“There seems to be a deterioration of human rights in the former Soviet Union,” the staff member said, pointing to the prominent role of the Federal Security Service (FSB)—the post-Soviet successor to the Committee for State Security (KGB). “Many people are intimidated and fearful.”

Though several asserted the archives were a donation from Bonner, others also pointed to Brandeis’ financial capabilities as responsible for the move.

“This is a gift to Harvard courtesy of Elena Bonner,” Associate Librarian of Harvard College for Collections Jeffrey L. Herrell said.

“I do know that there were financial issues at Brandeis that necessitated finding a new institutional home for the archives,” wrote Executive Director of the American Association for the Advancement of Slavic Studies Carol R. Saivetz, who sits on the advisory board for the Andrei Sakharov Archives and Human Rights Center at Brandeis and who is also a research associate at the Davis Center.

Brandeis simply didn’t have as many resources, the Davis Center staff member said, describing the move as a “happy marriage.”

“This adds to Harvard’s research capabilities [and] provides an important program to the Harvard community, including undergraduates, which is something we want to do more of,” the staff member said.

Bonner donated the papers to Brandeis in 1993.

Yankelevich did not return repeated phone calls.

Director of the Davis Center Timothy J. Colton was out of town and could not be reached for comment.

—Staff writer Margaret W. Ho can be reached at mwho@fas.harvard.edu.