Author Topic: Did any of the Romanovs survive?  (Read 164727 times)

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_Rodger_

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Re: Did any of the Romanovs survive?
« Reply #30 on: March 22, 2004, 10:12:39 PM »
Hi Penny!

Thank you.  I thought it might be something like that, but I had to ask to make sure.

Yes, it is evolving!  And isn't it amazing that it's still evolving after all of these years?   :)

Offline Alice

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Re: Did any of the Romanovs survive?
« Reply #31 on: March 23, 2004, 02:00:06 AM »
Penny: I'm interested to know, considering the extensive research that you and Greg King clearly did for your book, whether you think that any of the Romanovs survived? I understand that you may be reluctant to answer such a question on a public message board, being the author of a well-known Romanov book, but I'm interested to know what you personally think.

Thoroughly enjoyed the book, incidently. :)

John Sarkissian

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Re: Did any of the Romanovs survive?
« Reply #32 on: March 29, 2004, 02:57:03 PM »
  :) Bob,
I am by no means a defender of Radzinsky. I also find his style to be too flowery for it's own good. But, I don't believe he ever suggested a lesbian liaison between Anna Vyrubova and Alexandra. What he said was that there were rumors going around in the society, no doubt caused by the unusualness of this friendship. Gossip and rumors were certainly a trademark of Russian society. There were also rumors about Alexandra sleeping with Rasputin. But that doesn't necessarily make the story true. What I do believe in Radzinsky's story is that Anna had a crush on Alexandra and would do anything not to make Alexandra suspicious about it. Because she knew that if Alexandra suspected any such thing that would be the end of her friendship with Alexandra and that would be it. So she played dumb and cute and in love with Nicholas, etc...
That's what Radzinsky was saying and not that the two women had a lesbian affair.

John

Offline Antonio_P.Caballer

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Re: Did any of the Romanovs survive?
« Reply #33 on: March 29, 2004, 06:13:41 PM »
As i´m reading again that part of Radzinsky´s book i clearly see that Radzinsky openly suggested(not to say concluded) that Anna was in fact in love with Alexandra and that (p. 93) "intelligent Anya devised this game(...)that reassured the Tsarina". The game he refers to is pretending being in love with Nicholas only to confuss the Empress about her real feelings for her. Radzinsky is a great writer for theatrical works but with history he is,not only in my opinion but for many russian historians, too imaginative...

Offline Antonio_P.Caballer

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Re: Did any of the Romanovs survive?
« Reply #34 on: March 29, 2004, 06:30:01 PM »
Quote

There are also two books from Yekaterinburg in the 1990's that contain loads of original sources.  Unfortunately, the only one of these in English is out of print and impossible to get.  I was lucky to get one when it came out - it was expensive - I am glad I got it.



Hello Bob,
Could you tell me please the title and author of that book translated? I use to check often the web for rare books and coul include this in my search...
Thanks!!!

Janet Whitcomb

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Re: Did any of the Romanovs survive?
« Reply #35 on: March 29, 2004, 06:44:34 PM »
When I read Radzinsky's first book I was mesmerized--a Russian writing about Russians!  But soon enough his suppositions and flights of fancy began to annoy me. He has a dramatist's way of telling the story--as if you're a small child, listening at bedtime--so while I can't deny that at times he may be correct, I feel that he is much more raconteur than historian.  

When it comes to Anna Vyrubova, I think she was simply an immature personality, attaching herself in puppy-dog fashion to those who listened to her and sympathized with her.  We know that Marie Nicholievna had this same quality of being as faithful and obliging  as a puppy, but it also appears that, for all of her emotional dependency, she was growing out of that tendency and becoming more her own person.  In my opinion, Anna was not willing and/or capable of doing so and probably would have continued to have her  childlike "crushes" on both the Tsar and the Tsarina for the rest of her life. As it was, she did continue to support them and--within her own limited means--to save them, and after their deaths took on a "Keeper of the Flame" role.

Offline BobAtchison

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Re: Did any of the Romanovs survive?
« Reply #36 on: March 29, 2004, 06:58:34 PM »
Shlugin reported Anna was called 'a walking gramophone player' - that ties in with what you posted, Janet..

Offline BobAtchison

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Re: Did any of the Romanovs survive?
« Reply #37 on: March 29, 2004, 07:01:52 PM »
I might add that since Anna was cruely mistreated in prison - physically and mentally - she may have matured drastically as a result.

Louise

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Re: Did any of the Romanovs survive?
« Reply #38 on: March 31, 2004, 10:24:19 AM »
Have there been any theories on why the majority of claimants have been Alexei and Anastatia? Why anyone would want to claim to be Alexei and have to prove hemophilia has always made me shake my head, but anyway. What has stopped men and women from claiming to be Tatiana or Olga or Maria?

Louise

Valmont

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Re: Did any of the Romanovs survive?
« Reply #39 on: March 31, 2004, 11:18:32 AM »
I guess men have been stoped in their claim by the fact that Olga, Tatiana and Marie were women, but hey, don't call me reliable.

As of why Anastasia and Alexei have been so popular among pretenders?. I have no idea. But you raise a good point.



Best,


Arturo Vega-Llausás
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by admin »

Jmentanko

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Re: Did any of the Romanovs survive?
« Reply #40 on: March 31, 2004, 11:37:23 AM »
The most likely reason that there were so many "Anastasia's" is because of Anna Anderson. She started it as far as I'm concerned and she got attention. Unfortunately everybody wanted a piece of the pie.

Alexei was the heir. People probhably thought they had alot to gain by pretending to be Alexei.

Just my opinion.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by Jmentanko »

Janet Whitcomb

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Re: Did any of the Romanovs survive?
« Reply #41 on: March 31, 2004, 11:52:53 AM »
Probably one of the reasons would be that the younger the person in jeopardy, the more the dramatic the story--also, physiological changes are very much ongoing during early teenage years, whereas physical changes are less dramatic and open for "wiggle room" by the late teenage years and early twenties.

And, of course, Anna Anderson seemed to be the one with the strongest claim, in terms of her supporters and of her appearance, explanations, etc.  She was an impish child--who can resist that?--but also had a better chance for survival than her brother.

Father_Nick

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Re: Did any of the Romanovs survive?
« Reply #42 on: March 31, 2004, 05:58:58 PM »
It just goes to show how much the Romanovs still fascinate us today, years and years after their horrible murder.  

I have never subscribed to the voices who believe Anastasia (Or ANY of the family for that matter) survived.  I was glad that the DNA evidence put to rest once and for all the rumors about the famous (or INfamous) Anna Anderson being the Grand Duchess.  I am not sure where I read this but it was written (almost without thought) that a correspondent or someone once asked Yarovsky (The eye-witness executioner) if Anastasia survived.  He replied without a second thought, "They ALL perished."  That's enough for me.

Arleen

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Re: Did any of the Romanovs survive?
« Reply #43 on: April 01, 2004, 02:56:18 PM »
Alice, Just a thought, you mentioned plastic surgery in the 1920's.  One of the characters I loved most in Edvard Radzinsky's book THE LAST TSAR is Vera the ancient/old turn of the century actress who totters around on very high heels......she claims that Empress Marie Feodorovna had facial surgery in the 1890's and describes the terrible ordeal that it was...in order to stay young and beautiful.  ..Arleen

Janet Whitcomb

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Re: Did any of the Romanovs survive?
« Reply #44 on: April 01, 2004, 03:05:02 PM »
Dear Uncle Valmont--

I'm very proud to call you thus, but I hope this doesn't mean that you and I will be obliged to have children together a la Uncle Mischa and Olga.

Your (reasonably) loving niece,

Janet