Nicholas II | Nicholas II

The fate of the regicides who murdered Nicholas II and his family

Posted on July 17, 2023 by Paul Gilbert

PHOTO: Pyotr Ermakov, Mikhail Medvedev-Kudrin,
Pavel Medvedev, Yakov Yurovsky and Grigory Nikulin

The murders of Emperor Nicholas II, his family and four faithful retainers in Ekaterinburg on 17th July 1918, remains one of the darkest pages in 20th century Russian history. To this day, historians and investigators are not entirely sure of all those who participated in the regicide, only the names of some of them are known – those who admitted that they were a participant in the regicide, or those of whom were identified by witnesses. The fate of many of these regicides also ended tragically, their lives being overtaken by disease or an equally violent death.

It is known that the direct leader of the liquidation of the Imperial family was Yankel Khaimovich, better known as Yakov Yurovsky. He lived until 1938 and died of a duodenal ulcer. In Soviet times, they said that his son was not responsible for his father’s crime, but the apple didn’t fall far from the tree in the Yurovsky family. The eldest son Alexander, ended up in the Butyrka prison in 1952, but was released a year later. The daughter Rimma was also arrested in March 1938. She served a sentence in the Karaganda forced labour camp until 1946. Yurovsky’s grandchildren were not spared either, dying under mysterious circumstances. Two died after falling from a roof, while the other two were burned to death in a fire. It is worth recalling that the blood of Tsar Nicholas II was spilled by Yurovsky. He himself recalled: “I fired the first shot and killed Nikolai on the spot.”

The leading Russian playwright and historian Edvard Radzinsky was most intrigued by the idea that there was photographic evidence of the murdered remains of the Imperial family.

PHOTO: Yakov Yurovsky

“Yurovsky was a professional photographer,” he says. “He confiscated a camera from the Tsarina. It was impossible for him to take pictures immediately after the execution — he was a little bit crazy, they continued to be alive, they continued to kill them. But afterwards, he had three days. He had an opportunity to take a camera to the grave. It is impossible for a man who likes pictures not to take such pictures.”

Could there be any truth to his idea, or did Radzinsky give birth to yet another Romanov conspiracy theory? Radzinsky is a playwright, and perhaps his creative imagination got the better of him, but who knows? Yurovsky had already proven what he was capable of, so anything was possible! There is also the possibility that Yurovsky took such photos to take with him when he left for Moscow after the murders, as evidence to Lenin and Sverdlov that the regicide had been carried out?

“IF” such photographs ever existed, we can surely assume that they would have been destroyed. Lenin was both crafty and careful not to leave a paper trail that would implicate him in dubious affairs – murder being one of them.

Click HERE to read my article Yakov Yurovskys’ ashes remain hidden from vandals in Moscow, published on 23rd November 2019

The personality of Pyotr Ermakov was no less significant in the murders of the Imperial family. According to his own recollections, it was he who killed the Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, the cook Ivan Kharitonov and the doctor Evgeny Botkin. He often boasted of his crime, without feeling any sense of remorse: “I shot the Tsarina who was seated only six feet away, I could not miss. My bullet hit her right in the mouth, two seconds later she was dead. Then I shot Dr. Botkin. He threw up his hands and half turned away. The bullet hit him in the neck. He fell backwards. Yurovsky’s shot knocked the Tsesarevich to the floor, where he lay and groaned. The cook Kharitonov was huddled over in the corner. I shot him first in the torso and then in the head. The footman Troupe also fell, I don’t know who shot him … ” Ermakov died of cancer on 22nd May 1952.

Since the 1990s, Ermakov’s grave in the Ivanovo Cemetery in Ekaterinburg. has been repeatedly vandalized by local monarchists, who regularly douse his gravestone with red paint.

The red paint symbolizes the blood which this evil man spilled, and his involvement in the brutal murder of Nicholas II and his family on 17th July 1918.

In 1951, at a reception, which gathered all the local Party elite in Sverdlovsk, Peter Ermakov approached Soviet Red Army General Georgy Zhukov and held out his hand. Frowning in disgust Zhukov looked Ermakov in the eye, and muttered, “I do not shake the hands of murderers.”

Every year on 17th July – the day marking the anniversary of the murder of Emperor Nicholas II and his family – the grave of the Bolshevik revolutionary Peter Ermakov, has been vandalized by local monarchists, who douse his gravestone with red paint.

Click HERE to read my article ‘You reap what you sow’ – Monarchists take revenge on the regicide Peter Ermakov, published on 17th January 2023.

