At a glanceCiphertext-only break · complete
- The messages
- Funkspruch Nr 451 of 30 May 1921 from Krasin (signed KRASSIN), repeated on 14 June, and Nr 523 of 14 June from Lutovinov (signed LUTOWINOFF), both from Berlin to Chicherin in Moscow.
- Where
- National Archives, RG 59, Central Decimal File 861.00, microfilm M316 roll 43 (NAID 604704577), frames 0427–0428 and 0432: typed copies of intercepts sent by Admiral Mark L. Bristol from Constantinople. Part of catalogue 669.
- The cipher
- Each letter is a pair of digits from a 5 × 6 table; the pairs fill an N × N square row by row and the square is sent column by column. N is spelled out before the groups: SOROK (40) and DWADZAT TCHETYRE (24).
- How it was deciphered
- Harumi-Matsuba, with Claude Fable 5.2, recovered the table by simulated annealing on Nr 451 alone, with no crib, and then deciphered Nr 523 with it unchanged. The project re-ran the decryption with its own code and got the same texts. The images were not seen here.
- What they say
- Krasin reports that the audit commission has found damaging material on the Berlin mission and asks Moscow to decide nothing before its report. Lutovinov protests against keeping Kopp in Berlin as polpred.
- Still open
- Two numbers and four pairs outside the table; eleven single wrong letters; no person has checked the transcription against the images.
- Credit
- The system, the table, the transcriptions and the reading are Harumi-Matsuba’s (issue #370), made with Anthropic Claude, with OpenAI Codex as a blind second transcriber.
01 The messages
From March 1921 the US High Commission at Constantinople sent Washington typed copies of Soviet radio traffic that a Russian operator took down; the State Department filed them in 861.00, now microfilm M316. The project’s work on the whole file is on the Kopp and Chicherin radiograms page, where the figure traffic had given no value. These two messages on roll 43 use a system of their own, so they have their own page.
- Nr 451 (frames 0427–0428): “JUNE 14th 1921. FROM BERLIN TO MOSCOW”, “TSCHITSCHERIN MOSKAU”, “WIEDERHOLUNG FUNKSPRUCH Nr 451 VOM 30 MAI 1921. SOROK”, then 320 five-digit groups (1,600 digits), signed KRASSIN. The group /21545/ at the head of frame 0428 repeats the last group of 0427 and is left out.
- Nr 523 (frame 0432): “TSCHITSCHERIN DLJA LITWINOVA MOSKAU”, “FUNKSPRUCH Nr 523 VOM 14 JUNI 1921. KOPIA TSCHITSCHERINU, MOLOTOWU SCHLJAPNIKOWU. DWADZAT TCHETYRE”, then 115 groups (575 digits, one short of 24 × 24), signed LUTOWINOFF.
The headings are as the contributor transcribed them. The digits come from the NARA catalogue’s OCR, with one digit corrected from the image. A blind second transcription of the images by OpenAI Codex agrees on 1,598 of 1,600 digits and on all 575 (his figures).
02 The cipher
Each letter becomes a pair of digits. The first digit is 6, 7, 8, 9 or 0, the second 0 to 5:
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | е | в | ь | э | к | щ |
| 7 | а | ф | я | з | н | р |
| 8 | б | ы | г | л | ч | ю |
| 9 | ж | · | ш | и | д | о |
| 0 | · | т | п | х | у | м |
Outside the block, 06 is с, 10 a full stop, 33 a comma, and 00 fills the end of the square. The pairs are written row by row into a square of N × N digits, N/2 letters to a row. The square is then sent column by column, and the columns are not permuted. In Nr 451 the columns run first digit, second digit, and the rows read right to left. Nr 523 is the mirror image. The plaintext is telegraphic Russian, with й written и.
03 How it was found
The contributor noticed that the number word fits the digit count: 1,600 is 40 × 40. Cut into runs of N, the digits fall into columns of high digits alternating with columns of low digits. Pairing neighbouring columns gives about 30 kinds of pair, with an index of coincidence that suits one pair per letter. Simulated annealing on the 764 pairs of Nr 451 alone, scored with Russian letter 4-grams and given no crib, produced readable text. Three values were then corrected on reading (the full stop, the comma and ф), and 28 was taken out of the table.
