Background
Gul, Roman was born in 1896 in Perm’.
Gul, Roman was born in 1896 in Perm’.
Volunteered for the front during World War I. After the Bolshevik take-over, November 1917, joined the Whites. Close to Kornilov. After Kornilov’s death, moved to the Ukraine. Interned by the German occupation authority, deported to Germany.
In the 1920s, lived in Berlin. Wrote critical memoirs of his time with the Whites, which were noticed by Lenin himself and published in the Soviet Union. Correspondent of Soviet papers in Berlin until 1927.
Worked with Professor Iashchenko at the office of his bibliographical bulletin. Used the peculiar situation in Berlin in the 1920s to make connections with Russian emigres and visiting Soviet writers. After the take-over by the Nazis, interned in a concentration camp.
After his release, moved to France. Wrote several widely-acclaimed biographies (Bakunin, Dzerzhinskii, Kotovskii, Savinkov). Was an historical film consultant with Sir Alexander Korda in England.
After World War II, close to the historian Melgunov in Paris. Moved to the USA, 1950. Secretary, member of the editorial board, and then for many years editor of the magazine Novyi Zhurnal.
Wrote memoirs, which are an invaluable source on Russian literature abroad (Ya unes Rossiu, 2 vols).