#kolya derevenko

[worldoftheromanovs]

Alexei Nikolaevich, Pierre Gilliard and Kolya Derevenko on the porch of the governor's house in Tobolsk, 1918

[foreverinthepagesofhistory]

Kolya Derevenko + Alexei Nikolaevich edit

“I was a little boy, just twelve years old. I did not know of the evil in people’s souls. Until that sad day of July 17, 1918, my father, Gilliard, Gibbes, and others knew everything, but I knew nothing. Something terrible was going to happen, but I didn’t know what it was… In the last week of July 1918, myself, my father, Gilliard, Gibbes, and others entered the Ipatiev house. There was a terrible scene… The house was in complete chaos; diaries, letters, albums, and other things were strewn all around in the house.. “But where is Ieskela*?” I asked my father, but he stayed silent... I was confused. “Papa, where is my Ieskela?*’– I asked. “They killed him”, he said, and I started to cry. “But how?” – I replied. “They killed the Tsar, the Tsaritsa, and the Grand Duchesses too. They are all dead.” – said my father.”

— Kolya Derevenko, Alexei Nikolaevich’s best friend and son of his physician Doctor Derevenko

*Kolya and Alexei used to have special nicknames for each other where they spelled their names backwards. Kolya was Aylok and Alexei was Ieskela.

Credits to overlay here

[foreverinthepagesofhistoryy]

Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich of Russia with his best friend Kolya Derevenko (son of Imperial Physician Vladimir Derevenko), 1912

(Source: Baroness Sophie “Isa” Buxhoevden’s 1910-1912 album shared by Ilya aka LastRomanovs on Flickr)

[krasivaa]

Once Kolya was persuaded by his friend and another man who went to high school in Tsarskoe Selo to write a book about his life with the Romanovs. He jumped up from the place where he was sitting and, in a voice mixed with anger and sadness, said: "How can you not understand?!! How can you not understand that I've been trying my whole life to bloody forget about that horror!??!"

[enamoredpast]

Execution of the Romanov Family and their Retainers - July 16th/17th 1918

"In the following years, I thought about him. 'Why did they kill you? In the USSR, there was no place for my Ieskela. We will be friends forever, my dear Tsarevich... If I could see you just one more time, then I can die in peace...'"

Nikolai "Kolya" Derevenko

"I rest with the dead only civilly, my children may still have hope that we will see each other sometime in this life, while I [...] do not humour myself with illusions, but look directly into the face of the unadorned reality."

Evgenii Botkin to his brother Alexander

"Goodbye, don't forget me."

Anastasia Nikolaevna

[otmaaromanovas]

Romanov myths part one: Alexei being injured by sledding down the stairs

Although Alexei was given more freedom than is assumed by many people, and certainly had a rambunctious personality, the long-standing story of him sledding down the stairs and then crashing, causing a haemophilia attack in Tobolsk is a myth.

Both Nicholas and Alexandra do not mention this in their diaries, and surviving letters from the Grand Duchesses also do not record Alexei’s rumoured ill-fated sledding adventure. This especially is unusual, as their letters from Tobolsk included a lot of detail about them having fun sledding and on the snow mountain they constructed, so this omission is telling. Alexei did, however, have a sled and a boat which he, his friend Kolya Derevenko, and sister Olga sometimes rode down the stairs and onto the pond (which appears to be mostly small pools of water with a lot of imagination) outside (Olga apparently lost her balance and then fell out once!)

From Alexei's diary (note how he does not mention crashing or having a haemophilia attack):

Sunday 25/7 March [1918]

At eight o'clock there was a religious service, Mama and the sisters sang because the choir was busy. Kolya came at two o'clock. We played in the garden in the afternoon. We shot at a target with bows and arrows [there is a photo of this - see below]. It's very interesting. After tea, we played hide and seek. I received a sleigh and a boat as a gift from a local trader, models of the sleds and boats of the region. Kolya and I played with them a lot and we went down the stairs in the boat. He left at nine o'clock.

