Oswald in Minsk

[Magda Hassan]

Thanks very much for this update Peter. Is there a link to his book? Some where we can buy his book? I hope Dr Titovets will receive some good books from the JFK researchers around. What about some pdf electronic editions?

[Peter Lemkin]

Thanks very much for this update Peter. Is there a link to his book? Some where we can buy his book? I hope Dr Titovets will receive some good books from the JFK researchers around. What about some pdf electronic editions?

As his book it printed in Minsk and Belarus is a bit backwater, it is not easy to order the book. I wonder if any of the JFK bookshops online carry it. I got my copy directly from him, as can others....but that's not the easiest way. e-books sounds like a GREAT idea! Anyone who wants to ask him any questions through me, just let me know on this thread or by PM [note, my PM box sometimes fills up and the system doesn't let one know it is full]. If I haven't already asked him the question and it makes sense, I'll forward it to him and post the answers. So, no, Magda, I know of no link to the book for buying it. There are a few mentions of him and the book on the internet...few. The publisher/distributor might [I'll check] have a website...but it would be in Cyrillic and they likely don't take visa or paypal - in fact, I'd be surprised if they'd take either....but will find out. Anyone who has a good ebook on JFK they want me to send to him and that they feel is in the spirit of 'fair use' [I think in this case it would be], let me know. He has often complained to me that his university and city library do not carry anything related to Oswald or the JFK Assassination in English...and precious little in Belorussian.

[Peter Lemkin]

I sent a copy of Harvey and Lee to ET. He sent me the following observations on the Russian portion of the book......FWIW...so either ET or A. Zeigger is not telling the truth about LHO speaking Russian!!!!! His comments also further confuse the picture as to Marina's ability to speak English...perhaps. Very strange!

Comments on deviations from the real facts I found in the book Harvey and Lee by John Armstrong. I touched only upon Oswald's Russian period of life that is familiar to me.

Armstrong: "I wanted to be sure that I understood her answer and said, "Ana, you knew
Oswald from the time he arrived in Minsk until the day he and Marina left for the
United States. You and your parents accompanied them to the train station and took
photographs (published in the Warren Volumes). During this time he never spoke any
Russian, even up to the day he left Minsk?" Ana, once again, replied, "No-not a word.
My father always interpreted for him-he was the only one in our family who spoke
English.".. ."
"An English-speaking medical student, Erich [Ernst] Titovets, first met Oswald at the Hotel Minsk and later was a regular visitor to his apartment.
Titovets: Actually, I met Oswald not at the Hotel Minsk but at the Ziggers apartments. It was in the presence of the whole family: Alexander Ziggers, his wife Signora Anna and his two daughters, Anita and Eleanora. Oswald spoke Russian and there was absolutely no need to interpret for him.

Armstrong: At the factory Oswald met another person who spoke English, Pavel Golovachev, the son of a famous Soviet Air Force General. … After Pavel and Oswald began spending a lot of time together the KGB asked him to report on Oswald's activities. He dutifully informed them of his contacts with Oswald and kept them apprised of his movements.
Titovets: Pavel Golobachev did not speak English at all. Once he confided in me that he wished he did and was sorry he did not speak the language.

Armstrong: On October 18 Lee Harvey Oswald celebrated his 21st birthday. Ella Germann,
a girl from the Horizon factory who Oswald had been dating for the past two months and
spoke very good English, attended a small birthday party at his apartment.
Titovets: Ella Germann did not speak English at all.

Armstrong: "It is clear that Marina associated with Americans, spoke English with Webster, and almost certainly spoke English with Oswald." … "Marina's ability to read, write, and speak English fluently before she left Russia is indisputable".
Titovets: Marina did not speak English at all. It would have been really surprising if she would have spoken English with Oswald and completely ignored me even when the three of us were together.
Armstrong: " When Oswald and Marina met, danced, and agreed to a date the following Friday
they spoke a common language. Was it Russian or English? The HSCA asked Marina,
"At this time you were speaking in Russian together.P" She answered, "Yes. He spoke
with an accent so I assumed he was from another state. "70 Oswald came in contact with
hundreds of people in Russia, but Marina is the only person-THE ONLY PERSON who
said that Oswald spoke Russian while in Russia
Titovets: Armstrong is right about so many people who met Oswald in Minsk. There are still many living who would have willingly testified to the fact that Oswald spoke Russian to them had John Armstrong followed Norman Mailer's example of having come to Minsk and interviewed them.
In the book Oswald: Russian Episode by Ernst Titovets one can find an illustration with Oswald's longhand in Russian on an inside cover of a book where Oswald contemplates the names for his future child. Incidentally, Oswald signed his writings.
When a date-line does not fit Armstrong's logic he dismisses it as an error and suggests his "correct" one.
To give an example:
Armstrong: "NOTE: We will soon see the date of March 17 is in error . [It is the night at the Trade Union Palace when Oswald first met Marina Prussakova. E.T.].
Titovets: The date of March 17 is correct.