The table was then applied unchanged to Nr 523, which had played no part in building it, and 279 of its 288 pairs read as sense. In the contributor’s control, none of 1,000 tables with the letter values shuffled scored as well as the real one on either message.
Checked here: a decoder written from the description in the issue, not from the contributor’s code, gives both texts identical pair for pair to his reading files. The project’s own n-gram validation has no Russian model, so it was not run. The NARA images could not be reached from here.
04 Nr 451, Krasin
работа берлинского то[ф]гого представительства развивается вполне нормально. от все[м] деловых кругов получаю самые лестные отзывы. аусвэртигес амт также констатирует благоприятное изменение общеи атмосферы торгового представительства. из разговоров лутовиновым стомоняковым заключаю, что ревизионая [28]ия [14]ала бога[]ыи материал, весьма невыгодно характеризующи предыдущи период берлинского представительства. [77]отают, лошади, чем задерживается окончание. … ни в каком случае не предпринимаите никаких решении ли мер не подождав до[54]лада ревизионо[н] [28]ии. иначе спутаете всю ея [77]оту, облегчите заметание следов.
The contributor’s English: “The work of the Berlin trade representation is developing quite normally. From all business circles I receive the most flattering comments. The Auswärtiges Amt also notes a favourable change in the general atmosphere around the trade representation. From conversations with Lutovinov and Stomonyakov I conclude that the auditing commission has produced rich material which characterises the preceding period of the Berlin representation very unfavourably. They work like horses, and this delays the conclusion. I most urgently ask you to send Comrade Kulyabko to Berlin as soon as possible; his help in the work of the auditing commission is absolutely necessary. Under the agreement the visa must be given by Stähler, and I ask you to insist on this. In no case take any decisions or measures without waiting for the report of the auditing commission; otherwise you will confuse all its work and make it easier to cover the traces. When the audit is finished Lutovinov and Stomonyakov will come to Moscow to report in person.”
The pair 28 stands three times where ревизионная комиссия needs комисс, and 77 twice where работают and работу need раб. Both are outside the table and read from context only.
05 Nr 523, Lutovinov
вашэ письмо [16] июня получил. опре[о]эленоэ вами п[д]ложениэ коппа берлинэ нахожу абсолютно недопустимым. копп заявил, что наркоминдэл уже рэшил оставить эго берлине полпрэдом. эсли это так категоричэски протестую против его назначения до окон[ю]ания ревизии, а такжэ требую срочного указания ко[у]у сдать дела. черэз [76][53][18] часов сдаю бродовскому
“Received your letter of [..] June. I find the position you have defined for Kopp in Berlin absolutely inadmissible. Kopp has stated that the Narkomindel has already decided to leave him in Berlin as plenipotentiary. If this is so, I categorically protest against his appointment before the end of the audit, and I also demand urgent instructions to whom to hand over my duties. In [..] hours I hand over to Brodovsky.” In this message е is often written э.
06 What remains uncertain
- Numbers: the day of the letter (pair 16) and the number of hours (76 53 18) in Nr 523. Each occurs once, so how digits were written cannot be worked out from two messages.
- Pairs outside the table in Nr 451: 28 (комисс, three times), 77 (раб, twice), 91 (ц, once, before к москву) and 14 (once, taken as a slip for 94, д). Their values come from context only.
- Eleven single wrong letters, seven in Nr 451 and four in Nr 523. The four in Nr 523 all look like a 4/5 confusion in the second digit; two readers agree on the typed digits there, so the contributor puts those errors in the sending or the interception. One digit of Nr 451 (высл[50]ть) is overstruck on the sheet and could be 5, 7, 0 or 9.
- Counting each of these as unread, 750 of 764 pairs read in Nr 451 and 279 of 288 in Nr 523.
- The transcription is by OCR and AI. No person has compared it with the images, and the project did not see the images.
- The contributor found no earlier decipherment or printed text. The Soviet document editions (Sovetsko-germanskie otnosheniya vol. 2, Dokumenty vneshnei politiki SSSR vol. IV), the British GC&CS decrypts (HW 12) and the War Department copies (RG 457) were not read, and the text may be in print there.
- The rest of the file’s figure traffic, in other systems, is unread (Kopp and Chicherin radiograms).
Full texts
The transcription and the decryption of every document on this page, so that the reading can be used and checked. Short files are shown here; all are in the repository.
