The Alexander Palace Time Machine Discussion Forum

Rasputin: The Memoirs of His Secretary by Aron Simanovitch is now available for the first time in English, with annotations. Currently, it is offered on Kindle. Paperback copies will be available shortly.
Here is the link: http://www.amazon.com/RASPUTIN-The-Memoirs-Secretary-ebook/dp/B00CX3EUWG/

And let me add "Rasputin and The Jews: A Reversal of History"
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1461027756

This book is a well-documented account of Rasputin as a healer, equal rights activist and man of God, and why he was so vilified by the aristocracy that their vicious rumors became accepted as history. For nearly a century, Grigory Rasputin, spiritual advisor to Russia's last Tsar and Tsarina, has been unjustly maligned simply because history is written by the politically powerful and not by the common man. A wealth of evidence shows that Rasputin was discredited by a fanatically anti-Semitic Russian society, for advocating equal rights for the severely oppressed Jewish population, as well as for promoting peace in a pro-war era. Testimony by his friends and enemies, from all social strata, provides a picture of a spiritual man who hated bigotry, inequity and violence.

"Rasputin and The Jews: A Reversal of History" as seen on Amazon:
This book is a well-documented account of Rasputin as a healer, equal rights activist and man of God, and why he was so vilified by the aristocracy that their vicious rumors became accepted as history. For nearly a century, Grigory Rasputin, spiritual advisor to Russia's last Tsar and Tsarina, has been unjustly maligned simply because history is written by the politically powerful and not by the common man. A wealth of evidence shows that Rasputin was discredited by a fanatically anti-Semitic Russian society, for advocating equal rights for the severely oppressed Jewish population, as well as for promoting peace in a pro-war era. Testimony by his friends and enemies, from all social strata, provides a picture of a spiritual man who hated bigotry, inequity and violence.

Not trying to doubt you or argue with you or anything, but was Rasputin Jewish? I had thought he was Russian Orthodox like the IF.

Not at all.  He was Russian Orthodox.  His secretary was Jewish and Rasputin had great sympathy for any oppressed minorities. 

Just to add something so this thread will be bumped. If he was sympathetic to Jews, it seems quite naive and living in a fairy tale to think that was the only reason he was killed; plus ignoring a larger picture.

I never claimed it was the reason he was killed - and, in fact, it was not.   I only said he was vilified for it - and, in my book, I don't even claim it's the only reason he was vilified, but list others as well. 

"Rasputin and The Jews: A Reversal of History" as seen on Amazon:
This book is a well-documented account of Rasputin as a healer, equal rights activist and man of God, and why he was so vilified by the aristocracy that their vicious rumors became accepted as history. For nearly a century, Grigory Rasputin, spiritual advisor to Russia's last Tsar and Tsarina, has been unjustly maligned simply because history is written by the politically powerful and not by the common man. A wealth of evidence shows that Rasputin was discredited by a fanatically anti-Semitic Russian society, for advocating equal rights for the severely oppressed Jewish population, as well as for promoting peace in a pro-war era. Testimony by his friends and enemies, from all social strata, provides a picture of a spiritual man who hated bigotry, inequity and violence.

Also new in 2011, after a dozen years of research and a healthy bibliography, is my book "Rasputin and The Jews: A Reversal of History", well received by a number of editorial and reader reviewers.  As summarized on Amazon:
"This book is a well-documented account of Rasputin as a healer, equal rights activist and man of God, and why he was so vilified by the aristocracy that their vicious rumors became accepted as history. For nearly a century, Grigory Rasputin, spiritual advisor to Russia's last Tsar and Tsarina, has been unjustly maligned simply because history is written by the politically powerful and not by the common man. A wealth of evidence shows that Rasputin was discredited by a fanatically anti-Semitic Russian society, for advocating equal rights for the severely oppressed Jewish population, as well as for promoting peace in a pro-war era. Testimony by his friends and enemies, from all social strata, provides a picture of a spiritual man who hated bigotry, inequity and violence."

Yes, Matryona Rasputin wrote three books about her father.  Of course, they are the memories of a devoted daughter.  For a more rounded view of Rasputin, and the result of a dozen years of research, read my book, "Rasputin and The Jews: A Reversal of History".  As summarized on Amazon, "This book is a well-documented account of Rasputin as a healer, equal rights activist and man of God, and why he was so vilified by the aristocracy that their vicious rumors became accepted as history. For nearly a century, Grigory Rasputin, spiritual advisor to Russia's last Tsar and Tsarina, has been unjustly maligned simply because history is written by the politically powerful and not by the common man. A wealth of evidence shows that Rasputin was discredited by a fanatically anti-Semitic Russian society, for advocating equal rights for the severely oppressed Jewish population, as well as for promoting peace in a pro-war era. Testimony by his friends and enemies, from all social strata, provides a picture of a spiritual man who hated bigotry, inequity and violence." It has received great reader and editorial reviews, as well as status as an addition to both The Simon Wiesenthal Museum of Tolerance Library in Los Angeles and the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research in New York.

