Report of the President's Commission on the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy

Development of Oswald and Marina’s Relationship

When Marina first met Oswald, she thought he was from one of the Russian-speaking Baltic countries because of his accent; she learned that same evening he was an American. They met again at another dance a week later, danced together most of the evening, and he walked her home. They arranged to meet the following week, but Oswald called to say he was in the hospital and asked her to visit. Medical records show Oswald was admitted to the Clinical Hospital Ear, Nose, and Throat Division on Thursday, March 30, 1961. Marina visited him often, using her uniform to gain entry outside the regular Sunday visiting hours, and brought him an Easter egg on Easter Sunday. On a later visit, he asked her to be his fiancée, and she agreed to consider it. He left the hospital on April 11. During these visits, Marina discussed Oswald’s reasons for coming to Russia and his current status; he told her he had surrendered his American documents and told officials he did not intend to return, saying he could not return to the United States. Oswald continued visiting Marina at her aunt and uncle’s apartment, who were undisturbed that he was an American, and she accepted his marriage proposal on April 20 (according to her recollection) or April 15 (according to his diary).

Marriage of Oswald and Marina Prusakova

After filing notice of intent to marry at the registrar, obtaining the special consent required for an alien to marry a Soviet citizen, and waiting the usual ten days, Oswald and Marina were married on April 30, 1961. Oswald’s diary entry for the wedding day describes two of Marina’s girlfriends acting as bridesmaids, a dinner reception at her aunt’s home for about 20 friends, an evening of eating and drinking, and the couple walking the 15 minutes to their nearby home at midnight. Both took three days off from their jobs, which they spent in Minsk.