Ipatiev house miscellany.
1. The last known photographs of any living member of the Imperial Family. Seen on the left are Alexei and his older sister, Olga. On the right are Tatiana and Anastasia. The photo was taken aboard the steamer Rus (below) on the way from Tolbosk to Ekaterinburg. Both Tatiana and Anastasia are wearing knit caps by virtue of the fact that all four of the Grand Duchesses contracted the measles while they were at Tobolsk. The medication that was given to them (believe it or not!) made their hair fall out.
2. Alexander Avdonin, who along with Geli Ryabov found the mass grave at Pig's Meadow in 1979.
3. Geli Ryabov.
4. Avdonin and others at the site. Just behind them is the exact spot where the remains of Alexei and Marie were found in August of 2007.
5a. Descendant Dimitri Romanovich at the Ipatiev house site before the Cathedral of the Blood was erected. A pilgrim can be seen behind the Russian cross leaving the area.
5b. Dimitri, again, at Ganin's Pit at the Four Brothers Mine. See the image at the very bottom of this page.
6., 7., 8. Memorabilia from the 1956 movie with Helen Hayes as the Dowager Empress Marie, Yul Brynner as the fictional General Bounine, and Ingrid Bergman as Anastasia.
2. Alexander Avdonin, who along with Geli Ryabov found the mass grave at Pig's Meadow in 1979.
3. Geli Ryabov.
4. Avdonin and others at the site. Just behind them is the exact spot where the remains of Alexei and Marie were found in August of 2007.
5a. Descendant Dimitri Romanovich at the Ipatiev house site before the Cathedral of the Blood was erected. A pilgrim can be seen behind the Russian cross leaving the area.
5b. Dimitri, again, at Ganin's Pit at the Four Brothers Mine. See the image at the very bottom of this page.
6., 7., 8. Memorabilia from the 1956 movie with Helen Hayes as the Dowager Empress Marie, Yul Brynner as the fictional General Bounine, and Ingrid Bergman as Anastasia.
Below left, Baroness Sophie Buxhoeveden, lady-in-waiting to Alexandra, whom she betrayed by giving the Bolsheviks information about the jewelry that the Imperial Family brought with them to Ekaterinburg. Some of that jewelry was to play an important part in the actual regicide. Below right, a view of the house looking southwest towards Vosnesensky Lane.
Below left, the steamer Rus. In all probability, this photo was taken either at Tobolsk or Tyumen. Below right, Pyotir Voikov, Ural Regional Commisar for Supplies. He procured both the sulfuric acid and the gasoline that was intended to completely destroy the remains of the victims. That particular effort did not work, as was determined when the mass grave was formally opened in 1991.
Below, the Sokolov box. Actually it was a suitcase. Nicholas Sokolov, a judge, was appointed by Admiral Kolchak, leader of the White (tsarist) forces, to investigate the massacre. At the Four Brothers site, he found, amongst other things, Alexei's belt buckle, a portion of Alexandra's finger, and Dr. Botkin's false teeth. He placed them in a suitcase for further safekeeping. That suitcase changed hands many times, and is thought to be in a chapel in Brussels today. Inset, Nicholas Sokolov, 1882-1924.