He left a testimony regarding another regicide: “Stepan Vaganov dealt with the grand duchesses: they lay dying in a heap on the floor and groaned … Vaganov continued to shoot at Olga and Tatiana … I don’t think any of us shot the maid Demidova. She sank to the floor, shielding herself with pillows. Vaganov, later pierced her throat with his bayonet … ” Death found Vaganov in the same ill-fated year of 1918. When Kolchak’s army took Ekaterinburg, Vaganov did not escape, instead he hid in a basement, where he was found by relatives of those killed during the raids. They did not stand on ceremony for long – they killed him on the spot. Perhaps in vain, because he could have given interesting testimony, having fallen into the hands of the investigators who were engaged in clarifying the fate of the Imperial family. But the fact remains: Vaganov did not die of natural causes.

Pavel Medvedev turned out to be not just a murderer, but also a thief. He recalled: “Walking around the rooms, I found six 10-ruble credit tickets under the book Закон Божий (God’s Law), in one of them, and appropriated this money for myself. I also took some silver rings and some other knickknacks.” Medvedev, unlike Ermakov, fell into the hands of Kolchak’s troops. He fled from Ekaterinburg, but, was captured, and he was charged with “murder by prior conspiracy with other persons and the seizure of the property of the former Emperor Nicholas II, his wife Alexandra Feodorovna, the heir to Alexei Nikolaevich and Grand Duchesses Olga, Maria , Tatyana, Anastasia, as well as the physician Dr. Botkin, the maid Anna Demidova, the cook Kharitonov and the footman Troupe. “In 1919, Medvedev died in prison from typhus, however, his widow claimed that he was killed by White Guards.

PHOTO: Philip Goloshchekin

It was no coincidence that Sergei Broido ended up in the Ipatiev House, but he also took part in the murder of the Imperial family by order. Mikhail Medvedev-Kudrin, who also took part in the murders, recalled: “It is known that Broido, along with Ermakov and Goloschekin, arrived in a car at the Ipatiev House on the eve of the murder. It is believed that due to a lack of men to carry out the execution, he was recruited at the last minute by order of Yurovsky.” On 8th March 1937, Broido was first convicted under Article 58 of the RSFSR Criminal Code, for being a Trotskyist, and subsequently shot.

The youngest regicide was Viktor Netrebin. At the time of the crime, he was only 17 years old. Netrebin disappeared in 1935. The Latvian Jan Cemles also disappeared.

But there were also those who organized the murders of the Imperial family and their retainers. Among them was Shaya Itsikovich, known as Philip Goloshchekin, who is known to be one of the organizers. It was he who came up with the idea of execution, even travelling to Moscow to discuss his plans with Lenin and Sverdlov. Goloshchekin was not present himself during the murders, but he took part in the removal and destruction of the remains. On 15th October 1939, Goloshchekin was arrested for sympathizing with the Trotskyists. Another fact from his biography is particularly noteworthy. After his arrest, and during interrogation the People’s Commissar of Internal Affairs Nikolai Yezhov, claimed that he had a homosexual relationship with Goloshchekin. On 28th October 1941, Goloshchekin was shot near Samara. A colleague and another organizer of the execution of the Imperial family, Yakov Sverdlov, described Goloshchekin as follows: “I stayed with Goloshchekin for several days, things are bad with him. He has become neurasthenic and becomes a misanthrope.” An interesting fact is that Sverdlov did not die of natural causes. According to the official version, he died of the Spanish flu, which raged after the First World War, but there is a second version, according to which the workers beat Sverdlov in Oryol and he died from the injuries he sustained.

Pyotr Voikov was also an organizer and participant in the murder of Nicholas II and his family. Diplomat-defector Grigory Besedovsky, who knew Voikov personally, recalled: “As commandant of the Ipatiev House, the execution of the decree was entrusted to Yurovsky. During the execution, Voikov was supposed to be present, as a delegate to the regional party committee. He, as a scientist and chemist, was instructed to develop a plan for the complete destruction of the bodies. Voikov was also instructed to read the decree on the execution to the Imperial family, with a motivation that consisted of several lines, and learned this decree by heart in order to read it out as solemnly as possible, believing that thereby he would go down in history as one of the main participants in this tragedy”. Voikov was killed in Warsaw in June 1927 by the Russian émigré Boris Koverda. During interrogation, Koverda stated about the motives of his act: “I avenged Russia, for millions of people.” Boris Koverda spent 10 years in Polish prisons and was granted amnesty. After his release in 1937, he lived another 50 years and died in Washington at the age of 79.

