Aged 28, Paddy Victory's base was the Royal Naval Barracks situated at Portsmouth's east Harbour - on day 5 November 1916, a week After his marriage in October, Paddy Victory Travelled to London.
Yet having overstayed
his leave from base
In Portsmouth,
Stoker Paddy Victory found
Himself in
despair - this led him to a final
Decision. He sat
and took pen to paper in
Writing words to
his love.
With address to his
home on Lord Edward
Street Dublin,
Paddy addressed his wife
By her maiden
name to say, 'god forgive me.'
Repentant,
Victory alluded to how his new
Wife had kept him
home.
Between the lines
she probably begged
Him not to leave
- 'why did you not let me
Go Friday?' -
newly married she likely
Feared losing him
in war - 'I could have
Died happy.'
Both knew he
could have lost his life
Fighting for his
country - then she could
Have been safe, not
to be associated
To a deserter -
he had given her traitors
Name; he asked for
no blame.
He told her he was
bad enough - 'drink
And what I must
have said in it, has done
For me' - suggested between lines was
How Paddy regretted many words he did
Not mean, likely when
drunk.
Mrs Victory's
husband on route had
Gone to London -
in despair he felt there
No other way out
- after a 'goodbye
Forever' he
extended his words in yet
Another goodbye.
He told her how
at London tower
A gunshot would
be fired at midnight -
His intent for
the signal as his parting -
After the hour, Stoker Paddy Victory
Walked to
Westminster Bridge.
Out on the darkened
street he folded
The letter into
his pocket, along with
A handkerchief
square, that held his
Few personal items;
maybe a watch
And wedding ring.
Standing half way
over the bridge
Paddy heard the
lapping dark waters -
With head bowed he
shrugged off his
Overcoat and
neatly folded this on
The ground.
Around his collar
he wore a rosary.
Waiting till a
few distant figures
Had gone, he
climbed and dropped
Into the water
with little sound,
To quietly drown.
The body of Stoker
Patrick Victory was
Found some 30
days later, Wednesday
6 December - an
enquiry held Friday,
8 December led by
coroner Mr Ingleby
Oddie in Lambeth.
A conclusion had looked
on his sensitivity
Of being seen as
a deserter - having
Stayed from base
longer than acceptable;
How his mind
under temporary insanity,
Drove him to
suicide.
by Jamie Mann.
Anon.,1916. Suicide Of A Bridegroom. The Daily Telegraph,
[online] 15 December
1916. P.13. Col.3. Available
at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12213946/Daily-Telegraph-December-9-1916.html> [Accessed: 30 December 2016].
Anon.,1916. The Peace Proposal - An American View. The
Daily Telegraph, [online]
15
December 1916. P.10. Col.6. Available
at:
<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12213996/Daily-Telegraph-December-15-1916.htmll>
[Accessed: 30 December 2016].
Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal
communication, 30 December 2016).
Source: File: Chancellor von Bethmann-Hollweg. See an original image at: <https://macedonia1912-1918.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/ww1-leaders-german-statesmen-and-army.html> [Accessed 28 December 2016]
Possibly prompted
and basking in glow
Of success over
Roumanian defeat,
Germany purveyed
idea of negotiated
Peace - perhaps
to believe that with
Advent of
Christmas and goodwill to all
Men that this might
be taken seriously.
Came an echo of
previous attestations,
Where war's
conclusion might become
Reality - another
chapter for peace
Emerged from words
by the German
Chancellor von Bethmann-Hollweg
12 December 1916, given in a speech.
The act of Roumania's entry to conflict
Began the body of the speech before
The Reichstag podium - in seriousness
Of the situation was noted Field Marshall
Von
Hindenburg's strength - who had
Captured
Bucharest and Wallachia.
This had been
achieved alongside other
Fronts; the
Somme, Italy and Russian -
Without any let up
Hiddenburg pushed
All operations onwards.
A twist existed
In Roumanian
foodstuffs stocks,
While German
enemies felt a famine.
The speech
entwined praise and awe
On emperor's
heart, by 1st anniversary
August 1915 -
words told how Germany's
Empire was not a
besieged fortress, but
An organised
nation - having limitless
Resources, alongside
a force of allies.
