Zinoviev himself held a press conference shortly after the affair to deny writing the letter.

In 1927, a Russian forger confessed to his involvement in writing the letter. And, as late as 1966, the widow of another person named by the forger said a group of White Russians in Berlin forged it with the help of the Polish intelligence.

Material in the National Archives show that the Harvard text is identical to the secret copies which circulated through European intelligence circles. The photo plates may have been the original reproduction for these copies, Butler said.

Minor textual details support the contention that the letter is a forgery, Butler said.

Leisurely Copying

The minutes of the secret meeting show no signs of the hasty copying which would have been necessary in a clandestine raid on secret Soviet files.

The letter is also signed "Zinoviev" instead of "G. Zinoviev," the accepted signature.

But if the Harvard text points to a forgery, who was the forger?

Polish Culprit

Butler believes the Polish intelligence is the "culprit." Zinoviev accused Polish intelligence of being involved in his 1924 press conference. The diary of the speaker of the Polish Sejm from 1923 quoted the Polish Prime Minister as claiming credit for the Zinoviev Letter.

One of the alleged forgers worked with the Polish intelligence for a while, Butler said.

Polish Intelligence

"Although the evidence, in my opinion points most strongly to Polish intelligence as the culprit, none of those theories (on the origin of the letter) can yet be completely dismissed," Butler said.

The letters are now on display in the Law School Library Treasure Room.