Soviet Bureau

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The Soviet Bureau (Russian: Советское Бюро) also known as Martens Bureau was an unofficial organization established by Soviet Russia, based in the USA, during the Russian Civil War. It was considered the unofficial Soviet embassy in America. It was headed by Ludwig Martens.

The organization was created in March 1919 at the World Tower Building, 110 West 40 Street, New York City^[1][2]. The organization established contacts with up to one thousand American companies wanting to sell to or to buy something from Soviet Russia^[1]. It also established contacts with the Irish Republic.

On 28 March 1919 and 11 April 1919 The New York Times published articles urging to close the illegal representation of the Soviet^[3] The organization was searched by New York Police on 12 June 1919. The organization was a subject of hearings in United States Senate in January−March 1920^[3]. On 17 December 1920 the United States Department of Labor decided to deport Martens and in January 1921 Martens finally left the United States^[1]. Work of the organization stopped with the departure of its leader. The organization left a lot of debts some of them paid by the Hammer family.

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