Chancellor von Bethmann-Hollweg
Laid out claims to a nation of defence
And freedom - having quite forgotten
Their initial invading aggression -
Ever ready to hold out the German
Hand made claim of a peaceful country.
'God, humanity and nation' - three
Elements evoked the story, how all
Attempts for German declarations
Of peace were always avoided -
A reluctant Kaiser had mobilised,
Prompted by Russian
mobilisation.
To claim
throughout months of war,
The emperor
wanted only peace -
His morals and religion
nature finally
Prompted him to
make official
Request for war's
end, for harmony
With hostile countries
in mutual peace.
Chancellor von Bethmann-Hollweg
Advised he had sent a transmission
Of a note for peace to major neutral
States; Switzerland, America and
Spain - ensuring all hostile powers
Received this, as well as neutrals.
To include the Pope who had always
Been an agent for a peaceful end
To conflict - the peace note circulated
To Constantinople, Vienna and Sofia.
The Chancellor edged towards reading
Circulated note in challenging enemy.
Greatest of all claims was the real
Existence of German world power,
And their clear conscience to act
In choosing peace over slaughter -
If declined than those that fought
Against them are wars perpetuators.
By suggestion that their enemies
Seek only to conquer how they,
With such words, spin doctor this
Situation - 'God will be the judge'
As Germany carrys on their way;
A burden of horror will be enemies.
To state the
obvious catastrophe
Of conflict over
much of the world,
Germany was not
out to annihilate
Their adversaries,
in a war forced
On them - yet a
strong economy
Would enable them
to continue.
A bitter end
would be no problem,
Though civilization
might dissolve
Into ruin -
victories in Balkan arena
Only showed German
power - how
That situation
justifies their nations
Claim to unrelenting
successes.
'Germany then
carries on a war
Of defence' - she
fights to assure
Integrity of
frontiers and liberty
Of her nation' -
for free intellect
And to develop
peaceful energy
Alongside neighboring
nations.
A pontification
address to pope's
Intentions was to
set out Germany
As subject of
victimisation - only
Germany was ready
for peace -
Setting forth an understanding
for
The Holy See to channel
outcome.
Making out his
congratulations for
Imperial
chancellors speech came
Reports via
neutrals, quoting words
Of Marshal von
Hindenburg - whose
Emotion was a soldier’s
response;
'To live and die
for the fatherland.'
Words from a Berlin
telegram added
More prophetic rhetoric;
Hiddenburg
Declared the
highest holy duty by
Prosecuting
victory another, Dr von
Bethmann-Hollweg,
stated the words
As being both the
army and peoples.
To reinforce that
if German enemies
Did not terminate
the war, guarantee
Of Germany is to
fight and secure
Fatherland a
strong, lasting peace -
Meanwhile neutral
reactions came
In with
importance of United States.
Missouri
politician and chairman
Of Senate
Committee for Foreign
Relations, William
Stone, addressed
The 'League to
Enforce Peace' - as
An advocate of
American neutrality,
With right to
open up negotiations.
William Stone
refused all warnings
From any foreign
statesmen opinions,
That United
states peace movements
Would be seen as futile
and offensive.
He pointed out
that USA had lost lives
And property due
to European events.
Despite this that
the USA movements
Should not be
considered as meddlers,
But as a friend
who had been affected
By wars ruthless acts
- what might then
Happen from the
latest initiatives from Germany; might
peace come in 1917?
by Jamie Mann.
Anon.,1916. Hindenburg And Peace - Significant Telegrams. The
Daily Telegraph, [online]
15
December 1916. P.10. Col.3. Available
at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12213996/Daily-Telegraph-December-15-1916.htmll>
[Accessed: 28 December 2016].
Anon.,1916. The Peace Proposal - An American View. The
Daily Telegraph, [online]
15
December 1916. P.10. Col.6. Available
at:
<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12213996/Daily-Telegraph-December-15-1916.htmll>
[Accessed: 28 December 2016].
