Messages

46

The Myth and Legends of Survivors / Re: New book on Franziska Schanzkowsky, the Anastasia pretender

« on: November 17, 2015, 03:45:07 AM »

It's possible that FS got so deep into pretending to be Anastasia that, towards the end of her life, she actually started to believe it herself that she was Anastasia. 

I think it's quite likely, especially since she is said to have been senile.  And the Anastasia myth is what everyone around her bought into by that point.

47

The Myth and Legends of Survivors / Re: New book on Franziska Schanzkowsky, the Anastasia pretender

« on: November 06, 2015, 07:56:53 PM »

Ortino -- Thank you for the clarification.  I'll add it to my reading list for next month, after NaNoWriMo is over and I have some free time again.  :p 

Maria Sisi -- I think that's one factor.  Some people also don't like it when authors assume things about internal motivation of a historical person because those assumptions could be wrong.  For example, maybe FS wasn't a master manipulator.  Maybe she was crazy.  Or maybe the truth is somewhere in between (that's what I personally think).

48

Having Fun! / Re: 1917 Russian Offensives

« on: October 31, 2015, 06:01:45 AM »

James -- that's pretty much exactly how I have things set up in the alternate history I'm writing.  I haven't decided exactly when they have the armistice, though.

49

The Myth and Legends of Survivors / Re: New book on Franziska Schanzkowsky, the Anastasia pretender

« on: October 29, 2015, 02:49:50 AM »

The three star review seems to indicate that part of the book is fiction and part isn't.  I'm not sure, though, without having read it...

50

The Windsors / Re: Prince William and Catherine, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

« on: October 22, 2015, 02:28:48 AM »

I'm rather surprised she hasn't been awarded it yet. 

Love the Lotus Tiara on her, though.

51

Imperial Russian History / Re: Switching Calendars

« on: October 16, 2015, 02:53:47 AM »

That's what I thought.   

52

Imperial Russian History / Switching Calendars

« on: October 14, 2015, 06:09:53 PM »

Did Nicholas give any thought (prior to the Revolution) to switching to the Gregorian calendar?  Or did that come out of left field after the abdication?

Do you think he would have switched at some point, had the Revolution not happened?

53

The Windsors / Re: Duke and Duchess of Windsor Part 2

« on: October 14, 2015, 04:39:12 PM »

Thank you all for your helpful replies.  There's a lot of nuance to it, of course, that people generally ignore when discussing the early parts of Hitler's rise to power, etc. 

54

Having Fun! / Re: Things that annoy you because you're a Romanov fan

« on: October 12, 2015, 05:06:34 AM »

People who think Rasputin was a monk.

55

Alexandra Feodorovna / Re: Miscarriage

« on: October 11, 2015, 01:56:39 AM »

In Four Sisters/The Romanov Sisters (page 66 US paperback edition) the 1902 miscarriage is discussed:

Alexandra's true condition had, however, been an unusual one that was never made public. In a secret report submitted to Nicholas, Dr. Girsh gave the precise details.  Alexandra had last menstruated on 1 November 1901 and had genuinely believed she was pregnant, anticipating a birth at the beginning of the following August, even though, approaching her due date, she had not significantly increased in size. Then on 16 August she had had a bleed. Ott and Gunst had been called in but Alexandra had refused to let them examine her; on the evening of the 19th she experienced what seemed like early labour pains and had another show of blood that continued till the following morning.  But when she got up to wash, she suffered a discharge -- of a spherical, fleshy mass the size of a walnut which when examined under the microscope by Ott as confirmed as a dead fertilized egg in the fourth week of gestation. In his opinion the tsaritsa had been suffering from a condition known as 'Mole Carnosum' (hydratidiform mole) -- and the loss of blood that had flushed the egg out.

This condition is described in detail here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molar_pregnancy

56

The Windsors / Re: Duke and Duchess of Windsor Part 2

« on: October 10, 2015, 06:04:17 PM »

Thank you!

So you don't think she was some kind of spy helping the German war effort?

57

The Windsors / Re: Duke and Duchess of Windsor Part 2

« on: October 10, 2015, 04:58:04 AM »

How credible is the rumor that Wallis was pro-Nazi?

Also, have any good books been released about her since more papers have been released (in 2003, as stated up-thread)?

58

Having Fun! / Re: How did you become interested in the Romanovs?

« on: October 08, 2015, 07:55:24 AM »

I saw the Fox version of Anastasia when I was 9 and I remember finding it fascinating -- but my mother said it was all wrong, and went on some rant about some woman named Anna Anderson who was a liar.  I asked her for more info, she took me to the library.  I devoured Romanov books like potato chips, became fascinated with all things Russian, and here I am!

Weirdly, I wonder if we would even have the children we have (adopted from a former Soviet republic) if I hadn't gone to see that horribly inaccurate movie!

59

Tsarevich Alexei Nicholaievich / Re: How Much Longer?

« on: October 06, 2015, 03:52:33 AM »

He was doing poorly at the time of the murder, but that was because of a fall down stairs in a sled in captivity -- so not likely to happen in a peaceful Russia.  Perhaps he might have made it into his 20s or 30s, but I doubt he would have lasted long enough to benefit from Factor VIII, sadly.  And if he did, he would have been VERY disabled.  Ironically, any son he would sire would NOT have hemophilia, because it is X-linked.  So perhaps, if he married quickly, he would have been able to father children and continue the dynasty that way.

60

Imperial Russian Antiques / Crown Jewels

« on: September 07, 2004, 11:43:11 PM »

Im not sure if this is the right place, but if its not Im sure a mod or admin can move it, no?  

Im wondering what yall think happened to the Russian crown jewels.  Are they in Russia?  Are they in England?  Will they ever surface?