Nr 451, Krassin to Chicherin, Berlin to Moscow, 30 May 1921
Krasin reports that the Berlin trade representation now works well, that the auditing commission has found damaging material on its previous period, asks for Kulyabko to be sent to Berlin and for no decisions to be taken before the commission reports.
Transcription
# NARA M316 roll 43, frames 0427-0428. Funkspruch Nr 451 vom 30 Mai 1921 (repeat sent 14 June 1921). Indicator word: SOROK. Signed KRASSIN. # 1600 digits. The catchword /21545/ at the head of frame 0428 repeats the last group of frame 0427 and is left out. # Digit 566 is 1: the typist struck an I above the overstruck first digit of the group (frame 0427, 12th line, 2nd group). # Digit 182 is overstruck on the sheet (5, 7, 0 or 9); the file keeps the first transcription, 5. 76988 09086 86907 88760 66967 77789 09069 99900 11513 13510 31314 12704 42514 00443 23105 54500 90766 70770 69779 99191 30069 89007 67600 67000 51410 51351 15304 45040 31505 34444 03011 42500 00698 67969 96909 66776 05977 87986 79790 90600 16051 30303 54355 04000 40554 24230 43034 56400 96780 60676 77698 70679 98066 96900 76088 90900 52435 11011 52132 56133 23200 50561 51143 51100 88867 00907 97688 07007 90309 09709 66081 07700 23300 66560 54011 24154 56312 60553 00420 22000 96990 07790 69776 99067 78997 38097 07066 66900 50546 44451 15501 33600 51555 33250 55201 11400 60008 79000 90986 68688 06686 09060 97089 97700 41255 05156 55520 53244 21400 45545 30635 52000 09667 16709 89097 87837 66876 79679 89689 69800 63100 04214 25154 55334 03001 34003 34004 43300 76708 86976 70887 06699 96779 93867 97896 79600 41264 10300 31400 40035 20255 33444 30450 23400 97060 69797 70370 78096 97860 67769 98738 77900 30614 10535 06305 30144 35316 10013 33033 43500 80008 86060 70886 99979 69099 17797 75700 99900 31113 14202 55532 34305 05453 05435 44446 53400 70699 77969 78770 79697 76689 79370 69906 06900 56055 30555 31006 55122 44423 05342 05310 51500 69710 00888 96816 69790 60192 06719 99199 96800 04002 11202 31440 03056 26058 51504 24053 50200 86696 90799 19876 07080 89077 99666 66977 07900 00151 51055 05521 15131 35153 35020 01374 15500 77979 60866 77893 66036 67799 98807 77977 09700 05345 05301 04333 40630 04455 42315 50320 63400 00668 87899 69628 70907 09907 99670 09260 69800 12122 10035 13483 02410 10314 55022 34801 13400 99780 70078 06777 79686 99899 09096 99786 97900 55334 46142 11020 53051 35355 34150 30450 54340 88777 06667 09779 76779 90769 89907 69900 77860 02005 10005 65303 05503 45543 05214 45565 40310 79706 08079 60077 00009 66667 97606 79767 98760 05554 62445 21545 34210 04023 54260 04410 34240 78770 69760 80896 99997 87869 60077 69967 67800 52053 03501 34150 54555 00053 06100 45503 14360
Decryption
работаберлинскоготофгогопредставительстваразвиваетсявполненормально.отвсемделовыхкруговполучаюсамыелестныеотзывы.аусвэртигесамттакжеконстатируетблагоприятноеизменениеобщеиатмосферыторговогопредставительства.изразговоровлутовиновымстомоняковымзаключаю,чторевизионая[28]ия[14]алабогаыиматериал,весьманевыгоднохарактеризующипредыдущипериодберлинскогопредставительства.[77]отают,лошади,чемзадерживаетсяокончание.убедительнеишепрошу,какможноскореэвысл[50]тьберлинт.кулябко,помощькотороговработеревизионоз[28]иисовершенонеобходима.визу,согласнодоговора,должендатьштелер,начемпрошунастоять.нивкакомслучаенепредпринимаитеникакихрешениилимернеподождавдо[54]ладаревизионон[28]ии.иначеспутаетевсюея[77]оту,облегчитезаметаниеследов.лутовиновстомоняковпоокончанииревизииявятсядляличногодоклада[91]кмоскву
Reading