Source: File: Extract from the Speech of
Chancellor von Bethmann-Hollweg in the German Reichstag, December 12, 1916. Available at: <https://wwi.lib.byu.edu/index.php/Extract_from_the_Speech_of_Chancellor_von_Bethmann-Hollweg_in_the_German_Reichstag,_December_12,_1916> [Accessed 25 December 2016]
Source: File:
Official Communications and Speeches Relating to Peace Proposals 1916-1917.
Available at:
<https://wwi.lib.byu.edu/index.php/Official_Communications_and_Speeches_Relating_to_Peace_Proposals_1916-1917>
[Accessed 25 December 2016]
Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication,
28 December 2016).
Source: File: Men from 6th
(City of London) Bn, The London Regiment (City of London Rifles) 1915. See an
original image at: <http://armyservicenumbers.blogspot.co.uk/2008/08/6th-city-of-london-bn-london-regiment.html>
[Accessed 27 December 2016]
To illustrate tragedies of war on
families,
Came the story of a family of the
Littles'
From Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire
-
Before 1914 Jim Little and his
wife had
Emigrated to begin a new life in
America.
The young couple had a daughter,
Alice.
While the husband and father
remained
In New York, Mrs. Enid Margaret
Little aged
24 and daughter Alice Laura of 14
months,
Set out to sail to England
onboard the ship
Lusitania - on 1 May 1915 they
travelled
Second class when the ship was
struck.
Sunk by a German submarine both
were
Drowned - after the tragedy
greatly plagued
With grief, husband and father
Jim Little had
Decided to fight for his homeland.
He came
Back to England joining 1st/6th
Battalion
London Regiment (City of London
Rifles).
A rifleman, Private Little 6460
by autumn
1916, was fighting on the western
front.
Further sadness befell the Little
family,
When Arthur and Laura Little of
Aylesbury
Received the telegram that told
how their
Son had been killed on the
Belgium front.
by Jamie Mann.
Anon.,1916. Toll Of The War. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 2 December 1916. P.11.
Col.6. Available at:
<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12213909/Daily-Telegraph-December-2-1916.html>
[Accessed: 27 December 2016].
Source: File: entry
by Liverpool Anne 02 December 2009. Available at: <http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=302984.72>
[Accessed 27 December 2016]
Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal
communication, 27 December 2016).
Source: File: Ruheben
Camp festive card. Sketch depicting the card as they might have appeared in
1917 ‑ had the war ended that year. See an original image at: <https://www.worldwar1postcards.com/christmas-postcards.php>
[Accessed 15 December 2016]
Reaching a bridge
of 24 months from
First war Christmas, came 1916 festivities -
Situations of
moods had long changed,
Across bitter
stalemate of frontlines.
For the dead
there were no celebrations.
Many that had
once kicked a football
Across No Mans Land,
long laid below
Or scattered
across its poisoned mud.
Verdun, Somme and
many new names
Of battles marked
the bitter losses - any
Type of fraternisation forbidden by orders;
No football games
of Hun versus Tommy.
Yet such truces
of peace were not totally
Diminished - many
Germans called out
Across the void
to the Tommy and the Poilu
For 'Trêve de
Noël' and 'Weihnachtsfrieden.'
The French spirit
for 'live and let live' saw
Sectors sing to each
other in native songs,
Along with
exchanged gifts thrown across
Closest spaces of
their outermost trenches.
Still the season,
though subdued, continued.
Back in blighty
had been orgainsed programs,
To get Christmas
puddings to the front troops;
Though jokes
abounded, if they would arrive.
With frozen stalemate
in mud and the worst
Weather for more
that 30 years, shortages
Were taking a
grip - seasonal telegrams did
Not halt to tell men’s
families of their deaths.
Not to forget the
detained, held in camps from
Either side -
with those most talented devising
Festive postcards
- the artistic in the Ruhleben
Civilian camp held since 1914, drew designs.
In a card for
xmas two detainees stare beyond
The wire towards
the rising sun in hope of 1917;
A version shows them
dancing before a happy
Sun and posts
without wire, had the war ended.
A cherub builds
three blocks for each war year;
1916 atop 1915
and 1914 - while yet another
Card, a smirking
cherub kicks away the blocks -
Tentatively
wishing happy forebodings for 1917.
With many an unlucky
Tommy still on duty
In the trenches -
as witnessed by news reporters
Such as Philip Gibbs
- where after frosts, sleet
And snow found Christmas
Eve a mild day.
