Commemoration of Anniversary of Birth

[TimM]

A very Happy 109th birthday to Alexei.  Your life was cut short, but your memory lives on.

[blessOTMA]

  Happy  Birthday   Alexei. Nicholaievich!

[Inok Nikolai]

A little tardy, but I wasn't certain whether anyone had posted this or not, and I thought that it was too sweet to pass over in silence.


From Paul Kulikovsky’s “Romanov News” No. 64, p. 50


In Yekaterinburg was announced the birth of the Tsarevich
Yekaterinburg, August 12. RIA Novosti

A flash mob was held in Yekaterinburg, which was arranged in honor of the birthday of the last Russian Tsarevich - Alexei Romanov. The view on one of the central streets of the city for several minutes was changed into 1904: ladies in dresses, men in tails and children playing.
It was employees of the regional museum who had decided to hold a flash mob dedicated to the birthday of Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich Romanov, who was born on August 12 (old style - July 30) in 1904.

"This is the first official celebration dedicated to the birth of Tsarevich Alexei, after the revolution. In recent years, held in Yekaterinburg Royal Days, but they are dedicated to the death of the Romanov family, and no one remembers the bright dates. We decided to fix it - told the organizers. - For a few minutes we tried to recreate the atmosphere of joy, which was on the streets in 1904, when people learned about the birth of the heir to the throne.”

[edubs31]

Very cool Inok. Is there a link to the story, or any videos online that you are aware of?

[Inok Nikolai]

Well, Paul Kulikovsky's copy of the article has a couple of photos, but I can't find anything else right now.

Perhaps one of our members from Russia can.

[TimM]

110 years ago today, Alexei Nicholaievich Romanov was born.  His short life was married by pain and illness.

Alexei, I hope you've having a nice B-Day up there with the rest of your family. 

[edubs31]

It would have been interesting to see how much longer young Alexei might have lived had his life not been taken from him. Had he been able to live into the 1950s modern treatments for hemophilia could have extended his life (and his health) decades longer. Of course that would have required him to reach into his 50s as well, a rather long life for a hemophiliac at the time. Particularly one seemingly prone to debilitating attacks as a child.

In any event he deserved the opportunity to live much longer, into adulthood and possibly beyond. His life was short and bizarre but memorable, and worthy to be honored on this day.

[Maria Sisi]

It would have been interesting to see how much longer young Alexei might have lived had his life not been taken from him. Had he been able to live into the 1950s modern treatments for hemophilia could have extended his life (and his health) decades longer. Of course that would have required him to reach into his 50s as well, a rather long life for a hemophiliac at the time. Particularly one seemingly prone to debilitating attacks as a child.

In any event he deserved the opportunity to live much longer, into adulthood and possibly beyond. His life was short and bizarre but memorable, and worthy to be honored on this day.

Well Alexei's cousin Prince Waldemar of Prussia, Princess Irene's son, was also a hemophiliac and he lived to be 56.

He died in a clinic in 1945 because of the lack of blood transfusion facilities. When the Russians advanced he had to flee his home, and when the Americans came all medical resources were diverted to treat the concentration camp victims. As a result his doctor was unable to properly treat him and he died.

Waldemar was born in 1889, so he was able to deal with his hemophilia for more then half a century without modern treatments. If it wasn't for the war he could have possibly lived even longer.  

Of course it all depends on how severe his hemophilia was but I guess its proof that it was possible, even for Alexei.

[edubs31]

It would have been interesting to see how much longer young Alexei might have lived had his life not been taken from him. Had he been able to live into the 1950s modern treatments for hemophilia could have extended his life (and his health) decades longer. Of course that would have required him to reach into his 50s as well, a rather long life for a hemophiliac at the time. Particularly one seemingly prone to debilitating attacks as a child.

In any event he deserved the opportunity to live much longer, into adulthood and possibly beyond. His life was short and bizarre but memorable, and worthy to be honored on this day.

Well Alexei's cousin Prince Waldemar of Prussia, Princess Irene's son, was also a hemophiliac and he lived to be 56.

He died in a clinic in 1945 because of the lack of blood transfusion facilities. When the Russians advanced he had to flee his home, and when the Americans came all medical resources were diverted to treat the concentration camp victims. As a result his doctor was unable to properly treat him and he died.

Waldemar was born in 1889, so he was able to deal with his hemophilia for more then half a century without modern treatments. If it wasn't for the war he could have possibly lived even longer.  

Of course it all depends on how severe his hemophilia was but I guess its proof that it was possible, even for Alexei.

Yes, good point there about Prince Waldemar. There is also no reason to believe that Alexei would have continued to be as prone to attacks in adulthood. He was growing bigger and stronger and, generally speaking, adults find it easier to avoid physical injury than rambunctious children. On the other hand it did seem like he might have been nearing a point of physical collapse during captivity. Had the White's, or someone else, been able to rescue the family before execution in July, 1918 it would have been interesting to see how well Alexei may have recovered from his most recent attack. It just seems to me like he was getting weaker. Perhaps a result of the poorer conditions and less quality medical attention that what he had received at Tsarskoe as Tsarevich. Or perhaps all of the injuries of his youth were having a compounding effect and had weakened him to a unrecoverable state.

We'll never know for certain.

[Vive_HIH_Aleksey]

Aleksei...
You are still a guiding source in my life. I will pay homage to you this weekend. You still inspire me more than words can even attempt to say at this time. May you find eternal happiness and peace. Watch over your people... they need you.

[TimM]

A very Happy Birthday to Alexei Nicholaievich.  111 years young.

[edubs31]

A very Happy Birthday to Alexei Nicholaievich.  111 years young.

Indeed! A fitting close to the Romanov birthday season.

[Inok Nikolai]

A very Happy Birthday to Alexei Nicholaievich.  111 years young.

Well, actually, according to an ancient Christian tradition or understanding, since in the Resurrection we will all be like Christ our Saviour, Who was thirty-three at the end of His earthly life,
everyone will be 33 years old too in heaven. It makes sense that people would be mature, developed individuals -- not babies or decrepit oldsters. Otherwise there would be all sort of odd "interrelations" -- ancient people who had lived much longer than their parents who died young, etc....

Years ago there was a Russian monk, Fr. Hesychius, on Mount Athos, in Greece, who -- when asked for his photo -- would give out one of himself at 33, although by that time he was an old man.
When asked why, he said that it was so that they would be able to recognize him at the Resurrection!
A simple, short sermon from a simple, pious monk...

[TimM]

So all the Romanovs would be 33.  That would be an interesting situation.

[TimM]

Happy Birthday to Alexei Nicholaievich.   Hope you're enjoying in the place where there is no pain.