# Nr 451 and Nr 523: reading and translation Russian as deciphered, with the contributor's word breaks (`contributor_reading.md`). [ ] marks a pair outside the table or a wrong letter; й is written и, ё is written е. English by the contributor (issue #370), checked here against the Russian. ## Nr 451, Krassin to Chicherin, Berlin to Moscow, 30 May 1921 (repeat sent 14 June); M316 roll 43, frames 0427-0428 работа берлинского то[ф]гого представительства развивается вполне нормально. от все[м] деловых кругов получаю самые лестные отзывы. аусвэртигес амт также констатирует благоприятное изменение общеи атмосферы торгового представительства. из разговоров лутовиновым стомоняковым заключаю, что ревизионая [28]ия [14]ала бога[]ыи материал, весьма невыгодно характеризующи предыдущи период берлинского представительства. [77]отают, лошади, чем задерживается окончание. убедительнеише прошу, как можно скореэ высл[50]ть берлин т. кулябко, помощь которого в работе ревизионо[з] [28]ии совершено необходима. визу, согласно договора, должен дать штелер, на чем прошу настоять. ни в каком случае не предпринимаите никаких решении ли мер не подождав до[54]лада ревизионо[н] [28]ии. иначе спутаете всю ея [77]оту, облегчите заметание следов. лутовинов стомоняков по окончании ревизии явятся для личного доклада [91]к москву Proposed emendations: то[ф]гого → торгового; все[м] → всех; [28] → комисс (ревизионная комиссия); [14]ала → дала; бога[]ыи → богатыи; [77] → раб (работают, работу); высл[50]ть → выслать; до[54]лада → доклада; [91]к → ЦК. The work of the Berlin trade representation is developing quite normally. From all business circles I receive the most flattering comments. The Auswärtiges Amt also notes a favourable change in the general atmosphere around the trade representation. From conversations with Lutovinov and Stomonyakov I conclude that the auditing commission has produced rich material which characterises the preceding period of the Berlin representation very unfavourably. They work like horses, and this delays the conclusion. I most urgently ask you to send Comrade Kulyabko to Berlin as soon as possible; his help in the work of the auditing commission is absolutely necessary. Under the agreement the visa must be given by Stähler, and I ask you to insist on this. In no case take any decisions or measures without waiting for the report of the auditing commission; otherwise you will confuse all its work and make it easier to cover the traces. When the audit is finished Lutovinov and Stomonyakov will come to Moscow [to the CC] to report in person. ## Nr 523, Lutovinov to Chicherin for Litvinov (copies to Chicherin, Molotov, Shlyapnikov), Berlin to Moscow, 14 June 1921; frame 0432 вашэ письмо [16] июня получил. опре[о]эленоэ вами п[д]ложениэ коппа берлинэ нахожу абсолютно недопустимым. копп заявил, что наркоминдэл уже рэшил оставить эго берлине полпрэдом. эсли это так категоричэски протестую против его назначения до окон[ю]ания ревизии, а такжэ требую срочного указания ко[у]у сдать дела. черэз [76][53][18] часов сдаю бродовскому Proposed emendations: опре[о]эленоэ → определенное; п[д]ложениэ → положение; окон[ю]ания → окончания; ко[у]у → кому. [16] and [76][53][18] are numbers, values unknown. Received your letter of [..] June. I find the position you have defined for Kopp in Berlin absolutely inadmissible. Kopp has stated that the Narkomindel has already decided to leave him in Berlin as plenipotentiary. If this is so, I categorically protest against his appointment before the end of the audit, and I also demand urgent instructions to whom to hand over my duties. In [..] hours I hand over to Brodovsky.
