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The Romanov Sisters #3
Race to Save the Romanovs
In this international bestseller investigating the murder of the Russian Imperial Family, Helen Rappaport embarks on a quest to uncover the various plots and plans to save them, why they failed, and who was responsible.
The murder of the Romanov family in July 1918 horrified the world, and its aftershocks still reverberate today. In Putin's autocratic Russia, the Revolution itself is considered a crime, and its anniversary was largely ignored. In stark contrast, the centenary of the massacre of the Imperial Family was commemorated in 2018 by a huge ceremony attended by the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church.
While the murders themselves have received major attention, what has never been investigated in detail are the various plots and plans behind the scenes to save the family ― on the part of their royal relatives, other governments, and Russian monarchists loyal to the Tsar. Rappaport refutes the claim that the fault lies entirely with King George V, as has been the traditional view for the last century. The responsibility for failing the Romanovs must be equally shared. The question of asylum for the Tsar and his family was an extremely complicated issue that presented enormous political, logistical and geographical challenges at a time when Europe was still at war.
Like a modern day detective, Helen Rappaport draws on new and never-before-seen sources from archives in the US, Russia, Spain and the UK, creating a powerful account of near misses and close calls with a heartbreaking conclusion. With its up-to-the-minute research, The Race to Save the Romanovs is sure to replace outdated classics as the final word on the fate of the Romanovs.
The murder of the Romanov family in July 1918 horrified the world, and its aftershocks still reverberate today. In Putin's autocratic Russia, the Revolution itself is considered a crime, and its anniversary was largely ignored. In stark contrast, the centenary of the massacre of the Imperial Family was commemorated in 2018 by a huge ceremony attended by the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church.
While the murders themselves have received major attention, what has never been investigated in detail are the various plots and plans behind the scenes to save the family ― on the part of their royal relatives, other governments, and Russian monarchists loyal to the Tsar. Rappaport refutes the claim that the fault lies entirely with King George V, as has been the traditional view for the last century. The responsibility for failing the Romanovs must be equally shared. The question of asylum for the Tsar and his family was an extremely complicated issue that presented enormous political, logistical and geographical challenges at a time when Europe was still at war.
Like a modern day detective, Helen Rappaport draws on new and never-before-seen sources from archives in the US, Russia, Spain and the UK, creating a powerful account of near misses and close calls with a heartbreaking conclusion. With its up-to-the-minute research, The Race to Save the Romanovs is sure to replace outdated classics as the final word on the fate of the Romanovs.
496 pages, Paperback
First published June 26, 2018
514 people are currently reading
6611 people want to read
About the author
Helen Rappaport
28 books853 followersHelen Rappaport is a historian specialising in the Victorian period, with a particular interest in Queen Victoria and the Jamaican healer and caregiver, Mary Seacole. She also has written extensively on late Imperial Russia, the 1917 Revolution and the Romanov family. Her love of all things Victorian springs from her childhood growing up near the River Medway where Charles Dickens lived and worked. Her passion for Russian came from a Russian Special Studies BA degree course at Leeds University. In 2017 she was awarded an honorary D.Litt by Leeds for her services to history. She is also a member of the Royal Historical Society, the Genealogical Society, the Society of Authors and the Victorian Society. She lives in the West Country, and has an enduring love of the English countryside and the Jurassic Coast, but her ancestral roots are in the Orkneys and Shetlands from where she is descended on her father's side. She likes to think she has Viking blood.
Helen is the author of 14 published books with 2 forthcoming in 2022:
"In Search of Mary Seacole: The Making of a Cultural Icon" - Simon & Schuster UK, 17 February 2022
"After the Romanovs: Russian Exiles in Paris through Revolution and War" - St Martin's Press USA, 8 March 2022
For her next project she is working on a biography of Juliane of Saxe-Coburg aka Grand Duchess Anna Feodorovna of Russia
Follow her also on Facebook at:
HelenRappaportWriter
Helen is the author of 14 published books with 2 forthcoming in 2022:
"In Search of Mary Seacole: The Making of a Cultural Icon" - Simon & Schuster UK, 17 February 2022
"After the Romanovs: Russian Exiles in Paris through Revolution and War" - St Martin's Press USA, 8 March 2022
For her next project she is working on a biography of Juliane of Saxe-Coburg aka Grand Duchess Anna Feodorovna of Russia
Follow her also on Facebook at:
HelenRappaportWriter
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 286 reviews
July 16, 2018
July 17 2018 Marks the 100th year Anniversary of the murder of the Russian Imperial family -
I wanted to read another book on the Russian Imperial Family and when I listenend to Helen Helen Rappaport's interview on Dan Snows History Hit Podcast , I just had to get my hands on a copy ofThe Race to Save the Romanovs: The Truth Behind the Secret Plans to Rescue the Russian Imperial Family
Helen Rappaport an acclaimed historian and researcher has written in my opinion an extremely well researched and informative account of the last few months of the Russian Imperial Family.
This book is different than anything else I have read concerning the Romanovs as this account embarks on a quest to uncover the various plots and plans to save the family, why they failed, and who was responsible. At last a book that tries to answer the questions I had running around in my head while reading other books on the Romanovs. Many of the Royal courts of Europe were closely related to the family and what plans if any were out to rescue them is well documented here and they reasons why these plans didn't materialise or if indeed they were ever in place. The author puts to bed many myths and inaccuracies surrounding this horrible time in Russian history.
A word of warning this book has a lot of information, dates names and I was grateful to find that the book had two family trees and a glossary of names which I found necessary when trying to keep up with who was who. This isn't a book about the Romanovs and their lives although the author does go into quite a bit of detail about their last few months of their lives, but the book concentrates more on why European relatives and Allied governments failed to save Czar Nicholas and his family and a lot of this information was new to me.
I listened to this one on audible and while the narrator Danien Lynch is excellent I had to purchase the hard copy as I found the details, maps and glossary of names (and there are a lot) and illustrations necessary in order to get the full benefit of the book.
This is a book I can honestly say I WILL read again and while this was my first book by Helen Rappaport I look forward now to checking out her other books.
I wanted to read another book on the Russian Imperial Family and when I listenend to Helen Helen Rappaport's interview on Dan Snows History Hit Podcast , I just had to get my hands on a copy ofThe Race to Save the Romanovs: The Truth Behind the Secret Plans to Rescue the Russian Imperial Family
Helen Rappaport an acclaimed historian and researcher has written in my opinion an extremely well researched and informative account of the last few months of the Russian Imperial Family.
This book is different than anything else I have read concerning the Romanovs as this account embarks on a quest to uncover the various plots and plans to save the family, why they failed, and who was responsible. At last a book that tries to answer the questions I had running around in my head while reading other books on the Romanovs. Many of the Royal courts of Europe were closely related to the family and what plans if any were out to rescue them is well documented here and they reasons why these plans didn't materialise or if indeed they were ever in place. The author puts to bed many myths and inaccuracies surrounding this horrible time in Russian history.
A word of warning this book has a lot of information, dates names and I was grateful to find that the book had two family trees and a glossary of names which I found necessary when trying to keep up with who was who. This isn't a book about the Romanovs and their lives although the author does go into quite a bit of detail about their last few months of their lives, but the book concentrates more on why European relatives and Allied governments failed to save Czar Nicholas and his family and a lot of this information was new to me.
I listened to this one on audible and while the narrator Danien Lynch is excellent I had to purchase the hard copy as I found the details, maps and glossary of names (and there are a lot) and illustrations necessary in order to get the full benefit of the book.
This is a book I can honestly say I WILL read again and while this was my first book by Helen Rappaport I look forward now to checking out her other books.
