Feb/26

Stalin’s Soviet Union – Moscow in 1953-1954

No comments · Posted by Sergei Rzhevsky in History, People, Photos

Major Martin Manhoff spent more than two years in the Soviet Union in the early 1950s. He served as assistant military attaché at the US Embassy, located near Red Square.

Manhoff, a talented photographer, captured hundreds of scenes from everyday life in the Soviet Union, both in Moscow and in other regions of the USSR.

The construction of the hotel “Ukraine” from the roof of the US Embassy on Novinsky Boulevard. The Church of the Nine Martyrs of Cyzicus (1954) is visible on the left.

After being accused of espionage, Martin Manhoff fled the country, taking with him hundreds of color slides and negatives taken during his stay in the USSR. Among these materials were footage of Stalin’s funeral, one of the turning points in Soviet history.

Hotel “Moscow” on Manezhnaya Square.

The Kremlin from the entrance to the US Embassy.

In 1953, Red Square was not yet closed to traffic.

We are approaching the intersection of Okhotny Ryad and Tverskaya Street.

The movie theater “Khudozhestvenny” on Arbatskaya Square. Poster for the movie “Lights on the River”. Election campaign: “Everyone to the elections to the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on March 14, 1954!”

Theater Square.

We are driving along Bolshaya Nikitskaya Street.

Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius.

Novinsky Boulevard, 18. Banners on the building: “Peace to the world!” and “Peace will defeat the war!”

Who needs a bus when you can take a ride with the wind in your hair?

Soviet policeman.

A shop window on Theatre Square.

Novospassky Monastery.

Soviet kids.

The corner of Bolshoy Devyatinsky Lane and Novinsky Boulevard. The inscription means: Moscow City Information Center. “Phototelegraph” is advertised.

View from Sparrow Hills.

The new main building of Moscow University illuminated at night.

Stalin’s funeral.

Unique video of Stalin’s funeral.

Festive demonstration on Manezhnaya Square.

Text on the banner on the left: “Fraternal greetings to the People’s Republic of China.” Poster on the building: “Glory to the party of Lenin-Stalin!”

Pushkinskaya Square.

The Central Telegraph building. The sign on the building reads: “300 years since the reunification of Ukraine with Russia. Long live the fraternal friendship of the peoples of the USSR.”