Derevenko the turncoat-whatever happened to him?

[nene]

That rotten turncoat, Derevenko! At a time when Baby (Alexei) needed him the most, he goes off and abandons him, the slimeball! I can't believe him the creep! Ahem, sorry about that guys, but I am just so angry at him for the way he heartlessly betrayed Alexei and abandoned him during the Revolution. Anyway, on to the question. Does anybody have any idea of what happened to the traitor afterwards? How longed he lived and what he did afterward?

[granduchessmariska]

That rotten turncoat, Derevenko! At a time when Baby (Alexei) needed him the most, he goes off and abandons him, the slimeball! I can't believe him the creep! Ahem, sorry about that guys, but I am just so angry at him for the way he heartlessly betrayed Alexei and abandoned him during the Revolution. Anyway, on to the question. Does anybody have any idea of what happened to the traitor afterwards? How longed he lived and what he did afterward?

I know how you feel! That's exactly what he was! I know Nagorny was shot for protecting Alexey, but I think Derevenko ended up shot too. I've forgotten. Ha, I don't care to study the lives of 'slimeballs.' (lol)

[Angwen]

 I like to think that he was one of the soldiers who mutined on the Kronsdact.
Then he would have tasted some of his own medicine!

Besides, Derevenko had more important things to worry about. A)Himself. B)Liberating the masses from Tsarist opression! C) The Navy played a big roll in the Revolution.

And yes I have been studying communism,thank you very much.

[Anastasia_R]

At first it was the sailor Derevenko who for some time was patient and conscientious in watching over his Imperial charge; his behaviour toward Alexis, however, became excessively mean after the Revolution. Fortunately, the Tsarevich also had another sailor-attendant--the loyal Nagorny. This sailor was later killed by the revolutionary army that overran Russia after World War I.
from:
http://www.angelfire.com/pa/ImperialRussian/royalty/russia/yacht.html
Angwen awesome signature!!!

[Teddy]

In "The Romanovs" by John Van der Kiste is mentioned that Derevenko had met Grand Duke Paul in state prison after Christmas 1918.

Derevenko had opened the prisoncell of the Grand Duke. He stared at the Grand Duke. His fingers was full of rings of others who he had stolen. He was clean shaven and had elegantly done hair.

The Grand Duke greeted him in friendly fashion, the embarrassed Derevenko walked away, saying no word at all.

This is the last thing I know about him.

[Sarushka]

Do we have anyone's testimony other than Anna Vyrubova's regarding Derevenko's mistreatment of Aleksei?

[clockworkgirl21]

How exactly did Deverenko treat Aleksey?

[Sarushka]

From Chapter XV of Memories of the Russian Court, by Anna Vyrubova:

Shaken though I was with that experience, I had one more agony to bear. When my chair was being wheeled back along the corridor I passed the open door of Alexei's room, and this is what I saw. Lying sprawled in a chair was the sailor Derevenko, for many years the personal attendant of the Tsarevich, and on whom the family had bestowed every kindness, every material benefit. Bitten by the mania of revolution, this man was now displaying his gratitude for all their favors. Insolently he bawled at the boy whom he had formerly loved and cherished, to bring him this or that, to perform any menial service his mean lackey's brain could think of. Dazed and apparently only half conscious of what he was being forced to do, the child moved about trying to obey. It was too much to bear. Hiding my face in my hands, I begged them to take me away from the sickening spectacle.

[Lizameridox]

The often mentioned book "Tsesarevich" has in a footnote that Andrey Eremeyevich Derevenko, boatsman of the Standart and guardian of the Tsarevich, died in Tifa (whereever that was) in 1921, that his son Sergei died in 1990 in Leningrad, and that he had another son, also named Alexei.

In Charlotte Zeepvat's book Romanov Autumn one reads a footnote with information taken from the book Le Tsarevich - Enfant Martyr, about how a while after Derevenko had apparently turned on Alexei he inquired about a little trunk filled with a change of clothing for the boy and an icon given the Heir by Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich before his murder in 1905.  This was said either to see if Alexei Nikolaevich had gotten or could then receive it or to retrieve it; perhaps in Ms. Zeepvat's view to look after the boy in some roundabout way.

For some reason I think that Eugenie de Grece, who had family connections to Catherine Radziwill, is of a similar calibre...

[Tania]

Now here clearly is a man consumed by hate ! Thank goodness in today's world, children can fight back against monsters as such. This man was anything but, and certainly, nobody's friend ! Thank goodness children are now protected by law from devils as such.

Tatiana

From Chapter XV of Memories of the Russian Court, by Anna Vyrubova:

Shaken though I was with that experience, I had one more agony to bear. When my chair was being wheeled back along the corridor I passed the open door of Alexei's room, and this is what I saw. Lying sprawled in a chair was the sailor Derevenko, for many years the personal attendant of the Tsarevich, and on whom the family had bestowed every kindness, every material benefit. Bitten by the mania of revolution, this man was now displaying his gratitude for all their favors. Insolently he bawled at the boy whom he had formerly loved and cherished, to bring him this or that, to perform any menial service his mean lackey's brain could think of. Dazed and apparently only half conscious of what he was being forced to do, the child moved about trying to obey. It was too much to bear. Hiding my face in my hands, I begged them to take me away from the sickening spectacle.

[clockworkgirl21]

It sounded like Deverenko was saying, "Look at me, I'm being waited on by the ex-tzar's son!" Was Aleksey ill when this happened? It sounds like he was dazed or something.

[Russian_Duchess_#5]

When I read that Aleksei was actually obeying Derevenko's orders, I thought "NO WAY!!"
I mean, think about how Aleksei was. Leo, mischevious, spoiled, how could a boy like that be bossed around by a servant??
Even though Aleksei did have a kind, curious, gentle side to him. Still, he knew he was the Tsarevich and acted like one!!
On the other hand, maybe, just maybe, Aleksei actually wanted Derevenko not to leave his position so he obeyed his orders?? So that he (Aleksei) would be shielded from further attacks??Was Aleksei looking out for himself or for his family, who he did not want to see so sad?? In my opinion, highly unlikely. But, possible.
But, we shall never know...

Sofi

[RomanovFan318]

That rotten turncoat, Derevenko! At a time when Baby (Alexei) needed him the most, he goes off and abandons him, the slimeball! I can't believe him the creep! Ahem, sorry about that guys, but I am just so angry at him for the way he heartlessly betrayed Alexei and abandoned him during the Revolution.

Nene,  I feel exactly the same way about him! I've really never cared to know what happened to him because he was such a scumbag. It's strange though that he was the sailor most photographed with Alexei and yet in the end he was nothing but a turncoat. I wish we had more photos of the loyal Nagorny. He was murdered for trying to protect Alexei from the evil Bolshevik guards.

[leushino]

I'm not sure I would put too much stock in what Anna Vyrubova had to say about things. I'd be willing to wager that she used a good deal of exaggeration in relating this incident.

[Sarushka]

I'm not sure I would put too much stock in what Anna Vyrubova had to say about things. I'd be willing to wager that she used a good deal of exaggeration in relating this incident.

I wonder about that, too. We know Derevenko abandoned Aleksei, but I'm not sure if I completely trust Anna Vyrubova's depiction of the event, either.

This reminds me of Aleksei's fabled sled ride down the stairs in Tobolsk -- Tatiana Botkin is the only one to report that story, but it's become part of the Romanov mythology.