September 17, 2022
In her book, The Race To Save The Romanovs Helen Rappaport pulls from previously unseen documents to present the true, and harrowing story behind the secret plans to save the Russian Imperial family in the wake of the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II, and the Bolshevik Revolution. The Race To Save The Romanovs focuses on a very specific time period, from the Tsar’s abdication in March 1917 to the barbaric slaughter of the Tsar and his family in July 1918.
King George V is often scapegoated as the reason for the failed rescue of the Romanovs. However, just like most events in history, the truth behind the failed attempts to save the Russian Imperial family cannot be boiled down to a simple soundbite. When the geography of Russia is taken into account alone, a myriad of problems can arise, the challenge of simply coordinating a route would have been nightmarish enough, without the threat of Bolshevik marauders hidden in every village along the way. Rescues by air and by sea were both contemplated, however, ice was an issue for ships, and the best plays available didn’t have the ability to fly the distance on a single fueling, or had the passenger capacity to carry all seven members of the Romanov family.
The Race To Save The Romanovs begins with a summary of the familiar tensions widely prevalent among the Royal families of Europe, particularly between Germany, England, and Russia, as well as mounting political tensions emanating from both Russia and the West, laying the groundwork for World War I. The relationships between Kaiser Wilhelm II and Alexandra played an important role in the Romanov rescue drama, as did the relationship between King George V and his cousin Nicholas II.
One of the most interesting aspects of the Romanov rescue story is the involvement of King George V. Growing up, George and Nicholas were incredibly close. They were strikingly similar in appearance, often called “the heavenly twins.” As darkness fell over the Russian Monarchy, King George had to battle against his pull to help a dear cousin, or to act as the head of his country.
“King George’s reign had, since the outbreak of war in 1914, already witnessed a darkening atmosphere of strikes and industrial unrest, fuelled by the growth of support for socialism and the rise of the Labour Party. Socialism had brought with it the much-feared spectre of republicanism, and King George was only too acutely aware that his government’s priority was to hold the Home Front together all the time there was a war going on. He dreaded the onrush of a class war in Britain mimicking that in Russia; his cousin Nicholas’s fall from power posed a serious conflict of interests over which he dithered and agonised as he tried to balance his private familia sympathies with his duty as head of the nation.”
While the British government discussed ways of getting the Romanovs out of Russia, they lacked the motivation to save the Imperial family. Because of World War I, and England's long history of Russian rivalry, the general public was not in favor of housing the Russian Imperial family. King George V sent private messages to Nicholas II offering his sympathies, and possible ways he could assist his cousin, but lacking the power to make discussions for himself, King George V was unable to get his government to comply.
Meanwhile, the German Kaiser tried to balance his role as protector of his country, and caretaker of Alexandra and her family, as the Tsarina was German by birth. However, given his country's allegiance during the war, opening his county up to the Russian Imperial family wasn’t an option as far as his government was concerned. The kings of Spain, Belgium, Bulgaria, and Italy among others added their countries to the list of those struggling to help remove the Romanovs from Russia, passion and purpose were rampant among those working to save Nicholas and his family. However, every plan hit one of several walls. Either Russian geography posed too many problems, or the issue of the war looming over Europe put a stop to all their rescue missions. After Tsar Nicholas’s abdication, a Provisional Government was set in place until further governmental elections could be held, in the meantime, “The British could not risk compromising Russia’s new Provisional Government - their wartime ally.” Russia was incredibly volatile, and King George V found himself and his government walking on eggshells during their negotiations to organize a Romanov rescue.
Rappaport weaves much of the Romanov correspondence, and journal entries into her book, crafting a deeply emotional and tragically heartbreaking narrative. Towards their final days, an eerie peacefulness had settled over the Russian Imperial family. When provided with their final service, Father Ivan Storozhev, a local priest, recalled, “he had been deeply moved by their devotion and the enormous comfort they had clearly taken in being allowed to worship together.” However, he also would remember with a chill the “...eerie sense of doom that had prevailed through the singing of the liturgy, it was almost as though the family had been sharing, knowingly in their own last rites.”
Race To Save The Romanovs provides its readers with a stirring, and deeply moving narrative, Helen Rappaport’s control over the subject is evident through her meticulous research and elegant writing. The Race To Save The Romanovs requires no previous knowledge of the subject matter for its reader to be deeply swept away by its narrative, and affected by its story.
King George V is often scapegoated as the reason for the failed rescue of the Romanovs. However, just like most events in history, the truth behind the failed attempts to save the Russian Imperial family cannot be boiled down to a simple soundbite. When the geography of Russia is taken into account alone, a myriad of problems can arise, the challenge of simply coordinating a route would have been nightmarish enough, without the threat of Bolshevik marauders hidden in every village along the way. Rescues by air and by sea were both contemplated, however, ice was an issue for ships, and the best plays available didn’t have the ability to fly the distance on a single fueling, or had the passenger capacity to carry all seven members of the Romanov family.
The Race To Save The Romanovs begins with a summary of the familiar tensions widely prevalent among the Royal families of Europe, particularly between Germany, England, and Russia, as well as mounting political tensions emanating from both Russia and the West, laying the groundwork for World War I. The relationships between Kaiser Wilhelm II and Alexandra played an important role in the Romanov rescue drama, as did the relationship between King George V and his cousin Nicholas II.
One of the most interesting aspects of the Romanov rescue story is the involvement of King George V. Growing up, George and Nicholas were incredibly close. They were strikingly similar in appearance, often called “the heavenly twins.” As darkness fell over the Russian Monarchy, King George had to battle against his pull to help a dear cousin, or to act as the head of his country.
“King George’s reign had, since the outbreak of war in 1914, already witnessed a darkening atmosphere of strikes and industrial unrest, fuelled by the growth of support for socialism and the rise of the Labour Party. Socialism had brought with it the much-feared spectre of republicanism, and King George was only too acutely aware that his government’s priority was to hold the Home Front together all the time there was a war going on. He dreaded the onrush of a class war in Britain mimicking that in Russia; his cousin Nicholas’s fall from power posed a serious conflict of interests over which he dithered and agonised as he tried to balance his private familia sympathies with his duty as head of the nation.”
While the British government discussed ways of getting the Romanovs out of Russia, they lacked the motivation to save the Imperial family. Because of World War I, and England's long history of Russian rivalry, the general public was not in favor of housing the Russian Imperial family. King George V sent private messages to Nicholas II offering his sympathies, and possible ways he could assist his cousin, but lacking the power to make discussions for himself, King George V was unable to get his government to comply.
Meanwhile, the German Kaiser tried to balance his role as protector of his country, and caretaker of Alexandra and her family, as the Tsarina was German by birth. However, given his country's allegiance during the war, opening his county up to the Russian Imperial family wasn’t an option as far as his government was concerned. The kings of Spain, Belgium, Bulgaria, and Italy among others added their countries to the list of those struggling to help remove the Romanovs from Russia, passion and purpose were rampant among those working to save Nicholas and his family. However, every plan hit one of several walls. Either Russian geography posed too many problems, or the issue of the war looming over Europe put a stop to all their rescue missions. After Tsar Nicholas’s abdication, a Provisional Government was set in place until further governmental elections could be held, in the meantime, “The British could not risk compromising Russia’s new Provisional Government - their wartime ally.” Russia was incredibly volatile, and King George V found himself and his government walking on eggshells during their negotiations to organize a Romanov rescue.
