What happened to the Alexander Palace after the family died?

[LifeOfJudaism]

I was wondering about it, but i know that the nazis destroyed it mostly in WWII, but what happened to the Alexander Palace after the family died, but before WWII.

[Forum Admin]

It was turned into a museum for a while, then a children's camp, called Detskoie Selo.  If you go to the main Alexander Palace website, link above, you can read all about it...
we strongly urge people to RESEARCH such basic questions before asking using the search function here and the main APTM site.

I know YOU are new here, but this website is ten years old, the Forum is six years old and we can't have the same basic questions asked over and over and over. It clutters up the place. PLEASE do some basic research before asking questions.

thanks

[Robert_Hall]

 To add to the FA's comment,  the Germans did not destroy the place.  It was used as a SS headquarters and hospital. Where do you get  your information, LoJ ?

[LifeOfJudaism]

It was just out of curiosity, but in the future i should research to make sure, before i post my question

[Douglas]

To add to the FA's comment,  the Germans did not destroy the place.  It was used as a SS headquarters and hospital. Where do you get  your information, LoJ ?

The Germans did not 'destroy' the palace but there was considerable damage done.  Here is a post war photo of the palace.  There are many holes on the columns and the walls.  Also, the right  entrance portico is completely destroyed and had to be rebuilt.

The crosses in the foreground are of buried German soldiers.  I believe that most if not all have been removed and reburied in Germany.

 

[Robert_Hall]

 Last I heard, Douglas, the progress of repatriation is still ongoing.  The crosses have been removed, of course but there are still bodies buried in that area.  And, the damage done to the palace was not by the Germans, it was  attacks by  Russians. That makes sense, as it was a SS  headquarters, after all. The Germans did rape the place of what was left of the contents inside however. Which is why what we see now is  either reproductions or  salvaged from other palaces.

[Forum Admin]

Not totally true Robert. Actually, Kochumov and his team managed to get a LOT of stuff out and hidden before the Germans albeit perhaps one chair out of a suite so that the others could be replicated...but the contents of the AP were far better off than the Catherine Palace for example...

[Robert_Hall]

Yes, FA.I  did say  what was left.  Some pieces were simply too heavy to take away and there was not much time. Paintings,  china ware and fabrics, as you mentioned were saved. Also, for some reason, kitchen ware as well.  I guess it was top quality, but  not my idea of something to take in a fire, so to speak. I do not know if the kitchen was still even operating at that time. I think that most of the silver had already been melted down by then. But a lot was evacuated. A remarkable achievement in saving Russian patrimony.

[pastpalacelife]

I remember reading somewhere that Kochumov had saved Alexandra's desk from the rubbish pile. (I think)  Is the desk back in the palace? ( I know I should probably already know this)   Also, what happened to any documents and such, relating to the palaces after Kochumov's death?

[EmmyLee]

Yes, the desk was saved. I'm not sure if it's back at the AP though. I believe it was Bob A. who posted a photo of it.