When the family of Nicholas II was shot. The horrific story of the execution of the Romanov family. What happened to the remains

We do not claim the reliability of all the facts presented in this article, but the arguments given below are very interesting.

Execution royal family did not have.The heir to the throne, Alyosha Romanov, became People's Commissar Alexei Kosygin.
The royal family was separated in 1918, but not executed. Maria Feodorovna left for Germany, and Nicholas II and the heir to the throne Alexei remained hostages in Russia.

In April of this year, Rosarkhiv, which was under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Culture, was reassigned directly to the head of state. The change in status was explained by the special state value of the materials stored there. While experts were wondering what all this meant, a historical investigation appeared in the President newspaper, registered on the platform of the Presidential Administration. Its essence is that no one royal family didn't shoot. They all lived long lives, and Tsarevich Alexei even made a career in the nomenklatura in the USSR.

The transformation of Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich Romanov into Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR Alexei Nikolaevich Kosygin was first discussed during perestroika. They referred to a leak from the party archive. The information was perceived as a historical anecdote, although the thought - what if it was true - stirred in the minds of many. After all, no one saw the remains of the royal family then, and there were always many rumors about their miraculous salvation. And suddenly, here you are - a publication about the life of the royal family after the alleged execution is published in a publication that is as far as possible from the pursuit of sensation.

— Was it possible to escape or be taken out of Ipatiev’s house? It turns out yes! - historian Sergei Zhelenkov writes to the President newspaper. - There was a factory nearby. In 1905, the owner dug an underground passage to it in case of capture by revolutionaries. When Boris Yeltsin destroyed the house after the decision of the Politburo, the bulldozer fell into a tunnel that no one knew about.

STALIN often called KOSYGIN (left) Tsarevich in front of everyone

Left hostage

What reasons did the Bolsheviks have for saving the life of the royal family?

Researchers Tom Mangold and Anthony Summers published the book “The Romanov Affair, or the Execution that Never Happened” in 1979. They started with the fact that in 1978 the 60-year secrecy stamp of the Brest-Litovsk Peace Treaty signed in 1918 expires, and it would be interesting to look into the declassified archives.

The first thing they dug up were telegrams English Ambassador, reporting on the evacuation of the royal family from Yekaterinburg to Perm by the Bolsheviks.

According to British intelligence agents in the army of Alexander Kolchak, upon entering Yekaterinburg on July 25, 1918, the admiral immediately appointed an investigator in the case of the execution of the royal family. Three months later, Captain Nametkin put a report on his desk, where he said that instead of execution there was a re-enactment of it. Not believing it, Kolchak appointed a second investigator, Sergeev, and soon received the same results.

In parallel with them, the commission of Captain Malinovsky worked, who in June 1919 gave the following instructions to the third investigator, Nikolai Sokolov: “As a result of my work on the case, I developed the conviction that the august family is alive... all the facts that I observed during the investigation are "simulation of murder".

Admiral Kolchak, who had already proclaimed himself the Supreme Ruler of Russia, did not need a living tsar at all, so Sokolov received very clear instructions - to find evidence of the death of the emperor.

Sokolov can’t come up with anything better than to say: “The corpses were thrown into a mine and filled with acid.”

Tom Mangold and Anthony Summers believed that the answer should be sought in the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk itself. However, his full text not in the declassified archives of London or Berlin. And they came to the conclusion that there were points relating to the royal family.

Probably, Emperor Wilhelm II, who was a close relative of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, demanded that all the august women be transferred to Germany. The girls had no rights to the Russian throne and therefore could not threaten the Bolsheviks. The men remained hostages - as guarantors that the German army would not march on St. Petersburg and Moscow.

This explanation seems quite logical. Especially if we remember that the tsar was overthrown not by the Reds, but by their own liberal-minded aristocracy, the bourgeoisie and the top of the army. The Bolsheviks did not have any particular hatred for Nicholas II. He did not threaten them in any way, but at the same time he was an excellent ace in the hole and a good bargaining chip in negotiations.

In addition, Lenin understood perfectly well that Nicholas II was a chicken, capable, if shaken well, of demolishing many of the much-needed young people. Soviet state golden eggs. After all, the secrets of many family and state deposits in Western banks were kept in the king’s head. Later, these riches of the Russian Empire were used for industrialization.

In the cemetery in the Italian village of Marcotta there was a gravestone on which Princess Olga Nikolaevna, the eldest daughter of the Russian Tsar Nicholas II, rested. In 1995, the grave, under the pretext of non-payment of rent, was destroyed and the ashes were transferred.

Life after death"

According to the President newspaper, the KGB of the USSR, based on the 2nd Main Directorate, had a special department that monitored all movements of the royal family and their descendants across the territory of the USSR:

“Stalin built a dacha in Sukhumi next to the dacha of the royal family and came there to meet with the emperor. Nicholas II visited the Kremlin in the uniform of an officer, which was confirmed by General Vatov, who served as Joseph Vissarionovich’s guard.”

According to the newspaper, to honor the memory last emperor, monarchists can go to Nizhny Novgorod at the Red Etna cemetery, where he was buried on December 26, 1958. The famous Nizhny Novgorod elder Gregory performed the funeral service and buried the sovereign.

Much more surprising is the fate of the heir to the throne, Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich.

Over time, he, like many, came to terms with the revolution and came to the conclusion that one must serve the Fatherland regardless of one’s political beliefs. However, he had no other choice.

Historian Sergei Zhelenkov provides a lot of evidence of the transformation of Tsarevich Alexei into the Red Army soldier Kosygin. In thundering years Civil War, and even under the cover of the Cheka, it really wasn’t difficult to do this. His future career is much more interesting. Stalin saw a great future in the young man and far-sightedly moved him along the economic line. Not according to the party.

In 1942, the representative of the State Defense Committee in besieged Leningrad, Kosygin supervised the evacuation of the population and industrial enterprises and property of Tsarskoe Selo. Alexey had sailed around Ladoga many times on the yacht “Standart” and knew the surrounding area of the lake well, so he organized the “Road of Life” to supply the city.

