Discussions about Other Imperial Palaces > Other Palaces
Imperial houses in Poland: Spala, Skierniewice, Bialowieza
Greg_King:
About Spala: The wooden lodge, built in 1884, was occupied during the 1st World War by German troops, until 7 December 1918. In 1920, Josef Pilsudowski made the dacha his country residence. In the Second World War, Germans again occupied it; in 1943, Hitler visited and spent the night in Nicholas and Alexandra's old bedroom, sleeping in their bed. On the night of 17 January, 1945, the Nazis burnt the wooden palace when they retreated from the area. Hope this helps!
Greg King
James Nicolas:
Thanks Greg for your response.
I am in Melbourne Australia and I purchased your book here and enjoyed it immensely. I would get you to sign it only we are on the other side of the world.
I look forward to obtaining a copy of your special edition of your magazine on the book.
Just one question , is the Governors house in Tobolsk open for tourists ?
Greg_King:
About the Governor's House: I never made it as far north as Tobolsk, so I can't speak from personal experience. The last I heard, a friend who had been there told me that much of the furniture from the Imperial Family's tenure was in storage and was being returned to the house. Plans were then underway to restore the rooms as they had been in 1917-18 as a museum. But I'm afraid I don't know if these continue or not!
Greg King
Janet Whitcomb:
I've been reading about the demise of various homes and palaces, and was saddened to read about the destruction of Spala . . . until I read that Hitler had stayed there and slept in Nicholas and Alexandra's bed. If it was fated to be destroyed by fire, too bad it didn't happen with Hitler inside.
When I think of Spala, I think of Alexei's near-fatal accident. And I also think of how Grand Duchess Olga Nicholievna and her cousin, the only child of Ernie and Ducky, played together, and how the little girl died suddenly--she drank some impure water, if I recall correctly--and how frightening this must have been for Olga to have lost her playmate. Perhaps it is appropriate that the dark hunting lodge of Spala--where so much death and sadness occurred--no longer survives, but that we still have the splendid, light-drenched palace-by-the-sea of Livadia to visit.
Greg_King:
Princess Elisabeth of Hesse, Ernie's only daughter, actually died at Bielovezh, from typhoid. Although there were all kinds of rumors going about at the time, the autopsy showed that she had been infected most likely before she left Darmstadt for Poland. It came on Olga's birthday-and for the rest of her life Olga would remember her cousin and her death in the midst of her own celebrations.
Greg King
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