$5.95
This is the only authentic autobiography of the Grand Duchess
Anastasia Nicholaevna, fourth daughter of the late Emperor Nicholas II
and the late Empress Alexandra Feodorovna of Russia.
The Grand Duchess Anastasia furnishes authentic information and many
previously unpublished details concerning the life of the Imperial
Family and suite from the days of her childhood to the date of the
murder of her parents and other members of her Family in Ekaterinburg
on the night of July 16-17, 1918.
Her story is divided into six major parts: the youthful years, the
period of the First World War, arrest and exile, life in Tobolsk, life
in Ekaterinburg, and the period after the tragedy which includes her
rescue and escape to Bukovina.
The life of a Grand Duchess of Russia was no downy bed of roses.
Discipline was imposed by the Tsar and Tsarina, particularly the
latter. Study was an essential duty which took many hours. During the
war years there were responsibilities connected with the operation of
hospitals for the wounded. Always over the Family hung the fear of the
possible demise of the heir to the throne, the young Tsesarevich and
Grand Duke Alexei Nicholaevich, who had inherited haemophilia through
his Mother.
The Grand Duchess Anastasia rejects vigorously various accusations
directed against each of her parents. She explains in her preface the
reasons for her long submergence and for her present re-emergence
forty-five years after her reported death.
Her style is brisk and invigorating. Her sense of humor repeatedly
delights with accounts of lighter events and anecdotes.
This is an invaluable historical record.
ROBERT SPELLER & SONS, Publishers
33 West 42nd Street
New York, N.Y. 10036
[Illustration:
_Photograph by Stephen Gaillard_ _Portrait by Richard Banks_
H.I.H. THE GRAND DUCHESS ANASTASIA NICHOLAEVNA OF RUSSIA]
ANASTASIA
The Autobiography of H.I.H. The Grand Duchess
Anastasia Nicholaevna of Russia
Volume I
[Illustration]
ROBERT SPELLER & SONS, PUBLISHERS
New York
© 1963 by Robert Speller & Sons, Publishers, Inc.
33 West 42nd Street
New York, New York 10036
Library of Congress Catalog Card No. 63-22672
First edition
All rights reserved
Printed in the United States of America
WITH LOVE AND ESTEEM
I dedicate this book
_To My Family:_
_To My Father, His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor Nicholas II,_
_To My Mother, Her Imperial Majesty, the Empress Alexandra Feodorovna,_
_To My Brother, His Imperial Highness, the Tsesarevich Alexei
Nicholaevich,_
_To My Sisters, Their Imperial Highnesses, the Grand Duchesses Olga,
Tatiana, and Marie;_
_To those dear and understanding friends who perished with My Family in
Ekaterinburg;_
_Dr. Eugene Botkin, Mlle. Anna Demidova, Ivan Kharitonov, and Trup;_
_To those faithful friends and companions who, because of their loyalty
to us, perished before or after the tragedy which befell My Family:_
_Countess Anastasia Hendrikova, Mlle. Ekaterina Schneider, Prince
Vasily Dolgorukov, Count Ilia Tatishchev, Nagorny, Chemodurov, and
Ivan Sidniev;_
_To My Brother’s youthful companion and helper, whose fate I never
learned:_
_Leonid Sidniev;_
_To My Uncle, His Imperial Highness, the Grand Duke Michael
Alexandrovich, and his secretary and friend, Nicholas Johnson, both of
whom disappeared, apparently murdered by the Bolsheviks;_
_To My Aunt, Her Imperial Highness, the Grand Duchess Elizabeth
Feodorovna, and her faithful nun, Varvara, who were brutally murdered
by the Bolsheviks;_
_To other members of the Imperial Family who were murdered by the
Bolsheviks;_
_To all members of the Imperial Family who died during the First World
War and the Civil War in Russia;_
_To all members of the Imperial Family, living and dead, who survived
the Bolshevik revolution;_
_To those dear and helpful friends:_
_Count Apraxin and Captain Nilov;_
_To the two officers who came to pay their respects and salute My
Father for the last time at the station at Tsarskoe Selo just before
our departure for Siberia:_
_Kushelev and Artasalev (?);_
_To friends who voluntarily accompanied My Family into exile;_
_To my rescuer, Alexander;_
_To Nikolai; to the Serbian, the Croatian, and the former Austrian
soldier; and to all others who befriended and aided me during the long
journey from the vicinity of Ekaterinburg to a refuge in Bukovina;_
_To those millions of heroes of the Russian Empire, sung and unsung,
who gave their lives in defense of their country against the Central
Powers and against the Bolsheviks;_
_To all members of the Imperial Armed Forces who served their Emperor
and their country faithfully and loyally at all times;_
_To the millions who died in Russia from execution, starvation and
other causes deriving from Bolshevik cruelty, tyranny and misrule;_
_To the members of the Imperial Armed Forces who are now living outside
their homeland and especially those among them who are maimed and
destitute;_
_To all who have helped me in any way since I left Russia;_
_To all these--departed and living, known and unknown, relatives and
friends--I am eternally grateful._
_Anastasia_
Acknowledgements
The present book could never have been completed without the
encouragement, inspiration and help of friends who were interested in
having the story of my family, as known to me, the youngest of the four
daughters of the late Emperor Nicholas II and the Empress Alexandra,
and my own story made known to the world.
My indebtedness to these friends is deep and lasting. First of all
must be mentioned the late Mrs. Helen Kohlsaat Wells, a close friend
and confidante for many, many years. She worked with me closely during
the years 1930 to 1934 during which we completed the first complete
draft of the manuscript. Many years later we worked intermittently on
revising the manuscript until Mrs. Wells’ untimely death. Also in a
separate category is the late Mr. John Adams Chapman, whose friendship
and counsel were so valuable at all times. Deserving of special
gratitude are Mrs. Marjorie Wilder Emery, Miss Edith Kohlsaat, Mr.
and Mrs. Norman Hanson, Mrs. John Adams Chapman, Mr. and Mrs. Louis
Ellsworth Laflin, Jr., and Mr. and Mrs. Francis Beidler II.
Table of Contents
List of Illustrations xi
Author’s Preface xiii
PART ONE THE YOUTHFUL YEARS 1
Chapter I Earliest Memories 3