Rappaport weaves much of the Romanov correspondence, and journal entries into her book, crafting a deeply emotional and tragically heartbreaking narrative. Towards their final days, an eerie peacefulness had settled over the Russian Imperial family. When provided with their final service, Father Ivan Storozhev, a local priest, recalled, “he had been deeply moved by their devotion and the enormous comfort they had clearly taken in being allowed to worship together.” However, he also would remember with a chill the “...eerie sense of doom that had prevailed through the singing of the liturgy, it was almost as though the family had been sharing, knowingly in their own last rites.”
Race To Save The Romanovs provides its readers with a stirring, and deeply moving narrative, Helen Rappaport’s control over the subject is evident through her meticulous research and elegant writing. The Race To Save The Romanovs requires no previous knowledge of the subject matter for its reader to be deeply swept away by its narrative, and affected by its story.
October 18, 2020
This, Helen Rappaport’s latest book, looks at the flow of events that led to the last Romanovs’ incarceration and subsequent assassination on July 17, 1918. It seeks to clarify what actually happened, separating fact from the rife speculations and confusion that has clouded history for a century. Who was killed and where and how and when? How did it come to be that the Romanovs, with family ties all over Europe, were not rescued? The blame game is played—who should be pointed at and who is at fault? King George V and even Mary his wife, Liberal British statesman David Lloyd George, the British Ambassador in Saint Petersburg Sir George William Buchanan, Kaiser Wilhelm, Alexander Kerensky, Tsar Nicholas and Tsarina Alexandra and / or the other European reigning regents of the time? All are examined. The only figure not pointed at is Lenin, which is rather strange! King Alfonso of Spain is praised.
This is a book of history. It is dense, and it is thorough. It presents the latest information and is based on the author’s own extensive research. It focuses on politics rather than biographical content. Facts are presented in a well thought out, chronological and orderly fashion.
The audiobook has no PDF file, and thus maps, family trees and name lists are lacking. It is difficult to decipher the Russian. There are many Russian names and only being able to hear them rather than see them is difficult. The audiobook’s narrator, Damien Lynch, takes getting used to. The flow is choppy. He speaks quickly but pauses after every sentence. The pauses are in a way good because they give you time to think; there is much information to absorb. The book is very good, but I do not recommend it as an audiobook unless that is your only alternative.
In my view it is better to have read other books on the topic before tackling this.
Other recommended books :
*Nicholas and Alexandra 5 stars
*George, Nicholas and Wilhelm: Three Royal Cousins and the Road to World War I 4 stars
*The Romanov Sisters: The Lost Lives of the Daughters of Nicholas and Alexandra 4 stars
*Rasputin: The Untold Story 4 stars
*The Kitchen Boy: A Novel of the Last Tsar 4 stars
*The Assassination of the Archduke: Sarajevo 1914 and the Romance that Changed the World 3 stars
This is a book of history. It is dense, and it is thorough. It presents the latest information and is based on the author’s own extensive research. It focuses on politics rather than biographical content. Facts are presented in a well thought out, chronological and orderly fashion.
The audiobook has no PDF file, and thus maps, family trees and name lists are lacking. It is difficult to decipher the Russian. There are many Russian names and only being able to hear them rather than see them is difficult. The audiobook’s narrator, Damien Lynch, takes getting used to. The flow is choppy. He speaks quickly but pauses after every sentence. The pauses are in a way good because they give you time to think; there is much information to absorb. The book is very good, but I do not recommend it as an audiobook unless that is your only alternative.
In my view it is better to have read other books on the topic before tackling this.
Other recommended books :
*Nicholas and Alexandra 5 stars
*George, Nicholas and Wilhelm: Three Royal Cousins and the Road to World War I 4 stars
*The Romanov Sisters: The Lost Lives of the Daughters of Nicholas and Alexandra 4 stars
*Rasputin: The Untold Story 4 stars
*The Kitchen Boy: A Novel of the Last Tsar 4 stars
*The Assassination of the Archduke: Sarajevo 1914 and the Romance that Changed the World 3 stars
June 29, 2018
It seems I’ve always had an affinity for the story of the Romanovs, reading books about them long ago and being interested in them for years. It’s just such a captivating tale, with the large wealthy family in Russia, the ill son that they all dote on, especially when he’s unwell. And of course, the crazy monk that seems to cast a spell over them when he is seemingly able to help several times when the illness was really bad.
This book mainly focuses on all the machinations to try to save the Romanovs during the time they were in Tsarskoe Selo and their future was so uncertain. After Nicholas had abdicated while on the train and then spent time with his mother was probably the ideal time for any real chance to slip away, but with the children ill with measles, it would have been so difficult. It seems that all the planning after that was kind of futile.
This book was written with the aid of a whole suitcase of additional newly added papers lent to the author giving more insight to that period and makes this very up to date. It would appeal to most people who have an interest in this time period in Russia, the Romanovs and their fate and the whole story surrounding them. My thanks for the advance digital copy that was provided by NetGalley, author Helen Rappaport, and the publisher for my review.
St. Martin’s Press
Pub: June 26, 2018
This book mainly focuses on all the machinations to try to save the Romanovs during the time they were in Tsarskoe Selo and their future was so uncertain. After Nicholas had abdicated while on the train and then spent time with his mother was probably the ideal time for any real chance to slip away, but with the children ill with measles, it would have been so difficult. It seems that all the planning after that was kind of futile.
This book was written with the aid of a whole suitcase of additional newly added papers lent to the author giving more insight to that period and makes this very up to date. It would appeal to most people who have an interest in this time period in Russia, the Romanovs and their fate and the whole story surrounding them. My thanks for the advance digital copy that was provided by NetGalley, author Helen Rappaport, and the publisher for my review.
St. Martin’s Press
Pub: June 26, 2018
July 1, 2018
The Romanovs were closely related to several European royal houses – the British, German and Danish in particular – so why did none of their relatives manage to save them after their arrest following the Revolution? And what of the Russian officers loyal to the monarchy who were said to be amassing in Tobolsk and Ekaterinburg? Why did none of their efforts succeed? Helen Rappaport tells a riveting tale of the political football the Romanov family became during their months of captivity. George V has long been blamed for not saving them but what of Kaiser Wilhelm? Why did the Danes not do more? Alfonso XIII of Spain is the only monarch who stuck his neck out, and he continued to try to save the women throughout August 1918, unaware they had been murdered alongside Nicholas.
Rappaport's research is deep and meticulous. She has uncovered memos, telegrams and documents not seen by previous historians so this is the most complete and balanced account available. She is also pragmatic: Russia's northern coastline could only have been an escape route from July to September because it was frozen the rest of the year; the vast distances in Russia, compounded by the workers' seizing of the rail network, made any other escape route precarious; and the family's unwillingness to leave Russia also played a part.
I raced through this book and I would urge anyone else interested in the Romanovs, and in Russian history, to do the same. It's a fascinating read!
Rappaport's research is deep and meticulous. She has uncovered memos, telegrams and documents not seen by previous historians so this is the most complete and balanced account available. She is also pragmatic: Russia's northern coastline could only have been an escape route from July to September because it was frozen the rest of the year; the vast distances in Russia, compounded by the workers' seizing of the rail network, made any other escape route precarious; and the family's unwillingness to leave Russia also played a part.
I raced through this book and I would urge anyone else interested in the Romanovs, and in Russian history, to do the same. It's a fascinating read!
May 22, 2019
Too much college textbook with lots of dates but was fascinated to learn that the Danish Government still has all of the records sealed on the death of Tsar Nicholas which happened over a 100 years ago !!
