Feodor Machnow

Feodor Machnow (Russian: Фёдор Андре́евич Махно́в) or Fiodar Machnoŭ (Belarusian: Фёдар Андрэевіч Махноў) was born in 1876 at the village of Kasciuki near Viciebsk, then part of the Russian Empire (now in Belarus). Exact details such as his height and weight are unconfirmed.

Feodor Machnow
Feodor Andreevich Machnow
Born	(1876-06-06)6 June 1876 Kasciuki, Viciebsk Governorate
Died	28 August 1913(1913-08-28) (aged 37) Kasciuki, Viciebsk Governorate
Cause of death	Pneumonia, and complications of Acromegaly
Nationality	Russian/Belarusian
Other names	Fyodor Makhnov, Федор Махнов (Russian)
Known for	Tall man/person "The Russian Giant"

As a young man in his twenties he toured Europe to exhibit his great height. After having spent time in Berlin he visited London in 1905 where he joined the Hippodrome accompanied by his wife and young child. He then toured the United States in 1906 where he met President Roosevelt as well as actor and fellow giant George Auger.[nb 1] Throughout his tour his promoters exaggerated his height, and he was usually accredited with a considerably inflated stature as high as 9 feet 3 inches (282 cm) and billed as "The Russian Giant." On the obelisk it is still possible to read: «Фёдор Андреевич Махнов. Родился 6 июня 1878 года. Умер 28 августа 1912 года. Самый высокий человек в мире. Ростом был 3 аршина 9 вершков» ("Feodor Machnow. Born 6 June 1878. Died 28 August 1912. Tallest man in the world. His height was 3 arshins 9 vershoks [254 centimetres] tall"). Machnow's wife, Efrosinja wanted to correct the incorrect figure on the monument, but was prevented from doing so because of the beginning of the First World War and then the Revolution. Unfortunately Machnow's wife could not verify this version. This exaggeration may have been because he wore a huge Cossack fur hat, and tall boots which added a foot to his height. Although, if this was accurate, he would have been taller than Robert Wadlow, now cited as the world's tallest man. However, photographic evidence suggest that he was not any taller than 7 feet 10½ inches (240 cm).

Machnow died in 1913 due to pneumonia and likely complications of Acromegaly although there are other versions of the story. Some believed he had been poisoned by rivals or envious competitors (Machnow was a rather well known wrestler), but no evidence for this is available. He was the father of four children none of whom reached a height greater than two meters.