Research Proposal: The Romanov Family
The Romanov family were the last of the Imperial Russian rulers before the Bolshevik Revolution and the installation of Lenin as ruler of the USSR. At the time of their deaths, the Romanov family included Emperor or Tsar Nicholas II, his wife Alexandra, and their five children.[1] Following the death of the nuclear family, members of the extended Romanov family met gruesome ends. The few that survived escaped Russia and went into exile in different countries in the West. In March 1917, when Nicholas had already abdicated the throne, he was reunited with the rest of his family at the Alexander Palace. The Provisional Government put them under house arrest following the February Revolution, the first of the major Russian revolutions in 1917. In August of that same year, before the October Revolution that led to the Provisional Government being replaced with Lenin´s government, the family was evacuated to Tobolsk. The official version of this story from the USSR was that this would protect them from the rising tide of revolution; they were placed in a mansion in comfor,t which supports this theory. The murder of the Romanov family had a significant impact on creating a sense of legitimacy for the new governmen. In essence,: it was used to dampen the spirits of the White Army, show the strength and power of the new government, and warn others what would happen if they showed signs of resistance.
The proposed research question for this study is: what impact did the murder of the Romanov family have on solidifying the political status and legitimacy of the Soviet government? This question is designed to explore some of the reasons why the family ase killed in such a way and the association that they had with the White Army in opposition to the government. It will also explore some ofho h killing the figureheads of the opposition played a role in legitimzsing the government and the reasons why Lenin and other party members may have ordered the killing.
When the Bolsheviks won the October Revolution, the Romanov family experienced worsening conditionsbecauset they represented the class system that the Bolsheviks were ideologically opposed to.[4] There was a growing sentiment within the government that Nicholas should be put on trial as punishment for his aristocratic background and his unpopular decisions, including the killing of peaceful protestors by his army in 1905. The entire family was placed under stricter conditions at this time, no longer being able to have butter and coffee. By 1918, the whole family wasuted on soldier ratio,ns and, as the Bolsheviks became more gobuster power in government, they moved many of the family members to Yekaterinburg. Here they were to stay at the House of Special Purpose in strict isolation; they were not allowed to speak any language other than Russian so guards could understand them. They were also not allowed access to luggage or equipment, and they were also ordered to keep their windows shut and covered.
By July of 1918, the situation had escalated, and other members of the so-called bourgeoisie and aristocracy were beginning to be shot by the Cheka based on their opposition to the Revolution and, of course, their social status.[6] On the night of the 17tof h July, Yakov Yurovsky, the officer who was in charge of supervising the family, ordered the family physician to wake up the family and tell them to put on their clothes. The familyasre told that they were being moved to a safer location because of rising tension in Yekaterinburg.[7] They were then sealed into a basement room, which they would not exit alive. A few minutes later, an execution squad from the secret police entered into the room and shot all present members of the family. The official story from the government at the time was that they were killed based on theiroperatlusion with the opposition forces during 1917. The bodies were then placed in unmarked graves; it is only recently that the location of their bodieasere found and positively identified.
Outline
- Introduction – as above
- Roadmap – this research paper will discuss why the Romanov family was executed by the government, in terms of the political gains that were to be made by killing the figureheads of the opposition. It will discuss the events that led up to the deaths of the Romanovs, the immediate impact of their deaths, and how the murders were framed during the rest of the period that Lenin was in power. It will then finish by discussing some contemporary interpretations of the deaths of the Romanovs to provide some context for hBoris Yeltsin saw these eventssin and how they are framed in modern-day Russia.
- Background – as above
- 1917 and 1918 – discuss the events that led up to the execution of the Romanovs, with a focus on the clashes between the Red and White Armies
- 1919 – discuss the after-effects of the murder of the Romanovs and the official stories told by the government about the deaths of the family
- 1920-1924 – discuss the use of the Romanov executions by the Lenin government politically
- Mod-rn day interpretations – discuss the response of Boris Yeltsin to the murders and why it was considered to be the worst episode in Russian history by Yeltsin. Discuss the modern interpretation of the reason for killing the Romanovs and the effect that it had on the foundation of the USSR.
