Captivity photo's

[Olga Maria]

Quoted from: Antonina
There are Rita's short memories (!!!) and some unknown 1914-1916 letters to her!

Yay! I would like to ask you to translate those all for us but that would be such a shameful request and burdensome task for you so don’t mind me ^^ Very many thanks to you for sharing those amazing scans and for informing the Russian-speakers about that new book on Gibbes! From what I saw, I could say that Tobolsk was the most perfect place for them had they been allowed to live. I now see why Maria said she’d love to live there forever. Everything was simplicity despite the desolateness of the place.

I’m dead-curious of what Rita has said about the family most especially OTMA, and Olga in particular as they were the closest. Oh my, I’m going to die of curiosity.

I had a very good time reading through the pages of this thread like Rosieposie. About what Mr. JamesPrattIII (I’m soo thankful of you, too, because I’m learning lots from your posts) said about the killing of people who have connections to the IF or people working with the Whites terribly saddens me. How did the people think life in a Revolutionary Russia is even better than living without the Tsar? If they all had been patient and waited for WWI to end without rising against the Romanov dynasty, they surely would have enjoyed a happier life than what they had under Communism. Oh well, they were thinking then that it was the “right choice”… too sad they didn’t know they plunged down to more misery until it was too late to turn back.
I feel soo sad thinking about not only the lost lives of the IF, but also of the lives lost ever since Communism ruled in Russia.
Also about the burning of albums, letters, etc. connected to the IF, I feel mournful about that! What could have those things said we can only dream of because we can never retrieve them (T_T)

[edubs31]

As BlessOTMA said in a recent post we do appear to be in the midst of a golden age for Romanov photos! And those images have been enhanced by the great artistic touch of a number of AP members and their colorizations. Thanks to all!

Yay! I would like to ask you to translate those all for us but that would be such a shameful request and burdensome task for you so don’t mind me ^^ Very many thanks to you for sharing those amazing scans and for informing the Russian-speakers about that new book on Gibbes! From what I saw, I could say that Tobolsk was the most perfect place for them had they been allowed to live. I now see why Maria said she’d love to live there forever. Everything was simplicity despite the desolateness of the place.

In a interesting way I feel like Alexandra deserves credit for preparing them for the conditions faced during those months in captivity. Their relatively spartan upbringing I feel made them better prepared and more adaptable to the otherwise severe downgrade in luxury and comfort provided in Tobolsk, and then Ekaterinburg. Although they weren't terribly disciplined & inspired in the classroom (save Olga), their mother kept them busy. Those camp beds must have been less comfortable than what most aristocratic children were used to in that era as well. Additionally Alexei's illness and his long stretches in bed must have made him adaptable to boredom in invalidity in a way that would have made most boys his age positively stir crazy...None of this of course was done by Alix in the anticipation of a severely downgraded lifestyle, but her minimalist style (for a royal anyway) surely came in handy when it was needed most. 

How did the people think life in a Revolutionary Russia is even better than living without the Tsar? If they all had been patient and waited for WWI to end without rising against the Romanov dynasty, they surely would have enjoyed a happier life than what they had under Communism.

Hindsight being 20-20 it's easy to say that Russia took the wrong path. But it's important to remember that there were two phases of that 1917 revolution - the first (March) effectively deposed the Tsar, and the second (October) gave rise to the Bolsheviks - and a civil war that followed. It would have been one thing if Russians in unison had called for Bolshevik leadership in March immediately after Nicholas's abdication, but that's not how it played out. The Bolsheviks won a bloody struggle over a divided country in the months and years that followed, and only then were able to establish the Soviet Union - terrifying and oppressing the masses into submission and acceptance of the new rule.

Had the Provisional Government and/or White Army succeeded in establishing a stable social democracy, possibly similar to the American Presidential or French parliamentary model, Russia's future would have been much different. Then we would have been looking back at Nicholas's abdication, and the likelihood of a peaceful exile for he and his family, as the appropriate and necessary transition from Tsarist rule to sensible 20th century style government.

[Irina_K]

I think that would hardly be possible different scenario than the one that occurred. The only pity is that the crimes of a handful of traitors paid off all the people. But we do not know the plans of God, perhaps Russia had to go through all these horrors in the past, in order to become stronger in the future.

[edubs31]

I think that would hardly be possible different scenario than the one that occurred. The only pity is that the crimes of a handful of traitors paid off all the people. But we do not know the plans of God, perhaps Russia had to go through all these horrors in the past, in order to become stronger in the future.

Nicely stated Irina. Only problem is it seems like the world is still waiting on that "future".

[Coronerofthecourt]

Николай II, Анастасия Николаевна, Терентий Чемодуров, Василий Долгорукий и офицеры охраны в Царском Селе, 1917 год
ГА РФ, ф. 683 оп. 1 д. 125 л. 25 об. фото 446

[Coronerofthecourt]

Ольга Николаевна и Алексей Николаевич в Царском Селе, 1917 год

[JamesAPrattIII]

Glad to be of help Shandroise.  Eb from what I have read the Romanovs since Nicholas I had their children brought up in a fairly Spartan manner sleeping on camp bed ect. Lifestyle back then was at a much slower pace than today. Also being royalty they had plenty of experience putting up with long events that must have bored them to death. Being brought up royal/imperial means you are taught to put up with this.

[Bryndis]

OMA in Tobolsk (?)

[nena]

Yes, at Tobolsk. Wow, amazing, thank you a lot! We have got one more Maria's photo taken at Tobolsk. Thank you, Bryndis!

[Bryndis]

Oh, I saw it on Judicial Investigator's tumblr page. He has posted a lot of new photos there.
Thank you Judicial Investigator!

[Coronerofthecourt]

Алексей Николаевич, Коля Деревенко и Пьер Жильяр (?) на крыльце Губернаторского дома в Тобольске.

[Bryndis]

[nena]

At Tobolsk:



Just found it, am amazed. Thank for everyone for sharing the photos.

[Ally Kumari]

That is new! What book is it from? And any idea on the man beside Alexei?

[nena]

I don't know where it comes from, but I think it is from a Russian book. What is interesting, there are undoubtedly unseen photos from the captivity. I *think* the man could be Nicholas' valet but I am not sure.