Not only did these men committed regicide, they also helped to drown Russia in blood. Today, streets, squares and even metro stations of Russia’s cities are named after some of them. Is this right? No! These men will forever, have their names inscribed in the history of Russia, not as scientists or engineers, but as murderers.

Holy Royal Martyrs, pray to God for us!
Святы Царственные мученики, молите Бога о нас!

***

The following NEW title was compiled and edited by independent researchers and Romanov historian Paul Gilbert was published in August 2024.

This fascinating new study features 14 chapters on this tragic event, which include the memoirs of a British intelligence officer and journalist, and two First-English translations. In addition, 11 chapters were written by Paul Gilbert, based on new documents sourced from Russian archival and media sources over the past decade.

Please refer to the link provided for further details about the content of this new title . . .

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT THIS TITLE

NEW BOOK: A Day in the Life of Russia’s Last Tsar

Posted on July 14, 2023 by Paul Gilbert

*This title is available from AMAZON in the USA, UK, Canada, Australia,
France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden and Japan
*Note: prices are quoted in local currencies

CLICK HERE TO ORDER THE PAPERBACK EDITION @ $25.00 USD

English. 242 pages with 225 black & white photos

Aside from his many duties as God’s anointed Emperor and Tsar of All the Russia’s, Nicholas II took on many other roles from one day to the next: a dutiful husband and loving father, a devoted son and brother, a friend, a sportsman, a diplomat, an ambassador, a dedicated military leader, a devout Orthodox Christian, among others.

This richly illustrated pictorial explores the day-to-day duties of Russia’s last monarch. It is divided into six sections: the Tsar and His Family; Sports, Leisure and Holidays; the Tsar and the Church; the Tsar and Russia; the War Years; and the Tsar Under House Arrest. Each section features full-size historic images which reflect his day to day duties and activities. In total, this unique album includes more than 200 photographs from the author’s private collection.

The publication of this album is timed to coincide with the 155th anniversary of the birth of Emperor Nicholas II on 19th May [O.S. 6th May] 1868 and the 105th anniversary of the death and martyrdom [17th July 1918].

About the author

Paul Gilbert is a British born researcher and writer, specializing in the study of the life and reign of Emperor Nicholas II.

He has travelled extensively in Russia since 1986, visiting archives and historic sites associated with Russia’s last Tsar.

In 1998, he attended the Tsar’s funeral in St. Petersburg, and in 2018, he took part in the events marking the 100th anniversary of his death and martyrdom in Ekaterinburg.

Nicholas II’s love of bicycles and cycling

Posted on July 12, 2023 by Paul Gilbert

PHOTO: Nicholas II riding his American-made bicycle, purchased in July 1895, from the Pobeda Trading Company in St. Petersburg

One of the many physical pastimes of Russia’s last Tsar was cycling, an exercise which he enjoyed with all of his children. Even his son Alexei partook in this activity, on a specially made three wheel bicycle.

In the late 19th century members of the Russian Imperial Family showed great interest in two-wheeled vehicles and bicycles, including Russia’s last Tsar, who began to ride a bicycle while still a teenager. Vintage photographs show Nicholas II riding bicycles with his Danish and Greek relatives, and later on the grounds of the Alexander Palace at Tsarskoye Selo.

The first shop to offer bicycles in the Russian capital was the Pobeda Trading House, which was situated at 81 Morskaya Ulitsa (Street). In 1895, it received the status of a Supplier to the Imperial Court. It was here, in July 1895 that Nicholas II purchased for his own use a high-quality bicycle made by the American company Dayfon, at a cost of 253 rubles, a considerable sum at that time. The bicycle was equipped with a special seat, a lamp, a bell, and an air tube.

Surviving records of the Pobeda Trading House include invoices signed and paid by Nicholas II, which include delivery, cleaning and adjustment of his bicycle, as well as it’s upkeep and maintenance, in order to keep it in perfect order.

One invoice for 24 rubles, included: cleaning the bicycle, adjustments and delivery (10 rubles), a bicycle cover (8 rubles), a bicycle stand (5 rubles) and engine oil (1 rub.).

The following month, in August 1895, another invoice records that the Tsar paid for a new shift for changing gears for 10 rubles, a bicycle chain for 12 rubles and additional maintenance work for 5 rubles.

The shops accounts also indicate that the Tsar paid for a special weather-proof cover and storage for his bicycle stored during the winter months were also paid.