Translation
# Nr 451 and Nr 523: reading and translation Russian as deciphered, with the contributor's word breaks (`contributor_reading.md`). [ ] marks a pair outside the table or a wrong letter; й is written и, ё is written е. English by the contributor (issue #370), checked here against the Russian. ## Nr 451, Krassin to Chicherin, Berlin to Moscow, 30 May 1921 (repeat sent 14 June); M316 roll 43, frames 0427-0428 работа берлинского то[ф]гого представительства развивается вполне нормально. от все[м] деловых кругов получаю самые лестные отзывы. аусвэртигес амт также констатирует благоприятное изменение общеи атмосферы торгового представительства. из разговоров лутовиновым стомоняковым заключаю, что ревизионая [28]ия [14]ала бога[]ыи материал, весьма невыгодно характеризующи предыдущи период берлинского представительства. [77]отают, лошади, чем задерживается окончание. убедительнеише прошу, как можно скореэ высл[50]ть берлин т. кулябко, помощь которого в работе ревизионо[з] [28]ии совершено необходима. визу, согласно договора, должен дать штелер, на чем прошу настоять. ни в каком случае не предпринимаите никаких решении ли мер не подождав до[54]лада ревизионо[н] [28]ии. иначе спутаете всю ея [77]оту, облегчите заметание следов. лутовинов стомоняков по окончании ревизии явятся для личного доклада [91]к москву Proposed emendations: то[ф]гого → торгового; все[м] → всех; [28] → комисс (ревизионная комиссия); [14]ала → дала; бога[]ыи → богатыи; [77] → раб (работают, работу); высл[50]ть → выслать; до[54]лада → доклада; [91]к → ЦК. The work of the Berlin trade representation is developing quite normally. From all business circles I receive the most flattering comments. The Auswärtiges Amt also notes a favourable change in the general atmosphere around the trade representation. From conversations with Lutovinov and Stomonyakov I conclude that the auditing commission has produced rich material which characterises the preceding period of the Berlin representation very unfavourably. They work like horses, and this delays the conclusion. I most urgently ask you to send Comrade Kulyabko to Berlin as soon as possible; his help in the work of the auditing commission is absolutely necessary. Under the agreement the visa must be given by Stähler, and I ask you to insist on this. In no case take any decisions or measures without waiting for the report of the auditing commission; otherwise you will confuse all its work and make it easier to cover the traces. When the audit is finished Lutovinov and Stomonyakov will come to Moscow [to the CC] to report in person. ## Nr 523, Lutovinov to Chicherin for Litvinov (copies to Chicherin, Molotov, Shlyapnikov), Berlin to Moscow, 14 June 1921; frame 0432 вашэ письмо [16] июня получил. опре[о]эленоэ вами п[д]ложениэ коппа берлинэ нахожу абсолютно недопустимым. копп заявил, что наркоминдэл уже рэшил оставить эго берлине полпрэдом. эсли это так категоричэски протестую против его назначения до окон[ю]ания ревизии, а такжэ требую срочного указания ко[у]у сдать дела. черэз [76][53][18] часов сдаю бродовскому Proposed emendations: опре[о]эленоэ → определенное; п[д]ложениэ → положение; окон[ю]ания → окончания; ко[у]у → кому. [16] and [76][53][18] are numbers, values unknown. Received your letter of [..] June. I find the position you have defined for Kopp in Berlin absolutely inadmissible. Kopp has stated that the Narkomindel has already decided to leave him in Berlin as plenipotentiary. If this is so, I categorically protest against his appointment before the end of the audit, and I also demand urgent instructions to whom to hand over my duties. In [..] hours I hand over to Brodovsky.
Nr 523, Lutovinov to Chicherin for Litvinov, Berlin to Moscow, 14 June 1921
Lutovinov protests against Kopp being kept in Berlin as polpred before the audit ends, asks to whom he should hand over his duties and says he will hand over to Brodovsky within hours.
