I have a copy of Wilton's book and it was not written in German but published here in the USA. If AA was FS, who could NOT read or write English, then she needed to have someone else read it for her then translate to her the contents of THE LAST DAYS of THE ROMANOVS.
The book does not mention that it was published in any other language.
Anyone who knew the Romanovs knew several languages, and could have told her.
I believe by the time the book was selling in the stores, AA had already told the nurse at Dalldorf that she was GD Anastasia.
No the book was out in 1920. The nurse story cannot be taken as hard fact because there really is no proof other than ONE person's word that it ever even happened. When she talked to the paper, she said it happened in 1922, then later tried to back and say it was supposed to be 1921 but the paper got it wrong. This was just her excuse when she realized she needed to predate the open AN claim. I put no value in the nurse story so it's really not even a factor. AA never got the idea to be a GD until Clara P. showed her that pic in 1922, and it was Tatiana.
Since AA was not visited by "outsiders" until 1922, her source had to have been someone she met before Feb. of 1920.
No, anyone she knew after she started talking about it would work, because she didn't talk until she had information.
To add to this, if AA had read the book without any assissants, then this proves she knew English well enough to read a 428 page book.
So she may not have read it but got the info from a supporter. What we were going on here was not only that the book was out there but that Gilliard himself knew the info and could possibly have told her.
It's late. If I have time tomorrow I'll look for the exact quotes Annie mentioned about the "jewelry" sewn in the under garments and the plays, unless Annie would be so kind to do so for us. If not, could you tell me the page numbers.
Thanks.
AGRBear
Yawn. I'm very tired and it's 3 hours later for me than it is you, and I sure don't feel like looking for it but I know if I don't dig it out right now you'll accuse me of being 'fact free', lying, making up, etc., so here you go:
http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&id=YxIEAAAAYAAJ&dq=%22last+days+of+the+romanovs%22+wilton&printsec=frontcover&source=web&ots=BMFaH5UE9U&sig=3KGBlrxbGlfIR01Q5lWMBIPIJIE#PPA30,M1Page 30
Chapter Examination of Gilliard
I can't copy and paste since it's pdf so here:

I can't find Gibbes right now and I don't remember if it was in his examination or some other part of the book. I can look later when I have time, in the meantime the link is there for anyone else who wants to look. I am not in school, I'm not at work, and I don't have a deadline for my assignment.
edit forgot about the plays will look later, again it's right there in the link for anyone else to search Gilliard's and Gibbe's chapters are very early in the book
and while I certainly do not have time to dig through them, it's very possible Bux's books mention it as well, since she had to have known about it too.