In 1949, during Malenkov’s promotion of the “Leningrad Affair,” Kosygin “miraculously” survived. Stalin, who called him Tsarevich in front of everyone, sent Alexei Nikolaevich on a long trip around Siberia due to the need to strengthen cooperation activities and improve the procurement of agricultural products.

Kosygin was so removed from internal party affairs that he retained his position after the death of his patron. Khrushchev and Brezhnev needed a good, proven business executive; as a result, Kosygin served as head of government the longest in the history of the Russian Empire, the USSR and Russian Federation- 16 years.

As for the wife of Nicholas II and daughters, their trace cannot be called lost either.

In the 90s, the Italian newspaper La Repubblica published an article about the death of a nun, Sister Pascalina Lenart, who held an important post under Pope Pius XII from 1939 to 1958.

Before her death, she called a notary and said that Olga Romanova, the daughter of Nicholas II, was not shot by the Bolsheviks, but lived a long life under the protection of the Vatican and was buried in a cemetery in the village of Marcotte in northern Italy.

Journalists who went to the indicated address actually found a slab in the graveyard, where it was written in German: “ Olga Nikolaevna, eldest daughter of the Russian Tsar Nikolai Romanov, 1895 - 1976».

In this regard, the question arises: who was buried in 1998 in the Peter and Paul Cathedral? President Boris Yeltsin assured the public that these were the remains of the royal family. But the Russian Orthodox Church then refused to recognize this fact. Let us remember that in Sofia, in the building of the Holy Synod on St. Alexander Nevsky Square, lived the confessor of the Highest Family, Bishop Theophan, who fled from the horrors of the revolution. He never served a memorial service for the august family and said that the royal family was alive!

The result developed by Alexey Kosygin economic reforms became the so-called golden eighth five-year plan of 1966 - 1970. During this time:

- national income increased by 42 percent,

— the volume of gross industrial output increased by 51 percent,

— profitability Agriculture increased by 21 percent,

— the formation of the Unified Energy System of the European part of the USSR was completed, the unified energy system of Central Siberia was created,

— development of the Tyumen oil and gas production complex began,

— the Bratsk, Krasnoyarsk and Saratov hydroelectric power stations and the Pridneprovskaya State District Power Plant came into operation,

— the West Siberian Metallurgical and Karaganda Metallurgical Plants started working,

— the first Zhiguli cars were produced,

— the provision of the population with televisions has doubled, washing machines - two and a half times, refrigerators - three times.

The first and only royal family There were Romanovs in Russia. Nicholas II had five children: 4 daughters (Anastasia, Olga, Tatyana, Maria) and a son Alexei.

The Romanovs ruled the Russian Empire from 1613 to 1917, which is already three hundred years! This family was truly powerful and deservedly received the title of dynasty.

The Romanov family was numerous; there were no problems with the successors to the throne. In 1918, after the Bolsheviks shot the emperor, his wife and children, a large number of impostors appeared. Rumors spread that that very night in Yekaterinburg, one of them still survived.

And today many believe that one of the children could have been saved and that their offspring could live among us.

Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanova

After the massacre of the imperial family, many believed that Anastasia managed to escape

Anastasia was Nikolai's youngest daughter. In 1918, when the Romanovs were executed, Anastasia’s remains were not found in the family’s burial place and rumors spread that the young princess had survived.

People all over the world have been reincarnated as Anastasia. One of the most prominent impostors was Anna Anderson. I think she was from Poland.

Anna imitated Anastasia in her behavior, and rumors that Anastasia was alive spread quite quickly. Many also tried to imitate her sisters and brother. People all over the world tried to cheat, but Russia had the most doppelgängers.

Many believed that the children of Nicholas II survived. But even after the burial of the Romanov family was found, scientists were unable to identify the remains of Anastasia. Most historians still cannot confirm that the Bolsheviks killed Anastasia.

Later, a secret burial was found, in which the remains of the young princess were discovered, and forensic experts were able to prove that she died along with the rest of the family in 1918. Her remains were reburied in 1998.

DNA

Scientists were able to compare the DNA of the found remains and modern followers of the royal family

Many people believed that the Bolsheviks buried the Romanovs in different places Sverdlovsk region. In addition, many were convinced that two of the children were able to escape.

There was a theory that Tsarevich Alexei and Princess Maria were able to escape from the scene of the terrible execution. In 1976, scientists picked up a trail with the remains of the Romanovs. In 1991, when the era of communism was over, researchers were able to obtain government permission to open the burial site of the Romanovs, the same one left by the Bolsheviks.

But scientists needed DNA analysis to confirm the theory. They asked Prince Philip and Prince Michael of Kent to provide DNA samples to compare with those of the royal couple. Forensic experts confirmed that the DNA did indeed belong to the Romanovs. As a result of this research, it was possible to confirm that the Bolsheviks buried Tsarevich Alexei and Princess Maria separately from the rest.

Discovered remains of members of the royal family

Some people dedicated their free time searching for traces real place family burial

In 2007, Sergei Plotnikov, one of the founders of an amateur historical group, made amazing discovery. His group was searching for any facts related to the royal family.

In his free time, Sergei was engaged in searching for the remains of the Romanovs at the supposed site of the first burial. And one day he was lucky, he came across something solid and started digging.

To his surprise, he found several fragments of pelvic and skull bones. After an examination, it was established that these bones belong to the children of Nicholas II.

Evidence of foul play in murder

Few people know that the methods of killing family members differed from each other.

After an analysis of the bones of Alexei and Maria, it was found that the bones were severely damaged, but differently than the bones of the emperor himself.

Traces of bullets were found on Nikolai's remains, which means the children were killed in a different way. The rest of the family also suffered in their own ways.

Scientists were able to establish that Alexei and Maria were doused with acid and died from burns. Despite the fact that these two children were buried separately from the rest of the family, they suffered no less.