Transcription
# NARA M316 roll 43, frame 0432. Funkspruch Nr 523 vom 14 Juni 1921. Indicator words: DWADZAT TCHETYRE. Signed LUTOWINOFF. # 575 digits as typed (one short of 24 x 24). "60" is typed between the 9th and 10th lines, above the group 04304; it is not included. 15255 04134 50406 24434 00606 80097 78879 69700 77907 77804 53235 53465 54450 53531 35777 90090 39079 66778 38705 72202 25404 31354 35400 60285 97600 97186 08069 98770 76193 25400 04130 30021 04154 44460 99796 60879 17006 70779 89253 30445 54143 15343 05300 50968 80999 06760 79797 99679 33350 05240 30605 13244 23619 88967 90799 60696 97687 80664 00502 20012 32102 50440 56006 97800 76008 80677 97679 02440 36435 52535 02403 55414 68768 00777 69996 89669 98665 35435 60433 33565 51124 06509 97990 76668 67099 60806 09533 34312 52221 31453 55454 59869 78079 98009 07997 90790 60133 53153 55544 04304 63041 16668 96099 79807 67600 67035 04415 33303 13535 30443 50997 67009 98860 68799 86978
Decryption
вашэписьмо[16]июняполучил.опреоэленоэвамипдложениэкоппаберлинэнахожуабсолютнонедопустимым.коппзаявил,чтонаркоминдэлужерэшилоставитьэгоберлинеполпрэдом.эслиэтотаккатегоричэскипротестуюпротивегоназначениядооконюанияревизии,атакжэтребуюсрочногоуказаниякоуусдатьделачерэз[76][53][18]часовсдаюбродовскому
Reading
# Nr 451 and Nr 523: reading and translation Russian as deciphered, with the contributor's word breaks (`contributor_reading.md`). [ ] marks a pair outside the table or a wrong letter; й is written и, ё is written е. English by the contributor (issue #370), checked here against the Russian. ## Nr 451, Krassin to Chicherin, Berlin to Moscow, 30 May 1921 (repeat sent 14 June); M316 roll 43, frames 0427-0428 работа берлинского то[ф]гого представительства развивается вполне нормально. от все[м] деловых кругов получаю самые лестные отзывы. аусвэртигес амт также констатирует благоприятное изменение общеи атмосферы торгового представительства. из разговоров лутовиновым стомоняковым заключаю, что ревизионая [28]ия [14]ала бога[]ыи материал, весьма невыгодно характеризующи предыдущи период берлинского представительства. [77]отают, лошади, чем задерживается окончание. убедительнеише прошу, как можно скореэ высл[50]ть берлин т. кулябко, помощь которого в работе ревизионо[з] [28]ии совершено необходима. визу, согласно договора, должен дать штелер, на чем прошу настоять. ни в каком случае не предпринимаите никаких решении ли мер не подождав до[54]лада ревизионо[н] [28]ии. иначе спутаете всю ея [77]оту, облегчите заметание следов. лутовинов стомоняков по окончании ревизии явятся для личного доклада [91]к москву Proposed emendations: то[ф]гого → торгового; все[м] → всех; [28] → комисс (ревизионная комиссия); [14]ала → дала; бога[]ыи → богатыи; [77] → раб (работают, работу); высл[50]ть → выслать; до[54]лада → доклада; [91]к → ЦК. The work of the Berlin trade representation is developing quite normally. From all business circles I receive the most flattering comments. The Auswärtiges Amt also notes a favourable change in the general atmosphere around the trade representation. From conversations with Lutovinov and Stomonyakov I conclude that the auditing commission has produced rich material which characterises the preceding period of the Berlin representation very unfavourably. They work like horses, and this delays the conclusion. I most urgently ask you to send Comrade Kulyabko to Berlin as soon as possible; his help in the work of the auditing commission is absolutely necessary. Under the agreement the visa must be given by Stähler, and I ask you to insist on this. In no case take any decisions or measures without waiting for the report of the auditing commission; otherwise you will confuse all its work and make it easier to cover the traces. When the audit is finished Lutovinov and Stomonyakov will come to Moscow [to the CC] to report in person. ## Nr 523, Lutovinov to Chicherin for Litvinov (copies to Chicherin, Molotov, Shlyapnikov), Berlin to Moscow, 14 June 1921; frame 0432 вашэ письмо [16] июня получил. опре[о]эленоэ вами п[д]ложениэ коппа берлинэ нахожу абсолютно недопустимым. копп заявил, что наркоминдэл уже рэшил оставить эго берлине полпрэдом. эсли это так категоричэски протестую против его назначения до окон[ю]ания ревизии, а такжэ требую срочного указания ко[у]у сдать дела. черэз [76][53][18] часов сдаю бродовскому Proposed emendations: опре[о]эленоэ → определенное; п[д]ложениэ → положение; окон[ю]ания → окончания; ко[у]у → кому. [16] and [76][53][18] are numbers, values unknown. Received your letter of [..] June. I find the position you have defined for Kopp in Berlin absolutely inadmissible. Kopp has stated that the Narkomindel has already decided to leave him in Berlin as plenipotentiary. If this is so, I categorically protest against his appointment before the end of the audit, and I also demand urgent instructions to whom to hand over my duties. In [..] hours I hand over to Brodovsky.
