Romanovs Killed During the Russian Revolution

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2012

Eighteen Romanovs were murdered during the Russian Revolution. Fourteen were killed between June 13, 1918 and July 18, 1918.

June 13, 1918: Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich had been arrested with Nicholas Johnson, his British secretary and sent to Perm in Siberia. On June 13, 1918, they were taken to the woods outside Perm. Michael had been told they were going to a railroad crossing where he would board a train. The carriages stopped and Michael was told that they would walk to the railroad crossing. After Michael and Johnson took only a few steps, two of the armed men simultaneously shot them. Johnson was wounded and the gun that was intended for Michael misfired. Michael, with his arms outstretched, ran to Johnson begging to say goodbye to him. Michael was shot and as he fell, he pulled Johnson down with him. Guns were then put to their heads and fired.  Their bodies have never been found.

See Unofficial Royalty: Execution of Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich

July 17, 1918: The entire family of Nicholas II along with their physician and three servants were shot in the basement of the Ipatiev House in Yekaterinburg, Siberia. All seven of the Romanov family plus Dr. Eugene Botkin and three servants (maid Anna Demidova, cook Ivan Kharitonov, and footman Alexei Trupp) were escorted to a basement room. Chairs were brought in for Nicholas, Alexandra, and Alexei. The family believed they were being evacuated to a new location.

Eight members of the firing squad entered the basement room along with Yakov Yurovsky, the commandant of the Ipatiev House. A few minutes later Yurkovsky informed the prisoners that they were about to be executed. Nicholas arose in shock but was quickly shot down. Chaos ensued as the executioners gunned down the family members and their servants.

Alexandra and her daughters had sewn jewels into their clothing to provide money if the family was sent into exile and these jewels acted for a time as shields against the bullets. Anna Demidova carried a pillow also sewn with jewels. Eventually, the soldiers brought out bayonets to kill the last remaining survivors. After several minutes of ricocheting bullets and stabbings, all eleven members of the party were dead.

See Unofficial Royalty: Execution of Emperor Nicholas II of Russia and His Family

July 18, 1918: Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna, elder sister of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, and five other Romanovs, Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich, Prince Ioann Konstantinovich, Prince Konstantin Konstantinovich, Prince Igor Konstantinovich, and Prince Vladimir Pavlovich Paley along with Varvara Alexeievna Yakovleva, a nun from Elizabeth’s convent, and Feodor Semyonovich Remez, Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich’s secretary, were taken to an abandoned mine shaft that was partially filled with water outside of Alapayevsk, Siberia, Russia.  They were then hit in the head and thrown into the mine shaft. When Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich resisted, he was shot in the head and thrown down the mine shaft. When it was obvious that the prisoners were not dead, grenades were thrown down the mine shaft. All was quiet but after a short time, talking was heard and more grenades were thrown down the mine shaft. The prisoners then started singing the prayer “Lord, Save Your People.” This terrified the executioners. They had no more grenades and it was necessary for them to finish their job. The executioners set fire to wood and threw it down the shaft. The hymns and prayers continued for a while and then stopped. The mission was accomplished.

See Unofficial Royalty: Execution of Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna and Five Other Romanovs

January 28, 1919:  Four Grand Dukes, three grandsons of Emperor Nicholas I and one son of Emperor Alexander II, were taken to the courtyard of the Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg, Russia and then escorted towards a ditch that had been dug in the courtyard. Grand Duke Paul Alexandrovich, who was ill, was carried out on a stretcher. As they passed the Peter and Paul Cathedral where their ancestors were buried, they each made the sign of the cross. The three Grand Dukes who had walked out were lined up before the ditch, in which there were already bodies. Grand Duke Paul was shot on his stretcher. Grand Dukes Nicholas, George, and Dmitri were all killed by the same blast, causing them to fall into the ditch.

See Unofficial Royalty: Execution of Four Grand Dukes – January 28, 1919

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