Winter sunshine
reflected across swamps
And flooded holes
described in poetic images;
As supply columns
churned their ways through
Mud, delivering
feast day supplies to troops.
Gibbs saw soldiers
as Noah like figures building
Colonies of huts,
with attempts to abate floods -
Figures
everywhere, splattered stiff with pale mud,
Emerged from lines
imbued with Christmas spirits.
By subdued
daylight Tommy's, Jocks and Anzacs
Sought out
trinkets in nearest of French village
Markets - while
on eve of feast day the reporter
Found a crowded restaurant,
ready to celebrate.
Characters at
every table; Tommy’s and Poliu
In salute of
Entente Cordiale; 'Bonne chance!'
'Nous Les Aurons'
and counter Christmas wishes
To old Fritz - here
and there sat puzzled faces.
Young faces of
1916 recruits, amid the mature
Old Contemptibles,
drawn into other temporary
Moods - away from
the easy warmth and light
He took a few
steps into darkness, to see blinks
Of horizon shells
- somewhere soldiers died.
by Jamie Mann.
Gibb. P.,1916. Tommy's Xmas Eve - Scenes And Contrasts - A
Memorable Picture. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 26 December 1916. P.7. Col.1-2. Available at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12214032/Daily-Telegraph-December-26-1916.html>
[Accessed: 26 December 2016].
Source: File: Picture
Postcards From The Great War - WW1
Christmas Postcardsby Tony Allen-
1914-1918. Available at: <https://www.worldwar1postcards.com/christmas-postcards.php>
[Accessed 26 December 2016]
Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal
communication, 26 December 2016).
Source: File: Rasputin: Film: Dark Servant of Destiny
(1996). See original footage:
< https://youtu.be/zC_5ROBX3H0
[Accessed 15 December 2016]
Source: File: Grigori
Rasputin January 1864 - December 1916. See an original image at: <https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rasputin_PA.jpg>
[Accessed 15 December 2016]
i
With centuries
old system of serfdom,
That had long
established relationships between
Russian nobility
and peasant population -
18th century
expansions gave proclamations
To a Russian
Empire by Peter the Great.
In a vast great country, many ordinary
People lived amid the federal subjects of Russia. Situated in Tyuman Oblasta region, In Pokrovskoye saw a woman, Anna Parshukova,
Wed Efim Vilkin Rasputin - a coach
Driver and yamshchik messenger of Siberian Plains.
Together the
couple procreated a total
Of nine children; the couples fifth child was a son,
Born 9 January
1869 - they named him
A day later
Grigori Yefimovich - his namesake
A venerated saint,
Gregory of Nyssa.
though uneducated the child developed
Intelligence -
Despite a shaky start as a brawler
Whose attitude
lead him to be jailed
For 2 nights -
when aged 18 in 1887, young Grigori
Rasputin married Praskovia by whom
He had six
children, although the first three died.
After ten years
of marriage, possibly
By the death of a
child, Grigori left his family
And entered a
monastery - he travelled
To Verkhoturye
where he learnt from a hermit, Who taught him alternative thoughts.
Something of an
outsider Grigori
Was also a
libertine that always remained central
To his character
- Makary the hermit,
Left a big
influence over this young man - so that When he
returned to his village
All noticed a
change in Grigori's personality.
An icon of the
Russian Orthodox Church
Was the lady of
Kazan, a vision of whom Grigori
Claimed to
witness, opening up to him
A religious
mysticism; though seen as a libertine
Grigori was
dismayed while in Greece.
Staying at St.
Panteleimon Monastery
Grigori claimed to witness acts of open sodomy.
His character had
developed so by
1900 Grigori
Rasputin had become a wanderer -
He did not see
himself as a Staret
Or foolish Yurodiviy,
just more as a strannik.
Grigori Rasputin
as a religious pilgrim,
Travlled far
from home to Kiev Pechersk Lavra -
And in the
capital of Tatarstan - Rasputin
Came to
attentions of the bishop and high classes;
From Kazan to St
Petersburg on Baltic sea.
