One of those things.

[ysobelle]

The Romanov children: Maria, Tatiana, Anastasia, Olga, and Aleksei, originally uploaded by Ysobelle.

I don't know why, but I've always had a strong reaction to these children and the way they died. Olga, at least, was 22 at the end-- hardly a child, but still. And for some odd reason, it's come up in a few wildly disparate places today.

During the Russian Revolution, Tsar Nicholas and Tsarina Alexandra, their children, and some of their servants were arrested and held prisoner for many months. Eventually, they were moved to an isolated house, Ipatiev House, in the woods. To keep the family's jewels safe, the Tsarina had the girls sew them into their corsets. In the middle of the night on July 17, 1918, the Bolshevik soldiers guarding them woke the family and servants and herded them into the basement of the house. Once they were lined up, charges were read against the Tsar, and the Bolsheviks opened fire. But because the girls had diamonds and jewels sewn into their corsets, they were, essentially, bulletproof.

In the end, they were either shot in the head or bayonetted to death.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_of_the_Romanov_family


I saw an exhibition on the lives of the Romanovs years ago-- rooms full of state opulence and children's toys. As the exhibit progressed, the rooms got smaller and darker, until, in the last room, the only objects were a blood-stained bayonet in a case, and a scrap of spattered wallpaper with a fragment of poetry written on it by one of the soldiers.

The next room, outside the exhibit proper, was filled with video screens showing old films of the children, laughing, running, teasing each other, playing.

It was shattering.

Comments

[trillsie.livejournal.com]

Goodness, we are so much alike at times it's frightening.

Their story is such a sad one.

[ysobelle.livejournal.com]

You, too!?

[trillsie.livejournal.com]

Yep. Huge history buff, but I like to know the stories of the individuals, not just the names, dates, and places. I want to know what they were like as kids. How they were raised. What they liked to do.

The Romanovs had such a tragic end. Those poor children. They had no clue and to be killed the way they were is heartwrenching.

[ysobelle.livejournal.com]

I wonder how clueless they were. I wonder what they thought of the peasants, and of Jews, and of their father. I won't make them saints, as I think doing so would be just as unfair as the political demonising that killed them. They were humans. Beautiful, yes, Privileged, yes. Part of an oppressive regime? Yes. But no one-- NO ONE-- deserves to die like that, cowering against the wall in a small room in a haze of gunsmoke, with your slaughtered family around you. They must have been so frightened. Those poor people.

[trillsie.livejournal.com]

Like you said, they were privileged. I'm betting they had at least some clue, at least the older ones. It is terrible how they were gunned down. No one ever deserves that, no matter who they are.

[ladyapple27.livejournal.com]

The exhibit must have a devastating impact on visitors.

[ysobelle.livejournal.com]

It was devastating. You spend hours looking at al their things: all their clothing and jewels and articles of State and carriages and hairbrushes and toys and books, and then the walls start closing in, and in the end, you come upon this one, vicious, hideous thing in a plexi case....

I will say, though, it made me far more appreciative of exhibit designers. Unbelievably beautifully done.

[mirroreyes.livejournal.com]

yeps.
always had a thing for that story too.

i swear it has nothign to do with a bat names Bartoch.
:)

however I still think its weird that I only have 3 base pair differences with the tsarina and 2 base pair differences with teh czar himself. ... considering the Russian side of my family is my Dad's and not my Mom's... its very odd. I am more like the czar's family then I or them is like the three russian genotypes available.
its cool. weird. but cool.

[ysobelle.livejournal.com]

So any clue how it might have come about?

[imafon.livejournal.com]

Did you know that I myself am a big history fan? I have also found this story strangely fascinating throughout my life. I had a Western Civ teacher in high school (my fave teacher ever) who made every story that he related come to life in brilliant colour in my mind. The story/history of Russia is very intriguing...especially the Romanov's, Rasputin, communism, etc.

[ysobelle.livejournal.com]

No, I didn't know! I'm amazed to see just how many people are fascinated by this story. I mean, I understand: beautiful children caught in a political net and slaughtered in a basement. Then the whole mystery of Anastasia. How can it not catch your imagination?

I miss you terribly, love. How are you? How was your birthday?