Internet and history: “Wikipedia” website provides voices of celebrities of the XX century

Voices of famous actors, musicians and poets of the XX century can be heard in the online encyclopedia "Wikipedia". This was made possible thanks to the agreement signed with the Russian State Archive of Phono documents. The State Archives will give "Wikipedia" fragments of records of famous historical figures. This, for example, Leo Trotsky speech about fraternal union of Soviet republics, and the recording of Anatoly Lunacharsky about the importance of maintaining sound heritage. Here are announcements of Yuri Levitan about the beginning and the end of the Great Patriotic War. Khlopusha monologue from the poem "Pugachev" by Sergei Yesenin also can be heard performed by the author.

Many unique records, available at the archive, were moved into the category of the public domain. They are no longer protected by copyright. In cooperation with the State Archives Directorate, "Wikimedia" also plans to launch a new project "WikiMusic". The website contains many articles about instrumental music, opera singers of the late XIX - early XX century. Now, as a musical illustration, these texts will be attached with a record to them. In particular, the website will record Feodor Chaliapin, Anastasia Vyaltseva, Nadezhda Plevitskaya, comic duet "Bim-Bom" and other famous musicians. The online encyclopedia will feature only one-minute fragments of each record.