The Last Days of the RomanovsSokolov, N. (Nikolai)
History
The Last Days of the Romanovs
Sokolov, N. (Nikolai)
Nicholas II, Emperor of Russia, 1868-1918; Romanov, House of
On May 9th we reached Tumen and the same day took a train. We arrived at
Yekaterinburg on May 10th at two a. m. During the whole night we were
switching from one station to another and being transferred from one
track to another. Approximately at nine o’clock the train was stopped
between two stations. It was muddy and there was a continuous drizzling
rain. Five isvostchiks (cabs) were awaiting us at the station.
Rodionoff, with some commissars, approached the car where the children
were placed. The grand duchesses walked out of the car. Tatiana
Nicholaevna carried in one hand her pet dog and in the other a hand bag,
the latter with great difficulty, dragging it on the pavement. Nagorny
wanted to help her, but was roughly pushed aside. I noticed that Nagorny
went in the same cab as the czarevitch. I remember that in every one of
the other cabs there was a commissar or some other Bolshevik agent. I
wanted to leave the car and wish them good-bye, but I was held up by a
sentry. I never thought at that moment that I was seeing all of them for
the last time; and I did not even know that I was then already
discharged from the service of the imperial family.
At last our train came into the station. About three hours later I saw
Tatischeff, Hendrikova and Schneider being taken out of the train and
escorted by soldiers. A little later Haritonoff, the little Sedneff,
Volkoff and Troupp were also taken away. I had almost forgotten to say
that the children were accompanied by Dr. Derevenko. In a little while
Rodionoff came and announced to us that: we “were not wanted,” and that
we were “free.” The Baroness Buxhoevden was then transferred to our car.
In about three days we received an order from the Soviet to leave the
Perm district and return to Tobolsk. We could not fulfil the order as
the way was cut off by the advancing Czechs, so we stayed in
Yekaterinburg. During this time I visited the town and had a look at the
Ipatieff house.
On the 14th or 15th of May I witnessed the following: I was walking on
the streets of Yekaterinburg with Derevenko and Mr. Gibbes. While we
were passing Ipatieff’s house we noticed that Sedneff was sitting in a
cab surrounded by soldiers who carried rifles with fixed bayonets; in
another cab Nagorny was seated. When the latter looked up he saw us and
looked at us for quite a long time but did not make a single movement
that could betray to the people surrounding him that he knew us.
The cabs, surrounded by horsemen, quickly drove to the centre of the
town. We followed them as fast as we could and finally saw them
disappearing in the direction of the prison.
Our party consisted of eighteen persons and we proceeded to Tumen. At
Kamishlov the soviet did not allow us to go any further. We stayed there
for ten days. It was dirty and the whole place was infected by disease.
Finally we were attached to a train full of Serbs and we arrived at
Tumen.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account