Bernard L Koten (Senate Office of Public Records)

To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:

All materials on Bernard Louis Koten, formerly a research librarian for the Library For Intercultural Studies and lecturer in Russian literature at NYU and figure in left wing literary and academic circles. An August 23, 1963 New York Times article lists Koten as residing at 548 West 164th St (https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1963/08/29/89957692.html?pageNumber=9). It also mentions that he was 50 years old at the time, meaning that he is likely long deceased (or would be approximately 106 years old now). According to a recently fulfilled FOIA request with the FBI for documents about the Russian poet Yevgeny Yevtushenko (available here: https://www.muckrock.com/foi/united-states-of-america-10/yevgeny-yevtushenko-fbi-35664/#comm-782463), Koten was repeatedly approached by the FBI for questioning concerning his possible communist sympathies. On Friday April 27, 1956, Koten was questioned by the United States Senate Subcommittee To Investigate the Administration of the Internal Security Act
Other Internal Security Laws, part of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 20 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Jacob Silverman