2. The Imperial Family: Father Nicholas II of Russia (1868-1918) Mother Alexandra Fyodorovna (1872-1918) Older Sisters Grand Duchess Olga (1895-1918) Grand Duchess Tatiana (1897-1918) Grand Duchess Maria (1899-1918) Anastasia Nikolaevna (1901-1918) Younger Brother- Alexei Nikolaevich, Tsarevich of Russia (1904-1918)
3. Association with Grigori Rasputin Anastasia’s mother relied on the counsel of Grigori Rasputin, a Russian peasant and wandering staretsor "holy man," and credited his prayers with saving the ailing Tsarevich on numerous occasions. Rumourspersisted and it was later whispered in society that Rasputin had seduced not only the Tsarina but also the four grand duchesses. After the scandal, Nicholas ordered Rasputin to leave St. Petersburg for a time. Murdered on December 17, 1916 After they were killed by the Bolsheviks, it was discovered Anastasia and her sisters were all wearing amulets bearing Rasputin's picture and a prayer.
4. Captivity and Execution In February 1917, Nicholas II abdicated the throne and Anastasia and her family were placed under house arrest at the Alexander Palace in TsarskoyeSelo during the Russian Revolution. As the Bolsheviks approached, Alexander Kerensky of the Provisional Government had them moved to Tobolsk, Siberia. After the Bolsheviks seized majority control of Russia, Anastasia and her family were moved to the Ipatiev House, or House of Special Purpose, at Yekaterinburg. Anastasia was executed along with her family by a firing squad in the early morning of July 17, 1918. The execution was carried out by forces of the Bolshevik secret police under the command of Yurovsky.
5. False Reports of Survival-Anna Anderson- Anastasia's supposed survival was one of the celebrated mysteries of the 20th century. Anna Anderson, the most notorious Anastasia impostor, first surfaced publicly between 1920 and 1922 She contended that she had feigned death amongst the bodies of her family members and servants, and was able to make her escape with the help of a compassionate guard who rescued her from amongst the corpses after noticing that she was still alive The final decision of the court was that Anderson had not provided sufficient proof to claim the identity of the grand duchess. DNA tests proved she could not have been the Grand Duchess. Anderson died in 1984.