Results of the analysis of the remains

There was a lot of confusion around the Romanov bones, but in the end scientists were able to establish that they belonged to the family

Archaeologists discovered 9 skulls, teeth, bullets of various calibers, fabric from clothes and wires from a wooden box. The remains were determined to be those of a boy and a woman, with approximate ages ranging from 10 to 23 years.

The likelihood that the boy was Tsarevich Alexei, and the girl Princess Maria, is quite high. In addition, there were theories that the government managed to discover the location where the Romanov bones were kept. There were rumors that the remains had been found back in 1979, but the government kept this information secret.

Lack of money

One of the research groups was very close to the truth, but they soon ran out of money

In 1990, another group of archaeologists decided to start excavations, in the hope that they would be able to discover some more traces of the location of the remains of the Romanovs.

After several days or even weeks, they dug up an area the size of a football field, but never completed the study because they ran out of money. Surprisingly, Sergei Plotnikov found bone fragments in this very territory.

Doubt

Due to the fact that the Russian Orthodox Church demanded more and more confirmation of the authenticity of the Romanov bones, the reburial was postponed several times

The Russian Orthodox Church refused to accept the fact that the bones actually belonged to the Romanov family. The Church demanded more evidence that these same remains were actually found in the burial of the royal family in Yekaterinburg.

The successors of the Romanov family supported the Russian Orthodox Church, demanding additional research and confirmation that the bones really belong to the children of Nicholas II.

The reburial of the family was postponed many times, as the Russian Orthodox Church each time questioned the correctness of the DNA analysis and the belonging of the bones to the Romanov family. The church asked forensic experts to conduct an additional examination. After scientists finally managed to convince the church that the remains really belonged to the royal family, the Russian Orthodox Church planned a reburial.

Modern successors of the family

The Bolsheviks eliminated the bulk of the imperial family, but their distant relatives are alive to this day

The successors of the family tree of the Romanov dynasty live among us. One of the heirs to the royal genes is Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and he provided his DNA for research. Prince Philip is the husband of Queen Elizabeth II, grandniece of Princess Alexandra, and the great-great-great-grandson of Nicholas I.

Another relative who helped with DNA identification is Prince Michael of Kent. His grandmother was a cousin of Nicholas II.

There are eight more successors to this family: Hugh Grosvenor, Constantine II, Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna Romanova, Grand Duke Georgy Mikhailovich, Olga Andreevna Romanova, Francis Alexander Matthew, Nikoletta Romanova, Rostislav Romanov. But these relatives did not provide their DNA for analysis, since Prince Philip and Prince Michael of Kent were recognized as the closest relatives.

The Bolsheviks tried to hide the evidence

Of course the Bolsheviks tried to cover up the traces of their crime

The Bolsheviks executed the royal family in Yekaterinburg, and they needed to somehow hide the evidence of the crime.

There are two theories about how the Bolsheviks killed children. According to the first version, they first shot Nikolai, and then put his daughters in a mine where no one could find them. The Bolsheviks tried to blow up the mine, but their plan failed, so they decided to pour acid on the children and burn them.

According to the second version, the Bolsheviks wanted to cremate the bodies of the murdered Alexei and Maria. After several studies, scientists and forensic experts concluded that it was not possible to cremate the bodies.

To cremate a human body, it takes a lot of heat, and the Bolsheviks were in the forest, and they did not have the opportunity to create the necessary conditions. After unsuccessful attempts cremation, they still decided to bury the bodies, but divided the family into two graves.

The fact that the family was not buried together explains why not all family members were initially found. This also disproves the theory that Alexei and Maria managed to escape.

The farewell ceremony lasted three days

By decision of the Russian Orthodox Church, the remains of the Romanovs were buried in one of the churches in St. Petersburg

The mystery of the Romanov dynasty rests with their remains in the Church of Saints Peter and Paul in St. Petersburg. After numerous studies, scientists still agreed that the remains belong to Nikolai and his family.

The last farewell ceremony took place in Orthodox Church and lasted three days. During the funeral procession, many still questioned the authenticity of the remains. But scientists say the bones match 97% of the royal family's DNA.

In Russia, this ceremony was given special significance. Residents of fifty countries around the world watched as the Romanov family retired. It took more than 80 years to debunk the myths about the family of the last emperor of the Russian Empire. With the completion of the funeral procession, an entire era passed into the past.

Almost a hundred years have passed since that terrible night when Russian empire ceased to exist forever. Until now, no historian can state unequivocally what happened that night and whether any of the family members survived. Most likely, the secret of this family will remain unsolved and we can only guess what really happened.

The family of the last Emperor of Russia, Nicholas Romanov, was killed in 1918. Due to the concealment of facts by the Bolsheviks, a number of alternative versions appear. For a long time there were rumors that turned the murder of the royal family into a legend. There were theories that one of his children escaped.

What really happened in the summer of 1918 near Yekaterinburg? You will find the answer to this question in our article.

Background

Russia at the beginning of the twentieth century was one of the most economically developed countries in the world. Nikolai Alexandrovich, who came to power, turned out to be a meek and noble man. In spirit he was not an autocrat, but an officer. Therefore, with his views on life, it was difficult to manage the crumbling state.

The revolution of 1905 showed the insolvency of the government and its isolation from the people. In fact, there were two powers in the country. The official one is the emperor, and the real one is officials, nobles and landowners. It was the latter who, with their greed, licentiousness and short-sightedness, destroyed the once great power.

Strikes and rallies, demonstrations and bread riots, famine. All this indicated decline. The only way out could be the accession to the throne of an imperious and tough ruler who could take complete control of the country.

Nicholas II was not like that. It was focused on construction railways, churches, improving the economy and culture in society. He managed to make progress in these areas. But positive changes affected mainly only the top of society, while the majority of ordinary residents remained at the level of the Middle Ages. Splinters, wells, carts and everyday life of peasants and craftsmen.