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Before I sent ET my own questions regarding the above, if anyone else has any for me to pass along, speak now....

[Peter Lemkin]

While a number of persons have looked at the tread, no one had posed a question for ET, so I sent him my own a little while ago. I can send others if they are different...so feel free...or just to discuss what he or Amstrong say or agree or disagree on...etc.




"There's a plot in this country to enslave every man, woman and child. Before I leave this high and noble office, I intend to expose this plot" - President John F. Kennedy seven days before his assassination.

[Peter Lemkin]

I note that Dr. Titovets is listed as a speaker this year at the Dallas COPA conference for the 50th. I do hope the others listed this year will physically be there; as the trend has been for all but J. Judge to appear via skype. The 50th calls for something a bit more physical, if at all possible.

[Magda Hassan]

http://www.etitovets.com/OSWALD-Russian-Episode.pdf

[Tracy Riddle]

Marina's fluency in English is obvious from this January 1964 interview, at a time when she supposedly needed translators during questioning by authorities.



I suspect Marina was a "honey trap" assigned to Oswald so she could eventually go to the US with him and become a Soviet sleeper agent. She probably never did anything for the Soviets before the assassination, and they quickly cut her loose after 11/22/63, which is why she had to become so cooperative with US authorities.

[Albert Doyle]

Marina could be as simple as the Soviets wanting to send a message "Send your false defectors over and we'll mess with your mind by sending ours right back with them." One sub tailing another.

Theoretically, this could have been done because Oswald delivered a very important high altitude radar microfilm.

[Jan Klimkowski]

Marina's fluency in English is obvious from this January 1964 interview, at a time when she supposedly needed translators during questioning by authorities.

I suspect Marina was a "honey trap" assigned to Oswald so she could eventually go to the US with him and become a Soviet sleeper agent. She probably never did anything for the Soviets before the assassination, and they quickly cut her loose after 11/22/63, which is why she had to become so cooperative with US authorities.

Tracy - excellent.

Speaking as someone whose father was Polish, I would add that Marina's accent suggests she did not learn her English from Americans. Her accent would be described by Brits as "east European", meaning she speaks English with an eastern European twang.

I have many relatives and frends who either learnt English in America or from Americans, and that American dimension is evident in their accent. However, most of my Polish friends and relatives learnt English either in Poland or from Anglo-Poles. Their accent is like Marina's.

In short, Marina's speaking voice suggests a European origin for her fluency in English.

Assuming there is no jiggery pokery with the editing, Marina also displays a very good grasp of meaning. She understands the questions even though they are being asked in a language which is not her mother tongue

[Dawn Meredith]

The book in question is Oswald: Russian Episode. The author is Professor Ernst P. Titovets, who was a medical student when he met LHO. According to the back cover blurbs on my signed copy, LHO described him in the "historic diary" as "my oldest existing acquaintance ... a friend of mine who speaks English very well." Both Edward Epstein and Norman Mailer have confirmed this characterization -- for whatever that's worth. The book is published by Mon Litera, located in ... wait for it ... Minsk.

I haven't read it yet, but when I do it will be with my deep politics radar on "HIGH" setting.

BTW, Robert Webster told a personal acquaintance of mine -- one of his care givers in a New England medical facility during the 1970s -- that Marina had been his wife.

Several months ago someone called me out of the blue asking if he could send me a copy of this book. Not wishing to offend I said yes. So I too have a copy but have not read it. I was waiting for some reviews before I dived in as it instinctively struck me as a disinfo book.

Dawn