The Children of Tsar Nicholas II ("OTMAA")

[Nico]

Incredible story :

Miracle survival of Joy the spaniel who escaped Bolshevik murder squad | Mail Online

[Moonmaiden23]

I read about Joy years ago. He was a lucky little guy, unlike poor Jimmy.

Jimmy was Tatiana's spaniel and died with his mistress.

[Alexey 1904]

Was it 'Jemmy' or 'Jimmy'. I've seen both names. Wasn't 'Ortipo' Tatiana's dog?

[Cory]

Explosive new book claims Princess Anastasia DID escape to the West | Mail Online

[Lenora]

I wish Anastasia could have escaped, but unfortunately it was practically totally impossible.
The book will sell well instead.

[CyrilVladisla]

The Tsarevich Alexis (Alexei) was named after Tsar Alexis (Alexei). Tsar Alexis (Alexei) was Nicholas II's favorite Tsar.

In Nicholas and Alexandra, Robert K. Massie beautifully described the Grand Duchess Tatiana:

She was organized, energetic and purposeful and held strong opinions.
"You felt that she was the daughter of an Emperor," declared an officer of the Imperial Guard.

Grand Duchess Marie enjoyed art.
She was able to sketch with her left hand.
She would write with her right hand.
The Grand Duchess was ambidextrous.

At Livadia in 1911, to celebrate the sixteenth birthday of her oldest daughter, Grand Duchess Olga, Empress Alexandra gave a full-dress ball.
Before the dance, Alexandra and Nicholas II gave a diamond ring and a necklace of diamonds and pearls to Olga.
Olga was dressed in pink in her first ballgown.

In Nicholas and Alexandra, Robert K. Massie wrote:
Alexis had an ear for music. Unlike his sisters, who played the piano, he preferred the balalaika and learned to play it well.

On May 17, 1918 the Grand Duchess Anastasia came to the window.
She saw Dr. Botkin's son Gleb in the street below.
The Grand Duchess waved and smiled.
Gleb bowed to her and walked away.

[Archduchess Zelia]

Tatiana's dog was a French bulldog named Ortino. Here he is with Tatiana and Anastasia. Jimmy/Jemmy (have seen both spellings, don't know how it's spelled in Russian) was Anastasia's pekinese. Here he is with Anastasia.

[Moonmaiden23]

Thanks Archduchess Zelia...I am a BIG fan of French bulldogs, adore the breed. Did Ortino perish at Ekaterinberg too?

As an animal lover these photographs break my heart.

[Al_bina]

Privilege, passion and the last Russian princesses | Mail Online

Born into immense wealth, the four daughters of Tsar Nicholas II grew up largely hidden from public view and little was known about them – until now. Author Helen Rappaport reveals how, just when they were able to start engaging with the wider world, events in Russia overtook them

[DuchessJenny]

All the girls were fairly good at art weren't they, judging by their drawings? Indeed a good skill that Grand duchess Maria was ambidextrous :)

[Archduchess Zelia]

Indeed all four girls were fond of drawing, but according to Sophie Buxhoeveden, Maria was the only one with a talent for drawing:

Marie Nikolaevna, alone of the sisters, had a decided talent for drawing, and sketched quite well, always with her left hand.

I personally think Anastasia was quite skilled as well.

Originally Posted by Moonmaiden23

Thanks Archduchess Zelia...I am a BIG fan of French bulldogs, adore the breed. Did Ortino perish at Ekaterinberg too?

IIRC there were actually two Ortinos – both given to Tatiana by Dmitri Malama. One died shortly after it was given to her; the other is the one we see in various photographs.

As a little "terrier type dog" was found alongside the remains of Nicholas, Alix, Olga, Tatiana and Anastasia, it is presumed that he was killed on the 17 July as well

[DuchessJenny]

I agree that Anastasia was quite skilled at art :)

And yes, there's that picture of Olga on the day of her 16th birthday at Livadia right?