After the entry of the Russian Empire into the First world war The people's discontent only intensified. The execution of the royal family became the apotheosis of general madness. Next we will look at this crime in more detail.

Now it is important to note the following. After the abdication of Emperor Nicholas II and his brother from the throne, soldiers, workers and peasants began to take the leading roles in the state. People who have not previously dealt with management, who have a minimal level of culture and superficial judgments, gain power.

Small local commissars wanted to curry favor with the higher ranks. The rank and file and junior officers simply mindlessly followed orders. Time of Troubles, which came during these turbulent years, brought unfavorable elements to the surface.

Next you will see more photos of the Romanov royal family. If you look at them carefully, you will notice that the clothes of the emperor, his wife and children are by no means pompous. They are no different from the peasants and guards who surrounded them in exile.
Let's figure out what really happened in Yekaterinburg in July 1918.

Course of events

The execution of the royal family was planned and prepared for quite a long time. While power was still in the hands of the Provisional Government, they tried to protect them. Therefore, after the events in July 1917 in Petrograd, the emperor, his wife, children and retinue were transferred to Tobolsk.

The place was deliberately chosen to be calm. But in fact, they found one from which it was difficult to escape. By that time, the railway lines had not yet been extended to Tobolsk. The nearest station was two hundred and eighty kilometers away.

They sought to protect the emperor's family, so the exile to Tobolsk became for Nicholas II a respite before the subsequent nightmare. The king, queen, their children and retinue stayed there for more than six months.

But in April, after a fierce struggle for power, the Bolsheviks recalled “unfinished business.” The decision is made to deliver all imperial family to Yekaterinburg, which at that time was a stronghold of the red movement.

The first to be transferred from Petrograd to Perm was Prince Mikhail, the Tsar’s brother. At the end of March, their son Mikhail and three children of Konstantin Konstantinovich were deported to Vyatka. Later, the last four are transferred to Yekaterinburg.

The main reason for the transfer to the east was Nikolai Alexandrovich’s family ties with the German Emperor Wilhelm, as well as the proximity of the Entente to Petrograd. The revolutionaries feared the release of the Tsar and the restoration of the monarchy.

The role of Yakovlev, who was tasked with transporting the emperor and his family from Tobolsk to Yekaterinburg, is interesting. He knew about the assassination attempt on the Tsar that was being prepared by the Siberian Bolsheviks.

Judging by the archives, there are two opinions of experts. The first ones say that in reality this is Konstantin Myachin. And he received a directive from the Center to “deliver the Tsar and his family to Moscow.” The latter are inclined to believe that Yakovlev was a European spy who intended to save the emperor by taking him to Japan through Omsk and Vladivostok.

After arriving in Yekaterinburg, all prisoners were placed in Ipatiev’s mansion. A photo of the Romanov royal family was preserved when Yakovlev handed it over to the Urals Council. The place of detention among the revolutionaries was called a “house of special purpose.”

Here they were kept for seventy-eight days. The relationship of the convoy to the emperor and his family will be discussed in more detail below. For now, it is important to focus on the fact that it was rude and boorish. They were robbed, psychologically and morally oppressed, abused so that they were not noticeable outside the walls of the mansion.

Considering the results of the investigations, we will take a closer look at the night when the monarch with his family and retinue were shot. Now we note that the execution took place at approximately half past two in the morning. Life physician Botkin, on the orders of the revolutionaries, woke up all the prisoners and went down with them to the basement.

A terrible crime took place there. Yurovsky commanded. He blurted out a prepared phrase that “they are trying to save them, and the matter cannot be delayed.” None of the prisoners understood anything. Nicholas II only had time to ask that what was said be repeated, but the soldiers, frightened by the horror of the situation, began to shoot indiscriminately. Moreover, several punishers fired from another room through the doorway. According to eyewitnesses, not everyone was killed the first time. Some were finished off with a bayonet.

Thus, this indicates a hasty and unprepared operation. The execution became lynching, which the Bolsheviks, who had lost their heads, resorted to.

Government disinformation

The execution of the royal family still remains an unsolved mystery of Russian history. Responsibility for this atrocity may lie both with Lenin and Sverdlov, for whom the Urals Soviet simply provided an alibi, and directly with the Siberian revolutionaries, who succumbed to general panic and lost their heads in wartime conditions.

Nevertheless, immediately after the atrocity, the government began a campaign to whiten its reputation. Among researchers studying this period, the latest actions are called a “disinformation campaign.”

The death of the royal family was proclaimed the only necessary measure. Since, judging by the ordered Bolshevik articles, a counter-revolutionary conspiracy was uncovered. Some white officers planned to attack the Ipatiev mansion and free the emperor and his family.

The second point, which was furiously hidden for many years, was that eleven people were shot. The Emperor, his wife, five children and four servants.

The events of the crime were not disclosed for several years. Official recognition was given only in 1925. This decision was prompted by the publication of a book in Western Europe that outlined the results of Sokolov’s investigation. Then Bykov is instructed to write about “the current course of events.” This brochure was published in Sverdlovsk in 1926.

Nevertheless, the lies of the Bolsheviks at the international level, as well as hiding the truth from the common people, shook faith in power. and its consequences, according to Lykova, became the reason for people's distrust of the government, which did not change even in post-Soviet times.

The fate of the remaining Romanovs

The execution of the royal family had to be prepared. A similar “warm-up” was the liquidation of the Emperor’s brother Mikhail Alexandrovich and his personal secretary.
On the night from the twelfth to the thirteenth of June 1918, they were forcibly taken from the Perm hotel outside the city. They were shot in the forest, and their remains have not yet been discovered.

A statement was made to the international press that the Grand Duke had been kidnapped by attackers and went missing. For Russia, the official version was the escape of Mikhail Alexandrovich.

The main purpose of such a statement was to speed up the trial of the emperor and his family. They started a rumor that the escapee could contribute to the release of the “bloody tyrant” from “just punishment.”

