The Fake Grand Duchess Anastasia

A phantom, by which blood and despair were birthed, is brought forth from the fog of history. A burning desire was held to believe that the imperial family was not turned to ashes, and that the clutches of death were escaped by at least someone from among them. In pre-war Poland, in Turkey, and throughout Europe, supposed Romanovs were appeared, by whom a fraction of the faded glory and the wealth of naive emigrants was craved. Ultimately, all of them without exception were reliably exposed as frauds. It is considered almost unbelievable how powerfully and tenaciously these legends, which were stood upon completely transparent and flimsy foundations, could be survived for entire decades. In 2021, a fascinating and gripping legend about a girl by whom death was escaped was examined by Haley Wells in the Vulcan Historical Review. At that time, global conspiracy theories and wild speculations were revolved around the entire family, but in October 1921, a sharp turning point was reached. Suddenly, the spotlights of the world were focused on a single name: Anastasia.

This twist was caused by a woman who was initially called nothing other than Fraulein Unbekannt (Miss Unknown) by everyone. When a recovery was made by her after a suicide attempt by jumping into the waters of a Berlin canal and a subsequent hospitalization in a lunatic asylum, it was begun to be claimed by her that she was the surviving Grand Duchess Anastasia. Although the first one to claim this title was not represented by her, the woman later known as Anna Anderson was considered to be by far the most charismatic of all the imposters. Indeed, terrifyingly real features, into which the chilling truth was perfectly fitted, were contained in her story. Evidence, which was lacked by other fake tsarinas, was held up Anderson’s sleeve. A breathtaking physical resemblance to Anastasia was exhibited. Furthermore, hallux valgus – a rare genetic foot deformity by which the real Anastasia was proven to have suffered – was possessed by her. Additionally, a piercing steel-gray gaze was looked out from her face, in which the bewitching look of Tsar Nicholas II himself was seen by many loyal supporters. However, what Anderson was transformed into a phenomenon by was her own body – scarred and tortured, as if a brutal Bolshevik massacre had been gone through by it. Skull damage and a deep scar on the leg were confirmed by doctors, and a strange discoloration, by which gunpowder burns from close range were resembled, was borne on the upper part of her abdomen. Her story was turned into an absolute sensation by this combination of terrible injuries.

Books were written, movies were filmed, and the legend was grown to monstrous proportions. A miracle was believed in by the public. However, one question was still left hanging in the air. Will it ever be learned by the world what was happened to the Grand Duchess? Was she met with death at the hands of murderers, or was it Anderson by whom her identity was impersonated? When death was met by Anderson in 1984, it seemed that her secret was taken to the grave forever. But science was not slept on, and thanks to it, the truth is known to us. It was confirmed by an anthropological-genetic examination of the skull that the real imperial daughter was not dealt with. Furthermore, a relentless and definitive verdict, stating that Anastasia was not represented by her, was delivered by DNA tests performed on Anderson’s hair and intestinal tissue (which were obtained during a surgery in 1979). Rather, Franziska Schanzkowska, an agricultural worker originating from the region of present-day Poland, was proven to be her. Although a rebellion was put up by her die-hard supporters, the DNA results were rejected, and a massive conspiracy was shouted about, the illusion was shattered. The gripping legend, which had been sparked by the tragedy of the imperial family on the night of July 17, 1918 (more can be read in the previous article), was disappeared into the abyss of history.

A single thing is shown by the story of the fake Anastasia, family legends can be lived by their own life and passed down from generation to generation. The world was successfully convinced of her noble origin by Anna Anderson, but it was ultimately shown by relentless facts that her roots were traced to an ordinary family from present-day Poland. How many similar mysteries, myths, and unconfirmed stories are circulated right in your home? Who were your ancestors, and where are you truly originated from? It is not required that imperial blood be possessed by you so that a fascinating history worth discovering can be had. The tracks of the past are led directly to you, and how they should be correctly read is known by us. Let your own historical search be started today. Let a free consultation be requested via the contact form, email, or WhatsApp.