PHOTOS: view of the Pobeda Trading House at Morskaya Ulitsa (Street), 81 in St. Petersburg

PHOTOS: view of the Pobeda Trading House – Supplier to the Imperial Court

On 31st December of that year, the Tsar decided to have his bicycle fully enamelled for 15 rubles, and the “full nickel plating of the bike” for an additional 30 rubles. Additional maintenance on the bicycle including “turning the hulls, checking the wheels, cleaning and assembly” for 8 rubles, the purchase of spare “pneumatic tires” for 45 rubles, another bicycle cover for 8 rubles. and a bicycle pump for 2 rubles. 50 kopecks.

Thus, by the end of 1895, Nicholas II had spent 381 rubles on his bicycle and spare parts. All these purchases, as well as after-sales service, were carried out in the Pobeda Trading House. The storage conditions for the Tsar’s expensive toy is also noteworthy – at the “end of the season”, the Tsar’s bicycle was packed by specialists in special covers and moved to the shop for repair and storage until the new season began in the spring.

In later years, Nicholas II ordered other models of bicycles for his wife and children, complete with special enameling and nickel plating. Among them was a two-seater, which he shared with his wife – this bicycle has survived to the present day, and is now in the Collection of the Peterhof State Museum.

The last bicycle bill was signed by “Citizen Romanov” – during his house arrest at the Alexander Palace – on 10th May 1917, when he bought rubber glue and “bicycle valves” for a modest 4 rubles 80 kopecks.

PHOTO: Nicholas II riding his bicycle on the grounds of the Alexander Palace, 1914

PHOTO: Nicholas II riding his bicycle on the grounds of the Alexander Palace, 1914

PHOTO: Nicholas II and his son Alexei riding their bicycles in the Alexander Park, 1914

The Tsar’s passion for bicycles and cycling was shared by his children. Each of them had their own bicycle, all of which were serviced by specialists of the Pobeda Trading House. The grand duchesses had girls bicycles of the same model, only different sizes, based according to their age and height. The grand duchesses bicycles had a special protector on the chain, which prevented the hems of their skirts from getting caught in the bike’s chain as they peddled.

Due to his illness [haemophila], Alexei had a special three-wheel bicycle made, which afforded him protection from falling and hurting himself, as any injury could prove fatal. His doctors also maintained the cycling would be a good exercise for his sore leg.

In 2004, the Peterhof Museum-Reserve opened an Imperial Bicycle Museum, which presents 12 rare bicycles, including those which belonged to the last three emperors: Alexander II, Alexander III and Nicholas II.

In 2013 Nicholas II’s bicycle was presented at an exhibition marking the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi.

Romanov Memorial Hall to be moved to new location in Ekaterinburg

Posted on July 11, 2023 by Paul Gilbert

PHOTO: view of the Romanov Memorial Hall in the Museum of History and Archaeology of the Urals, a branch of the Sverdlovsk Regional Museum of Local Lore in Ekaterinburg

In the days leading up to this years Tsar’s Days events the Romanov Memorial Hall – which is currently located in the Museum of History and Archaeology of the Urals – will be moved to the Sverdlovsk Regional Museum of Local Lore in Ekaterinburg.

On 14th July 2023, the museum will present a new permanent exhibition “The Romanovs in the Urals” dedicated to the stay of Emperor Nicholas II and his family during their house arrest in the Ural city from April to July 1918.

According to the head of the public relations department of the museum Tatyana Mosunova, items from the museum’s funds, one way or another connected with the Imperial Family, will be exhibited. Among them is a unique sculpture of Alexander III by Kasli Foundries, the last time this figure was exhibited was more than a hundred years ago.

PHOTO: the former Poklevsky-Kozell mansion will be the new venue for the Romanov Memorial Hall in Ekaterinburg

According to Mosunova, the exhibition will be transferred to the 19th century Poklevsky-Kozell mansion on Malyshev Street. Local historians will help in creating an exhibition space, an agreement with the Ural State University based on the consultations of experts from the Museum of History and Archaeology of the Urals.

The General Director of the museum Alexander Emelyanov explained that the new exhibition will be extensive and will occupy five halls. The museum believes that the organization of the permanent exhibition will help both locals and visitors to the city to have a better understanding of the final days of Russia’s last Imperial Family in the Ural capital.

***

My Visit to the Romanov Memorial Hall in June 2016

PHOTO: a miniature copy of Zurab Tsereteli’s sculpture, “Night at the Ipatiev House” greets visitors to the Romanov Memorial Hall

Situated at Ulitsa Lenina 69/10 is the Museum of History and Archaeology of the Urals, a branch of the Sverdlovsk Regional Museum. From the street, the museum resembles one of the hideous buildings from the Soviet era – but if you blink, you may miss it! Admission is 200 rubles, an additional fee is charged if you want to take photographs. One must climb a steep circular staircase to reach the Romanov Memorial Hall on the 4th floor. The ascent is definitely worth it!

