Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia

Who was Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia?

Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia was the youngest daughter of Tsar Nicholas II, the last sovereign of Imperial Russia, and his wife, Tsarina Alexandra Fyodorovna.

Anastasia was a younger sister of Grand Duchess Olga, Grand Duchess Tatiana, and Grand Duchess Maria, and was an elder sister of Alexei Nikolaevich, Tsarevich of Russia. She was executed with her family in an extrajudicial killing by members of the Cheka, the Bolshevik secret police, on July 17, 1918.

Persistent rumors of her possible escape circulated after her death, fueled by the fact that the location of her burial was unknown during the decades of Communist rule. The mass grave near Yekaterinburg which held the remains of the Tsar, his wife, and three of their daughters was revealed in 1991, and the bodies of Alexei Nikolaevich and the remaining daughter—either Anastasia or her older sister Maria—were discovered in 2007.

Her possible survival has been conclusively disproved. Forensic analysis and DNA testing confirmed that the remains are those of the imperial family, showing that all four grand duchesses were killed in 1918. Several women have falsely claimed to have been Anastasia, of whom Anna Anderson is the best known. Anderson's body was cremated upon her death in 1984, but DNA testing in 1994 on available pieces of Anderson's tissue and hair showed no relation to the DNA of the imperial family.

Famous Quotes:

• "Olga is hitting Maria,and Maria is shouting like a big idiot. A Dragoon and a big idiot."
• 'We played on the swing, that was when I roared with laughter, the fall was so wonderful! Indeed! I told the sisters about it so many times yesterday that they got quite fed up, but I could go on telling it masses of times ... What weather we've had! One could simply shout with joy.'
• "She's so bossy that we call her "the Governess.""
• "A soldier told me if you hop up and down on 1 leg it makes you grow taller!"
• …I am sitting on the sofa near Aleksey who is having dinner with M. Gilliard and Maria is running about making very much noise. After that we spent some time with Alexey. When we are free we usually do it…
• It is so sad to hear that Nikolai Nikolaevich Vasiliev has died. We all find it hard that he’s not alive. Friends write to us, but many letters don’t reach us… We remember the old days, visiting our hospital. I guess no one goes to the graves of our injured ones now nearly everyone was taken away from Tsarskoe. Do you remember Lukyanov he was so pitiful and sweet, always playing with our bracelets like a baby. His visiting card was in my album, but unfortunately the album was left behind at Tsarskoe. Just now I’m writing in our bedroom. On the writing desk are pictures of our beloved hospital…All in all, the times we went to visit the hospital were awfully good. We often reminisce about our visits to the hospital, the evening chats on the telephone, and everything, everything….
• My brilliant Daddy!…1000000 times kiss your feet and hands and bow to you. Loving you. Your faithful daughter 13-year-old lass, first name Nastasya (Shvybzik), last name A.N.R.P.K.Z.S.G. Patron of the Popskiy, Atamanskiy (Chieftains) Regiment. Artichokes, ‘artechokes’ and ‘elmond’-trees and ‘elmond’-trees. Never grow on the nose never grow on the nose I wish they did I wish they did (thrice and more).
• Dear loved papa, I so much want to see you. I have just ended my lesson of arithmetic, I think that I succeeded well. We go to school of nurses, I am very happy there. Today it is raining and it is very humid. I am in Tatiana’s room with Olga and Tatiana. When you will see Boba, say to him that my hands itch me. I try to breed my own livestock of poetry of earth. Olga says that I smell poor, but it is not true. When you will come back, I shall wash myself in your tub. I hope that you did not forget the history which I told you during our promenade. I am sitting down and scratch my nose with the left hand. Olga wanted to slap me for it, but I avoided the hand. Be happy and in good health. I think extremely of you and embrace you tenderly.
• ''Good by. Don't forget me.''