It was not only the last royal family that suffered. In Vologda, eight people related to the Romanovs were also killed. The victims include the princes of the imperial blood Igor, Ivan and Konstantin Konstantinovich, Grand Duchess Elizabeth, Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich, Prince Paley, the manager and the cell attendant.

All of them were thrown into the Nizhnyaya Selimskaya mine, not far from the city of Alapaevsk. Only he resisted and was shot. The rest were stunned and thrown down alive. In 2009, they were all canonized as martyrs.

But the thirst for blood did not subside. In January 1919, four more Romanovs were also shot in the Peter and Paul Fortress. Nikolai and Georgy Mikhailovich, Dmitry Konstantinovich and Pavel Alexandrovich. The official version of the revolutionary committee was the following: the liquidation of hostages in response to the murder of Liebknecht and Luxemburg in Germany.

Memoirs of contemporaries

Researchers have tried to reconstruct how members of the royal family were killed. The best way to cope with this is the testimony of the people who were present there.
The first such source is notes from Trotsky's personal diary. He noted that the blame lies with the local authorities. He especially singled out the names of Stalin and Sverdlov as the people who made this decision. Lev Davidovich writes that as Czechoslovak troops approached, Stalin’s phrase that “the Tsar cannot be handed over to the White Guards” became a death sentence.

But scientists doubt the accurate reflection of events in the notes. They were made in the late thirties, when he was working on a biography of Stalin. A number of mistakes were made there, indicating that Trotsky forgot many of those events.

The second evidence is information from Milyutin’s diary, which mentions the murder of the royal family. He writes that Sverdlov came to the meeting and asked Lenin to speak. As soon as Yakov Mikhailovich said that the Tsar was gone, Vladimir Ilyich abruptly changed the topic and continued the meeting as if the previous phrase had not happened.

The most complete history of the royal family in last days life was restored based on the interrogation protocols of the participants in these events. People from the guard, punitive and funeral squads testified several times.

Although they are often confused, the main idea remains the same. All the Bolsheviks who were close to the tsar in recent months had complaints against him. Some were in prison themselves in the past, others had relatives. In general, they gathered a contingent of former prisoners.

In Yekaterinburg, anarchists and Socialist Revolutionaries put pressure on the Bolsheviks. In order not to lose authority, the local council decided to quickly put an end to this matter. Moreover, there was a rumor that Lenin wanted to exchange the royal family for a reduction in the amount of indemnity.

According to the participants, this was the only solution. In addition, many of them boasted during interrogations that they personally killed the emperor. Some with one, and some with three shots. Judging by the diaries of Nikolai and his wife, the workers guarding them were often drunk. That's why real events cannot be restored for certain.

What happened to the remains

The murder of the royal family took place secretly and was planned to be kept secret. But those responsible for the disposal of the remains failed to cope with their task.

A very large funeral team was assembled. Yurovsky had to send many back to the city “as unnecessary.”

According to the testimony of the participants in the process, they spent several days with the task. At first it was planned to burn the clothes and throw the naked bodies into the mine and cover them with earth. But the collapse did not work out. We had to extract the remains of the royal family and come up with another method.

It was decided to burn them or bury them along the road that was just under construction. The preliminary plan was to disfigure the bodies with sulfuric acid beyond recognition. It is clear from the protocols that two corpses were burned and the rest were buried.

Presumably the body of Alexei and one of the servant girls burned.

The second difficulty was that the team was busy all night, and in the morning travelers began to appear. An order was given to cordon off the area and prohibit travel from the neighboring village. But the secrecy of the operation was hopelessly failed.

The investigation showed that attempts to bury the bodies were near shaft No. 7 and the 184th crossing. In particular, they were discovered near the latter in 1991.

Kirsta's investigation

On July 26-27, 1918, peasants discovered a golden cross with precious stones in a fire pit near the Isetsky mine. The find was immediately delivered to Lieutenant Sheremetyev, who was hiding from the Bolsheviks in the village of Koptyaki. It was carried out, but later the case was assigned to Kirsta.

He began to study the testimony of witnesses pointing to the murder of the Romanov royal family. The information confused and frightened him. The investigator did not expect that this was not the consequences of a military court, but a criminal case.

He began questioning witnesses who gave conflicting testimony. But based on them, Kirsta concluded that perhaps only the emperor and his heir were shot. The rest of the family was taken to Perm.

It seems that this investigator set himself the goal of proving that not the entire Romanov royal family was killed. Even after he clearly confirmed the crime, Kirsta continued to interrogate more people.

So, over time, he finds a certain doctor Utochkin, who proved that he treated Princess Anastasia. Then another witness spoke about the transfer of the emperor’s wife and some of the children to Perm, which she knew about from rumors.

After Kirsta completely confused the case, it was given to another investigator.

Sokolov's investigation

Kolchak, who came to power in 1919, ordered Dieterichs to understand how the Romanov royal family was killed. The latter entrusted this case to the investigator for particularly important cases of the Omsk District.

His last name was Sokolov. This man began to investigate the murder of the royal family from scratch. Although all the paperwork was handed over to him, he did not trust Kirsta’s confusing protocols.

Sokolov again visited the mine, as well as Ipatiev’s mansion. Inspection of the house was made difficult by the location of the Czech army headquarters there. However, a German inscription on the wall was discovered, a quote from Heine's verse about the monarch being killed by his subjects. The words were clearly scratched out after the city was lost to the Reds.

In addition to documents on Yekaterinburg, the investigator was sent cases on the Perm murder of Prince Mikhail and on the crime against the princes in Alapaevsk.

After the Bolsheviks recapture this region, Sokolov takes all office work to Harbin, and then to Western Europe. Photos of the royal family, diaries, evidence, etc. were evacuated.

He published the results of the investigation in 1924 in Paris. In 1997, Hans-Adam II, Prince of Liechtenstein, transferred all paperwork to the Russian government. In exchange, he was given the archives of his family, taken away during the Second World War.

