Felix Yusupov and the murder of Rasputin

[David_Pritchard]

:)Thanks for these precisions. But can you tell me what does"gommosexual" mean?

A Gommoseksualist is the Russian word for a homosexual. The more common slang term is Goluboi Paren meaning Blue Guy and the derogatory term is Peda which is the slang word for Pederast.


David

[David_Pritchard]

From what you read of Felix, he was obsessed with youth and beauty, and would not have been sexually attracted to the dirty, scruffy, smelly, older Rasputin. I believe he was fascinated by him, but had no physical attraction to him.

I agree totally with Annie's statement. Feliks was an effeminate cross-dressing dandy, it is hard to imagine that he would be drawn to the human equivalent of a barnyard animal?  With that said, how could all of those women admirers have gone to bed with Rasputin? In old black and white photographs Rasputin looks filthy; one can only guess as to how foul he smelled in close quarters.

David

[jybenton]

Lancashireladandre your geneological prowess is impressive - as is everyone's on here. It's amazing to me how much all of you know. Are most on here descendants of the diaspora?

[Devarani]

Yes I completly agree with what you said David .
How could a man like Rasputin who looked like a monster, could be considered at this time buy most of the russian women as a "sex-symbol"   ??
This is just unbeliveble. He had a strange and strong power over hers.
Also in Félix's book Memoires, he mentioned Mlle.G. with who he had a short affair became later one of Rasputin faithful devoted fan .
She had the beauty with Félix and finished with the ugly and disgusting man. it is hard to understand what happened to her. She was bewitched by the monk (just like the Tsarine). But how??? and what was his power?

[lancashireladandre]

Lancashireladandre your geneological prowess is impressive - as is everyone's on here. It's amazing to me how much all of you know. Are most on here descendants of the diaspora?

So you are a descendant  of Zenaida Bashkiroff.I remember reading her memoirs...fascinating.Her paternal grandmother Madame Bashkiroff (Nee Princess) came over as a lovely person.Heartbreaking when she stood all day at the window watching her confiscated livestock being auctioned....

[jybenton]

It was not she that I was referiring to in the interview. I'm sorry to be so vague but i'd like to get a better feel for the players on the forum before i reveal personal details about myself or my family etc. Please don't take that personally.

I'm sure that as time goes on I'll feel more comfortable. I know that sounds utterly prattish.

Oh, what the hell!!!! She isn't an ancestor, no. A relative yes

[Romanov_fan]

Well, I am not sure about why Rasputin was found attractive by women, because he wasn't attractive by any standards, current or later. Perhaps it was because he was rather in the line of being able to have an affair with.

[Phillida]

I personaly do not think Felix was involved in Rasputin's murder out of a  sentimental rejection. I think  that  was the least Felix care  about and even less comming from rasputin. I would go  for the  rejection and humiliation his mother suffered from Alexandra when Zenaida tried to talk the Tsarina to get rasputin away from the RF. If I were someone like Felix I could not  take very well that such an important  character as my Mother, one of the most Aristocratic   members of Russian  Society suffer such a humiliation  because of a "low" filthy social climber as Rasputin..
That is what I think, but again same as you, I have no evidence to probe it... so It is my own  speculation of Felix"s motivations.

Your opinion is very sound because pride was of the utmost importance to the aristocracy then as now. More so then, witness the countless duels instigated by honour above ALL.

The honour of the family had to be avenged and Felix was cast as the natural annointed avenger. It was his absolute duty to eliminate the ruiner of his family name. A creature who could come between his venerated parents and the Tsar and his family, their natural allies, was not to be endured or allowed to enjoy the company denied them. The die was cast.

[Phillida]

It was not she that I was referiring to in the interview. I'm sorry to be so vague but i'd like to get a better feel for the players on the forum before i reveal personal details about myself or my family etc. Please don't take that personally.

I'm sure that as time goes on I'll feel more comfortable. I know that sounds utterly prattish.

Oh, what the hell!!!! She isn't an ancestor, no. A relative yes

Enthralling. Hope you share more in time.  

