Mystery Files - The Romanovs

Summary

The mystery of the Romanov family's execution and the fate of their missing children unfolds in this captivating investigation. In 1918, Tsar Nicholas II, his wife, and their five children were executed, but rumors persisted about the survival of two of the children. After decades of searches and DNA testing, including the discovery of a second burial site in 2007, scientists confirm in 2009 that the missing children were indeed executed, dispelling the last hopes of their survival. This tragic story highlights the political intrigue and brutal realities that led to the Romanovs' demise.

Takeaways

• 😀 On July 17, 1918, Tsar Nicholas II and his family were executed, but their bodies were initially missing, sparking rumors of survival.
• 😀 In 1991, a grave was uncovered, but two of the Romanov children were still missing, fueling the mystery of their fates.
• 😀 The Romanovs were revered as divine figures by the Russian people before their fall from grace due to the Russian Revolution.
• 😀 Tsar Nicholas II, who ruled Russia from 1894, was deeply unpopular due to Russia's failures in World War I and internal unrest.
• 😀 The Romanovs were placed under house arrest after Nicholas II abdicated in February 1917, following the revolution that toppled the Russian monarchy.
• 😀 In July 1918, the Romanov family was executed in Ekaterinburg by Bolshevik forces, and their bodies were disposed of to prevent martyrdom.
• 😀 Two burial sites were discovered: the first in 1991, revealing five bodies; the second in 2007, revealing remains of two missing children.
• 😀 Forensic testing confirmed the identity of the Romanov family members in the 1990s, but two children remained unaccounted for.
• 😀 A secret British rescue plot to save the Romanovs was considered but never acted upon, as political factors prevented their escape.
• 😀 DNA testing in 2007 revealed that the remains of the missing Romanov children were indeed those of Alexei and Anastasia or Maria, solving the mystery of their deaths.

Q & A

What happened to the Romanov family on July 17th, 1918?

On July 17th, 1918, Tsar Nicholas II, his wife, and five children were executed by Bolshevik forces in Ekaterinburg, Russia. However, the bodies were initially undiscovered, leading to speculation about the survival of some family members.

Why were two of the Romanov children missing from the grave uncovered in 1991?

In 1991, a grave was uncovered with the remains of Tsar Nicholas II, his wife, and three of their daughters, but two children—Alexei and either Maria or Anastasia—were missing. This fueled theories that they might have escaped or survived.

What evidence was found at the second burial site in 2007?

In 2007, a second burial site was found near the first, containing burnt and fragmented remains. Genetic testing later confirmed that these remains belonged to two of the Romanov children—one male, believed to be Alexei, and one female, thought to be Maria or Anastasia.

What challenges did forensic scientists face when identifying the remains from the second burial site?

Forensic scientists faced significant challenges, as the bones were severely degraded and small in size. Despite this, they were able to extract mitochondrial DNA, which was used to identify the remains as those of two of the Romanov children.

What role did King George V play in the fate of the Romanovs?

King George V, a relative of Tsar Nicholas II, initially offered asylum to the Romanov family, but due to the anti-German sentiment in Britain at the time (as Tsarina Alexandra was German), he withdrew the offer, leaving the family stranded in Russia.

What was the significance of the shirt worn by Tsar Nicholas II in 1891?

The shirt worn by Tsar Nicholas II during an attack in 1891, which contained traces of his blood, became a crucial piece of evidence for DNA testing. It was used to compare with the genetic material found in the remains of the two missing Romanov children, confirming their identity.

What does the mitochondrial DNA sequence reveal about the two missing children?

The mitochondrial DNA sequence from the remains of the two missing children showed a match with Tsarina Alexandra, confirming that the remains belonged to her children. This provided strong evidence that these children were indeed part of the Romanov family.

How did the Bolsheviks ensure the Romanov family's bodies were not recovered after their execution?

After the execution, the bodies of the Romanovs were disposed of in a remote forest. The bodies were initially burned and then buried to ensure that they would not be recovered and revered by supporters of the Romanov dynasty.

What new evidence came to light through the investigation into the Romanov family's fate?

The discovery of the second burial site in 2007, along with subsequent DNA testing, finally provided conclusive proof that the two missing Romanov children had been executed along with the rest of the family, resolving the mystery that had persisted for nearly a century.

What impact did the findings of DNA tests have on the mystery of the Romanov children's survival?

The DNA tests ultimately confirmed that the two missing Romanov children did not survive, dispelling the last hope that any of the family members might have escaped their execution. This discovery put an end to the mystery of their fate.