Australia-U.S.S.R. Friendship Society. Sydney Branch records, 1930-1990s

MLMSS 12010

fonds

1930s-1990s

Textual Records, Clippings, Ephemera, Graphic Materials, Photographs, Objects, Badges

9609294

0.64 metres of textual material (4 boxes), includes photographs
3 badges

The Australia-U.S.S.R. Friendship Society traces its history back to 1930 with the establishment of an Australian branch of the Friends of the Soviet Union (FOSU).

The Society was a public organisation devoted to creating mutual understanding and friendly relations between the peoples of Australia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (formerly U.S.S.R.). Its activities were focused on cultural exchanges such as tours, concerts and social events.

Reference
Library correspondence file

TIMELINE
1930 - Friends of the Soviet Union (FOSU) Australian Branch

1941 - Russian Medical Aid and Comforts Committee (RMACC)

1941 - N.S.W. Aid Russia Committee

1942 - N.S.W. Aid Russia Committee changed name to the Friendship with Russia League

1945 - Russian Medical Aid and Comforts Committee, Friendship with Russia League and the Society for Cultural Relations with the U.S.S.R. amalgamated to form the Australian-Russian Society

1953 - Australian-Russian Society changed name to the Australia-Soviet Friendship Society

1960 - Counterpart organisation, the U.S.S.R.-Australia Friendship Society formed

1967 - Australia-Soviet Friendship Society changed name to the Australia-U.S.S.R. Society

1986 - Australia-U.S.S.R. Society changed name to the Australia-U.S.S.R. Friendship Society

1992 - Australia-U.S.S.R. Friendship Society changed name to the Australia-Russia and Affiliates Friendship Society

2006 - Australia-Russia and Affiliated Friendship Society ceased to exist

Collection of records and photographs from the Australia-USSR Friendship Society's Sydney Branch compiled between 1930 and the mid-1990s. Includes Society correspondence, event photographs, tourism and outreach material, information pamphlets and documents and arrangements for planned events during the International Year of the Child (1980) and Moscow Olympic Games.

During the timespan covered by the collection the Society had name changes. See Notes for an organisational timeline.

BOX 1

Folder 1
Friends of the Soviet Union, 1931-1935
Including ‘Friends of the Soviet Union Information Bulletin’ No. 3, 20th May 1931
Folder 2
Friends of the Soviet Union, 1933-1934
Folder 3
Legal case William Joseph Thomas v Commonwealth of Australia, 1935
Folder 4
Australian Russian Society minutes, 1949-1960
Folder 5
Society constitution
Folder 6
Correspondence, 1942-1959
Folder 7
Events and seminars, chiefly 1950s
Includes an autographed brochure for the Sydney People's Reception to Australian and Soviet Athletes, 7 December 1956
Folder 8
National Council finances, 1945-1960s
Folder 9
Publicity, leaflets, conferences etc., 1940s-1960s

BOX 2

Folder 1
Messages regarding Soviet visitors
Folder 2
Society papers, 1960-1979
Folder 3
Bound book of correspondence, 1971
Folder 4
Notes for Society history

'Volume of the Illuminated Address to the Citizens of the USSR on their Sixtieth Anniversary 1977' / Australia-USSR Society, Melbourne, Australia, 15 October 1977

Badges
Small gold-coloured metal Qantas 'flying kangaroo' pin
1976 Friendship Tour (U.S.S.R.) name badge
Metal Central Committee of the Communist Party badge with male and female figures holding aloft a hammer and sickle

BOX 3

Folder 1
Festival correspondence, 1978-1980
Folder 2
Country tour, 1979
Folder 3
Festival, 1979
Folder 4
Friendship magazine file including three letters from author, Alan Marshall, 1979-1980
Folder 5
Correspondence, 1980-1981
Folder 6
Correspondence, 1982-1983
Folder 7
Uzbek Ensemble, 1984
Folder 8
Australia-USSR Society Symposiums, one and two, 1983-1984
Folder 9
Correspondence, 1984-1985
Folder 10
Society papers, 1980s-1990s
Folder 11
Chernobyl Children's Fund, 1992

BOX 4

Photographic prints from Society events including symposiums, social gatherings, official visits and festivals, 1950s-1990s
Although some photographs have been labelled the collection is chiefly unidentified.

English, Russian

Copyright restrictions may apply:
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales and Courtesy copyright holder

Multicultural Collections Project 2023-2024