January 2, 2023
Ако някой е забелязал заглавието на щанда на "Изток-Запад"* по време на последния панаир на книгата и се е чудил дали да си я подари, сега ще му отговоря - струва си. Книгата не изисква да си специалист по проблема; но и имайте предвид, че това не е четиво за лаици - трябва да си запознат с основните факти около Първата световна, руските революции и последите 15-16 месеца от живота на Николай и семейството му, за да бъде четенето на книгата ползотворно и приятно. В нея Рапапорт надгражда предходния си труд "The Last Days of the Romanovs: Tragedy at Ekaterinburg" (да стискаме палци и тя да бъде преведена), фокусирайки се върху специфичен проблем, станал повод за множество спекулации и конспиративни теории - могли ли са Романови да бъдат спасени или убийството им поначало е било неизбежно? Имало ли е искрено желание да им се помогне или доброжелателството се е ограничило до думи? Оставям на вас да разберете.
*Излязла на български под заглавието "Борбата за спасяването на Романови. Истината зад тайните планове за спасяване на императорското семейство на Русия"
*Излязла на български под заглавието "Борбата за спасяването на Романови. Истината зад тайните планове за спасяване на императорското семейство на Русия"
August 7, 2018
A really, really good read if you're interested in this period and the last Imperial Family.
I liked that Rappaport didn't place blame on one particular person and analyzed all the information in a fairly unbiased way. The facts are laid out and it doesn't come off feeling like she's forcing her own opinions of the topic on us. My only complaint is that, at times, we bounce back and forth a bit in the timeline and it could get a bit confusing.
I highly recommend reading Rappaport's The Last Days of the Romanovs: Tragedy at Ekaterinburg before approaching this. There are a lot of names dropped and it focuses more on what was going on in politics "behind the scenes" and less on the Romanovs themselves during that last year. If you don't really know much about the Nicholas II, his family, and what happened to them I think this would be very confusing.
I even recommend reading Rappaport's The Romanov Sisters: The Lost Lives of the Daughters of Nicholas and Alexandra before this, though I would say it's not as necessary for understanding as the other book is.
I liked that Rappaport didn't place blame on one particular person and analyzed all the information in a fairly unbiased way. The facts are laid out and it doesn't come off feeling like she's forcing her own opinions of the topic on us. My only complaint is that, at times, we bounce back and forth a bit in the timeline and it could get a bit confusing.
I highly recommend reading Rappaport's The Last Days of the Romanovs: Tragedy at Ekaterinburg before approaching this. There are a lot of names dropped and it focuses more on what was going on in politics "behind the scenes" and less on the Romanovs themselves during that last year. If you don't really know much about the Nicholas II, his family, and what happened to them I think this would be very confusing.
I even recommend reading Rappaport's The Romanov Sisters: The Lost Lives of the Daughters of Nicholas and Alexandra before this, though I would say it's not as necessary for understanding as the other book is.
November 5, 2018
Up until reading The Race to Save the Romanovs and one other newly written book I have had no knowledge of the killing of the Romanovs. It was not covered during my school years, nor was I ever drawn into discussions of Russia other than watching their wonderful gymnasts during the Olympics. This book was an eye opener and actually made be feel like I had been living blindly to previous world events. Helen Rappaport's The Race to Save the Romanovs was well written, easy to comprehend and made me wish to learn more. Full Disclosure: I was allowed to read a copy of this book for free as a member of NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased review. The opinions I have expressed are my own and I was not influenced to give a positive review.
Read
November 14, 2018Going to place this one on the dnf shelf. It was a bit to detailed oriented for me. I was looking more for a story of the Romanovs than I was about the various designs that were thought of to save them.
June 29, 2018
Not being a Russophile, I was unaware of the blame game going on as to whose fault it was that the Romanov family was killed. With all of the royal families in Europe being related, one of them should have whisked the family to safety.
England’s King George gets the biggest rap, but Germany’s Emperor Wilhelm seems to have been in a better position, since Germany was dictating terms in the war with Russia. Plus, most of the Romanov women had been German princesses.
Helen Rappaport points out so many factors making escape difficult, if not impossible: the war, the political alliances, personal antipathies, logistics, geography, and the weather. The Soviets wanted the tsar to pay for centuries of despotism; they weren’t going to let him go.
When one throne toppled, the others felt shockwaves. The kings had to protect their own thrones rather than assist the disposed. In any case, there was really only one window of opportunity for the Romanovs to leave, and that was before Nicholas abdicated.
The Romanovs didn’t want to leave Russia, in any case. They would have preferred death to being rescued by Germany. Brutal as it was, that’s what they got.
July 16, 2018
What a great read! Easy enough to say now that “someone” should have saved the Romanovs, but Helen Rappaport, with her meticulous and exhaustive research, explores how indeed many people, including the crowned head of Europe, came up with plans and stratagems and machinations to do just that but how all these ideas were pretty much doomed from the start. And would the Tsar have agreed to leave Russia anyway? A fascinating and compelling examination of those terrible last days of the Romanovs.
November 11, 2021
(Note: I received an advanced reader copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley)
Helen Rappaport returns again to the ends days of the Russian Empire with a deep look at all the attempts made behind the scenes to try and protect the lives Tsar Nicholas II and his family. The author leaves absolutely no stone unturned in her extensive coverage, and gives attention from everything ranging from behind the scenes diplomatic wrangling and arguing in Europe's halls of power to a surprisingly wide array of rescue schemes cooked up with a mix of earnest intentions and utter naivety. As usual Rappaport's research is incredibly deep and incomparably extensive, and through an abundance of historical documentation she has created what is probably the clearest and most comprehensive overview to date on a little-remembered but no less tragic aspect of the final days of the Romanov Dynasty.
Helen Rappaport returns again to the ends days of the Russian Empire with a deep look at all the attempts made behind the scenes to try and protect the lives Tsar Nicholas II and his family. The author leaves absolutely no stone unturned in her extensive coverage, and gives attention from everything ranging from behind the scenes diplomatic wrangling and arguing in Europe's halls of power to a surprisingly wide array of rescue schemes cooked up with a mix of earnest intentions and utter naivety. As usual Rappaport's research is incredibly deep and incomparably extensive, and through an abundance of historical documentation she has created what is probably the clearest and most comprehensive overview to date on a little-remembered but no less tragic aspect of the final days of the Romanov Dynasty.
July 22, 2019
I have forever been fascinated by the story of the last of the Romanovs. Any news item, any documentary: I'm in! Therefore, I really was interested in this book. With all the power and influence held by European royalty during the first 20 years of the 20th century, I wanted to know why they were never given asylum or taken to safety.
This book explains that in clear terms. There was a combination of so many elements that, in retrospect, what happened seems almost inevitable. Had the
Revolution in Russia happened at any time rather than in the midst of the Great War, there would probably have been strong efforts to get them to safety. The author believes that there are several major elements that prevented this.
1. Russia was a strategic partner of the western allies against Germany. The Allies needed to keep the government of Russia on their side, and rescuing the Romanovs would have enraged the new regime, especially once the Bolsheviks took power.
2. The Czarina was German-born and never, ever let anyone forget that. She adamantly adhered to the principle of the divine rights of the monarchy. Therefore the suspicion among the general population and the governments of many Allied countries was that she would betray them to her cousin Kaiser Wilhelm. In addition, she was a deeply unpleasant person who alienated almost everyone she met and was actively hated by many of her royal relatives, who otherwise were quite fond of Nicholas and all the children.
3. The Romanovs themselves were adamantly opposed to leaving Russia. They believed until the very end that there was a desire among the populace to have the monarchy restored. For Nicholas, it went even deeper: he truly loved Russia and couldn't conceive of living anywhere else. "Better to die in Russia than to live elsewhere."
4. There was civil war in Russia between moderates and fanatical Bolsheviks. It was these fanatics who forced the Romanovs to go to Ekaterinburg and who delighted in the idea of slaughtering them all.
