A Texas Greenhorn in Berlin and Moscow, 1928

Joseph Werlin’s diary pages are full of remarkable observations of France, Germany, Russia, and America in 1928. Allowed into Moscow on a study visa, Werlin's keen eye for observation and documentation provides firsthand insight into the early days of Stalinist rule. During his travels, Werlin refers to himself as a “Greenhorn,”acknowledging his innocence as a first-time international traveler and recording his memories with a student’s youthful eagerness. Together with Werlin’s diary, his daughter, Joella Werlin, has compiled correspondence, news articles, and other historical documents to reveal her father’s life story, as well as a rare insight into European, Russian, and American history.

Joseph Werlin received his PhD in Russian history from the University of Chicago and later became Professor of Sociology at the University of Houston.