Theories About the Survial of the Imperial Family ... What if?

[Forum Admin]

Volkov also wrote a first hand account. He was valet to Alexandra Feodorovna and was on the Rus.

[AGRBear]

Volkov also wrote a first hand account. He was valet to Alexandra Feodorovna and was on the Rus.

Book?  English?  

Thanks.

AGRBear

[Forum Admin]

"Souvenirs" by Alexis Volkov.
Published only in French and Russian. I've been trying to set aside enough time to re-translate it. I had done the whole thing and lost it all in a computer crash last year. If you want a specific section, I can maybe translate that one for you first.

[AGRBear]

When you find time, just a paragraph or two, which would give us a general knowledge of what he said about the Rus and the Romanovs, would be greatly appreciated.  

I don't think a translation is necessary for this thead.

Sorry to hear about your crash.  Been there done that a few times and it's a real  downer when it happens.  Hope you're going to continue the project on the valet's story.

AGRBear

[Alice]

I'm sorry, but the notion that IF were never in Ekaterinburg made me laugh out loud and almost spew cornflakes on my keyboard!

[helenazar]

I'm sorry, but the notion that IF were never in Ekaterinburg made me laugh out loud and almost spew cornflakes on my keyboard!

 

[Forum Admin]

Volkov Ch. 18
"Yakovlev had to relent to the wishes of the Empress and Grand Duchess [Maria N.] to accompany the Emperor.  He also accepted that Dr. Botkin, Prince Dologoruki, the footman to the Emperor Tchemodorov, the chambermaid Demidova and the young footman Sednev could all go with the Emperor. (This was as we were to see, the condemnation to death of these people who remained devoted and loyal to the Imperial Couple to the very end. ES [ed. note in original]"
At four o'clock in the morning, on April 13/26 the above left Tobolsk except for Sednev.

Ch. 19:
May 7/20: "The boat left at 2 o'clock [pm] and headed in the direction of Tyumen.  The conduct of the soldiers during the voyage was abominable. Absolutely no discipline. They fired gun shots and even threw grenades, without rhyme or reason, at birds, up in the air...It was a savage orgy.
    "Rodianov shut up the Tsarevich in his cabin with the attendant Nagorny, leaving the grand duchesses in peace.  Nagorny always contradicted Rodianov and quarrelled with him.
    "We arrived at Tyumen May 8/21 at 8 in the morning. They transported us over to the train. They put the Tsarevich, the grand duchesses, General Tatischev, Dr. Derevenko, Countess Hendrikova, Miss Schneider, Nagorni and the young chambermaid Miss Herzberg in a second class carriage.  All the others were installed in a fourth class carriage: Mr. Gilliard, Mr. Gibbs, Baron Buxhoeveden, Miss Tyeglev, me, the cook Kharitnov, the young Sednev and the others.  The train trip passed well.
    "We arrived in Yekaterinburg very late at night."
Ch. 20:
    Everyone on the train is put into izvostchiks which were waiting at the station.
    "Nagorny appeared first helping the Tsarevich to get down, the grand duchesses followed. Nagorny, having put the Tsarevich into a carriage, went back to the train car wanting to help the grand duchesses carry their luggage.  However the commisars prevented this.  They got into the carriages with the members of the Imperial Familyh and left for the Ipatiev house.  A half hour later they came back in the same carraiges. "
At this point, Volkov, Gen. Tstischev, Countess Hendrikova, Schneider, the cook Kharitonov and Sednev are put into the carriages.  The cook and Sednev are then taken to the Ipatiev house. The rest were taken to prison.

[AGRBear]

Thank you for the translation.  It is always exciting to read the new material which you and others have provided us.

AGRBear

[AGRBear]

When people give their opinions and it differs from you own, please, act like adults and refrain from redicule.  Having been doing research for a long long time,  fresh new evidence can always pop forth and  history changes....   Good example are the two missing bodies in the grave at Pig's Meadow.....

Candice, myself and others don't always take the roads most traveled.  

Candice,  is there reasons/evidence for thinking some of Romanov children didn't reach Ekaterinburg?

AGRBear

[Candice]

I get most of my information from books that I read on the IF. The most recent being 'Rescuing The Tsar.' RTC was written in 1920, the first book ever published on the tragedy of IF's demise. I have found it to be very interesting unlike some people. I find a lot of the information very credible and many authors have extracted information from it.

Most of the information on the murder of IF is from the Bolcheviks guards and officials who in my opinion cannot be taken serious. Their statements have been very confusing and full of spin.

In RTC the Emperor and Empress are the only two that leave for Ekaterinburg. The children are left behind in Tobolsk. The family is split up. The children are rescued.

[Lanie]

Candice, you do realize that book is a bunch of spin itself and was written sensationally for money?  There are letters that prove Nicholas, Alexandra and Maria went to Ekaterinburg while the others stayed behind.  Letters from Maria to her sisters, the remaining girls to their family in Ekaterinburg, etcetera.  I believe there's a thread on that book somewhere.

[rskkiya]

I thought that we had already discussed this one ...
   Candice, "RTC" is not a historically viable book --it's all just a bunch of rather silly conspiricy theories. There is a difference between "thinking outside the box" as Agrbear likes to say- and wandering off a cliff chasing after fantasies and delusions! My remark might seem harsh, but I don't want to see you waste your obvious energetic interest in the fate of the IF by enbracing theories without any serious evidence behind them!

rskkiya

Agrbear ...Who were you talking about? Childish?

[helenazar]

"Souvenirs" by Alexis Volkov.
Published only in French and Russian.

FA, do you know where can I get the Russian version?

[Forum Admin]

Helen,
Volkov in either language is a rare find. Bob searched and searched for ten years before finding a copy (unless you want to pay a fortune to one of the few Russian rare book dealers in NY or London. Last time I looked Ed Conroy wanted $500!).
The publishing information is : Payot, Paris. 1928
Exact French title is "Souvenirs d'Alexis Volkov, Valet de Chambre de la Tsarine Alexandra Feodorovna 1910-1918."

As soon as I find time   to finish the translation, I will put it up on the AP main site. I have about half done so far.

[Candice]

Lanie, many books have been written sensationally for money or spin but that doesn't mean they're totally untrue. If, as you reasonably say, Nicholas, Alexandra and Maria went to Ekaterinburg that leaves Olga, Tatiana, Anastasia and Alexei behind.  The plans for their immediate escape from Tobolsk thus seem all the more critical and credible.

rskkiya,  I agree that RTC is not a historical book.  It's a Diary. It supposedly but credibly records actual actions and experience.  Thinking outside the box I don't think that fact, on the face of it, allows us to trash it, unless you are absolutely sure that the RTC author did NOT carry out and record the perilous assignment he was given along with others by some of the most powerful and influential people in Europe and America. They are all named and were alive in 1920. Do you know if they protested as to RTC's content?  Please advise.