Altogether, these reasons, and many more, led directly to that fateful night in July 1918.
This book is a sad litany of failure for so many parties who had an opportunity to save the family but dithered, back-tracked, passed the buck, and dropped the ball altogether. It's a fascinating tale, written in really accessible way. I hung on every page.
This book explains that in clear terms. There was a combination of so many elements that, in retrospect, what happened seems almost inevitable. Had the
Revolution in Russia happened at any time rather than in the midst of the Great War, there would probably have been strong efforts to get them to safety. The author believes that there are several major elements that prevented this.
1. Russia was a strategic partner of the western allies against Germany. The Allies needed to keep the government of Russia on their side, and rescuing the Romanovs would have enraged the new regime, especially once the Bolsheviks took power.
2. The Czarina was German-born and never, ever let anyone forget that. She adamantly adhered to the principle of the divine rights of the monarchy. Therefore the suspicion among the general population and the governments of many Allied countries was that she would betray them to her cousin Kaiser Wilhelm. In addition, she was a deeply unpleasant person who alienated almost everyone she met and was actively hated by many of her royal relatives, who otherwise were quite fond of Nicholas and all the children.
3. The Romanovs themselves were adamantly opposed to leaving Russia. They believed until the very end that there was a desire among the populace to have the monarchy restored. For Nicholas, it went even deeper: he truly loved Russia and couldn't conceive of living anywhere else. "Better to die in Russia than to live elsewhere."
4. There was civil war in Russia between moderates and fanatical Bolsheviks. It was these fanatics who forced the Romanovs to go to Ekaterinburg and who delighted in the idea of slaughtering them all.
Altogether, these reasons, and many more, led directly to that fateful night in July 1918.
This book is a sad litany of failure for so many parties who had an opportunity to save the family but dithered, back-tracked, passed the buck, and dropped the ball altogether. It's a fascinating tale, written in really accessible way. I hung on every page.
July 8, 2018
Solid work of scholarship and very readable, too. Rappaport details why virtually every royal family (or government) in Europe considered rescuing the imperiled Czar, Czarina and family – and why they ultimately didn’t.
A loathing for the breathtakingly snobbish Alexandra certainly played a part, but political factors did as well. The Russian Revolution had unsettled not just Russia, but had created unrest among the laboring classes in countries as far away as Great Britain. Sovereigns such as King George V hesitated to offer refuge to the Romanovs, for fear hostility to the autocrats might lead to their own overthrow.
The sheer logistics of travel, during a war, were daunting, too, and in retrospect, the window of opportunity was smaller than anyone could have imagined.
The details of the actual murders are not a part of this book, but Rappaport’s story continues with how the news of the murders got out, when, to whom – and how people responded.
As the author notes, several countries – including Great Britain – still refuse access to some of the papers that might fully explain why their governments turned their backs on the doomed family.
One hundred years later, the shame of inaction continues to sting – as well it should.
A loathing for the breathtakingly snobbish Alexandra certainly played a part, but political factors did as well. The Russian Revolution had unsettled not just Russia, but had created unrest among the laboring classes in countries as far away as Great Britain. Sovereigns such as King George V hesitated to offer refuge to the Romanovs, for fear hostility to the autocrats might lead to their own overthrow.
The sheer logistics of travel, during a war, were daunting, too, and in retrospect, the window of opportunity was smaller than anyone could have imagined.
The details of the actual murders are not a part of this book, but Rappaport’s story continues with how the news of the murders got out, when, to whom – and how people responded.
As the author notes, several countries – including Great Britain – still refuse access to some of the papers that might fully explain why their governments turned their backs on the doomed family.
One hundred years later, the shame of inaction continues to sting – as well it should.
November 20, 2025
Every time I read about the Romanovs, a little part of me gets emotional that Nicholas was a bit oblivious to how in danger they were until it was too late.
But then again, he seems to be a very common everyday family man who was unfortunately born to not be that at all.
My pessimistic side also kept questioning the “the Romanovs would rather have all died together” because yes they were a rather close family but half of them were also so young.
But then again, he seems to be a very common everyday family man who was unfortunately born to not be that at all.
My pessimistic side also kept questioning the “the Romanovs would rather have all died together” because yes they were a rather close family but half of them were also so young.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 8, 2018
In late December of 1977, I landed in Leningrad, Russia and begin looking at everything around me in that dark, cold, foreboding land. The mornings began not with sunrise but with darkness that pervaded the northern climate until late–after 10 am–and then the daylight hours ended early in the afternoon. And then there was the bitter cold, the sterile feel of the Communist state, the indifference of store workers to their customers, and the feeling of regimentation, oppression, and chains. Still, there was plenty in Russia–both old and new–that was beautiful, charming, and alluring. It was my one visit outside of the U. S. and is still a country I would love to see yet again and see more of.
Maybe with a nudge or two in those days, I might have pursued graduate studies of Russian history and literature. But I was tired of college and ready to teach school. Besides, I had other interests in the field of history as well. So, I never quite developed as an expert in Russian history and culture. But over the years, I have continued to read books here and there, both novels and histories, that unveil images of that vast and mysterious land.
Currently, I am working through two books on Russia in the time of the 1917 Revolutions. At last, I have a worthy excuse for reading what I am consumed in at the moment. This is the year for Modern World Humanities with a focus on the 20th century. Truth be known, I am probably better versed on the 20th century than any other part of history.
The first book on this venture is The Race to Save the Romanovs by Helen Rappaport. Mrs. Rappaport has written quite a few works in recent years on the Romanov family and the Revolution. I have picked up a volume or two in some bargain venues, but jumped at the chance to read and review this book. It is published by St. Martin’s Press.
The Romanov family story is filled with everything one might imagine in a fairy tale and/or a horror story. Nicholas Romanov and his wife Alexandra were two remarkable figures, placed in history by forces beyond their control and put in the middle of a storm that no mere humans could have survived. They were a beautiful and loving couple. Their letters to one another reveal a man and a woman who were deeply devoted to each other. Yet, Nicholas had no ordinary job to go to. He was the Tsar of Russia, a powerful, but struggling world power connected to Europe by land and blood, and entangled by alliances to events that brought about World War I.
As Tsar, Nicholas was a man of limited vision and personality. He did not relish being the leader, but he was a Romanov and could no more think in modern terms than he could have used modern (as in 21st century) technology. Behind him, his wife was pushy, sometimes dominant, narrow minded to the hilt, and terribly offensive to others. Adding to her problems, she was German by heritage, which meant that she was constantly attacked by Russian presses and gossip during World War I. (For those who may have forgotten, Russia was at war with Germany.) No one ever became more fiercely Russian than Alexandra Romanov, but both Allied leaders and many in Russia thought her disloyal. As if that wasn’t enough, the Tsarevitch, or son of the Tsar and heir of the throne, Alexey, suffered from hemophilia.
I thought this story had been almost completely told in Robert Massie’s incredible book Nicholas and Alexandra. I have read that book a couple of times, along with his sequel The Romanovs: The Final Chapter.
Helen Rappaport’s book goes beyond what Massie’s books did. The focus is on the efforts to rescue the Tsar and his family. The most likely candidates for rescuing this family were the British. The King, George V, and Nicholas were cousins. Alexandra was a granddaughter of Queen Victoria. But the British dithered, delayed, hesitated, ignored, pawned off, and managed to do little other than mourn the deaths when rescue was too late.
Efforts were made by many others to rescue the family. Germany had some opportunities to do so, and the Romanovs were kin to the Kaiser of Germany, Wilhelm II. Talk was of sending the Romanovs to Denmark, southern France, an obscure place in England, Norway, Sweden, the Crimea, and Spain. Within Russia, there were loyal monarchists who desperately wanted to both rescue and restore the family.