From his younger
days Rasputin had
Held a
charismatic aura and his religious fervor
Started to
attract much attention -
In the capital
via Bishop Theophane, Rasputin
Moved within the
society salons, soon
To gain many lady
admirers, as in Mme Lochtina.
ii
While doctors
failed to cure her
From a severe
illness Rasputin gained relief
For Mme Lochtina -
his influence
For prayers was quickly sought and a keen circle
Of ladies took
him under their wings.
They taught him
to wash, dress and
Comb his unkempt
hair - his religious reputation
Quickly spread - Rasputin
eventually
Became introduced
into ruling Russian family of Tsar;
1 November 1905, Rasputin had
An audience with
Tsar Nicholas and Tsarina Alexandra.
Various factions
and troubling issues
Occupied the Russian
Tsar - an invitation for pray
Followed a
political attack, then a year
Later 1907, Rasputin was requested to see the heir,
Tsesarevich
Alexei at Alexander Palace.
The distressed
parents asked him to pray
As the doctors
could not heal the boys injury to bleed;
The condition then unknown was hemophilia -
After this
Alexandra held Rasputin as saviour of Alexei; Having
halted blood thinning medications.
Another event to
cause a bleeding
Hematoma on
Alexia, led Tsarina again to seek help
From Rasputin by
telegram - his reply
Said he will
not die. Only halt the doctors in bothering
The boy; his
prophecy was proved.
The hematoma
faded by 19 October 1912.
But a dislike of
Rasputin had been brewing for some
Time among the
court - to suggest he used
Hypnosis or drugged
the boy who then became cured;
Suspicions of his
using spirits was far
From truth; just a man of conviction and strong calm.
Yet to all
Rasputin seemed to have
A mystical power -
Imperial Russia held a fever
For religious
renaissance and
Occultism
obsessed aristocrats - and Rasputin
Appeared to have
this in loads.
Accusations
against the travelling
Religious man had
begun by the church in 1907,
When Rasputin was
called before
The
Ecclesiastical Tobolsk court - accusations
Of his being a
Khlysty, who held
Strange beliefs; carrying
out sin as redemption.
Yet no proof
could be found -
Although Grigori Rasputin
shared some elements
In their belief
system and their
Practices - likely Rasputin was merely something
A magpie of
religious elementals.
Charisma and aura of Rasputin
That had initially
attracted the aristocratic families
Lost their force, as they now made
A turn towards
him- endowed with special
privileges
By the imperial
family, the monk took
Regular visits; once on 6 occasions within four months.
iii
By 1911 Rasputin
followed instructions
Of the Tsar to
travel with pilgrims - these visits
Took them to the Holy Land, while
A new Prime
minister, Vladimir Kokovtsov, asked
The Tsar to
banish Rasputin to Tobolsk.
This was refused
as the Tsar
Stated he knew
the man well enough to ignore all
Scandals -
Rasputin was warned
To keep away, as
first rumors and then actual letters,
Written to him by
Tsarina and her
Daughters were
handed to Nicholas by Kokovtsov.
The prime minister
further tried to pay
Off Rasputin with
money - until finally the Tsar
Giving into pressure allowed
An investigation of their holy friend - the bishop,
Alexey Molchanov, started
this
Only to find him
orthodox Christian seeking truth.
With
investigations disproved
Rasputin found
himself reinstated to the church
And court, until
again to be rejected
For yet another
investigation - but the criticisms
Were condemned by
the Tsarina.
Both Nicholas and
Alexandra
Maintained that
this holy man, Grigori Rasputin
was their
friend- yet threats
Of more scandal prompted
Nicholas to request
Rasputin to leave
for Siberia -
Yet by Alexandra's
demand this was stopped.
Instead
criticisms were turned
On the
politicians - early into 1914 Kokovtsov
Was taken from
post, replaced by
A more pliable
Ivan Goremykin, alongside various
Other government
shuffles.
All such factors
showed how much
Influence
Rasputin had gained within the highest
Russian family;
other such close
Connections existed
between rulers of Germany -
Wilhelm and
Nicholas were cousins,
Their wives
related to the English Queen Victoria.
Unease though
brewed across Europe
And on Russian
soil, that would lead to a general
Strikes in July
1914 - parallelizing industry
In St Peterburg -
meanwhile Grigori Rasputin had
Travelled home to
Pokrovskoye.