Alexei’s sister Anastasia writes about the boat and ‘pond’ here:

4/17 April 1918

Thank you very much, dear Dalechka, for the letter. It took a long time to get here – since December! But it is good it arrived. How are you? We think of you often. It is more or less quiet here. The weather has been divine, but not very warm the last few days. We continue to chop and cut up firewood, and it turns out pretty good. We fixed up our swing, and started to use it again, but probably the ropes will break soon as it has been done poorly. Our garden is a mass of water and mud. My brother has a little boat in which we, so to say, take a ride (it is a big imagination.) There is still not enough water, so we push it of the tracks with sticks and of course get completely soaked. Well, it is a little bit of fun! And how do you pass the time? Well, we are off for a walk so I must finish. I wish all of you the very best. Big greetings to all! I kiss you firmly. Greetings to your Papa and Seryozha.

Anastasia.

In reality, Alexei injured himself after contracting a bad cough. This was most likely caught off one of the visiting children to the house who kept him company, probably Kolya. The repeated coughing unfortunately triggered internal bleeding, leading to a haemophilia attack which left him unable to walk.

It was this attack that meant Alexei, Olga, Tatiana, and Anastasia were not moved to Ekaterinburg with their parents and sister Maria, as the Heir was too ill to move across the country. However, he did make some sort of recovery, at least to the point of being able to be safely transported to Ekaterinburg, and he is photographed sat upright on the Rus steamer, although looking thin. Despite this slight recovery, he was still unable to walk for the rest of his life. The night of the execution he was given a chair to sit on due to being unable to stand independently for any length of time.

A staircase at Tobolsk

So - where did this myth of Alexei sledding down the stairs causing his last haemophilia attack come from?

Robert K. Massie’s 1967 book ‘Nicholas and Alexandra’ appears to be the origin of the story in popular history. On page 490, Massie wrote:

‘[Alexei] was devising new and reckless games which no one seemed able to inhibit. One of these — riding down the inside stairs  on a boat with runners which he had used on the snow mountain — led to calamity. He fell and began to bleed into the groin.’

Whilst Massie’s book is a cornerstone in Romanov historical works, it was released 56 years ago, when there was still a fair amount of mystery and rumour surrounding the Romanovs and their final months. The 1971 film, also named ‘Nicholas and Alexandra’, adapted the book into a three-hour epic film dedicated a whole scene to re-enacting this myth, giving it more publicity.

VIDEO CREDIT: Nicholas and Alexandra, Franklin J. Schaffner, 1971, Columbia-Warner Distributors, Archive.org, uploaded by Olga Movie Man on December 26, 2019, https://archive.org/details/1971nicholasandalexandra. Alexei played by Roderic Noble. They make Tobolsk look a LOT rougher and barren than it actually was!!

A floor plan of the Governor's Mansion, Tobolsk, drawn by Prince Vasily Dolgorukov. Translated in red by Helen Azar.

To summarise: although Alexei did have a boat and a sled whilst at Tobolsk and did ride them down the stairs, these games never caused a haemophilia attack and he never crashed them to the point of causing serious injury. Rather, he contracted a cough which caused internal bleeding. Robert K. Massie mistakenly put this in his book 'Nicholas and Alexandra', and the myth became more popular due to its inclusion in the 1971 film of the same name.

SOURCES:

Diary and letters quoted available here

Alexei: Russia's Last Tsesarevich - Letters, diaries and writings, by George Hawkins

Anastasia Romanov: The Tsar's Youngest Daughter Speaks Through Her Writings (1907 - 1918), by Helen Azar and George Hawkins

Nicholas and Alexandra - film, directed by Franklin J. Schaffner - free to watch here

Nicholas and Alexandra - Robert K. Massie - free to read here

Floorplan of Tobolsk - Helen Azar's website

Tour of Tobolsk in its current form as a museum - (Russian language!)

Photos: public domain, toptyumen

[imperial-russia]

Do you know who other people alexei is close with besides his sisters and parents.

His tutors, particularly Pierre Gilliard and Charles Sydney Gibbes.

His carers, the "dyadkas" Derevnko and Nagorny. He would often play with Derevenko´s sons, as well as the son of court physician Vladimir Derevenko, Kolya.

Among his cousins, his favourite was Rostislav Alexandrovich, son of Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich and Grand Duchess Xenia.