Modern investigation

In 1979, a group of enthusiasts led by Ryabov and Avdonin archival documents discovered a burial near the 184 km station. In 1991, the latter stated that he knew where the remains of the executed emperor were. An investigation was re-launched to finally shed light on the murder of the royal family.

The main work on this case was carried out in the archives of the two capitals and in the cities that appeared in the reports of the twenties. Protocols, letters, telegrams, photos of the royal family and their diaries were studied. In addition, with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, research was carried out in the archives of most countries Western Europe and the USA.

The investigation of the burial was carried out by the senior prosecutor-criminologist Soloviev. In general, he confirmed all of Sokolov’s materials. His message to Patriarch Alexei II states that “under the conditions of that time, the complete destruction of the corpses was impossible.”

In addition, the investigation of the late 20th - early 21st centuries completely refuted alternative versions of events, which we will discuss later.
The canonization of the royal family was carried out in 1981 by the Russian Orthodox Church abroad, and in Russia in 2000.

Since the Bolsheviks tried to keep this crime secret, rumors spread, contributing to the formation of alternative versions.

So, according to one of them, it was a ritual murder as a result of a conspiracy of Jewish Freemasons. One of the investigator's assistants testified that he saw "kabbalistic symbols" on the walls of the basement. When checked, these turned out to be traces of bullets and bayonets.

According to Dieterichs' theory, the emperor's head was cut off and preserved in alcohol. The finds of remains also refuted this crazy idea.

Rumors spread by the Bolsheviks and false testimonies of “eyewitnesses” gave rise to a series of versions about the people who escaped. But photographs of the royal family in the last days of their lives do not confirm them. And also the found and identified remains refute these versions.

Only after all the facts of this crime were proven, the canonization of the royal family took place in Russia. This explains why it was held 19 years later than abroad.

So, in this article we got acquainted with the circumstances and investigation of one of the most terrible atrocities in the history of Russia in the twentieth century.

The main condition for the presence of immortality is death itself.
Stanislav Jerzy Lec

The execution of the Romanov royal family on the night of July 17, 1918 is one of major events era of the civil war, the formation Soviet power, as well as Russia's exit from the First World War. The murder of Nicholas 2 and his family was largely predetermined by the seizure of power by the Bolsheviks. But in this story, not everything is as simple as it is usually said. In this article I will present all the facts that are known in this case in order to assess the events of those days.

Background of events

We should start with the fact that Nicholas 2 was not the last Russian emperor, as many believe today. He abdicated the throne (for himself and for his son Alexei) in favor of his brother, Mikhail Romanov. So he is the last emperor. This is important to remember; we will return to this fact later. Also, in most textbooks, the execution of the royal family is equated with the murder of the family of Nicholas 2. But these were not all Romanovs. To understand how many people we are talking about, I will give only data on the latest Russian emperors:

Nicholas 1 – 4 sons and 4 daughters.
Alexander 2 – 6 sons and 2 daughters.
Alexander 3 – 4 sons and 2 daughters.
Nikolai 2 – son and 4 daughters.

That is, the family is very large, and anyone from the list above is a direct descendant of the imperial branch, and therefore a direct contender for the throne. But most of them also had children of their own...

Arrest of members of the royal family

Nicholas 2, having abdicated the throne, put forward fairly simple demands, the implementation of which was guaranteed by the Provisional Government. The requirements were the following:

The emperor's safe transfer to Tsarskoe Selo to his family, where at that time Tsarevich Alexei was no longer there.
The safety of the entire family during their stay in Tsarskoye Selo until Tsarevich Alexei’s complete recovery.
Safety of the road to the northern ports of Russia, from where Nicholas 2 and his family must cross to England.
After the end of the Civil War, the royal family will return to Russia and live in Livadia (Crimea).

These points are important to understand in order to see the intentions of Nicholas 2 and subsequently the Bolsheviks. The emperor abdicated the throne so that the current government would ensure his safe exit to England.

What is the role of the British government?

The provisional government of Russia, after receiving the demands of Nicholas 2, turned to England with the question of the latter’s consent to host the Russian monarch. A positive response was received. But here it is important to understand that the request itself was a formality. The fact is that at that time an investigation was underway against the royal family, during which time travel outside Russia was impossible. Therefore, England, by giving consent, did not risk anything at all. Something else is much more interesting. After the complete acquittal of Nicholas 2, the Provisional Government again makes a request to England, but this time more specific. This time the question was posed not abstractly, but concretely, because everything was ready for moving to the island. But then England refused.

Therefore, when today Western countries and people, shouting at every corner about innocent people killed, talk about the execution of Nicholas 2, this only causes a reaction of disgust at their hypocrisy. One word from the English government that they agree to accept Nicholas 2 and his family, and in principle there would be no execution. But they refused...

In the photo on the left is Nicholas 2, on the right is George 4, King of England. They were distant relatives and had obvious similarities in appearance.

When was the Romanov royal family executed?

Murder of Mikhail

After October revolution Mikhail Romanov turned to the Bolsheviks with a request to remain in Russia as an ordinary citizen. This request was granted. But the last Russian emperor was not destined to live “in peace” for long. Already in March 1918 he was arrested. There is no reason for the arrest. Until now, not a single historian has been able to find a single historical document explaining the reason for the arrest of Mikhail Romanov.

After his arrest, on March 17 he was sent to Perm, where he lived for several months in a hotel. On the night of July 13, 1918, he was taken from the hotel and shot. This was the first victim of the Romanov family by the Bolsheviks. The official reaction of the USSR to this event was ambivalent:

It was announced to its citizens that Mikhail had shamefully fled Russia abroad. Thus, the authorities got rid of unnecessary questions, and, most importantly, received a legitimate reason to tighten the maintenance of the remaining members of the royal family.
It was announced to foreign countries through the media that Mikhail was missing. They say he went out for a walk on the night of July 13 and did not return.

