height/weight near the end

[Michael HR]

As for his height I always think that Alexis might have looked rather like his Uncle GD Michael, tall and with the thin face. 

Michael HR

[nena]

Michael HR, I think so. He always looks like his uncle.
But I think also, he wasn't tall than NII.

[tom_romanov]

what is 80 pounds in stone? and what is bilini?

[Peterhof]

It seems like Alexei had low apetite during his hemophilia attacks and recoveries.  But I think 80 pounds is a little bit low for me, I estimate his height at 5'5" (1.65 m) in 1918 and his weight in about 95 to 100 lbs (about 45 kg)

tom_romanov, blini (blin in singular) is a traditional food in Russia, it's sort of a crepe wrapping a bit a caviar and other ingredients like cheese.  In Tobolsk Alexei ate about 16 blini one day.

[Imperial_Grounds]

  But I think 80 pounds is a little bit low for me, I estimate his height at 5'5" (1.65 m) in 1918 and his weight in about 95 to 100 lbs (about 45 kg)

I agree on this, I always imagined Alexei being 1.60 m by the time of their captivity, and something about 50 kg. Strange, i am just 1.58 m myself, and at this moment am quite skinny I must admit(i always have been, but I lost some weight - unwillingly - and now should be around 43 kg, usualy my weight is around 48/50 kg.), and i always imagined Alexei being kinda like me in weight and hight, or thats what i imagine when i watch pictures(from 1917/1918) and you can see he isn't really huge. Only, Alexei was about to turn 14 by the time I presume him to have been 1.60 in height and 50 kg, and i am turned 17 a couple of mothst ago. But yea for some reason i can't see Alexei as being huge or anything, i just can't imagine it.

[nena]

thanks peterhof! 16 in 1 day!!!

Yay! You can see fom his diary---Today I ate 12 pancakes.... 

[Alice_Karadjordjavic]

I watched a documentary about the Romanovs last night, and there was a (real) film of Alexei and OTMA when they were underhouse arrest i think, and walking down these steps, an Alexei looked pretty TALL!

~Anya~

Does anyone knows where I can obtain this video?

[Maria_Pavlovna]

It seems like Alexei had low apetite during his hemophilia attacks and recoveries.  But I think 80 pounds is a little bit low for me, I estimate his height at 5'5" (1.65 m) in 1918 and his weight in about 95 to 100 lbs (about 45 kg)

i agree, and if he lived in to his 20s, he'll possiibly be over 6 foot. because 5'5 for a nearly 14 yr old is  pretty tall, and that my height too.

[susana]

In reply to the 'real' film it's a black and white film shot with actors on actual sites. Parts of it have been incorporated by CYMRU Productions in their modern surreal film on N and A--sorry can't think of the name. It does appear real and Ive been unable to find it anywhere--filmed on site alone makes it valuable.
IM me if you find it please.

[blessOTMA]

Seems to me one of the reasons an upset Tatiana went to inquirer about the kitchen boy's removal was Alexis was more likely to eat if LS was with him...also was AN on morphine during the last period of his life? ...his inability to walk suggests this ...there had to be pain there. We know the family had morphine because Tatiana gave an injection from their store  to Dr. Botkin for his kidney infection. Morphine causes one to lose their appetite... and so anything or one who helped AN eat would be of vital importance to the family. also I remember the washer women who saw the family about 48 hours before the murders stated that  AN " was waxen and not of this world". I have sometimes wondered if AN was dying anyway...and the family went to their knees during the prayers for the dead because of that.... just my speculation . But he was ill at the end...he's barely recognizable in the Rus photo  imo... the dark circles under his half closed eyes are shocking. And that take photo was taken when he had "improved" enough to be moved.The thing is, morphine can make you ill if you weren't ill before taking it. That is often masked because people usually only get it when desperately ill from another cause.  It's a double edged sword: experience pain or get  ill from the relief of the pain is what one must constantly juggle. Earlier in his life they refrained from giving AN such drugs...but I don't know about this period. But there are things to suggest it... and it would impact appetite and therefore weight greatly .