"Rasputin's Daughter" is a work of fiction.  It is not a real account of the events.  Varvara was detained by the Communists, when she was found trying to board a train for Berlin, sometime around 1920.  She had a diary that had been kept by the Tsarina.  She mysteriously died of poisoning shortly after being captured by the Communists.
Dmitri, Rasputin's son, was banished to Siberia with his mother, Praskovia, when they wouldn't go along with the Communist program and share their farmland.  Both died in Siberia, not too long afterward.
You might want to read, instead of novels, some history books on the subject.  My book, "Rasputin and The Jews" recently came out and is on Amazon.

[Rasputin and The Jews]

This exact issue is addressed in my book "Rasputin and The Jews" (by Delin Colon, on Amazon), in which 12 years of research has yielded actual incidents of aid and advocacy Rasputin gave the Jews.  Testimony is by those who loved him as well as those who hated him, but whether they believed it was a good thing or a bad thing, they all (from his daughter to Yusupov) agree that he spent a great deal of time and effort helping the severely oppressed Jews of tsarist Russia and warning them about (as well as trying to avert) pogroms.  As the Tsar, as well as most Russian aristocracy, was a staunch anti-Semitic, Rasputin's efforts to get Nicholas II to accord the Jews equal rights were at the risk of losing his standing with the royal family.

But I do believe that there is limit to what any "sane" parent would do for a sick child or loved one and I think that Alexandra exceeded that limit when she turned to and trusted Rasputin

I think it was what happened at Spala that convinced her Rasputin had powers. Alexei was in agony, and all the doctors basically told Alix that he was going to die (a priest was brought in administer Last Rites).  No mother wants to hear that.  Then Rasputin sends a letter saying "He will not die", and Alexei starts to recover.  It was probably a coincidence, and maybe that would have happened anyway, but at the time, I can see why Alix would began to think Rasputin did it.  He said Alexei wouldn't die, and he didn't.  In Alix's mind, Rasputin saved her son's life.  That is why she came to trust his advice.
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There were many, many incidents of Alexei recovering after Rasputin's intervention, not just one.  The royals, servants and doctors witnessed many of these events.  In addition, Rasputin had been known as a healer in many towns and rural areas before he came to St. Petersburg, but even he stated that it wasn't he who did the healing, but God healed through him.  He just saw himself as a vehicle for God's work.  And he apparently had a facility for comforting people and easing their minds.

I certainly hope this is not another attack on Rasputin.  My book, "Rasputin and The Jews", depicts him as a humanitarian, in an effort to put an end to the myth.  I certainly hope this movie doesn't continue the sensationalism of the myth.  If they want sensationalism, there's still plenty of that in his efforts to keep the Romanovs from slaughtering the Jewish population in their pogroms.

If you read my book, "Rasputin and The Jews", you will see the case made for Rasputin as a humanitarian, and it won't be like anything you've read before.

I wanted to let everyone know about my new book, "Rasputin and The Jews".  I have spent the last 12 years writing and researching this book which is an account of Rasputin as a healer, equal rights activist and man of God, and why he was so vilified by the aristocracy that their vicious rumors became accepted as history. For nearly a century, Grigory Rasputin has been unjustly maligned simply because history is written by the politically powerful and not by the common man. A wealth of evidence shows that Rasputin was discredited by a fanatically anti-Semitic Russian society, for advocating equal rights for the severely oppressed Jewish population, as well as for promoting peace in a pro-war era. Testimony by his friends and enemies, from all social strata, provides a picture of a spiritual man who hated bigotry, inequity and violence. 

It's interesting to me that some of you seem to have personal knowledge of the tzar and tzarina's characters, and while Aron certainly had an inflated sense of self-importance, there is documentation as to the pogroms that were thwarted due to Rasputin's intervention, the 200 jewish dentists who were released from house arrest, due to Rasputin's intervention, the many jews who, due to Rasputin's intervention, were admitted to universities, even though the jewish quotas were filled.  If you only read 3 or 4 chapters of the book, you're really not in a position to discount the actual historical cases  that were enumerated and easily validated.  Maria Rasputin also validates Rasputin's interventions on the part of the Jews, in her books.  And she had no vested interest in supporting Aron's claims.  But people will always believe the version of history that is told by those who are in power.  The common man who has experienced it is rarely considered a source to be believed.

Marya Rasputin was his only surviving child.  His daughter, Varya was killed trying to leave Russia with some memoribilia from the imperial family.  His son died in Russia, as a young adult, I believe.  I do not know if Marya ever had any children.  I've not found any mention of children.