Lee Harvey Oswald PSA NM 7 Diary Entry Used By Warren Commission, "My fondes dreams are shattered...I decide to end it"

1p, measuring 8" x 9", n.p., ca. 1964. An AP Wirephoto of a page from Lee Harvey Oswald's self-styled "Historic Diary", dating from his arrival in the U.S.S.R. on October 16-October 21, 1959. The diary was Oswald's handwritten account of his life in Russia, and he describes his difficulties applying for Soviet citizenship and his attempted suicide. Oswald was met in Moscow by a representative of "Intourist," the state tourist agency, and taken to the Hotel Berlin, where he registered as a student. His guide, a young woman named Rima Shirokova, took him sightseeing the next day, and almost immediately he told her about his plans to become a citizen of the Soviet Union. On the morning of October 21, he was interviewed by an official concerning his application for citizenship, but later that day he was notified that his visa had expired and he would have to leave Moscow within two hours. Oswald responded to the news by cutting himself above his left wrist, in an apparent suicide attempt. With light wear and soiling at the edges. Adhesive staining on verso. Overall very good. PSA Slabbed and Graded Type III, measuring 9.75" x 13" overall.

The diary entry, with multiple grammatical and spelling errors, reads in part:
Oct 16 Arrive from Helsinki by train; am met by Intourist Repre. and in car to Hotel 'Berlin.' Reges. as "student" 5 day Lux tourist Ticket. Meet my Intourist guied [sic] Rimma Sherikova. I explain to her I wish to appli. [sic] for Rus. citizenship. She is flabbergassed [sic], but agrees to help…
Oct. 17 Rimma meets me for Intourist sighseeing [sic] says we must contin. with this although I am too nervous she is 'sure' I'll have an anserwer [sic] soon. Asks me about myself and my reasons for doing this. I explaine [sic] I am a communist, etc. She is politly [sic] sym. but uneasy now…
Oct. 18 My 20th birthday, we visit exhib. in the morning and in the afternoon The Lenin-Stalin tomb. She gives me a present book "Ideot" [sic] by Dostoevski…
Oct. 21 (mor) Meeting with single offial [sic]. Balding stout, black suit fairly good English, asks what do I want? I say Soviet citizenship. He ask why I give vague answers about 'Great Soviet Union.'…He says he shall check and let me know weather [sic] my visa will be (extended it exipiers [sic] today). Eve. 6.00 Receive word from police official. I must leave country tonight at 8.00 P.M. as visa expires. I am shocked!! My dreams! I retire to my room. I have $100 left. I have waited for 2 year to be accepted. My fondes [sic] dreams are shattered because of a petty offial [sic]; because of bad planning I planned to much! 7.00 P.M. I decide to end it. Soak rist [sic] in cold water to numb the pain. Than [sic] slash my left wrist. Then plaug [sic] wrist into bathtub of hot water. I think 'when Rima comes at 8 to find me dead, it will be a great shock.' somewhere, a violin plays…"

Entries such as these were used by the Warren Commission as Oswald's record of his private life and personal impressions since he was not alive to answer questions of the investigation himself. After his seeming attempt on his life, he was found by his guide, Rima, an hour later as predicted, and she had him taken to Botkinskaya Hospital. For three days, Oswald was confined in the psychiatric ward of the hospital. He was examined by a psychiatrist, who ultimately concluded that he was not dangerous to other people and could be transferred to the "somatic" department.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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