[n-rnova]

From 1916 diary of Alexei Romanov:

1 January. Got up late today. Had tea at 10 o’clock, then went to [see] Mama… Sat at home, because I have a cold. Had breakfast with Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia. In the afternoon went to Kolya’s and played there. It was really fun…

6 January. Got up late. At 11 o’clock in the morning went to the Palace infirmary. Had breakfast with O., T., M. Mama and Anastasia stayed in bed all day… During the day took a walk outside then went to Kolya’s.

From 1918 letters of Alexei Romanov to Romanov family friends:

Tobolsk, 7 January, 1918. Dear Pyotr Vasilevich. I am writing You a third letter already. I hope that You are receiving them…  While I am writing You, Zhylik is reading a newspaper, and Kolya is sketching a portrait of him. Kolya is being rowdy and therefore distracting me from writing to You. Dinner is soon. Nagorny is sending You warm regards… May the Lord God keep You! Your loving. Alexei

12 January. My darling Anya. We are so glad to have news from you, and to hear that you got all our things… We have a few good soldiers with whom I play games in their rooms. Kolya Derevenko comes to visit me on holidays. Nagorny the sailor sleeps with me… I kiss and embrace you. God bless you. ALEXEI

From 1918 letters of Alexei Romanov to Kolya Derevenko:

Dear Yalok, Bring your bullet, the one you found in Ts.[arskoe] S.[elo]. I will also bring two of mine. Goodbye. Ieskela. [On the reverse side of the letter]: “For Kolya. Open immediately (Tobolsk, March 1918)”

To Kolya (Tobolsk, April, 1918). Dear Niki, I am very grateful for the cannon. I hope that we will see each other soon. Regards to Mama, Grandma and Fefer. My handwriting is bad because I am lying in bed. My leg hurts, but I think it will soon be better. Yours, Ieskela [On the reverse side, on top of the page Alexei wrote]: “I am sending you a prosfora “

[kootyl]

Alexei Nikolaevich Romanov smiling and arm around Kolya Derevenko aboard the Standart.

[mashkaromanova]

Nicholas II with his children and Kolya Derevenko, February 1916 

Left to right (1st picture): Kolya, Alexei, Tatiana, Maria, Olga, Anastasia and Nicholas

Left to right (2nd picture): Alexei and Kolya (2nd row), a man (top row), Olga, Tatiana (jumping), Anastasia and Maria

“Rode with A[nastasia] and Shura [Alexandra Tegleva]. Walked-skipped with A. Breakfast 5 with Papa and Mama and 2 Englishmen. In the afternoon [we] built the [snow] tower 4 [her sisters] with Papa and the sailors. Went to our infirmary with A. Sat with Sh.[akh]-N[azarov]. Had tea with Papa, Mama and Uncle Pavel. Went to Vsenoshnaya 4 with Papa. Had dinner with the same with Mama on the couch. Papa read, Anya [Anna Vyrubova] was here.”

- Maria’s diary entry, 20th Feb 1916

“Had lessons. The went to church 5 with Papa. Breakfast with same, with Vikitsky and Mama on the couch. In the afternoon went to our infirmary with A. Sat with Sh. N. Walked 5 [all of her siblings] with Papa, built and jumped off the tower. Had tea in the playroom. Had an English lesson. Went to church 5 with Papa and Mama. Had dinner with same except AL. Papa read, Anya was here.”

- Maria’s diary entry, 22nd Feb

[otmacamera]

Photo 1 : Pierre Gilliard, Tsesarevich Alexei Nikolaevich, Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna and Andrei Derevenko in Sevastopol, 15th May 1916. Photo 2-3 : The Imperial Family on the way to the St. George Monastery.

"15th May. Sunday. Sat in the sun by the pier. Were at obednya in the Vladimir Cathedral, then went to the panorama. At breakfast sat with Grigorovich and Nilov. Went to the St. George Monastery and on the way examined the forts, were in the Church of John the Warrior. Drank tea. There were Ivan and Mikhail (Kolya's brother). At dinner sat with Grigorovich and played like yesterday. Drank tea."

(1916 Diary of Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna)

Photos from: Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna's 1916 Album Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna's 1915 - 1916 Album Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna's 1916 Album

[annalaurendet70]

The kindly Professor Pyotr Vasilievich Petrov seemed to have been a favourite with the Imperial children.He was ailing when the Imperial Family went into house arrest and exile as he died in 1918.

