Bodies Of Anastasia And Alexis example essay topic

Anastasia Anastasia, Grand Duchess of Russia, was a very mischievous little girl with a sharp sense of humor (McGuire 18). She was always described as having long fine fingers and baby blue eyes. As she grew older, her personality changed drastically because of her dramatic childhood. Her eyes and fingers remained the same but her wonderful personality had disappeared (Klier and Mingay 193).

The daughter of Czar Nicholas II, Anastasia, may have survived the Russian Revolution, but what became of her, baffled historians. Czar Nicholas was the last emperor of Russia and ruled from 1894 until 1917. Throughout his life Nicholas lived within the shadows of his father (Lieven 1). Nicholas took the throne in 1894, he was easily influenced by others and quickly became a poor leader (Pipes 12). Right after Nicholas took the throne he married Princess Alix of Hesse-Darmstadt. Alix became the Grand Duchess of Russia.

Her name was changed to Alexandra. Her religion was also changed to Russian Orthodox (King 77). The Czar and Czarina had 5 children. The youngest, Alexis had hemophilia. He was to be the next ruler of Russia, but unfortunately, the day never came (McGuire 31). During the late 1800's and early 1900's, Russia's government began to decline.

Czar Nicholas went against his advisor's advice and led the Russians through the battle (Lieven 3). Nicholas was at war and had no idea what was happening in Russia. People were not getting enough food, and as a result became very violent; Worst of all Russia was losing the war (Pipes 65). Alexandra said, "This is the first time in my life I have no idea how to act.

Until now god has shown me the way. Right now tho' I cannot hear his instructions". (Klier and Mingay 5). Alexis's poor heath drastically increased. As a result, his mother had horrible mood swings and became very depressed (McGuire 31). Rasputin, a peasant healer from Siberia freely gave his advice to the Imperial family.

"He came dressed in his crude country boots and caftan, from the start he was strangely at ease with the royal couple. He greeted them like old country cousins". (Halliday 69). While Nicholas was away, Alexandra became very attached to Rasputin because he had healed Alexis from hemophilia and mended her broken heart. The Czar felt that Rasputin was an authentic voice of the people and agreed to welcome him because he helped Alexis (McGuire 31). It was not in Nicholas's favor to become Czar because he did not know much about politics or the government so he felt inferior (King 74).

Russia was quickly declining so Nicholas decided to ask Sergey White to advance the Russian industry as quickly as possible. The economy grew rapidly and as a result, poor working conditions and low wages increased (Lieven 3). Nicholas had so much trouble with the Bolsheviks that he decided to Abdicate. All of the Romanovs became prisoners of a new government (King 298). To ensure their safety, the Imperial Family was forced to leave Russia and go to Ekaterinburg at once (Lieven 3). Here they were imprisoned in the Impatiev House.

On July 16, 1918, all the members of the Imperial Family had been killed in the basement of the Impatiev House (King 376). Anastasia had been shot and beaten, but had enough might to suddenly sit up and scream until she had been silenced. The massacre had only taken 3 minutes and in that short time span the room was covered with blood (Klier and Mingay 52). The 11 bodies were then taken to the Four Brothers Mine by Yurovsky (Halliday 134). Later that night, they were burned and the remains were placed in a mineshaft (McGuire 39).

Many stories were going around Russia at this time. No one knew for sure where the tsarina and her daughters were. Some people thought that she and her daughters had been taken to Perm by the Bolsheviks, but others thought that this was a hoax and they were being used as a negotiating tools (King 376). Once the bodies of the Romanovs had been found, those of Alexis and Anastasia were missing. Anastasia and Alexis may have survived the massacre (King 377). February 17, 1920, Two years after the massacre, a woman was found in the Land wher canal in Berlin.

Anna had tried to kill herself by jumping off the Bender Bridge (McGuire 10). Once people started to find out that there was a girl who thought herself to actually be Anastasia, they began to bombard her with questions. People came to see her from all over the world. (King 383). When asked about what happened at Ekateringburg Anastasia Romanov Manhan's reply was "I cannot tell it. I cannot.

I will be killed at once... Events at Ekateringburg were quite different from what they say, but if I say that, they think I'm mad... There was no massacre there, but I cannot tell the rest". (McGuire 81). Anastasia later had a visit from Tatiana's brother, Gleb Boykin. When Anastasia and her siblings where kids, Gleb used to draw cartoon animals for the Imperial children.

Anastasia found out that he was coming to see her, she said "ask him if he has brought his funny animals". No one else but the true Grand Duchess Anastasia could have known that (McGuire 48). Many people thought Anna was so lethargic about trying to prove her identity, but inside she knew who she really was proving it was not important (Klier and Mingay 155). On the basis of comparing a pictures, one report said that the daughter of Czar Nicholas and Mrs. Manahan are the same person. The ears were identical in 17 different ways. When Anastasia Manahan saw the report she said "Of course the ear of the Grand Duchess- how could it be anything else?" (McGuire 86).

"The Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaev na is dead, murdered by bullets, bayonets and rifle butts in a dark cellar in Ekaterinburg, Russia at 2: 30 in the morning of 17 July 1918. The young woman who rose out of that Berlin canal lived on in the person of Fraulein Unbekannt, Anna Tchaikovsky, Anna Anderson, Anastasia Manahan. The second undoubtedly believed she was the first. And, truly, she kept alive the memory of that other Anastasia. Without here there would have been no films, no books, no romantic legend. The two Anastasia represent the two faces of the twentieth century.

One is a century that really existed, full of war and the slaughter of the innocents. The second is the century we longed to have, peace and family pleasures, and the dreams of any little girl who would close her eyes and become a princess". People have been trying to find out what really happened to the Imperial Family for 75 years. The secrets of the family are no longer hidden among the dark trees of the Koptiaki forest outside Ekaterinburg (King 379). Many researchers say the real truth died with Anna Manahan. Historians are still baffled today because the bodies of Anastasia and Alexis were never found (McGuire 90).

Many historians are still baffled today, and the bodies of Anastasia and Alexis were never found (McGuire 90). The real truth died with Anna Manahan. BiblographyMcGuire, Leslie. Anastasia; Czarina or Fake? Minneapolis: Green haven Press, 1989. Pipes, Richard.

A Concise History of the Russian Revolution. New York: Knopf, 1995. Lieven, Dominic. "Czar Nicholas II".

Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia. CD ROM. Washington: Bloomsbury Publishing Place, 1999.