Part of the pain of reading this book is knowing how it will end. As Rappaport points out, the Tsar and his family were not simply killed or executed, they were murdered–brutally, cruelly, and with malice and aforethought. To make matters worse, the Bolsheviks concealed the crime and even used the family as a political pawn even after they were all dead.
Of course, World War I and the reign of Communists in Russia both piled up dead bodies by the millions. Still, this account is one that is known and will not be forgotten. As former Russian leader Boris Yeltsin said, “The Yekaterinburg massacre was one of the most shameful episodes in Russian history.” (Yekaterinburg, also known as Ekaterinburg, is where the Romanovs were being held and were then murdered.)
Maybe with a nudge or two in those days, I might have pursued graduate studies of Russian history and literature. But I was tired of college and ready to teach school. Besides, I had other interests in the field of history as well. So, I never quite developed as an expert in Russian history and culture. But over the years, I have continued to read books here and there, both novels and histories, that unveil images of that vast and mysterious land.
Currently, I am working through two books on Russia in the time of the 1917 Revolutions. At last, I have a worthy excuse for reading what I am consumed in at the moment. This is the year for Modern World Humanities with a focus on the 20th century. Truth be known, I am probably better versed on the 20th century than any other part of history.
The first book on this venture is The Race to Save the Romanovs by Helen Rappaport. Mrs. Rappaport has written quite a few works in recent years on the Romanov family and the Revolution. I have picked up a volume or two in some bargain venues, but jumped at the chance to read and review this book. It is published by St. Martin’s Press.
The Romanov family story is filled with everything one might imagine in a fairy tale and/or a horror story. Nicholas Romanov and his wife Alexandra were two remarkable figures, placed in history by forces beyond their control and put in the middle of a storm that no mere humans could have survived. They were a beautiful and loving couple. Their letters to one another reveal a man and a woman who were deeply devoted to each other. Yet, Nicholas had no ordinary job to go to. He was the Tsar of Russia, a powerful, but struggling world power connected to Europe by land and blood, and entangled by alliances to events that brought about World War I.
As Tsar, Nicholas was a man of limited vision and personality. He did not relish being the leader, but he was a Romanov and could no more think in modern terms than he could have used modern (as in 21st century) technology. Behind him, his wife was pushy, sometimes dominant, narrow minded to the hilt, and terribly offensive to others. Adding to her problems, she was German by heritage, which meant that she was constantly attacked by Russian presses and gossip during World War I. (For those who may have forgotten, Russia was at war with Germany.) No one ever became more fiercely Russian than Alexandra Romanov, but both Allied leaders and many in Russia thought her disloyal. As if that wasn’t enough, the Tsarevitch, or son of the Tsar and heir of the throne, Alexey, suffered from hemophilia.
I thought this story had been almost completely told in Robert Massie’s incredible book Nicholas and Alexandra. I have read that book a couple of times, along with his sequel The Romanovs: The Final Chapter.
Helen Rappaport’s book goes beyond what Massie’s books did. The focus is on the efforts to rescue the Tsar and his family. The most likely candidates for rescuing this family were the British. The King, George V, and Nicholas were cousins. Alexandra was a granddaughter of Queen Victoria. But the British dithered, delayed, hesitated, ignored, pawned off, and managed to do little other than mourn the deaths when rescue was too late.
Efforts were made by many others to rescue the family. Germany had some opportunities to do so, and the Romanovs were kin to the Kaiser of Germany, Wilhelm II. Talk was of sending the Romanovs to Denmark, southern France, an obscure place in England, Norway, Sweden, the Crimea, and Spain. Within Russia, there were loyal monarchists who desperately wanted to both rescue and restore the family.
Part of the pain of reading this book is knowing how it will end. As Rappaport points out, the Tsar and his family were not simply killed or executed, they were murdered–brutally, cruelly, and with malice and aforethought. To make matters worse, the Bolsheviks concealed the crime and even used the family as a political pawn even after they were all dead.
Of course, World War I and the reign of Communists in Russia both piled up dead bodies by the millions. Still, this account is one that is known and will not be forgotten. As former Russian leader Boris Yeltsin said, “The Yekaterinburg massacre was one of the most shameful episodes in Russian history.” (Yekaterinburg, also known as Ekaterinburg, is where the Romanovs were being held and were then murdered.)
March 9, 2022
Accessible and informative but a bit too dry at points. It was interesting to read about the royal families of Europe during World War One and I'm definitely now more keen on reading more by Rappaport in future as this really didn't satisfy my yearning to read more about the Romanov family.
August 5, 2023
3.5 rounded up
Interesting read with far more facts than I had previously heard.
Interesting read with far more facts than I had previously heard.
March 15, 2025
interesting, full of unheard but yet reliable informations. objectively 4 or even 5 stars, but compared to two other books by the same author on this theme (Romanovs specifically), for my liking 3 ⭐️
July 11, 2024
Let me share a far more condensed version of this book: There were numerous half-hearted attempts to rescue the Romanov family before their impending destruction while being held captive by the Bolsheviks. However, Alexandra and Nicholas did a royally thorough job of making themselves undesirable and taboo for other rulers of European countries. No one wanted to risk damaging their country's reputation by aiding them, nor were the Bolsheviks willing to give up the Romanov family and risk them gaining power again. Not helping the matter was Alexandra's prior devotion to a mad man (Rasputin), and she was also German- which was not a popular country in 1918. The unfortunate demise of the last Russian tsar family was a direct consequence of the way they led their country. But despite all their numerous errors, the Romanov family loved Russia and each other (and their staff) and weren't willing to separate even if a quality rescue plan had presented itself.
Now for my review. This was not a book to get immersed in. I've read a few other books and watched videos that did a far better job of describing the events leading up to the Romanov family's demise. Though to be fair, this is the only one that focused solely on the countless attempts to free the family before death inevitably came. Unfortunately, there were far too many characters and moving pieces to make this very intriguing for a big picture person, such as myself. Unless you need all this info for a dissertation or project, I'd say there are more interesting books to read that recount events in a far more interesting way.
Now for my review. This was not a book to get immersed in. I've read a few other books and watched videos that did a far better job of describing the events leading up to the Romanov family's demise. Though to be fair, this is the only one that focused solely on the countless attempts to free the family before death inevitably came. Unfortunately, there were far too many characters and moving pieces to make this very intriguing for a big picture person, such as myself. Unless you need all this info for a dissertation or project, I'd say there are more interesting books to read that recount events in a far more interesting way.
December 3, 2020
This story is just so sad to me. I didn’t love the book, but I am glad I read it. It gave me insight into that time period and all the decisions that were made or not made that ended up in the loss of that entire family.
August 28, 2018
I gave it only 2 stars because, although the subject interests me, by the middle of the book I found myself skimming. It was too dry for me. I found the first 1/3 fascinating.
June 20, 2023
"The Race to Save the Romanovs: The Truth Behind the Secret Plans to Rescue the Russian Imperial Family" is a gripping and meticulously researched account that delves into the lesser-known aspects of the Romanov family's tragic fate. This compelling work of historical non-fiction sheds light on the clandestine efforts to save the Russian imperial family during a time of immense political upheaval.
From the moment I picked up this book, I was captivated by the author's thorough exploration of the various rescue plans and the individuals who were involved. The level of detail and careful analysis presented is truly commendable, painting a comprehensive picture of the complex web of intrigue and secrecy that surrounded the Romanovs' last days.