- ConclusiThe bn
Build-up to the Execution (1917-1918)
On 15th March, 1917, Nicholas forcefully lost his position as the ruling monarch. The sentries referred to him as “Nicholas Romanov.” Five days later, he was reunited with his family at the Alexander Palace in Tsarskoe Selo. They were under the constant observation of the soldiers who restricted them to their quarters. They had several restrictions imposed on them, such as being denied access to their luggage and using Russian as the only language for communication. The initiative aimed at ensuring that the guards understood everything that they said. Therefore, the royal family could not plan any form of escape without the knowledge of the guards.
In August 1917, the provisional government, under Alexander Kerensky, moved the family to Tobolsk, Siberia, in a move allegedly aimed at protecting them from the rising revolution. In October 1917, the Bolsheviks ascended to power and imposed stricter regulations to the family’s confinement. The family was put on soldier’s rations and had to forego butter and coffee. The Bolsheviks continued to make life difficult for the royal family and eventually began executing their most loyal servants.
The Romanovs were initially in the hands of the RAd amy, because the Bolsheviks intended to put them on trial. As the Civil War progressed, the White Army threatened to capture the city in which the Romanovs were held captive. If this were to happen, the Romanovs would fall into the hands of the White Army. This development would have given much power to the white army because other European nations acknowledged the Romanovs as the legitimate rulers of Russia. To prevent this from happening, they decided to execute the entire family, including the extended family.
After-effects of the Murder
In the morning that followed the murder, Yakov Yurovsky made arrangements for the bodies to be transferred to another location after rumours escalated concerning the initial duping site. During the transportation, the vehicle broke down, and Yurovsky promptly made arrangement to improvise burial sites. The bodies, severely acid-burnt, were buried in a pit along Koptyaki Road. The road would later be abandoned. The men sealed the pit and covered it with rubble.
On July 19th, Filipp Goloshchyokin made a public announcement concerning the execution of Nicholas Romanov. However, the statement indicated that his family had been relocated to a secure location. In the days that followed, the public, with the aid of local newspapers, talked about the execution of the former monarch. They speculated on the reasons that may have led to his execution, citing the order of Uralispolkom as one of the possible reasons.
Within the twelve weeks that followed, the Bolsheviks hunted down the remaining members of the Romanov family, along with the family’s friends, and executed them. There was speculation concerning who gave the order, but as of 2011, there was still no conclusive evidence on who ordered the killings. Yakov Yurovsky’s report from 1922 was published. It revealed that Bolshevik jailers executed the Romanov family because they feared that the approaching Czechoslovak Legion would free Nicholas from his captives.
Over the following years, several people emerged and claimed to be part of the large family. Most of the extended family members’ bodies were discovered in 1979. Nicholas, his wife and children’s bodies were exhumed in 1991. Forensic examination identified the bodies and they received a state burial, deserving of a royal family.
Political Use by Lenin Government
The Bolsheviks, founded by Vladimir Lenin and Alexander Bogdanov, based their leadership on instilling fear in the subjects. Lenin led the revolution that seized power from the Romanovs. However, the Romanovs were still the rightful rulers of the country. The primary motivation of the White army during the revolution was the fact that they could save the Romanov’s and reclaim power. Therefore, Lenin devised a plan that would eliminate any potential threats to his reign of terror. He allegedly ordered the execution of the entire Romanov family to eliminate the possibility of anybody laying claim to his throne.
Once the Bolsheviks had eliminated the entire Romanov family, the White army’s ambitions faced a major blow. It became clear that not even God could protect the sovereign in society. They were all human beings who could face brutality at any point time. Therefore, these deaths played a significant role in suppressing the uprising from the White Army to some extent.
After successfully executing the tsar and his family, Lenin’s government had passed a clear message to the rest of the population. The manner in which the regime killed the royal family was brutal and sent the rest of the citizens into fear. It was a warning sign that whoever tried to interfere with their rule would face the severe consequences of their actions. The Bolsheviks were capable of killing an entire family, including children, to prevent any form of resistance against them. The effects of the cold-blooded murder were evident among the citizens over the next couple of years. These people avoided the Ipatiev House, the place where the killings took place. They dreaded coming close to it. By this point, the Bolsheviks had emphatically made their point regarding anyone who dared to oppose them.
After the removal of tsar Nicholas from power, a provisional government took over. However, the Bolsheviks, under Vladimir Lenin overthrew the Provisional Government. Lenin claimed that the government had done very little to improve the living conditions of the Russians. Consequently, a civil war broke out. The Bolsheviks came out as victors and ascended to power. In the aftermath of the civil war, four republics came together and signed a treaty that would ensure peaceful relations among them. These were the Russian, Byelorussian, Uikranian, and Transcaucasian republics. The treaty combined the republics into one: The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). The leader of the USSR was Vladimir Lenin.