Execution of the family of Nicholas 2

The backstory here is very interesting. Immediately after the October Revolution, the Romanov royal family was arrested. The investigation did not reveal the guilt of Nikolai 2, so the charges were dropped. At the same time, it was impossible to let the family go to England (the British refused), and the Bolsheviks really didn’t want to send them to Crimea, because the “whites” were very close there. And throughout almost the entire Civil War, Crimea was under control white movement, and all the Romanovs located on the peninsula were saved by moving to Europe. Therefore, they decided to send them to Tobolsk. The fact of the secrecy of the shipment is also noted in his diaries by Nikolai 2, who writes that they would be taken to ONE of the cities in the interior of the country.

Until March, the royal family lived in Tobolsk relatively calmly, but on March 24 an investigator arrived here, and on March 26 a reinforced detachment of Red Army soldiers arrived. In fact, from that time on, enhanced security measures began. The basis is the imaginary flight of Mikhail.

Subsequently, the family was transported to Yekaterinburg, where they settled in the Ipatiev house. On the night of July 17, 1918, the Romanov royal family was shot. Their servants were shot along with them. In total, the following died that day:

Nikolay 2,
His wife, Alexandra
The emperor's children are Tsarevich Alexei, Maria, Tatiana and Anastasia.
Family doctor – Botkin
Maid – Demidova
Personal chef – Kharitonov
Lackey - Troupe.

In total, 10 people were shot. Corpses by official version was thrown into a mine and filled with acid.

Who killed the family of Nicholas 2?

I have already said above that starting in March, the security of the royal family was significantly increased. After moving to Yekaterinburg it was already a full-fledged arrest. The family was settled in Ipatiev’s house, and a guard was presented to them, the head of the garrison of which was Avdeev. On July 4, almost the entire guard was replaced, as was its commander. Subsequently, it was these people who were accused of murdering the royal family:

Yakov Yurovsky. He directed the execution.
Grigory Nikulin. Yurovsky's assistant.
Peter Ermakov. Chief of the Emperor's guard.
Mikhail Medvedev-Kudrin. Representative of the Cheka.

These are the main people, but there were also ordinary performers. It is noteworthy that they all significantly survived this event. Most subsequently took part in the Second World War and received a USSR pension.

Massacre of the rest of the family

Beginning in March 1918, other members of the royal family were gathered in Alapaevsk (Perm province). In particular, the following are imprisoned here: Princess Elizaveta Feodorovna, princes John, Konstantin and Igor, as well as Vladimir Paley. The latter was the grandson of Alexander 2, but had a different surname. Subsequently, they were all transported to Vologda, where on July 19, 1918 they were thrown alive into a mine.

The latest events in the destruction of the Romanov dynastic family date back to January 19, 1919, when princes Nikolai and Georgiy Mikhailovich, Pavel Alexandrovich and Dmitry Konstantinovich were shot in the Peter and Paul Fortress.

Reaction to the murder of the Romanov imperial family

The murder of the family of Nicholas 2 had the greatest resonance, which is why it needs to be studied. There are many sources indicating that when Lenin was informed about the murder of Nicholas 2, he did not even seem to react to it. It is impossible to verify such judgments, but you can refer to archival documents. In particular, we are interested in Minutes No. 159 of the Council meeting People's Commissars dated July 18, 1918. The protocol is very short. We heard the question of the murder of Nicholas 2. We decided to take it into account. That's it, just take note. There are no other documents regarding this case! This is completely absurd. It's the 20th century, but not a single document regarding such an important document has been preserved. historical event, except for one note “Take note”...

However, the main response to murder is investigation. They started

Investigation into the murder of the family of Nicholas 2

The Bolshevik leadership, as expected, began an investigation into the murder of the family. The official investigation began on July 21. She carried out the investigation quite quickly, since Kolchak’s troops were approaching Yekaterinburg. The main conclusion of this official investigation is that there was no murder. Only Nicholas 2 was shot by the verdict of the Yekaterinburg Council. But there are a number of very weak points that still cast doubt on the veracity of the investigation:

The investigation began a week later. They kill in Russia former emperor, and the authorities react to this a week later! Why was there this week of pause?
Why conduct an investigation if the execution happened on the orders of the Soviets? In this case, on July 17, the Bolsheviks were supposed to report that “the execution of the Romanov royal family took place on the orders of the Yekaterinburg Council. Nikolai 2 was shot, but his family was not touched.”
There are no supporting documents. Even today, all references to the decision of the Yekaterinburg Council are oral. Even in Stalin times, when millions were shot, documents remained, saying “the decision of the troika and so on”...

On the 20th of July 1918, Kolchak’s army entered Yekaterinburg, and one of the first orders was to begin an investigation into the tragedy. Today everyone is talking about investigator Sokolov, but before him there were 2 more investigators with the names Nametkin and Sergeev. No one has officially seen their reports. And Sokolov’s report was published only in 1924. According to the investigator, the entire royal family was shot. By this time (back in 1921), the same data was announced by the Soviet leadership.

The order of destruction of the Romanov dynasty

In the story of the execution of the royal family, it is very important to follow the chronology, otherwise you can very easily get confused. And the chronology here is as follows - the dynasty was destroyed in the order of contenders for inheriting the throne.

Who was the first contender for the throne? That's right, Mikhail Romanov. I remind you once again - back in 1917, Nicholas 2 abdicated the throne for himself and for his son in favor of Mikhail. Therefore, he was the last emperor, and he was the first contender for the throne in the event of the restoration of the Empire. Mikhail Romanov was killed on July 13, 1918.

Who was next in line of succession? Nicholas 2 and his son, Tsarevich Alexei. The candidacy of Nicholas 2 is controversial; in the end, he abdicated power on his own. Although in his regard everyone could have played it the other way, because in those days almost all laws were violated. But Tsarevich Alexei was a clear contender. The father had no legal right to refuse the throne for his son. As a result, the entire family of Nicholas 2 was shot on July 17, 1918.