As a reader, I found myself fully immersed in the suspense and tension that permeated the narrative. The author skillfully weaves together a multitude of sources, including archival documents, personal testimonies, and historical accounts, to construct a vivid and compelling story. The pacing is expertly managed, striking a perfect balance between historical context, the events leading up to the Romanovs' captivity, and the intense race to save them.
One of the aspects that truly impressed me about "The Race to Save the Romanovs" was the author's ability to present a range of perspectives and theories surrounding the rescue attempts. The book delves into the motivations, challenges, and limitations faced by those involved in the efforts to save the imperial family. This nuanced approach adds depth and complexity to the narrative, allowing readers to form their own opinions and draw their own conclusions.
From start to finish, I found myself engrossed in the meticulously researched facts and the author's analysis. The book not only sheds light on the covert operations and individuals who played a role in the rescue attempts but also provides a broader understanding of the political landscape and the factors that ultimately determined the Romanovs' tragic fate.
As a lover (sometimes — mostly only if it interests me) of historical non-fiction, I greatly appreciate when an author is able to balance scholarly rigor with engaging storytelling. "The Race to Save the Romanovs" accomplishes this seamlessly, presenting a wealth of information in a manner that is accessible and captivating. The author's meticulous attention to detail and dedication to uncovering the truth shine through, making this book a valuable addition to any history enthusiast's library.
In my opinion, "The Race to Save the Romanovs" is an exceptional work that sheds new light on a well-known historical event. It is evident that the author's passion for the subject matter is reflected in the depth of research and the compelling narrative they have crafted. This book offers a captivating and thought-provoking exploration of the efforts made to rescue the Romanovs, inviting readers to question, reflect, and delve deeper into the complex tapestry of history.
**I read this a while ago when I had exams so I’m now updating my goodreads and adding a review, so this book isn’t fresh in my mind**
From the moment I picked up this book, I was captivated by the author's thorough exploration of the various rescue plans and the individuals who were involved. The level of detail and careful analysis presented is truly commendable, painting a comprehensive picture of the complex web of intrigue and secrecy that surrounded the Romanovs' last days.
As a reader, I found myself fully immersed in the suspense and tension that permeated the narrative. The author skillfully weaves together a multitude of sources, including archival documents, personal testimonies, and historical accounts, to construct a vivid and compelling story. The pacing is expertly managed, striking a perfect balance between historical context, the events leading up to the Romanovs' captivity, and the intense race to save them.
One of the aspects that truly impressed me about "The Race to Save the Romanovs" was the author's ability to present a range of perspectives and theories surrounding the rescue attempts. The book delves into the motivations, challenges, and limitations faced by those involved in the efforts to save the imperial family. This nuanced approach adds depth and complexity to the narrative, allowing readers to form their own opinions and draw their own conclusions.
From start to finish, I found myself engrossed in the meticulously researched facts and the author's analysis. The book not only sheds light on the covert operations and individuals who played a role in the rescue attempts but also provides a broader understanding of the political landscape and the factors that ultimately determined the Romanovs' tragic fate.
As a lover (sometimes — mostly only if it interests me) of historical non-fiction, I greatly appreciate when an author is able to balance scholarly rigor with engaging storytelling. "The Race to Save the Romanovs" accomplishes this seamlessly, presenting a wealth of information in a manner that is accessible and captivating. The author's meticulous attention to detail and dedication to uncovering the truth shine through, making this book a valuable addition to any history enthusiast's library.
In my opinion, "The Race to Save the Romanovs" is an exceptional work that sheds new light on a well-known historical event. It is evident that the author's passion for the subject matter is reflected in the depth of research and the compelling narrative they have crafted. This book offers a captivating and thought-provoking exploration of the efforts made to rescue the Romanovs, inviting readers to question, reflect, and delve deeper into the complex tapestry of history.
**I read this a while ago when I had exams so I’m now updating my goodreads and adding a review, so this book isn’t fresh in my mind**
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 10, 2022
4.5 stars
An in depth examination of the imprisonment and murder of the last tzar and his family. I think the reader would have to have some familiarity with and knowledge about the time and events. It is fairly technical, with examinations of the various players in Russia, the political complexities in Russia and Europe in general. Interesting how basically everyone wants to shift blame even years later and how difficult the situation was for anyone to help.
An in depth examination of the imprisonment and murder of the last tzar and his family. I think the reader would have to have some familiarity with and knowledge about the time and events. It is fairly technical, with examinations of the various players in Russia, the political complexities in Russia and Europe in general. Interesting how basically everyone wants to shift blame even years later and how difficult the situation was for anyone to help.
December 6, 2025
Christ I’ve written this review three times now and Goodreads won’t save it. So:
JUST READ THIS BOOK IT IS GOOD
JUST READ THIS BOOK IT IS GOOD
August 13, 2018
This book was fascinating. It is a tragic read, because you already know how it ends: despite all Nicholas' and Alexandra's powerful royal relatives and the assorted plans and schemes for rescue, these plots were of course ultimately futile. The Bolsheviks who had been guarding them brutally murdered the Tsar and his family on July 17, 1918 in Ekaterinburg. The author explores all of the possibilities and why they were doomed, really, almost from the start. Internal politics. The war, and other international political factors. Hatred of the Tsaritsa. Timing. Geography. Weather. Even the childrens' health played a role. The fact is that if they were to have escaped, it would have had to have happened within five or six days of Nicholas' abdication in March 1917. After that, any plans were doomed, for layers of reasons. It is an interesting fact that Tsar and Tsaritsa refused to leave their beloved Russia anyway, so they likely would never have cooperated with any of these escape plans in the first place even if they had been otherwise logistically feasible. After their murders, the various monarchs were pointing fingers of blame and trying to excuse or obscure their own inaction. Ultimately the gnashing of teeth of all who coulda, shoulda, woulda only takes us so far because, obviously, the blame for the deaths of the Romanovs can really only be laid at the feet of the Bolsheviks, whose desire for political retribution and bloodshed was just getting started.
A thoroughly well-researched and well-written book. Engrossing. I will probably check out more from Helen Rappaport in the future.
A thoroughly well-researched and well-written book. Engrossing. I will probably check out more from Helen Rappaport in the future.
May 25, 2020
I can't even imagine how difficult it was for the author to find all the information and connect it into a single chain to answer the question why the Romanovs family wasn't saved, despite their numerous relatives all over Europe. An equally important question asked in the book is, would they want to leave if they had an opportunity? The book gives a lot of details and sometimes it seemed to me that not everyone will be able to finish it. But for those who are really interested in this period of time and the history of the Romanovs family, the book will be really interesting.
October 4, 2018
First sentence: In April 1894 the last of a succession of royal dynastic marriages engineered by Queen Victoria as 'Grandmama of Europe' took place in Coburg, the capital of the German Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine.
Premise/plot: The title says it all. This one is about "the race" to "save" the Romanovs. Of course, the Romanovs were not saved. There may have been many people from quite a few countries talking about trying to save, making plans and plotting. Though they had a LOT of relatives in MANY countries across Europe, there is ongoing debate about which countries were willing to welcome them and accept them and which countries decidedly did NOT want them.
This one asks questions: Could the Romanovs have been saved? Why weren't the Romanovs saved? Why were there no real attempts made to get them out of Russia and safely into another country? Was there more talk than action? How can you know what is actually true and what is myth?
All "attempts" to save them have to figure out HOW to get them out of Russia (by sea, by land) and WHERE they will go--which country will take them in and welcome them. Rescue attempts must be well thought out and possible. This isn't Star Wars.