A miniature copy of Zurab Tsereteli’s sculpture, “Night at the Ipatiev House” greets visitors at the entrance to the hall.

The Romanov Memorial Hall was opened in 2006. The exposition tells of the Romanov dynasty during the reign of Emperor Nicholas II (1894-1917), the tragic events of 17 July 1918 and secret burial of the remains of the royal family.

This is a very interesting museum, as it contains personal items of Nicholas II, his family and their retainers, discovered in the Ipatiev House by the White Army. It also contains many elements of decor, decoration and fittings salvaged from the Ipatiev House before its demolition in September 1977, notably the cast iron fireplace from the dining room, and the iron grille from the window of the murder room.

PHOTO: scale model of the Ipatiev House -renamed House of Special Purpose by the Bolsheviks – on permanent display in the ‘Romanov Memorial Hall’

Aside from the items from the Ipatiev House, are many additional exhibits of interest, including a scale model of the Ipatiev House; the reconstructed model of Nicholas II’s head by Russian forensic expert Dr. Sergei Nikitin; the Mauser pistol which belonged to the murderer Pyotr Ermakov; a portrait of Princess Louise of Hesse-Kassel (the future Queen of Denmark), maternal grandmother of Nicholas II, which formerly hung in the study of Emperor Alexander III in the Anichkov Palace in St. Petersburg.

The exposition further explores the history of the investigation of the murder case of the last of the Romanovs in the Urals, which lasted more than 100 years.

It is interesting to note that the hundreds of exhibits on display in the glass display cases in the Romanov Memorial Hall include descriptions in both Russian and English – a rarity in Russian museums.

A small adjacent room contains a photo exhibit dedicated to Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich and his secretary Brian Johnston. Efforts to locate their remains near Perm are ongoing by the S.E.A.R.C.H. Foundation.

Of Bygone Days: The Memoirs of an Aide-de-Camp to the Emperor Nicholas II

Posted on July 4, 2023 by Paul Gilbert

*This title is available from AMAZON in the USA, UK, Canada, Australia,
France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden and Japan
*Note: prices are quoted in local currencies

CLICK HERE TO ORDER THE PAPERBACK EDITION @ $20.00 USD

English. 214 pages, 10 black & white photos

First English translation with introduction and notes by William Lee

NOTE: The first Russian-lanaguage edition of Fabritsky’s memories was published in Berlin in 1926. The first English-language edition of Fabritsky’s memoirs was published in Canada in 2016. This title has been out of print for many years, so I am delighted to offer this new edition.

“The time I spent with Their Majesties – over the course of many years and under varied circumstances – will always be the source of my most precious memories, and I am very happy to be able to share those memories now with a wide public. I hope at least to give an absolutely truthful account of what I saw and heard” – Semyon S. Fabritsky. 1926

Semyon Semyonovich Fabritsky (1874-1941) had a fascinating career during the twilight years of Imperial Russia. He began his naval career in the very first days of the reign of Emperor Nicholas II.

In 1909, Fabritsky was personally appointed Aide-de-Camp by the Emperor himself, a position he served with immense pride and devotion.

During his service to Nicholas II, Fabritsky earned both the trust and friendship of the Emperor. Through his often uninterrupted contact with Russia’s last sovereign and observing him at all hours and under a variety of conditions, Fabritsky was able to form a clear picture of Nicholas II and his family, through his own personal eye-witness observations.

He also served aboard the Imperial yachts, partaking in holidays with the Emperor and his family to the Crimea and the Finnish skerries. He shares interesting details and anecdotes about the Alexandria, Polar Star, and Standart.

This book will also be of great interest to any one with an interest to the Russian Imperial Yachts and the Russian Imperial Navy.

Fabritsky provides great insight to the treachery, cowardice, and deceit which prevailed every where. He acknowledges ministers and generals who were either unworthy of their posts or unfit for them. Sadly, it was these men who surrounded Nicholas II during his 22+ year reign, who contributed to the downfall of monarchy and the destruction of the Russian Empire in 1917.

Zhanna Bichevskaya marks her 81st birthday

Posted on June 17, 2023 by Paul Gilbert

Cover of Zhanna Bichevskaya;s CD Царь Николай (Tsar Nikolai)

A very happy 81st birthday to Russian folk singer Zhanna Vladimirovna Bichevskaya, who was born in Moscow on 17th June 1944.