Below is a letter from Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich Romanov of Russia to Pyotr Petrov dated 7 January 1918 (20 January 1918 N.S.)

Dear Pyotr Vasilevich.

I am writing You a third letter already. I hope that You are receiving them. Mama and the rest send regards. Tomorrow the lessons start. The sisters and I had rubella, and Anastasia was the only healthy one and walked with Papa. It’s strange that we are not getting any news from You. Today was 20 deg. of frost, but until now it was warm. While I am writing to You, Zhilik is reading a newspaper, and Kolya is sketching a portrait of him. Kolya is being rowdy and therefore distracting me from writing to You. Dinner is soon. Nagorny is sending You warm regards. Give regards to Masha and Irina. May the Lord God keep You!

Your loving,

Alexei

📌 Zhilik ~ Pierre Gilliard

📌 Nagorny ~ Klementy Grigorievich Nagorny

📌 Kolya ~ Nikolai Vladimirovich Derevenko

[foreverinthepagesofhistory]

When you finally learn how to recognize Konya Derevenko’s face in photos but you realize all of the photos with Alexei that he is in 😭😭😭

[soldiersofthequeen]

The Tsarevich Alexei  with his friend Kolya Derevenko

[otmaaromanovas]

Hello! Thanks for tagging me - I love this photo!

The original photograph can be found in one of Anastasia's 1915-1916 photograph albums. It depicts the "snow tower" that the girls often wrote about in their diaries.

The boy with them is Kolya Vladimirovich Derevenko - the son of Alexei's physician, Dr. Vladimir Derevenko. Kolya passed away in 1999. He gave this interview about Alexei, in Russian, shortly before his death. Helen Azar has translated it.

Here's another photograph of them from the same day from another one of Anastasia's many albums - you can see that Anastasia has written "Kolya" in Russian :)

A hilarious photo showing Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia climbing a hill made of snow, while her sister, Olga Nikolaevna is pushing her from the back. Her brother, Tsarevich Alexei, looks at the camera while one of his friends is pulling Nastya by the hand. Their father, Tsar Nicholas II, is looking from the side.

p.s. if anyone knows who the boy is pls write in the comments or dm me (@otmaaromanovas maybe you do tho?)

[romanovdaughters]

Alexei’s last letter to Kolya Derevenko

Ekaterinburg

Dear Kolya,

All of my sisters send greetings to you, your mother and grandmother. I feel well myself. My head was aching all day, but now the pain has gone completely. I embrace you warmly. Greetings to the Botkins from all of us.

Always yours

Alexei

The end.

1990s interview with Kolya Derevenko

“I was a little boy, just 12 years old...I didn't know anything about people's evil.....We lived in Popov house, very close to Ipatiev house. In the middle of summer 1918, I was afraid, and I was preoccupied about Aleksei.I wanted to see him. And, I am sure, he wanted to see me. Until that sad 17th july 1918. My father, Gilliard, Gibbes and other...they knew everything, but I NOTHING....Something terrible was going to happen, but I didn't know what....In the last week of july 1918, I , my father, Gilliard, Gibbes,etc. entered at Ipatiev house.Terrible scene....House was in completelly chaos. Diaries, letters, albums, and others items was all around in house. 'But where is Leskela?'-I asked my father, but I he didn't answe me. Leskela's diary...was taken by one guard,I think his name was Nemetkin,I don't know. But Leonid Sednev....I saw him. He cried. His cried so aloud, so aloud!!!!! 'Papa, where is my Leskela?'-I cried. 'They killed him'-he cried 'Ho...how?' 'they killed tsar, tsarina, and GDs also.All are dead."-said my father. "I don't understand','where...where are bones' 'We don't know, maybe we'll never discover them' My world was destroyed.They destroyed Russia, no more illusions...I found Leskela's last letter written to me.Especially one sentence in that letter-'I hug you warmly'-made me cry..I thought 'And I hug you warmly, too, my dear friend, and my tsar...' I was in shock.In later years, I think just about him. 'Why did they killed you? In USSR wassn't a little space for my Leskela......We'l be forever friends, my dear tsesarevich....I want to see you just ONE more time, and I can die in peace......”

source