[Devarani]

But at this time in Russia could a monk have a sexual life . I mean was it considerated as normal? Because in the case of Rasputine, he was a religious and he had such an sexual appetite......known by everybody but it was as if people were living without knowing that or keeping it as a secret. Rasputine sexual madness was not a tabou subject and seemed to be quite accepted by the social class in which one he evolved 'cause he had the tsarine protection (and most of the women admiration) whereas Félix homosexuality was a taboo subject but compulsory accepted 'cause he was the heir of one of the most richest family in Russia. 

[lancashireladandre]

It was not she that I was referiring to in the interview. I'm sorry to be so vague but i'd like to get a better feel for the players on the forum before i reveal personal details about myself or my family etc. Please don't take that personally.

I'm sure that as time goes on I'll feel more comfortable. I know that sounds utterly prattish.

Oh, what the hell!!!! She isn't an ancestor, no. A relative yes

Come on spill the beans....Is it Zenaida Burke or her sister Xenia Crossley or their half brother Andre Breiger ( my namesake !!!)you are connected to.? You don't have to reveal everything !!!

[jybenton]

Lancashireladandre - My great grandmother was a sister of Princess Dolgorukaya. They were cousins - although i don't think close - of Zenaide and Xenia.

I would have given my great grandmothers surname but i'm not sure how my family would feel about being spoken about on a public forum. As good as all of you are at geneology I'm sure you can work it out without me telling you.

You seem to have so much information could you pop over to the winter palace discussion and look at a posting about the empire or white sitting room? I'm sure you will either be able to help me or point me to someone who can.

Thanks in advance

[Devarani]

I found an article that is stressing what I said about Félix and Rasputine relation. Well, it is not about the love relation but about the fact that there was certainly something between the two......maybe stronger than just a friendship (which seems for most of us false)........but well let's read it and give your point of view, if you want .

The adresse of the website is :
http://humabashir.tripod.com/id12.html

And here is what they said abt Rasputine and Félix :

The story of Rasputin's demise is well known. One night in December 1916, Rasputin was invited by Prince Felix Felixovich Yussupov to visit his palace on the Moika Canal. The pretext was the opportunity for Rasputin to meet Felix's wife, Irina, who was a great beauty and niece of the Tsar. Rasputin wanted to meet Irina and was flattered by Felix's attention. Felix claims he had been nurturing a relationship with Rasputin for a number of years before the invitation, although this relationship has never been fully explained. Felix always portrayed his murder of Rasputin as a political act to save Russia. Certainly, Felix had never shown any patriotic leanings before, so his murder of Rasputin is hard to explain from a political standpoint. It may have been there was some other, more personal, reason for Felix's desire to get rid of him.

Yes Félix had other more personal reasons to get rid off Rasputine......the dishonored of his mother made by the tsarine....... but I am sure the reasons were much more deeper than this one.

[AkshayChavan]

Devarani,
          I really appreciate that you are quiet interested in Felix Yussupov. However, i must tell you that it is very important to be very critical before believing something. First rule, for any academic study states that your info must come from a VERIFIED SOURCE. I makes me really mad when people read rubbishy websites and that believe it is the truth. If you get any info, first see where it is comming from. The websites that you quoted hardly have any credibility. Even I can have a website alleging the Rasputin was the husband of Alix and father of OTMA. But it can hardly be called the truth. Similarly, the allegation of Maria Rasputin has as much honesty as would Lenin's book on Nicholas. I suggest you read some proper academic books like Nicholas and Alexandra, Man who killed rasputin etc etc... You must read different points of view and then decide where do you stand. I am very sorry if i am being to preachy but the thing is, it is not right to indulge in character assasination based on these stupid rubbishy websites!!!A fact is a fact only when there is hard evidence.

[Romanov_fan]

It is best to read authorititave books and fond out what they say. The man who killed Rasputin by Greg King, is one I have read, and I think it is quite excellant, and might assist anyone wanting to know more about Rasputin, and Prince Felix Yusupov.