Russian Spy Petrov Collection
In 1954 the head of the Soviet spy network in Australia, Volodya Petrov, defected and sought asylum.
The Soviets intervened and attempted to repatriate Petrov's wife Evdokia to the USSR. She was wrestled off the plane at Darwin by Australian security agents. In the Cold War era this became the sensation of the year and initiated The Royal Commission on Espionage.
The Left in Australia largely viewed this as a Menzies led attempt to crush local Communism.
The Petrovs were eventually settled in suburban Melbourne under the names Sven and Anna Allyson, and given a pension.
Volodya/Vladimir died in 1991 and Evdokia in 2002.
Lot comprises:
1 - Eighty individual daily transcripts of evidence (Commission took evidence for 126 days) plus an interim report and the 458 page Report of the Commission, August 1955.
2 - The Petrov Conspiracy Unmasked. W.J. Brown Journalist for the Communist newspaper The Tribune. Exterior shabby, contents reasonable.
3 - The Case of Colonel Petrov. Michael Bialoguski, pub. 1955. Russian born, Sydney resident doctor who became a friend of Petrov and an informer for Australian security. Wrapper very poor, text block aged and dusted. Contents reasonable. A fresh, first-hand account and interesting reading.
4 - Petrov Cross-Examined. A contemporary left wing pamphlet defending H.V. Evatt and other observations. Paper tanned.



Estimate $120-200