Emperor Alexander II "the Liberator"

[Katharina]

Do you think the bomb that killed Alexander II. was really disguised as an Easter cake (Radzinsky, Royal Russia)?
According to another source the bombs consisted of thick glass filled with nitrogycerine and were wrapped in white cloth.

[Katharina]

One of my favorite russian compositions is a waltz by Dmitry Shostakovich titled "Sophia Perovskaya". Years ago I found this catchy tune on a CD called "The Shostakovich Film Album". Does anyone know if there is a connection with the assassination of Alexander II.? I guess there is a russian film dealing with Sophia Perovskaya, the first female aristocratic to be executed for her participation in murdering a "tyrant".

[sushismom]

This is all from memory, so forgive me if I'm wrong. Weren't there two bombs thrown at Alexander II? Wasn't one thrown that exploded in back of him and that caused him to stop and check on the dead and injured? And while he was stopped the other bomb was thrown that succeeded in killing him?

[Sarai_Porretta]

Sushismom,
Indeed, two bombs were thrown at Alexander II that day, the second being the one that actually killed him. The first bomb was thrown at his carriage and wounded several in his escort. The Tsar got out to check on the wounded, despite pleas from his driver to flee. He also actually approached the bomber to ask if he had done it, and as he did another young man threw a bomb between himself and the Tsar, which mortally wounded both.

[valmont]

On a street corner near the Catherine Canal Sophia Perovskaya gave the signal to Nikolai Rysakov and Timofei Mikhailov to throw their bombs at the Tsar's carriage. The bombs missed the carriage and instead landed amongst the Cossacks. The Tsar was unhurt but insisted on getting out of the carriage to check the condition of the injured men. While he was standing with the wounded Cossacks another terrorist, Ignatei Grinevitski, threw his bomb. Alexander was killed instantly and the explosion was so great that Grinevitski also died from the bomb blast.

[Penny_Wilson]

Just to be totally pedantic....

Alexander was not killed instantly, though he was mortally wounded.  I'm not certain how long he lived afterwards, or what his level of consciousness was, but he certainly made it home.  Allegedly, he was able to tell his remaining guards that he wanted to die at home, so he was carried into the Palace and placed on a sofa or chaise longue, where he expired a little while later as his family watched.

[valmont]

Penny,
You are right, he was not killed instantly, he died at home an The Cathedral of Resurection on Blood was erected on the site of the murder. he was burried in the Cathedral of the St. peter & St. Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg..

[AGRBear]

According to most books,  the future Nicholas II saw his grandfather, who had been torn apart, while he was dying and  laying on a sofia where the cossacks had placed him in the palace....  

The description of Alexander II's wounds are very horrific.

This had a great impact on young Nicky.

I don't remember if the bomb throwers were Jewish, but, it is true, Nicky was told they were.

One description of that time in Nicholas II's life is found p. 16 in Nicholas and Alexandra by Massie.

AGRBear

[Forum Admin]

I direct your attention on this point to the lengthy discussion thread here "Anti-Semitism of the Romanovs"

[AGRBear]

The future Tsar Alexander  II  was born four days before Easter,  17 April 1818 which caused quite a stir.  Not only was he a son of Tsar Nicholas I, he was a "easy" birth, born in the Kremlin and during Easter Week.  All the stars seemed to have been  in line for this baby.  Fate would have him  be the Romanov who as a second son of a Tsar becomes the heir and then Tsar who freed Russia's enserfed millions, and, then the stars went off line on 1 March 1881 as the People's Will's  seventh attempt of assassination succeeded and ended the life of Alexander II at 3:30 that afternoon.

Why do you think he should have been the hero of the masses?
OR
Why do you think he was not a hero but a villian who failed  the masses?

AGRBear

PS:  See: http://www.alexanderpalace.org/palace/AlexIIbio.html

[Annie]

I have heard some say, no source I can quote, that he was killed because some terrorists wanted him gone because he was too good to the people and he was hurting their chance at revolution!

[olga]

The bomb thrower was Polish. The explosion was so great that he died aswell. His name was Ignacy Hryniewiecki.

I've heard pretty horrific accounts of Alexander Nikolaevich's wounds. One of his legs was torn off, blinded in one eye, etc etc.

The group that organised the assassination was Narodnaya Volya (People's Will). They included

Nikolai Kibalchich (an explosives expert)
Sofya Lvovna Perovskaya (aristocrat)
Nikolai Ivanovich Rysakov (threw the first bomb)
Timofei Mikhailovich Mikhailov
Andrei Ivanovich Zhelyabov (husband of Perovskaya)
Gesya Mironovna Gelfman (Jewish)

All were executed except for Gelfman.

[Belochka]

The first bomb was thrown by a nineteen year old student, Nikolai Ryasakov. This was the eighth attempt on the Emperor's life.

While the actual bomb which mortally wounded Alexander II was thrown by the 21 year former engineering student Ignaty Grinevitskii. He uncovered a round shaped bomb and threw it at the Emperor's feet. He suffered for almost an hour before succumbing to the trauma of his wounds.

Alexander sustained horrendous injuries to both his legs, one of which was dismembered at the knee. He did not however loose his eye. He recognized Kulebyakin, his Convoy officer believing he was an angel before losing consciousness.

[Ref: Alexander II by P. Krasnov, 1995 pp 538-40 a Russian language source]  

[Karel]

Hello!

I’m currently writing a history paper about the murder of Alexander ll, but I’m having a hard time finding information about this I been to countless libraries but I can only find small bits and pieces. Does any one know of a good web site or a book that can contain allot of information on his murder.
nice forum btw.

[Dominic_Albanese]

Hi Karel - I can't think of anything published recently that was specifically about Alexander II.  My library isn't all that extensive and tends to have more recently published books in it so others may have something else to add.

Couple of decent 'all purpose' Romanov books that have snippets about AII and which may be helpful...

1)Romanovs 1818-1959 by John Van Der Kiste
2)The Flight of the Romanovs
3)Romanov Autumn by Charlotte Zeepvat
4)The Emperors and Empresses of Russia edited by Donald J. Raleigh

and I vaguely remember that Massie's Nicholas and Alexandra had a small section of A II's death.

I did a study a few years ago on the death of A III.  He died of Kidney disease in the Crimea.  I basically pieced together who was there and a ok timeline by researching books like those above, memoirs and Royalty Digest (You might want to get in touch with them - they may have an article on it you could purchase).

Anyway, good luck!