Essentially her response is that there are many, many, many factors to consider. It would never have been an easy matter to get the whole family out of Russia. Not all members of the family were in good health and up to the trip--at least not all the time. Other factors include: the military and political factions warring within Russia, the warring nations without, the mob(s) that have been hating on the family for decades, transportation logistics (how to get them from point to point to point until they are safe), WEATHER, the emotional and mental states of the family. Weather, for example, limited rescue attempts to certain weeks or months of the year. To carry out a plan would require meticulous planning and no mistakes. (Thousands of things could go wrong.) As far as the mental/emotional health of the family goes, did the family want to be rescued if it meant permanent exile? did they welcome attempts that would separate the family? were there countries they were unwilling to live? Did they want to be "rescued" but only on their own terms?
Rappaport essentially argues that there is no one person responsible for their deaths. King George V though often blamed for failing to save them is not solely responsible. It was not in his power to save them. Even if he had wanted to save them, even if he was willing to risk political instability in his own country, even if he was willing to keep pursuing a rescue, there never would have been a guarantee that the Romanovs could have been saved in the end. No one monarch, no one country could have managed it. Too many factors were involved. Together--united as one, working seamlessly together--perhaps, perhaps.
My thoughts: I needed to put this one in the freezer. It was a hard read at times. You can know it's coming and know it's coming and still be surprised by your response when it actually happens. Her ultimate conclusion is that from the moment Nicholas II abdicated, the family was doomed.
Premise/plot: The title says it all. This one is about "the race" to "save" the Romanovs. Of course, the Romanovs were not saved. There may have been many people from quite a few countries talking about trying to save, making plans and plotting. Though they had a LOT of relatives in MANY countries across Europe, there is ongoing debate about which countries were willing to welcome them and accept them and which countries decidedly did NOT want them.
This one asks questions: Could the Romanovs have been saved? Why weren't the Romanovs saved? Why were there no real attempts made to get them out of Russia and safely into another country? Was there more talk than action? How can you know what is actually true and what is myth?
All "attempts" to save them have to figure out HOW to get them out of Russia (by sea, by land) and WHERE they will go--which country will take them in and welcome them. Rescue attempts must be well thought out and possible. This isn't Star Wars.
Essentially her response is that there are many, many, many factors to consider. It would never have been an easy matter to get the whole family out of Russia. Not all members of the family were in good health and up to the trip--at least not all the time. Other factors include: the military and political factions warring within Russia, the warring nations without, the mob(s) that have been hating on the family for decades, transportation logistics (how to get them from point to point to point until they are safe), WEATHER, the emotional and mental states of the family. Weather, for example, limited rescue attempts to certain weeks or months of the year. To carry out a plan would require meticulous planning and no mistakes. (Thousands of things could go wrong.) As far as the mental/emotional health of the family goes, did the family want to be rescued if it meant permanent exile? did they welcome attempts that would separate the family? were there countries they were unwilling to live? Did they want to be "rescued" but only on their own terms?
Rappaport essentially argues that there is no one person responsible for their deaths. King George V though often blamed for failing to save them is not solely responsible. It was not in his power to save them. Even if he had wanted to save them, even if he was willing to risk political instability in his own country, even if he was willing to keep pursuing a rescue, there never would have been a guarantee that the Romanovs could have been saved in the end. No one monarch, no one country could have managed it. Too many factors were involved. Together--united as one, working seamlessly together--perhaps, perhaps.
My thoughts: I needed to put this one in the freezer. It was a hard read at times. You can know it's coming and know it's coming and still be surprised by your response when it actually happens. Her ultimate conclusion is that from the moment Nicholas II abdicated, the family was doomed.
July 22, 2018
This week marks the 100th anniversary of the murder of the Russian imperial family by the Bolsheviks. Among those killed were not only the hated Tsar Nicholas and his wife Alexandra, but also their five children and the servants. It is now generally accepted that the murder was a barbaric act, and these days it is marked by pilgrimages of many thousands of Russians to the site of the crime.
Helen Rappaport’s book, completed just in time to mark the anniversary, is the latest attempt by a historian to discover the truth about the fate of the Romanovs. We now know with certainty that they all died; the discovery of their graves and DNA evidence is quite convincing on these points. All those men and women who claimed to be Anastasia or Alexei were frauds. What we do not know is if they could have been saved, and if so, by whom.
Rappaport has done an extraordinary job of research in archives, including some of the most unlikely places, to try to discover the truth behind stories of attempts by the British royal family, or the German Kaiser, or local Russian monarchists, to whisk the imperial family away from their captors. She concludes that there really never was much of a chance, once the Tsar had abdicated, of this happening, not least because he and his wife had no desire to go into exile.
She also makes it abundantly clear that the British royal family made no effort to intervene in part for fear that hosting the hated former Tsar on British soil could trigger a republican revolution that would have brought down the House of Windsor.
The book is punctuated with italicised paragraphs going into great deal about things like the mis-filing of documents in the National Archives in Kew — which interested me tremendously though I doubt a general audience would enjoy these as much.
The only failings in the book which I could see — and this is something every historian deals with — is when she leaves the familiar ground of the imperial family and comments on something else. For example, she describes historian N. Sukhanov as a Bolshevik when he was not; in fact, he was tried as a Menshevik and eventually executed on Stalin’s orders. Or her reference to “the new official newspaper, the Bolshevik-run Pravda” in early 1917 — a time when Pravda was the party organ of Lenin’s Bolsheviks. It would not have any “official” status until the Bolshevik coup in November of that year. She may even have gotten it wrong in referring to “railway lines largely controlled by hostile Bolshevik revolutionaries” in April 1917 — a time when the Bolsheviks were a fairly small party, one among many, and without Lenin yet on the scene, not much more militant than any of the others.
That having been said, the book is not about the Bolsheviks — it’s about the fate of the Romanovs, and it’s excellently researched and well-written and may, perhaps, turn out to be the final word on the subject.
Helen Rappaport’s book, completed just in time to mark the anniversary, is the latest attempt by a historian to discover the truth about the fate of the Romanovs. We now know with certainty that they all died; the discovery of their graves and DNA evidence is quite convincing on these points. All those men and women who claimed to be Anastasia or Alexei were frauds. What we do not know is if they could have been saved, and if so, by whom.
Rappaport has done an extraordinary job of research in archives, including some of the most unlikely places, to try to discover the truth behind stories of attempts by the British royal family, or the German Kaiser, or local Russian monarchists, to whisk the imperial family away from their captors. She concludes that there really never was much of a chance, once the Tsar had abdicated, of this happening, not least because he and his wife had no desire to go into exile.
She also makes it abundantly clear that the British royal family made no effort to intervene in part for fear that hosting the hated former Tsar on British soil could trigger a republican revolution that would have brought down the House of Windsor.
The book is punctuated with italicised paragraphs going into great deal about things like the mis-filing of documents in the National Archives in Kew — which interested me tremendously though I doubt a general audience would enjoy these as much.
The only failings in the book which I could see — and this is something every historian deals with — is when she leaves the familiar ground of the imperial family and comments on something else. For example, she describes historian N. Sukhanov as a Bolshevik when he was not; in fact, he was tried as a Menshevik and eventually executed on Stalin’s orders. Or her reference to “the new official newspaper, the Bolshevik-run Pravda” in early 1917 — a time when Pravda was the party organ of Lenin’s Bolsheviks. It would not have any “official” status until the Bolshevik coup in November of that year. She may even have gotten it wrong in referring to “railway lines largely controlled by hostile Bolshevik revolutionaries” in April 1917 — a time when the Bolsheviks were a fairly small party, one among many, and without Lenin yet on the scene, not much more militant than any of the others.
That having been said, the book is not about the Bolsheviks — it’s about the fate of the Romanovs, and it’s excellently researched and well-written and may, perhaps, turn out to be the final word on the subject.
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