[Furienna]

Right now I'm re-watching an Australian/Newzealanic TV series, "Mirror mirror", where a huge plot point is about how the last Tsarevich survived and was taken to "safety" on New Zealand. (This TV series was made twelve years before his remains were discovered, so there still was a slight possibility that he could have survived.) Of course, the character is called Nicholas, not Alexei. But that was also explained by that he now went by the English form of his father's name to be ignognito. While I'm not an expert, it seems to me like plenty of research was done. Even the haemophilia is mentioned.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirror,...28TV_series%29

[Alexey 1904]

On page 241 and 242 of 'Four Sisters' by Helen Rsppaport, it states that the French bulldog given to Tatiana by Dmitri Malama, and bought by Anna Vyrubova as a gift for Dimitri to give Tatiana,was named 'Ortipo' and was a female who had a litter of puppies, which the Romanovs gave away. Ortipo was a companion for Anastasia's dog, named 'Shvybzik' before she owned 'Jim', which is what she called 'Jimmy'. At the time, Alexis also had a dog which died. The dog's name was 'Shot'. Alexis had this dog before Joy.

[Warren]

Originally Posted by Furienna

...it seems to me like plenty of research was done. Even the haemophilia is mentioned.

It doesn't require much research to associate haemophilia with the Tsarevitch Alexis since the two go together hand in hand.

[AristoCat]

I sometimes think it's oddly just as well that all of them died. Imagine surviving, living with the trauma, and then having to deal with the fractious Romanov clan and dealing with the ambition of everyone around you. Men trying to jockey you down the aisle, various royal houses grabbing at you, and then dozens of relations wanting you to fall apart and mourn your family (as if you didn't have enough problems). Then dealing with the idea of the Communists trying to possibly kidnap and assassinate you. Or having the press trying to interview you and end up with other heads of state trying to get you to denounce Communists.

It would make anyone crazy.

[HereditaryPrincess]

I didn't know a lot about Tsar Nicholas II's children until I watched an interesting documentary about them (I can't remember what it was called, apologies). I've come to really like them and their family, it's such a shame that they passed away so young. I thought that "OTMAA" was a nickname that the press gave them, I didn't realise that it was them who came up with that nickname because of the first letters of their names. It was also interesting to learn that their mother Tsarina Alexandra wanted to look after her children herself, and gave them a rather simple upbringing, as that was what she had experienced as a child.

I love this photo of Grand Duchess Olga as a toddler and this photo of Grand Duchess Anastasia knitting as a child.

It will be interesting to learn more about them – I think I'm going to do some research.

[Warren]

"Russia's Lost Princesses"

2-part BBC2 documentary on OTMA

→ Find details, the first episode on YouTube [while it lasts] and a review in the Royal Library thread.

[HereditaryPrincess]

I'm not sure if this is the correct thread for this article, please feel free to move if not.

This intimate collection of photos capture Russia's imperial Romanov family like you've never seen them before.
Huddled together on a day out at the beach or around the beds of soldiers wounded in the Great War, the pictures were taken shortly before their 300-year dynasty came to a tragic and abrupt end.
Within a year of the album's latest photos, the Russian revolution swept across the country, Tsar Nicholas II abdicated and he and his family were exiled, before being murdered on Lenin's orders.

The Romanovs as you've never seen them before: Amazing photo album captures the intimate moments of Russia's last royal family just one year before they were exiled and executed | Daily Mail Online

[CyrilVladisla]

It was nice to see a picture of Empress Alexandra outdoors in a chair.
Wikipedia expressed: Alexandra rarely joined her family in these daily activities.

Artwork by the children

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/406379566355516175

The Precious Sisters: Grand Duchess Olga with her sweet sisters Tatiana and Marie
https://www.gettyimages.com/license/152240927

A charming Tsarevich Alexis at approximately four years of age
https://www.gettyimages.com/license/80274585