[Sarushka]

In reply to the 'real' film it's a black and white film shot with actors on actual sites. Parts of it have been incorporated by CYMRU Productions in their modern surreal film on N and A--sorry can't think of the name. It does appear real and Ive been unable to find it anywhere--filmed on site alone makes it valuable.
IM me if you find it please.

It sounds a bit like Last Days of the Last Tsar. You can preview it here (fourth from the bottom) to see if that's the right film.

[Naslednik]

BlessOTMA, I never considered that Alexei might have been on morphine, but you are right, it is possible.  His parents may have truly conceded the idea that he never would lead Russia, and so perhaps morphine was less frightening.  But if I had to guess, I think that the eyewitnesses who saw him in Tobolsk and Ekaterinburg may have been expecting a dazzling child, and so their shock at his waxen color was exaggerated...?  If Botkin were giving him morphine, how would he have had a steady supply, which would be necessary in the long 1918 illness? 

Alexei does look wan in the Rus photograph, and Olga depressed.  No wonder.  The emotional strain of wondering if/when your parents were going to face public humiliation and likely death must have been torture on those children, especially the 4 left behind. 

Lack of appetite is a classic symptom of depression.

[blessOTMA]

 

BlessOTMA, I never considered that Alexei might have been on morphine, but you are right, it is possible.  His parents may have truly conceded the idea that he never would lead Russia, and so perhaps morphine was less frightening.  But if I had to guess, I think that the eyewitnesses who saw him in Tobolsk and Ekaterinburg may have been expecting a dazzling child, and so their shock at his waxen color was exaggerated...?  If Botkin were giving him morphine, how would he have had a steady supply, which would be necessary in the long 1918 illness? 

Alexei does look wan in the Rus photograph, and Olga depressed.  No wonder.  The emotional strain of wondering if/when your parents were going to face public humiliation and likely death must have been torture on those children, especially the 4 left behind. 

Lack of appetite is a classic symptom of depression.

How they had morphine I don't know...but we know they had it because Tatiana gave some of what they had to Botkin....and that was fairly close to the end. So they even had enough of the drug to share at that time.  Alexei could not walk so, it's reasonable to believe  he was in pain. Giving him a pain reliever in these  dire circumstances  in that stifling hot house seems reasonable to me ...even that one. He perhaps did not receive it every day. But  imo, Alexei  was quite ill  near the end and morphine can make you very ill...This effect is often masked because morphine  is usually given to those who are dying from another cause already.  I have hospice friends and what they say about morphine seems to fit this case. They say unless there is awful pain, and death near, it should not be given for sustained periods..... in their estimation it's poison and the patient doesn't want to eat etc. I'm not saying he was taking it for sure. I'm saying the possibility  has to be considered .

The way Alexei  looks on the Rus, as I say, when he supposedly was so improved from 6 weeks earlier he could travel..... if that photo is of
 an " improved"  Alexei , what could he have looked like 6 weeks earlier when it was deemed he was too ill to travel? The eyewitnesses  said he "  was not of this world". That seems more than disappointed hopes....and the Rus photo seems to illustrate just what they meant.  imo he looks almost nothing like himself ...or even fully awake ... However I'm sure Alexei  and the others were indeed depressed....and as you say, it's no  wonder.  Indeed, the wonder is how well they functioned in that nightmare!

[Dust_of_History]

About the morphine, I think it's very likely that they indeed gave him morphine. Botkin knew that morphine can be addictive but there simply was no alternative. The local pharmacies were all looted. I read all of this in a book but I can't remember the title. I think it was "Alexei - The Son of the last Tsar".

It's hard for me to imagine that Alexei suffered from severe depression near the end. The aggressive atmosphere might have taken its toll also on Alexei but maybe he tried to keep his hope. But I could be wrong...

[blessOTMA]

I think it was likely there were times of both hope and depression for all. Alexei was a very keen observer, the chronically  ill often are.  They had not only the terrible situation the whole family was in...but also Alexei's waining health to contend  with .... how did they bare up as well as they did is my question?