Translation
# Nr 451 and Nr 523: reading and translation Russian as deciphered, with the contributor's word breaks (`contributor_reading.md`). [ ] marks a pair outside the table or a wrong letter; й is written и, ё is written е. English by the contributor (issue #370), checked here against the Russian. ## Nr 451, Krassin to Chicherin, Berlin to Moscow, 30 May 1921 (repeat sent 14 June); M316 roll 43, frames 0427-0428 работа берлинского то[ф]гого представительства развивается вполне нормально. от все[м] деловых кругов получаю самые лестные отзывы. аусвэртигес амт также констатирует благоприятное изменение общеи атмосферы торгового представительства. из разговоров лутовиновым стомоняковым заключаю, что ревизионая [28]ия [14]ала бога[]ыи материал, весьма невыгодно характеризующи предыдущи период берлинского представительства. [77]отают, лошади, чем задерживается окончание. убедительнеише прошу, как можно скореэ высл[50]ть берлин т. кулябко, помощь которого в работе ревизионо[з] [28]ии совершено необходима. визу, согласно договора, должен дать штелер, на чем прошу настоять. ни в каком случае не предпринимаите никаких решении ли мер не подождав до[54]лада ревизионо[н] [28]ии. иначе спутаете всю ея [77]оту, облегчите заметание следов. лутовинов стомоняков по окончании ревизии явятся для личного доклада [91]к москву Proposed emendations: то[ф]гого → торгового; все[м] → всех; [28] → комисс (ревизионная комиссия); [14]ала → дала; бога[]ыи → богатыи; [77] → раб (работают, работу); высл[50]ть → выслать; до[54]лада → доклада; [91]к → ЦК. The work of the Berlin trade representation is developing quite normally. From all business circles I receive the most flattering comments. The Auswärtiges Amt also notes a favourable change in the general atmosphere around the trade representation. From conversations with Lutovinov and Stomonyakov I conclude that the auditing commission has produced rich material which characterises the preceding period of the Berlin representation very unfavourably. They work like horses, and this delays the conclusion. I most urgently ask you to send Comrade Kulyabko to Berlin as soon as possible; his help in the work of the auditing commission is absolutely necessary. Under the agreement the visa must be given by Stähler, and I ask you to insist on this. In no case take any decisions or measures without waiting for the report of the auditing commission; otherwise you will confuse all its work and make it easier to cover the traces. When the audit is finished Lutovinov and Stomonyakov will come to Moscow [to the CC] to report in person. ## Nr 523, Lutovinov to Chicherin for Litvinov (copies to Chicherin, Molotov, Shlyapnikov), Berlin to Moscow, 14 June 1921; frame 0432 вашэ письмо [16] июня получил. опре[о]эленоэ вами п[д]ложениэ коппа берлинэ нахожу абсолютно недопустимым. копп заявил, что наркоминдэл уже рэшил оставить эго берлине полпрэдом. эсли это так категоричэски протестую против его назначения до окон[ю]ания ревизии, а такжэ требую срочного указания ко[у]у сдать дела. черэз [76][53][18] часов сдаю бродовскому Proposed emendations: опре[о]эленоэ → определенное; п[д]ложениэ → положение; окон[ю]ания → окончания; ко[у]у → кому. [16] and [76][53][18] are numbers, values unknown. Received your letter of [..] June. I find the position you have defined for Kopp in Berlin absolutely inadmissible. Kopp has stated that the Narkomindel has already decided to leave him in Berlin as plenipotentiary. If this is so, I categorically protest against his appointment before the end of the audit, and I also demand urgent instructions to whom to hand over my duties. In [..] hours I hand over to Brodovsky.
Key: key.tsv
07 Sources
- National Archives, RG 59, Central Decimal File 1910–29, 861.00, microfilm M316 roll 43 (NAID 604704577), frames 0427–0428 and 0432. The images are not reproduced here.
- Harumi-Matsuba, issue #370 and repository
Harumi-Matsuba/soviet1921-public(CC BY 4.0 for documents and data): table, transcriptions, reading, method, controls and prior-art search.
The transcriptions, the table, the reading, the translation and the project’s check are in targets/krassin1921.
Cite this page
Harumi-Matsuba and Daniel Bourdeau, “Krassin’s Nr 451 and Lutowinoff’s Nr 523, Berlin to Moscow, 1921”, Cyphersolver, posted 10 November 2026, https://cyphersolver.com/krassin1921.html.