Ipatiev House destruction pictures

[Rodney_G.]

I'm glad that house is gone.  As Kelly said, the thought of tourists trooping through just turns my stomach.

I thought IH should have remained as the important historical site that it obviously was.

But having said that, Tim , I share your feelings. I especially did so when I saw a photo of a group of tourists/visitors in the murder room at a date I estimate to have been  in the 1970s. It showed a group of mostly males, fairly young, leaning in towards each other in front of the damaged wall at the back of the room. They were grinning stupidly and some were even giving thumbs up. In other words, signaling approval of the brutal murder of eleven  innocent people, mostly women or children. Really sick and sickening.
 
That was in the communist era,and it's unlikely such poses and photos would be made in the present day. But I still would have liked  Ipatiev House properly and respectfully preserved as a monument and reminder of what happened there  as well as of Russia's not so remote past.

[Bryndis]

Thank you for these photos.
I've mixed feelings about the destruction of the house. It would be creepy having it there but I think I wouldn't mind if it still existed as long as it would be treated with respect.
Just wish it hadn't existed at all I guess...

[Andrei Beanov]

Evidently as long ago as 1974 the issue of what to do with Ipatiev house was raised. KGB chairman Yuri Andropov raised the issue to the Politburo . A resolution "On the demolition of a mansion in the city of Sverdlovsk Ipatief" was passed on July 30, 1975 at a meeting of the  Central Committee of the Communist Party.The document signed by Mikhail Suslov is shown below.



Memorandum sent to committee members :





Then there was a resolution of the Sverdlovsk City Council on Sept 21 , 1977 to demolish the Ipatiev House which was carried out soon after. I have been unable to determine why there was a delay of 2 years .A large re-building of the city was carried out at the same time. Maybe beauocracy ??

[Andrei Beanov]

Here are some photos of the things I mentioned previously - in Museum in Ekaterinburg. Thanks to the person who sent to me.

[TimM]

So some pieces were saved after all.

[edubs31]

Thank you for these photos.
I've mixed feelings about the destruction of the house. It would be creepy having it there but I think I wouldn't mind if it still existed as long as it would be treated with respect.
Just wish it hadn't existed at all I guess...

Agreed. I'm fine with the demolition because was they built in it's place was specifically designed to the honour the members of the victims. It's not like they tore down the house and put a Walmart in it's place, for instance.

[Laura Mabee]

AMAZING Thread!! Absolutely fantastic.
It's nice to see you back here Bernard!
I have always wondered why there were not more contemporary photos of the Ipatiev House. With it only being demolished in the 70s, you would think more photos would have been taken by tourists and employees alike. Specifically, my interest, is with the interior of the house. A kind member of the board here (truly a scholar in her own right) Joanna W. knew I had always wanted to see more contemporary photos, and sent me these in the past:
(click to enlarge)







What an absolutely engaging thread, thank you so much for all those who contributed pictures and discussion.

[bernard_timbal]

Hi Laura,

Yes, I have been away from AP Board from a long time but still interested in Romanov story...
I had already seen the 3 photos you post but never in such resolution. Incredible. Thank you for sharing !

[Inok Nikolai]

I have always wondered why there were not more contemporary photos of the Ipatiev House. With it only being demolished in the 70s, you would think more photos would have been taken by tourists and employees alike.

Well, don't forget that until the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Sverdlovsk / Ekaterinburg was a military supply and manufacturing city and, thus, closed to foreigners and even most ordinary Soviet citizens; there were no tourists.

And many people then living in Svedlovsk had no idea of the history of "that old building". I know a man who walked by it every day with his little boy, and it was only after it was torn down, and the fall of Communism, that he learned of its significance.

[nena]

Those coloured photos posted by Laura were taken in the autumn of 1975, as far as I can remember , in September of 1975.

[EmHarms]

I have mixed feelings, too.  Part of me is glad it's gone; the evil past has been done away with and all is at peace now.  I don't like the idea of people gaping and gawking either.

But, had it been preserved, I think it could have been a very powerful tool to use as a window on the past.  In England, you can walk the battlefield where many men died in 1066 as the tide of history changed, just one small example.  Very powerful.

[rgt9w]

Laura, thanks for posting the color photos.  Can someone identify the items in the second and last pictures of the Ipatiev House remnants?  I assume the third photo are spindles from one of the staircase bannisters.

[Laura Mabee]

All> Happy to share! Glad the photos are enjoyed by more than just me  : D

Bernard> That's good to hear! Your website and interest in the story has been such a jewel on the internet, I am happy to hear it's still a passion for you!

I have always wondered why there were not more contemporary photos of the Ipatiev House. With it only being demolished in the 70s, you would think more photos would have been taken by tourists and employees alike.

Well, don't forget that until the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Sverdlovsk / Ekaterinburg was a military supply and manufacturing city and, thus, closed to foreigners and even most ordinary Soviet citizens; there were no tourists.

And many people then living in Svedlovsk had no idea of the history of "that old building". I know a man who walked by it every day with his little boy, and it was only after it was torn down, and the fall of Communism, that he learned of its significance.

You know, I hadn't thought about that. I didn't realize that Sverdlovsk / Ekaterinburg was a 'no tourist' area, so thank you for the info!

I do confess that I am surprised that the citizens of Sverdlovsk / Ekaterinburg were not aware of the history of the place.

[Maria the Beautiful]

I do confess that I am surprised that the citizens of Sverdlovsk / Ekaterinburg were not aware of the history of the place.
[/quote]

I was surprised at this also, however, given the repressive conditions in Soviet Russia, it may be that local folks avoided any discussion about the history of the house for fear of recrimination.   Wasn't it considered taboo to keep memories of the Imperial family alive at the time?   I'm not sure if the same psychology applies here, but consider all the German people who lived and worked in vicinity of concentration camps during WWII who claimed after the fact that they did not know what was happening in their own backyards.

[Andrei Beanov]

Yes they are bannisters from the staircase , the other item is wallpaper or 'frieze' I think it is called..

In the soviet times everybody lived in a type of fear , nobody wanted to do anything that would draw unwanted attention to themselves.Very few people would have been brave enough to even talk in public about the house or what happened there even if they knew about it. It was a time of "keep your head down" and say nothing, especially between 1918 to 1970. Sverdlovsk , yes ordinary people could not move between regions easily , no visitors at all , except 'officials'.

Those colour photos were taken by man called Pavel Mikhailovich , so the thanks go to him. There are some more in that set - I will post some.







In the background you can see 'cranes' - Sverdlosk was undergoing much re-building in the 1970's - Apartments , buildings , factory etc.