Western governments, such as Britain were reluctant to get themselves involved in the political tension that was in Russia. Most notably, King George V refused to grant asylum to the ex-tsar Nicholas, and his family. He was perhaps fearful that the revolution would spread to his country as the people searched for the tsar. Therefore, the situation in Russia continued without the interference of any Western government.
Modern-day Interpretations
The modern world considers these killings inhuman and uncalled for. Nicholas had shown no intention of leading an uprising since he peacefully stepped down from power. All he wanted was the safety of his family, whom he loved. However, the Bolsheviks went ahead and murdered the entire family in cold blood, along with other members of the extended family and some of their friends. This act was a clear demonstration of the dictatorship that was bound to face Russians under the new regime. There was no justification for such crude actions, especially the killing of innocent children. These killings symbolized the political fall of the Russia Empire as one of the greatest powers in the world. The country suffered significant economic and military collapse as a result.
Boris Yeltsin ascended to power on 10th July 1991 as the first President of Russia. He showed no form of support for the dictatorship that was characteristic of the Soviet Union. He was disgusted by the murder of the Romanov family in cold blood. He went down history books for his famous role in dismantling the Soviet Union. This move resulted in the transformation of Russia into a representative democracy. These actions gained him both praise and criticism from individuals who expressed their different ideologies on the matter. Along with the introduction of democracy, he introduced new cultural, economic, and, political freedoms in the country. These reforms aimed at ensuring that the country does not witness a repeat of the event that occurred in 1918, the merciless killings of the Romanovs. Eventually, these reforms transformed Russia into a peaceful state where democracy existed.
Conclusion
The execution of the Romanov Family was a turning point in the history of Russian governance. The death of the entire family meant that there was no rightful heir to claim the throne. Therefore, the monarchy that had existed in Russia for a long time came to an end. The new leadership based their success on inflicting fear among the people, so that they would not be able to create an uprising against the leaders. The killings were brutal and many people have condemned the actions, several years down the line. However, the message was effectively passed and allowed the oppressive government to enjoy a considerable period of being in power.
The killings paved way for rulers from other families to take over jurisdiction of the country. The event was significant as it marked the end of leadership coming fro ngle family. With the formation of the Soviet Union, anyone could ascend to power regardless of their family background. All they needed was support from a significant population to help them seize power. This was the foundation of the modern leadership systems present in modern-day Russia.
Working Bibliography
Byard, Roger W. “The Execution Of The Romanov Family At Yekatarinberg”. Forensic Science, Medicine And Pathology, vol 14, no. 1, 2020, pp. 88-101. Springer Science And Business Media LLC, doi:10.1007/s12024-020-00218-3.
Bykov, P. M, and Andrew Rothstein. The Last Days Of Tsar Nicholas. International Publishers, 1935.
Feodorovna, Alexandra et al. The Last Diary Of Tsaritsa Alexandra. Yale University Press, 1997.
Radzinskiĭ, Ėdvard. The Last Tsar. Doubleday, 1992.
Romanova, Olga, and Helen Azar. The Diary Of Olga Romanov. Westholme, 2013.
Van der Kiste, John. The Romanovs 1818-1959. The History Press, 2013.
To expand your number of primary sources, you might want to also look at the actual report by the White Russian investigation by the Sokolov Commission that looked into the execution of the Tsar and his family (it is available both in the Russian and in a translation of the French version). The TTU library should be able to get this for you: https://www.amazon.com/Sokolov-Investigation-Alleged-Russian-Imperial/dp/0831501103
This site (http://www.alexanderpalace.org/palace/ryabovtv.html) might also give you some good primary source information.
[1] Bykov, P. M, and Andrew Rothstein. The Last Days Of Tsar Nicholas. International Publishers, 1935.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Radzinskiĭ, Ėdvard. The Last Tsar. Doubleday, 1992.
[4] Romanova, Olga, and Helen Azar. The Diary Of Olga Romanov. Westholme, 2013.
[5] Radzinskiĭ, Ėdvard. The Last Tsar. Doubleday, 1992.
[6] Romanova, Olga, and Helen Azar. The Diary Of Olga Romanov. Westholme, 2013.
[7] Radzinskiĭ, Ėdvard. The Last Tsar. Doubleday, 1992.