Известной певице Жанне Владимiровне Бичевской исполнилось 79 лет!!! Мы сердечно поздравляем её с Днём рождения!!!

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Zhanna graduated as a classical guitarist from a Moscow music school. She was a teacher of music in Zagorsk (Sergiev Posad). In the 1970s, Zhanna started to perform Russian folk songs and romances.

Zhanna refers to her bard-style singing as “Russian country-folk”. Her repertoire includes several hundred works – songs of spiritual and social content, Russian folk songs, romances, as well as songs based on poems of Russian poets of the Silver Age. Her records have sold millions of copies in more than 40 countries around the world. She has performed to sell out crowds at the prestigious Olympia Hall in Paris, on eight occasions.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Zhanna Bichevskaya’s songs began to have more political, nationalist and spiritual themes, she is a staunch defender of the Holy Emperor Nicholas II and his family.

In 1999, Zhanna also became the host of her own show on Voice of Russia radio station. She was awarded People’s Artist of the RSFSR

CLICK on the links below to listen to two of her most haunting melodies:

[1] Царь Николай / Tsar Nikolai [Duration: 9 mins], which features vintage film footage of Russia’s last tsar:

[2] Святым Царственным мученикам / To the Holy Royal Martyrs [Duration: 7 mins., 34 sec.], which is much more a prayer than a song:

Ekaterinburg Diocese celebrates the 155th anniversary of the birth of Emperor Nicholas II

Posted on May 19, 2023 by Paul Gilbert

The anniversary of the birth of Russia’s last Tsar has been celebrated in the Ural capital of Ekaterinburg for many years.

On 19th May 2023, with the blessing of Metropolitan Evgeny of Yekaterinburg and Verkhoturye, a series of events will be held dedicated to the memory of the last Russian emperor, the Holy Tsar-Martyr Nicholas II.

On the morning of 19th May, a Divine Liturgy will be celebrated at 8:00 a.m., in the Church on the Blood, built on the site of the Ipatiev House, where the Imperial Family and their four faithful retainers met their deaths and martyrdom.

A liturgy will also be celebrated at the Monastery of the Holy Royal Martyrs in Ganina Yama, followed by a Cross Procession celebrating the patronal feast day in the name of the Righteous Job the Long-Suffering [on whose feast day Nicholas was born].

In addition, Divine services in memory of the last Russian emperor will be held in many churches of the Ekaterinburg diocese, including the Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky at the Novo-Tikhvin Convent, whose history is closely connected with the last Tsar and his family.

At 12:00 p.m., the Tsarsky Cultural and Educational Center [situated across the square from the Church on the Blood] will host the opening of Emperor Nicholas II During the First World War, an exhibition timed to coincide with the 155th anniversary of the birth of Nicholas II and the 105th anniversary of the end of the First World War. The exhibition runs until 31st August 2023.

At 1:30 p.m., a Liturgy will be performed in the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker at the Ural State Mining University of Emperor Nicholas II, followed by a festive concert at 14:00 in the Tsar’s Hall of the USMU.

In addition, the Blue Line of Ekaterinburg will be launched. The route connects a dozen sights of the city, each of them, in one way or another are associated with the final days Nicholas II and his family during their house arrest in the Ural city, from April to July 1918.

Bikers hold rally in memory of Nicholas II

Posted on May 19, 2023 by Paul Gilbert

On 17th May, members of the Tyumen Motorcycle Club began a 6-day a motorcycle rally – “The Way of the Cross of the Tsar’s Family” – dedicated to Emperor Nicholas II.

The small group of Harley Davidson enthusiasts began their rally on 17th May at the Abalak Znamenski Monastery (located 20 km east of Tobolsk) and finish at the Monastery of the Holy Royal Martyrs at Ganina Yama (near Ekaterinburg).

PHOTO: bikers at the monument to the Imperial Family in Tyumen

The route will pass along the route taken by the Emperor, his wife Alexandra and their daughter Grand Duchess Maria, when they were transferred from Tobolsk to Ekaterinburg in April 1918. The route was recreated by local historians from the diaries of Nicholas II and Alexandra Feodorovna, as well as archival documents.

Along the entire route, motorcyclists will ride with the flags of the club, the flag depicting the image of Nicholas II and the flag of Russia. The participants will also bring icons consecrated at the Abalak Znamenski Monastery with the face of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and the Holy Royal Martyrs. The latter will be presented to the Monastery of the Holy Royal Martyrs in Ganina Yama.