Concerned with
the brooding events
Of a likely war,
the Tsarina telegraphed her friend
12 July - mid
afternoon Rasputin left
His house with
the post office boy intent to make
A reply, not
realising a fateful event;
From the city of
Syzran had travelled an enemy.
A peasant woman
Khioniya Guseva
A one-time
follower of Iliodor, also a charismatic
Monk, felt uncertain if Rasputin
Was a saint or devil.
Khioniya Guseva arrived in
Rasputin's
village with the intent
Of seeing him - a chance occurred as he emerged.
iV
With her face
veiled Guseva
Made her move, approaching
the longhaired bearded
Figure - holding
out her hand
Muttering humble
requests for money - Rasputin stood,
Intent to give the
beggar coins.
With swift
movement of her
Other hand, Guseva
pulled out a dagger and drove this
Into his stomach
'I have killed
The antichrist!' Khioniya
Guseva proclaimed - not dead
Rasputin, holding the
wound
Of his slit
stomach, turned and fled down the road.
Seeing he still
lived Guseva
Chased him,
intending to finish him off - the wounded
Monk staggered as
the woman
Caught up with
him - a wooded shaft lay on the ground
And as she raised
the knife
Again, Rasputin
swung the wood hard into her face.
People appeared
shouting 'kill her!'
Giving her self
up to police as Rasputin bleeding badly
Was taken home to
be saved
By a local Doctor
- treatments followed paid by Tsarina;
Over six-weeks
Rasputin recovered.
With Khioniya
Guseva locked
Away in an
asylum, Tsar Nicholas ordered full protection
For Rasputin, who
would never
Fully recover from the attack - by time of his leaving
Hospital on 17
August, war
Had broken out between
major European countries.
Rasputin raised
his opinions
Against war, while those close to him tried to persuade
him otherwise - but he remained
Adamant. While in
hospital July's crisishad developed;
Austria
Hungaria gave an ultimatum
To Serbia, who
then appealed to Russia for assistance.
With war declared
on Serbia by Austria,
Russia started to
mobilise their army - though unable
To stop anything, Rasputin sent telegrams
From hospital in
dire warnings - if Russia went into war
The monarchy's institutions were at risk.
As police
protection followed the
Movements of
Rasputin, there was no final end
To the dislike of
the man, that carried
Influence of
Russia's leader - dossier of reports
On the
monks lifestyle were compiled.
January 1915; these words were
Handed to Tsar
Nicholas as evidence, to persuade
The Russian leader
to sever
Connections with
the religious man - yet they were
Flawed, as one of
the supposed
Events occurred when Rasputin was in Tsarskoe Selo.
Without any
ability in military ways
Tsar Nicholas in
August 1915, took over supreme
Control of
Russian armies - prompted
In the matter by
combined ideas from Alexandra
And Rasputin - this
he believed would
Boost morale. Duty led Nicholas away from capital.
V
With Tsar's
absence the throne would
Be held by the
empress - now the fear was Rasputin
Would be perched
on the seat of power;
the monk potentially advising an all powerful empress.
In the capital on
Gorohovaya Street
The monk lived in
an apartment, to have many visitors.
All elements of
Saint Petersburg
Society sought
Rasputin - a trending figure who would
See at his
apartment, aristocrats
And peasants
alike - the rich sought his favour in the
Court, as the poor
sought his help.
Rumours abounded
about him
To suggest he formed a sect of sex rituals with wealthy
Social ladies and
prostitutes - all of which
The Tsar laughed
off as total slander - another talent
Attributed to
Rasputin lay in prediction.
December 1916 and
Rasputin wrote
About his visions to
Tsar Nicholas - Rasputin had
No fear if common
assassins
Killed him - but if nobles
murdered him then descent
Would fall across
the Russian state;
The Tsar's children
would not live beyond 2 years.
A plague of the
antichrist would devour
All and they will
beg for death - the Russian people
Will kill the
Tsar - the people would kill each other and be
cursed 3 times in 25 years - all Faith destroyed; 'think of your family.'
