Suzanne Massie

Suzanne Liselotte Marguerite Massie (née Rohrbach; January 8, 1931 – January 26, 2025) was an American scholar of Russian history who played an important role in the relations between Ronald Reagan and the Soviet Union in the final years of the Cold War. On December 30, 2021, she was awarded Russian citizenship.

Early life and education Suzanne Liselotte Marguerite Rohrbach was born in Queens, New York, on January 8, 1931, the daughter of a Swiss diplomat, and grew up in Philadelphia. She graduated from Vassar College, but also studied at the Sorbonne Suzanne Massie was instrumental in the research, editing, and cover design of the book. Nicholas and Alexandra was a bestseller and was critically praised for highlighting the emotional impact of Alexei's illness on Alexandra and Nicholas II, which had previously been unexamined by historians.

In 1975, Suzanne and Robert Massie wrote about their experiences with hemophilia more directly in Journey. The book discussed the significant differences between the American and French healthcare systems.

Ronald Reagan first became interested in Massie when he read her book Land of the Firebird: The Beauty of Old Russia. The proverb rhymes in Russian and under Reagan the phrase became a White House policy. They met sixteen times and her importance in contributing to Reagan's understanding of the Russian people, assisting in reaching a peaceful end to the Cold War. This was described in detail in a number of documentary films. She applied for the job of US Ambassador to Russia via a letter to Reagan but was rejected, as the post had already been filled.

In 2021, Massie travelled to Moscow to attend Victory Day celebrations, and in an interview with Russian broadcaster NTV, she asked President Vladimir Putin for a Russian passport, saying that the country's citizenship would be "an honor". Her request was granted on December 30, 2021.

Personal life and death From 1954 to 1990, she was married to Robert Massie; they had three children. She was a longtime resident of Blue Hill, Maine, but moved to a retirement home in Kentucky at the end of her life to be closer to family.

Archives The Hoover Institution Library and Archives at Stanford University holds Massie's papers, which include manuscripts, correspondence, research materials, and photographs documenting her life, political involvement, and study of Russia.

Books Massie, Suzanne, Trust but Verify: Reagan, Russia and Me, Maine Authors Publishing, 2013: Paperback and Hardcover. Massie, Suzanne, Land of the Firebird: The Beauty of Old Russia, Simon & Schuster 1980: Paperback; Touchstone 1982. Massie, Suzanne, Pavlovsk: The Life of a Russian Palace, Little Brown & Co. 1990: Paperback; HeartTree Press 1999. Massie, Suzanne, The Living Mirror, Doubleday & Co. Garden City New York 1972: Paperback: Anchor 1972. Massie, Suzanne & Robert Massie, Journey, Alfred A. Knopf, New York 1975: Paperback: Warner's 1976; Ballantine Books 1984.