Martin Manhoff photograph and film collection, 1940-1957

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Manhoff, Martin
Title
Martin Manhoff photograph and film collection
Dates
1940-1957 (inclusive)
Quantity
4.30 cubic feet (7 boxes)
Collection Number
PH2019-023
Summary
Photographs, film, documents, and artwork related to the Soviet Union made and collected by a Seattle couple stationed at the U.S. embassy in Moscow in the Soviet Union during 1952-1954
Repository
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu
Access Restrictions

No restrictions on access.

Languages
English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Martin Manhoff was born in Seattle in 1917. He attended the University of Washington, majoring in art, and then joined the US Army after graduation. He fought in Europe in the Second World War, landing on the beaches at Normandy four days after D-Day in June 1944. He returned to the States after the war and married Jeannette (Jan) Kozicki, another UW graduate, in 1950. Soon after, Martin left to learn Russian at the Army Language School in Monterey, California.

In early 1952, Martin and Jan moved to the Soviet Union, Manhoff was stationed at the U.S. embassy in Moscow in the Soviet Union from until 1954. When Martin was then expelled from the USSR on espionage charges, they returned to Washington state for the remainder of their lives. Martin died in 2005 and Jan died in 2014.

Information obtained from "THE LOST ARCHIVE OF MAJOR MARTIN MANHOFF" written by Douglas Smith, [https://www.aseees.org/news-events/aseees-blog-feed/lost-archive-major-martin-manhoff]

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Photographs, film, documents, and artwork made and collected by a local couple, Martin and Jan Manhoff. Martin Manhoff was stationed at the U.S. embassy in Moscow in the Soviet Union during 1952-1954. The photos and films were made at a time when foreigners were discouraged from or even forbidden to take pictures in the USSR. Manhoff even took film footage of Stalin’s funeral in 1953 from the roof of the U.S. embassy. The Manhoffs later owned and operated a photographic supply store in the Seattle area.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Restrictions may exist on copying, quotation, or publication. Contact University of Washington Libraries Special Collections for details.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Acquisition Information

Gift of Douglas Smith, 2019.

Related Materials

The Lost Archive of Major Martin J. Manhoff

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

 

Container(s) Description Dates
Box
1 Manhoff Letters and Other Related Ephemera 1940-1954
2 Military Records 1940-1954
3 Empty Film Canisters (All Labeled) and Negative Rolls 1940-1957
4 Film Reels, DVDs, and External Hard Drive 1947-1952
5-6 Slides undated
7 Artwork undated

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Moving Image Collections (University of Washington)
  • Visual Materials Collections (University of Washington)