NOTES FROM FBI FILES ON MORRIS BLOCK AND MILLIE BLOCK
Agency: HSCA
Originator: HSCA
From: FBI, FILES
Document date: 03/16/1979
Document type: OTHER TEXTUAL

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JFK Assassination System

Identification Form

Agency Information

Date:

10/13/20

AGENCY: HSCA

RECORD NUMBER : 180-10107-10484

RECORD SERIES: NUMBERED FILES

AGENCY FILE NUMBER: 014935

144 USC 2107 Notel.

CaseR:NW 54653 Date:

Document Information

ORIGINATOR: HSCA

FROM: FBI, FILES

TO :

TITLE: NOTES FROM FBI FILES ON MORRIS BLOCK AND MILLIE BLOCK

DATE:

03/16/1979

PAGES:

3

SUBJECTS :

AMERICAN DEFECTORS

BLOCK, MOLLIE

RUSSIA

FBI, FILES

BLOCK, MORRIS

DOCUMENT TYPE:

OTHER TEXTUAL

CLASSIFICATION:

Unclassified

RESTRICTIONS:

Consulted

CURRENT STATUS :

Withhold

DATE OF LAST REVIEW :

07/06/1993

OPENING CRITERIA:

COMMENTS :

Typed notes from FBI files. Box 288.

IN 34653 DocId: 32262415

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NOTES FROM FBI FILES ON

MORRIS BLOCK AND MOLLIE BLOCK

014835

July 13, 1959

August 8, 1959

August 9, 1959

September 10, 1959

February 28, 1960

Arrived in Gydnia, Poland, where Polish

authorities kept them in seclusion and

constantly demanded they leave.

Transferred by military truck to Brest,

U.S.S.R.

Arrived in Moscow after being transferred

to a train in Brest.

Met by Vladimir Vasilev, "a Soviet

representative" who took them to the

Leningradskaya Hotel and provided ex-

cellent accommodations.

Vasilev stated he wanted to arrange a

press conference but

month after agreeing

¡to have dee. tox a

Departed from Moscow to Odessa, U.S.S.R.

by train (after being told by the Soviets

that they could not continue to travel to

China)

Sent to Odessa so Morris could obtain

work in the Soviet shipyards as a mechanic.

He did so five days after their arrival in

Odessa.

Mollie Block obtained a teaching position

in the Polytechnic Institute.

Joanna (daughter of Mollie and Morris

Block) enrolled in a Ukrainian-English

school.

Morris Block had difficulty with the

Russian language so "the U.s.S.R. assigned

a young girl named Tanya from

the Ukraine

to teach Morris Block the Russian

language"

Mollie Block departed to Moscow with her

daughter as the result of an affair be-

tween Morris Block and his Russian

teacher, Tanya.

Vladimir Vasilev met Mollie Block in

Moscow and obtained accommodations for her

and her daughter at the Hotel Metropole...

MH 54653 DocId: 32262415 Page 2

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• FBI File notes on Morris and Mollie Block

Page Two

February 28, 1960

(continued)

The Soviet Red Cross paid expenses.

June 1960

August 1960

October 1960

May 1961

March 1962

Early 1964

Joanna became ill with a nervous disorder

and required hospitalization.

Mollie Block requested employment and

was assigned as a typist-translator for

the Soviet Publishing Office in Moscow.

Mollie Block was provided a one room

apartment.

Vladimir Vasilev wanted her to attend a

school in preparation for employment as

a Radio Moscow commentator to North

Africa - salary 1500 rubles, but Mollie

Block refused the assignment.

Morris Block came to Moscow and

stated

that he wanted to remain with his family.

The Soviets insisted he return to Odessa.

Morris and Mollie Block returned to Odessa,

both obtaining their previous jobs.

Mollie stated that she definitely wanted

to return to the United States.

Joanna Block returned from Moscow to

Odessa.

After many visits to the Soviet authorities

permission was granted to the Blocks to

visit the American Embassy in Moscow.

The United States authorities were willing

to renew her passport for immediate and

direct return to the U.S. and issue Morris

Block a Certificate of Identity to ac-

complish the same; the Soviet authorities

refused to grant the exit visas and forced

them to return to Odessa.

The Blocks were subsequently approached on

three occasions to renounce their U.s.

citizenship and become Soviet citizens.

They refused to do so.

Morris Block became annoyed at the Soviet

loud speaker broadcasting propaganda, at....

HM 54653 DocId: 32262415

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FBI file notes on Morris and Mollie Block

• "': Page

Three

his place of employment and disconnected

February 28, 1964

April 1964

June 10, 1964

it.

He was severely punished by several

young Soviet workers and denounced as

a hooligan.

The Soviets would not grant exit visas

or permission to visit Moscow during

this period.

A correspondent for THE NEW YORK TIMES

was visiting Odessa. Mollie Block

approached this Henry Tanner and gave

him an account of their difficulties.

An article about the soviet treatment

of the Blocks appeared in THE NEW YORK

TIMES.

The Soviets began harassing the Blocks.

The Blocks were expelled from the U.s.S.R.

on the charge that Morris Block was

guilty of acts of hooliganism and Mollie

Block was guilty of handing out anti-

Soviet propaganda to foreign students at

the Polytechnic Institute.

Mollie and Morris Block had been members of the Communist

Party in the United States for a number of years before their

defection.

However, they had no contact with the Soviets prior

to their defection.

The Blocks had no knowing contact with the KGB. Mollie

Block believed they would be of interest to the KGB, but was

not aware ofony such interest.

Their only contact with

Soviet officials was with Vladimir Vasilev and his replacement

when occupied elsewhere.

The name of the replacement is unknown

but he is described as a blond man, 30 years of age, five feet

six inches, 170-180 pounds, stocky build. Subsequently, he

was sent to the Crimea resort area to recover from an illness.

•Vladimir Vasilev's questions cannot be remembered with the ex-

ception of how to obtain an illegal U. S. passport, or one in

false identity (which Morris Block had done) .

1W54653 DocId: 32262415

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