Next in line were all the other princes, of whom there were quite a few. Most of them were collected in Alapaevsk and killed on July 1, 9, 1918. As they say, estimate the speed: 13, 17, 19. If we were talking about random unrelated murders, then such similarity would simply not exist. In less than 1 week, almost all the contenders for the throne were killed, and in order of succession, but history today considers these events in isolation from each other, and absolutely not paying attention to controversial areas.

Alternative versions of the tragedy

A key alternative version of this historical event is outlined in the book “The Murder That Never Happened” by Tom Mangold and Anthony Summers. It states the hypothesis that there was no execution. IN general outline the situation is as follows...

The reasons for the events of those days should be sought in the Brest-Litovsk Peace Treaty between Russia and Germany. Argument - despite the fact that the secrecy stamp on the documents had long been removed (it was 60 years old, that is, there should have been publication in 1978), there is not a single full version this document. Indirect confirmation of this is that the “executions” began precisely after the signing of the peace treaty.
It is a well-known fact that the wife of Nicholas 2, Alexandra, was a relative of the German Kaiser Wilhelm 2. It is assumed that Wilhelm 2 contributed to Treaty of Brest-Litovsk a clause according to which Russia undertakes to ensure the safe exit to Germany of Alexandra and her daughters.
As a result, the Bolsheviks handed over the women to Germany, and left Nicholas 2 and his son Alexei as hostages. Subsequently, Tsarevich Alexei grew up into Alexei Kosygin.

Stalin gave a new twist to this version. It is a well-known fact that one of his favorites was Alexey Kosygin. There are no big reasons to believe this theory, but there is one detail. It is known that Stalin always called Kosygin nothing more than “prince.”

Canonization of the royal family

In 1981, the Russian Orthodox Church abroad canonized Nicholas 2 and his family as great martyrs. In 2000, this happened in Russia. Today, Nicholas 2 and his family are great martyrs and innocent victims, and therefore saints.

A few words about Ipatiev’s house

The Ipatiev House is the place where the family of Nicholas 2 was imprisoned. There is a very reasoned hypothesis that it was possible to escape from this house. Moreover, in contrast to the unfounded alternative version, there is one significant fact. So, the general version is that there was an underground passage from the basement of Ipatiev’s house, which no one knew about, and which led to a factory located nearby. Evidence of this has already been provided in our days. Boris Yeltsin gave the order to demolish the house and build a church in its place. This was done, but one of the bulldozers during work fell into this very underground passage. There is no other evidence of the possible escape of the royal family, but the fact itself is interesting. At the very least, it leaves room for thought.

Today, the house has been demolished, and the Temple on the Blood was erected in its place.

Summarizing

In 2008, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation recognized the family of Nicholas 2 as victims of repression. Case is closed.

And today many believe that one of the children could have been saved and that their offspring could live among us.

After the massacre of the imperial family, many believed that Anastasia managed to escape

People all over the world have been reincarnated as Anastasia. One of the most prominent impostors was Anna Anderson. I think she was from Poland.

Scientists were able to compare the DNA of the found remains and modern followers of the royal family

Many people believed that the Bolsheviks buried the Romanovs in various places in the Sverdlovsk region. In addition, many were convinced that two of the children were able to escape.

Some people devoted their free time to searching for traces of the real burial site of the family

In 2007, Sergei Plotnikov, one of the founders of an amateur historical group, made an amazing discovery. His group was searching for any facts related to the royal family.

To his surprise, he found several fragments of pelvic and skull bones. After an examination, it was established that these bones belong to the children of Nicholas II.

Few people know that the methods of killing family members differed from each other.

After an analysis of the bones of Alexei and Maria, it was found that the bones were severely damaged, but differently than the bones of the emperor himself.

Traces of bullets were found on Nikolai's remains, which means the children were killed in a different way. The rest of the family also suffered in their own ways.

There was a lot of confusion around the Romanov bones, but in the end scientists were able to establish that they belonged to the family

One of the research groups was very close to the truth, but they soon ran out of money

In 1990, another group of archaeologists decided to start excavations, in the hope that they would be able to discover some more traces of the location of the remains of the Romanovs.

Due to the fact that the Russian Orthodox Church demanded more and more confirmation of the authenticity of the Romanov bones, the reburial was postponed several times

The successors of the Romanov family supported the Russian Orthodox Church, demanding additional research and confirmation that the bones really belong to the children of Nicholas II.

The Bolsheviks eliminated the bulk of the imperial family, but their distant relatives are alive to this day

Another relative who helped with DNA identification is Prince Michael of Kent. His grandmother was a cousin of Nicholas II.

There are eight more successors of this family: Hugh Grosvenor, Constantine II, Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna Romanova, Grand Duke George Mikhailovich, Olga Andreevna Romanova, Francis Alexander Matthew, Nicoletta Romanova, Rostislav Romanov. But these relatives did not provide their DNA for analysis, since Prince Philip and Prince Michael of Kent were recognized as the closest relatives.

Of course the Bolsheviks tried to cover up the traces of their crime

The Bolsheviks executed the royal family in Yekaterinburg, and they needed to somehow hide the evidence of the crime.

To cremate a human body, you need a very high temperature, and the Bolsheviks were in the forest, and they did not have the opportunity to create the necessary conditions. After unsuccessful attempts at cremation, they finally decided to bury the bodies, but divided the family into two graves.

The fact that the family was not buried together explains why not all family members were initially found. This also disproves the theory that Alexei and Maria managed to escape.

By decision of the Russian Orthodox Church, the remains of the Romanovs were buried in one of the churches in St. Petersburg

The last farewell ceremony took place in an Orthodox church and lasted three days. During the funeral procession, many still questioned the authenticity of the remains. But scientists say the bones match 97% of the royal family's DNA.

Almost a hundred years have passed since that terrible night when the Russian Empire ceased to exist forever. Until now, no historian can state unequivocally what happened that night and whether any of the family members survived. Most likely, the secret of this family will remain unsolved and we can only guess what really happened.