Russian women in
presence
Of Rasputin were compelled by monk's charisma -
Not adverse to
having his image
Taken, photographs
show him with wide-open eyes,
Framed by often
unkempt hair,
A dark straggly beard and dressed in long robes.
Described as an
hypnotist
Grigori Rasputin had by society women's influence,
Tided his
appearance -
His status lifted
amid these women who treated him
Like some great
apostle.
From the first days it
was an
Association with the Tsarist friend, Mme Vyroubova,
That had led
Rasputin into
Close circle of
the imperial family - a situation that would
Finally be his
undoing; his
Friendship with
the Tsar and Tsarist despised by elite.
Here was a
peasant from the Baltic
Lands who apparently
worked his way into arms
Of power - an
ability to influence
The imperial
family, with talents to heal the sick and
Make prophecies intrigued the rulers.
Into months of
war against Germany
And Austria
Hungary, the Tsar's presence amid
His army kept him
way from the capital -
To leave the Tsarist to take the weight of power; A belief being Rasputin controlled her.
Vi
A conspiracy
among a few sought
His demise; a Russian noble Prince Felix Felixovich
Yusupov, began to
acquaint himself
With Rasputin - gaining his confidence in asking
Him to treat a
simple illness.
With extremist
views, Russian politician
Vladimir
Mitrofanovich Purishkevich made a speech
To impress
Yusupov, stating how Rasputin
Was a threat
being a advisor to the Tsarist - the two
Met to create a
conspiracy; in order
To do their plan
they recruited Stanilaus de Lazovert.
Doctor Lazovert
would be of help,
Along with
Lieutenant Sergei Mikhailovich Sukhotin.
Conspirators
began their plan
Although precise information varied over exact events,
All stories held
same elements.
Preparations were
everything,
In order to carry
out a intent to destroy a man
Who had already
survived attempt
Of assassination
- the venue, Prince Yusupov
Decided, was his
favourite palace
In St Petersburg, on the banks of river Moyka.
On the day of the
western Calendar,
17 December 1916, Rasputin took the invitation
To attend a visit
to Prince Yusupov,
At his grand
Moyka Palace - over the two nights
The conspirators
had gathered.
In set preparations to welcome
The guest the
five men, who intended to depose
The monk were: Prince Yusupov,
Vladimir
Purishkevich, Captain Suhotine along
With Stanislaus de
Lazovert, and Dmitri Pavlovich; a basement room was prepared.
Purishkevich
later told of the changed
Space - a cellar
away from all other rooms, was
Transformed into
a salon and dining
Room. A log fire
had been lit in a huge chimney
Place, with
comfortable easy chairs.
Rare wines had
been set on a round
Table with plates
of cakes - at that table the men
Sat and took tea
and tried some
Of the unspoilt
cakes - next they arranged the table
As if various
guests had just Visited and had recently
left, as if hurried away.
Prince Yusupov
handed over
The elements to
Doctor Lazovert who, wearing
Gloves, grated
potassium cynaide
Into a plate - then
choose the vessels; two types
Of cakes, pink
cream and chocolate.
Choosing the pink
petits fours,
Lazovert cut them and the poison was dropped
Inside sealed
with cream - with
Some left to look
half eaten, they were mixed
Amid the
chocolate - Pavlovich
And Suhotine
would play lively music upstairs.
Vii
Then taking
bottles of liquid cyanide,
Purishkevich and
Lazovert divied this between two
Glasses, next
to bottles of rare wine.
Pavlovich
had sudden fear that Yusupov might
In error drink
poison - but was then Assured of the Prince's
iron will and steady nerve.
A gramophone was
to play much
Music - ready for
Rasputin Doctor Lazovert
Drove into the
night to collect
The monk from the
imperial palace; dressed
In the uniform of
a chauffer.
On meeting
Rasputin prior
To midnight, Lazovert found him in relaxed mood.
Driving him quickly back
To the Palace - Pavlovich
and Suhotine watched
The
car drove across snow
Into the
courtyard - snow crunched underfoot.
The two figures
made their Entry. Leaving Rasputin
with the prince, Lazovert
Joined the others
upstairs to Play music - the
prince greeted Rasputin who sat
In a chair by
the warm fire.