PHOTO: bikers at the Monastery of the Holy Royal Martyrs at Ganina Yama

The entire 6-day route will cover some 2610 km, passing0 through Tobolsk, Tyumen, Omsk and Ekaterinburg. Bikers arrived in Tyumen on 18th May, where they made a stop at the city’s monument to the Imperial Family created by the Russian sculptor Irina Makarova, installed in June 2020.

The rally is timed to coincide with the 155th anniversary of the birth of Emperor Nicholas II on 19th May [O.S. 6th May] 1918, as well as the 105th anniversary of the death and martyrdom of the Imperial Family and their four faithful retainers on 18th July 1918.

Nicholas II. Family and Throne exhibition opens in Tula

Posted on April 22, 2023 by Paul Gilbert

On Friday 21st April, a new exhibition “Nicholas II. Family and Throne”, opened in the Tula branch of the State Historical Museum.

The exhibit marks the 155th anniversary of the birth of Emperor Nicholas II on 19th May [O.S. 6th May] 1868 and the105th anniversary of the death and martyrdom [17th July 1918].

The exhibition will give visitors an opportunity to “look” at the life of the Russian ruler and his family through the impartial lens of the camera. The exposition is emphatically documentary: rare photographs from the collection of the State Historical Museum which depict the private life of the Russian monarch.

PHOTOS: the director of the State Historical Museum (Moscow) and curator of the exhibition Evgeny Lukyanov discusses watercolours (above) and photographs (below) depicting the Coronation of Emperor Nicholas II in Moscow, May 1896

The Emperor and members of his family were all avid photographers: they all had cameras and took pictures of each other, family events and their relatives. The Emperor was almost always accompanied by professional Court photographers who photographed the Emperor almost every day of his reign (among the most notable being “K. E. von Hahn and Co.” and its owner, and the Court photographer A. K. Yagelsky). The museum’s collection contains more than 750 photographs from the life of Nicholas II. A number of photographs come from the Tsar’s favourite residences: the Alexander Palace at Tsarskoye Selo, the Lower Dacha at Peterhof, and Livadia Palace in Crimea, depicting the private world of the Imperial Family.

The exhibit focuses on two topics: “Nicholas II as the head of the Russian Empire” and “Nicholas II as the head of the Imperial Family”.

The first – official – section shows photographs depicting the Emperor during meetings with foreign heads of state (King Edward VII of Great Britain, Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany, French Presidents Felix Faure and Armand Falier); celebrations on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of St. Petersburg and the 100th anniversary of the Patriotic War of 1812; parades, reviews and regimental holidays; consecration of churches and monuments; as well as during the Russo-Japanese War and the First World War. A significant place is given to the display of two major dynastic events – the coronation of Emperor Nicholas II (1896) and the celebration of the 300th anniversary of the House of Romanov (1913).

The second – family – section of the exhibition presents photographs related to the personal life of Emperor Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra Feodorovna. The central place is given to the August children – Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia and Tsesarevich Alexei. Of particular note in this section, are unique photographs depicting the stay of Emperor Nicholas II and his family in Livadia in 1911, 1912 and 1913 respectively.

In addition to the hundreds of photographs, are portraits of Nicholas II and Alexandra Feodorovna, watercolours depicting episodes from the life of the Imperial Family, drawings of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, unique historical documents, including autographs of the last Romanovs, are all on display.

The exhibition also includes uniforms worn by Nicholas II and his son Tsesarevich Alexei, as well as precious orders presented to Nicholas II from the collection of the State Historical Museum in Moscow. “These precious orders from European and Asian countries, stored in the collection of the numismatics department of the museum, rarely leave the walls of the fund,” said Director Alexey Levykin.

The exhibition presents Russian Orders awarded to Nicholas II[1], in addition to those given by Great Britain, Prussia, France, Austria-Hungary, Japan, Thailand and other European and Asian countries[2]. Many orders are being exhibited for the first time.

“The orders were made of silver and gold and decorated with precious stones. Each exhibit outstanding craftsmanship, utilizing various jewelry techniques: gold embroidery, filigree, various types of enameling, engraving, and casting,” he added.

PHOTOS: memorial hall (above) to Emperor Nicholas II and his family. On display in the foreground is a reliquary frame with a portrait of Tsesarevich Alexei Nikolaevich and a lock of his hair (below).

