silence to harbor bitterness against those who tried to interfere with his work. ?e ceased publishing after 1932 but earned a good 1iving.hy translating foreign literature. Following the denigrahion of Stalin at the 20th party congress in 1950, Pasternak submitted his novel for publioahion. The Union of wri?ers "refuses publication of the manuscript, aoousing Pasternak of using his ?greatfgift? to ?resuscitate in the soul of our oeople ideals which have been dead for a long times? Meanwhile, Pasternak had given copies of the manuscript to she Italian Communist publisher Feltrinelli and to other visitofs abroad, who were asked to arrange for English and French translations. Pasternak also inforned his foreign publishers that they should ignore any letter he might write under duress requesting that the manuscript not he published. 5. SR Division has already paid the New York publishing agent for the Russias type setting, which will be completed by 11 July. Ereparation of she ohoto offset plates, to be finished.by 18 July, will cost an additional _an exact estimate of additional publication and distribution oosis cannot be made now because these arrasganents are still under negotiations However, SR Division intenos to guarantee the purchase of 6,000 copies of the novel for operational distribu?ion. This purchase may cosh up to depending on the unit oost of the editi??a if the Division sells the 3hoto offset plates later to the New Eork publishing agent for (as now contemplated), the Division?s not expenditure for the edition of "Dr. Ehivago? will he at least i ?To provide a margin for special contingencies in this matter, an aooihional{ he neege? Therefore SR ?ivision is requesting approval to obligate for this undertaking. Chief, 53 Division CONCUR: - 7 APPROVED: 131/