A gramophone
scratched out
Echoing American
tunes - finished and played
Again- the two talked in the cellar.
Rasputin relaxed
reportedly talking of his great
Successes and of
Germany's Over Roumania, while
the Prince poured wine.
Rasputin drank and
accepted pink
Cream cakes, which
he enjoyed - the others
Upstairs listened
tense - with
Time going by
without any results, Yusupov
Briefly went
upstairs.
He proclaimed his
fear; Rasputin
Had drunk two
glasses of poison, and ate several
Cakes - all
without any effect
Other than to
belch and dribble the wine - what
Could they do? A debate ensued.
This then could
only prove
Grigori Rasputin
was the devil - that he could
Not be killed - likely the effects
May have been
partially stayed by a man with
Iron constitution
- what Yusupov
Had to do was go back
and end him by a bullet.
Taking a revolver
Yusupov nervously
Descended the
stairs - maybe by then Rasputin
Suspected his own
prophecy - how if he
Died at hands of
nobles the Tsar was doomed -
Yet he was drunk
and drugged.
He stood as the
Prince solemnly
Walked to him, dour and tense as gramophone
Music drifted
into the room.
Rasputin was
motionless with head bent, maybe
In prayer. The
Prince looked
At him; both fixed on
the crucifix around his neck.
Viii
Yusupov held the
crucifix and raised
His gun - where to
shoot him? In heart or temple?
He shuddered with
fear, his hand
Tensed with the
gun - then fired into Rasputin’s
Chest; with a
scream the monk fell.
Yusupov stepped
back, to wonder
How with ease a
man could be killed. The others
Ran down into the room, to see
Monk face
pressed on bearskin rug - they agreed
To leave him to
die alone, while they
Decided on how to
dispose of the Rasputin body.
The door was
closed - then not long
After came a wild sound - as they looked the door
Opened. On hands
and knees Rasputin
Crawled out, a bloody
froth spitting from his mouth.
With bulging eyes
he sprang and ran.
With sudden
strength of recovery
Rasputin pushed open
the doors and ran outside
Like some
superhuman - the five
Gave chase out into
the snow covered gardens -
Purishkevich took
aim and fired
Two shots into
his back - the man fell with a groan.
The five walked
to him thinking
Maybe he might
rise again and flee - then Doctor
Lazovert made a
study of Rasputin
And said he was
dead; bullets struck near his heart.
They dragged him
into a car.
Pavlovich drove
slowly to avoid
Attention and
paused close to Varshavsky railway
Station - they burned the monks clothes. Night was close
to ending when they arrived
Petrovskii Bridge
- 4.50 a.m. they Bound Rasputin’s body
in chains and fixed weights.
The five of them
wrapped Rasputin's
Body into a sheet
and dragged to edge of the frozen
Malaya Nevka
River - they broke
Through ice
to push him down in the water; the deed
Was done, Grigori Rasputin was dead.
by Jamie Mann.
Source: File: Russia
In World War I. Available at: <Syzran
http://alphahistory.com/russianrevolution/world-war-i/> [Accessed 15 December 2016]
Source: File: Prominent
Russians: Grigory Rasputin . Available at: <http://russiapedia.rt.com/prominent-russians/history-and-mythology/grigory-rasputin/>
[Accessed 15 December 2016]
Source: File: Grigori
Rasputin From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grigori_Rasputin>
[Accessed 15 December 2016]
Source: File: The
Murder of Rasputin by Jennifer Rosenberg. Available at: <http://history1900s.about.com/od/famouscrimesscandals/a/rasputin.htm>
[Accessed 15 December 2016]
Source: File: 1916
Rasputin is murdered. Available at: <http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/rasputin-is-murdered>
[Accessed 15 December 2016]
Source: File: The
death of Rasputin - December, 1916. Available at:
<https://www.theguardian.com/world/from-the-archive-blog/2016/dec/30/rasputin-murder-russia-december-1916>
[Accessed 15 December 2016]
Source: File: The
Murder of Rasputin, 100 Years Later. Available at: <http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/murder-rasputin-100-years-later-180961572/>
[Accessed 15 December 2016]
Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal
communication, 15 December 2016).
Impression sketch
for Tragedy of Victory by Jamie
