Author Topic: Claimants of the Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich  (Read 108770 times)

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Phil_tomaselli

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Re: Claimants of the Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich
« Reply #60 on: April 22, 2009, 02:07:04 PM »
I have come across a few references to Grand Duke Michael apparently turning up in Omsk (1918), near Archangel (1918), in the Crimea (1919) and Shanghai (the 1920's).  All seem to have been rumours among the White Russian community rather than an actual claimant - or does anyone know any different?

Phil Tomaselli

Offline LisaDavidson

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Re: Claimants of the Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich
« Reply #61 on: April 26, 2009, 02:13:10 AM »
I have come across a few references to Grand Duke Michael apparently turning up in Omsk (1918), near Archangel (1918), in the Crimea (1919) and Shanghai (the 1920's).  All seem to have been rumours among the White Russian community rather than an actual claimant - or does anyone know any different?

Phil Tomaselli

My opinion (no proof) is that it served the Bolsheviks for a time to have people think Michael was still alive, so perhaps both sides spread false rumors. I know of no actual claimants. It was very hurtful to Countess Brassova to hear these things, as she knew if her husband were actually alive, he would have been in touch with her.

Dominic_Albanese

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Re: Claimants of the Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich
« Reply #62 on: April 26, 2009, 07:01:55 PM »
See my posting under Royal Families - the authorities in Perm are starting a systematic search for the remains of the Grand Duke.

dca

Offline LisaDavidson

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Re: Claimants of the Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich
« Reply #63 on: April 27, 2009, 12:25:22 AM »
See my posting under Royal Families - the authorities in Perm are starting a systematic search for the remains of the Grand Duke.

dca

It's long past time.

Offline Michael HR

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Re: Claimants of the Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich
« Reply #64 on: April 28, 2009, 05:14:11 AM »
See my posting under Royal Families - the authorities in Perm are starting a systematic search for the remains of the Grand Duke.

dca

About time and I hope  they find him and his sectary and they can be laid to rest with the rest of the imperial family.
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Offline LisaDavidson

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Re: Claimants of the Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich
« Reply #65 on: April 28, 2009, 02:45:17 PM »
See my posting under Royal Families - the authorities in Perm are starting a systematic search for the remains of the Grand Duke.

dca

About time and I hope  they find him and his sectary and they can be laid to rest with the rest of the imperial family.

There has long been a rumor in Perm that they were secretly buried in an Orthodox cemetery. If so, I doubt they would be moved.

When coming up with a list of possibilities about where Alexei and his sister could be (this was before the 2007 discovery), Penny Wilson showed me some research work which discussed the most probable places where they could be based upon the bare facts - 2 young people murdered in secret in a revolutionary period. The researcher thought the best possibilities were close by the parents or in a cemetery of their faith. Of course we know that the first was the case.

Offline Vecchiolarry

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Re: Claimants of the Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich
« Reply #66 on: April 28, 2009, 08:57:16 PM »
Hi,

There is also the possibility that Michael and his secretary were left in the woods and the victims of preditory wolves.
I strongly believe that this is what happened to them.

My reasoning:
A gentleman friend of a relative of mine was also shot near Perm around the time of the Romanov murders.
When, in 1960, we went to find out about him, several of the village residents told us that he had "been devoured by wolves"...
That night the people heard the wolves howling & the resulting carnage.  Wolves are very efficient scavangers and will leave no evidence behind.
True story!!

Larry

Offline Romanov_fan

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Re: Claimants of the Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich
« Reply #67 on: April 28, 2009, 11:23:08 PM »
I doubt it was wolves, you would think there would be some evidence, if so, and that somewhere that story would have come up. Shooting was more the Bolshevik way, at least with a Romanov. I've never heard that he may have buried in an Orthodox cemetery, but one wonders if they would have accorded his remains that much respect, even.

Offline LisaDavidson

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Re: Claimants of the Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich
« Reply #68 on: April 29, 2009, 10:24:24 PM »
I doubt it was wolves, you would think there would be some evidence, if so, and that somewhere that story would have come up. Shooting was more the Bolshevik way, at least with a Romanov. I've never heard that he may have buried in an Orthodox cemetery, but one wonders if they would have accorded his remains that much respect, even.

It's hard to know. Perhaps some locals buried them if this is the case.

Offline Michael HR

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Re: Claimants of the Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich
« Reply #69 on: April 30, 2009, 03:04:55 AM »
I am sure I read somewhere that the bodies were buried in a shallow grave. Cannot recall where I saw this but if true they might be found. I hope so
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Offline Romanov_fan

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Re: Claimants of the Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich
« Reply #70 on: April 30, 2009, 09:29:14 AM »
That's pretty much what I've read too Michael HR in most books about the Romanovs where it talks about Michael's death.

Lemur

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Re: Claimants of the Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich
« Reply #71 on: April 30, 2009, 10:54:37 PM »
According to the account by the killers in the book A Lifelong Passion, Michael and his secretary were drug off into the woods and covered with leaves and branches. Since the accounts of the killers of the IF and Ella/Paley/KR sons all turned out accurate, I see no reason to believe that one to be false. I highly doubt any Bolshevik executioner would bother to take the time and consideration to find a nice Orthodox cemetary for their victims. If they were indeed left under the branches and not moved again later by others, I wouldn't be suprised if the wolf story were true, sadly. Regardless, finding him will be a lot more of a needle in a haystack than even the two missing children ever were.
« Last Edit: April 30, 2009, 10:56:14 PM by Lemur »

Offline Michael HR

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Re: Claimants of the Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich
« Reply #72 on: May 01, 2009, 03:53:48 AM »
Correct life long passion is where I read this. If a shallow grave I doubt Michael will be found but one must have hope. In my book he had been the best hope for the dynasty and only what if...
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Lemur

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Re: Claimants of the Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich
« Reply #73 on: May 01, 2009, 07:39:56 AM »
The account of the murders by A.V. Markov can be found on pages 630-631. He describes how two of the shooters had problems with their guns and it took several tries to kill Misha and his secretary. Once they were finally dead, the killer noted "we could not bury them because it was becoming light rapidly and we were near the road. We drug them together to the side of the road, covered them with branches and went off in the direction of Motovilicihia."

Offline Romanov_fan

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Re: Claimants of the Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich
« Reply #74 on: May 01, 2009, 07:48:01 AM »
Why weren't the Michael's remains searched for before? Because it would have been hard to find his remains? Because finding his remains was regarded as less important than finding the remains of Nicholas and Alexandra and their children?