Allen Ginsberg in Search of Soviet Dissidents

The article reconstructs the history of the 1965 visit to the Soviet Union by Allen Ginsberg, a key figure of the American Beat Generation. Using archival materials from the Foreign Commission of the USSR Union of Writers introduced into scholarly discourse for the first time, alongside the poet’s personal diaries, letters, and interviews, the study examines episodes of his stay in Moscow and Leningrad that were poorly reflected in official reports. The analysis focuses on the dual nature of the visit, which, on the one hand, demonstrated the limits of the “Khrushchev thaw”-era openness, and on the other, proved the possibility of personal human contact transcending ideological barriers. The research identifies specific tactics used by the Soviet side to control the foreign guest and the ways he was opposing. Particular attention is paid to Ginsberg’s persistent attempts to establish contacts with representatives of the dissident movement, specifically Joseph Brodsky and Alexander Esenin-Volpin. The appendix publishes archival documents illuminating the preparation and conduct of the visit.