A loving and very close-knit family. Tsar Nicholas II Romanov, his wife, four daughters, and son. They all became victims of an oppressive system and were brutally murdered. Who is responsible for this? How and why did the execution occur? We present the last moments of the Romanov family’s life and the subsequent fate of the murderers.
Tsar Nicholas II Romanov Was Not Liked by Society
The very coronation of Nicholas II Romanov was not a good omen for the future. Russian society of those times believed in superstitions, so when tragedy occurred at Khodynka Field and people panicked, it was considered to bode nothing good.
Additionally, Nicholas’s very appearance did not inspire admiration. His father was a robust man who commanded respect. Nicholas, on the other hand, was rather short, delicate, and decidedly more subtle as a person.
The future tsar’s character traits also did not suit a person performing such a responsible function. He was rather wavering, lacked appropriate preparation, and additionally often yielded to his wife’s influence, which was not well received by society. All these traits influenced his overall image, which unfortunately did not fit a great and powerful tsar.
Ultimately, Nicholas II Romanov abdicated in March 1917, and from that time he remained under house arrest. Finally, in May 1918, the entire family was transported to a villa in the Urals. Conditions for them were not ideal, part of the rooms was occupied by guards, but no one yet expected that such tragedy would befall them there.
Decision to Execute the Romanov Family
In June 1918, the final decision was made and there was no turning back. It was clear that the Romanov family had to die. The position of the Ural Council was unequivocal.
There was fear that Romanov would fall into Czechoslovak hands, and this could not be allowed. The risk was too great. Nicholas himself was also aware of his fatal situation.
The task of liquidating the Romanov family was assigned to Yakov Yurovsky. The murder was to be quick and as discreet as possible. The entire matter was never to come to light. Yurovsky began preparations by replacing guards at the villa, increasing security rigor, and even installing bars on windows. The family suspected nothing yet.
Night of Execution
Yurovsky received the green light as early as the morning of July 16, and the execution was to take place on the night of July 16-17. Everything was prepared – the truck that was to take away the bodies, the basement. The last day of the Romanov family did not differ much from all previous ones. In the middle of the night, they were awakened and, under the pretext of danger, led to the basement.
They were ordered to line up against the wall, and then the death sentence was read. Armed men also appeared in the basement. Yurovsky killed the tsar himself. Many shots were fired, enormous chaos appeared, clouds of smoke and dust. Bullets bounced off jewelry, which acted like bulletproof vests. The men had to finish off their victims because some of the people did not die immediately.
Cover-Up of Crime Traces
The brutal crime was to be thoroughly covered up. It was never to be discovered. The victims’ bodies were wrapped in sheets and taken to the forest. Some sources indicate that even during transport, some of the victims had to be finished off.
All were buried together in a mine shaft. Bodies were doused with acid and burned. The crime scene was also taken care of. Despite thorough cleaning, it soon turned out that blood traces remained on the walls. Such a brutal crime could not be effectively hidden for long.
The entire matter naturally came to light, but the family had to wait many more years for a dignified burial. Part of the family was buried only in 1998, and the bodies of the son and one of the daughters were found only 9 years later. In 2008, the Romanov family was officially recognized as victims of political repression.
Murderer’s Further Fate
The chief commander of this macabre crime, Yurovsky, recounted the organization and course of the murder. He was convinced that his actions had served Russia and the revolution. He regretted nothing and was even proud of his decisions.
Unfortunately, justice did not reach him, and he managed to avoid responsibility for this crime. Despite everything, the revolution in which he believed turned against him. His daughter was arrested and sent to a labor camp. Yurovsky could not cope with this, began to fall seriously ill, and died as a result of illness.