The last hall of the exhibition resembles a basement or crypt, where there are seven stelae each depicting photographic portraits of Emperor Nicholas II, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, and their five children, who were murdered in the Ipatiev House in Ekaterinburg on the night of 16/17 July 1918. In the center of this miniature memorial hall is a unique item – a reliquary frame with a portrait of Tsesarevich Alexei Nikolaevich and a lock of his hair.

The exhibition is supplemented by excerpts from the diary of Emperor Nicholas II and quotes from contemporaries who knew the Emperor and his family closely: Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich, Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna, the Swiss tutor Pierre Gilliard, Prince Felix Yusupov, French Ambassador to Russia Maurice Paléologue, Chief Hofmeisterina of the Imperial Court E.A. Naryshkina, Head of the Chancellery of the Ministry of the Imperial Court A.A. Mosolov, Minister of Foreign Affairs S.D. Sazonov, maid of honour of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna Anna Vyrubova.

The director of the Tula branch of the State Historical Museum notes: “Understanding all the inconsistency and ambiguity of the personality of Emperor Nicholas II, we do not presume to judge his role and place in the history of our country, but provide such an opportunity for visitors to the exhibition, who will be able to “look” at the life of the Russian monarch and his family through the lens of a camera. We hope that the exposition in the branch of the Historical Museum in Tula will be a worthy occasion to honour the memory of the last Russian sovereign, who was martyred more than a century ago.”

The State Historical Museum in Moscow, opened the first regional branch in Tula at the end of September 2020 as part of the celebration marking the 500th anniversary of the Tula Kremlin.

The “Nicholas II. Family and Throne” Exhibition runs until 11th September 2023 at the Tula branch of the State Historical Museum. A Russian-language illustrated catalogue has been prepared for the exhibition.

NOTES:

[1] Nicholas II was the recipient of 7 national honours

[2] Nicholas II was the recipient of 51 foreign honours from 35 countries, duchies, etc

Odessa city council orders removal of icon of Tsar-Martyr Nicholas II

Posted on April 3, 2023 by Paul Gilbert

On Monday 3rd April, Ukrainian nationalists hung a large black banner denouncing the Moscow Patriarchate [photo above], across the facade of the Chapel in Honour of the Miraculous Image of the Lord Jesus Christ in Odessa. In addition, two icons depicting Fyodor Fyodorovich Ushakov (1745-1817) [1] and the Holy Tsar-Martyr Nicholas II were dismantled.

Up until recently a sculpture of the famous Russian general Alexander Suvorov (1730-1800) stood in front of the chapel. The sculpture is a copy of the historical original made in 1911. The current monument was opened in 2012.

Behind the monument is a semicircular wall depicting six mosaic icons of Orthodox saints.

On 30th November 2022, deputies of the Odessa City Council ordered that the monument to the “Founders of the City”, better known as the “Monument to Catherine II”[2], as well as the monument to Suvorov be dismantled. As a result, in December 2022, the monument to Catherine II was dismantled, and the monument to Suvorov was removed and transferred to the art museum in Odessa.

PHOTO: mosaic icon of the Holy Tsar-Martyr Nicholas II has been dismantled from the façade of the chapel – it’s whereabouts unknown

In addition, the deputies ordered the dismantling of the icons of Ushakov and Nicholas II, the latter of whom they referred to as “Nicholas the Bloody”.

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Ukrainian authorities have been going to great lengths to destroy their Imperial Russian past. In July 2022, vandals destroyed a monument to Emperor Alexander III in the village of Pershotravneve, located in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine. The bust of the “Tsar-Peacemaker” was knocked to the ground, while the plaque, which included Putin’s name was also removed from the front of the pedestal. The bust-monument was erected in 2013 on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty and the 125th anniversary of the Borki Train Disaster[3] in October 1888.

Heaven forbid that Crimea should ever fall into the hands of Ukraine again, where numerous monuments to Emperors Nicholas II and Alexander III would surely suffer the same fate, not to mention that of Livadia Palace.

PHOTO: the places where the icons of Ushakov (left) and Tsar-Martyr (right) originally hung are now empty

NOTES:

[1] Fyodor Fyodorovich Ushakov (1745-1817) served as commander of the Black Sea Fleet. On 7th August 2001 the Russian Orthodox Church glorified him as a Saint and declared him the patron of the Russian Navy. His relics are enshrined in Sanaksar Monastery, Temnikov, Russia.

[2] The original monument was installed in Odessa in 1900, dismantled by the Bolsheviks in 1920, and restored in 2007.

[3] On 29th October 1888, the Imperial Train carrying Tsar Alexander III and his family from Crimea to St Petersburg derailed at high speed at Borki.