Felix Yusupov
was born in Russia in 1886. As a young man Yusupov married Irina
Romanov, the niece of Nicholas
II. Like many members of the Royal Court, Yusupov objected to
the influence that Grigory Rasputin
had over the Tsar and his wife, Alexandra
Fedorovna.
In
1916 rumours began to circulate that Alexandra and Rasputin
were
leaders of a pro-German court group and were seeking a separate peace
with the Central Powers.
Rasputin
was also suspected of financial corruption and right-wing politicians
believed that he was undermining the popularity of the regime. In
December, 1916, Yusupov and Vladimir
Purishkevich, the leader of the monarchists in the Duma,
and Grand Duke Dmitri, formed a conspiracy to murder Rasputin.
On
29th December, 1916, Gregory
Rasputin was
invited to Yusupov's home where he was given poisoned wine and cakes.
When this did not kill him he was shot by Yusupov and Purishkevich
and then dropped through a hole in the frozen canal outside the house.
After
the Russian Revolution Yusupov emigrated
to the United States. His memoirs, Lost Splendor, was published
in 1953.
The
prediction made by Gregory
Rasputin that
disaster would come to anyone who tried to harm him proved to be incorrect
and Felix
Yusupov died
aged 81 in 1967.
Russian
cartoon of Rasputin (1916)
(1)
Felix Yusupov wrote about his views on the Russo-Japanese
War in his autobiography published in 1953.
The war with Japan, one of the most terrible blunders
made during the reign of Nicholas II, had disastrous consequences
and marked the beginning of our misfortunes. Russia was not prepared
for war, and those who encouraged the Tsar in his purpose betrayed
their Sovereign as well as their country. Russia's enemies took advantage
of the general dissatisfaction to set the Government and the masses
against each other.
(2)
Felix Yusupov was opposed to the power given to the First
Duma in 1906.
In 1906
strikes broke out almost everywhere; there were several attempts on
the lives of members of the Imperial family and of high government
officials. The Tsar was forced to compromise and give the country
a constitutional government by establishing the Duma. The Tsarina
violently opposed this; she did not realize the seriousness of the
situation, and would not admit that there was no other solution.
The Duma
opened on April 27th, 1906. This was a moment of great anxiety for
all, as everyone knew the Duma was a two-edged sword which could prove
either helpful or disastrous to Russia, according to the course of
events.
If all
members of the Duma had been loyal Russians actuated only by patriotic
motives, the Assembly might have done great service to the Government;
but certain questionable and destructive elements - among which were
many Jews - made it a hotbed of revolutionary ideas.
(3)
Felix Yusupov was at first optimistic about Russia's chances
of victory in the First World War.
The military
campaigns had opened brilliantly by a deep break-through into East
Prussia; the offensive was launched prematurely at the demand of the
Allies to relieve the congested Western front. At the end of August,
through lack of ordnance, General Samsonoff's army corps was surrounded
near Tannenberg. The General, not wishing to survive the loss of his
army, shot himself.
The offensive
was successfully renewed on the Austrian front, but in February 1915
a further offensive in East Prussia ended in the disaster of Augustovo.
On May 2nd, the Austro-German army broke through the South-Western
Russian front. Our troops were underfed, ill-equipped, and had no
ammunition, yet under these appalling conditions they fought against
the best-equipped army in the world. Whole regiments were taken prisoner
without having a chance to resist, owing to the lack of equipment
which failed to arrive in time.
(4)
In his autobiography, Lost
Splendor, Felix Yusupov described the murder of Gregory
Rasputin.
I looked at my victim with dread, as he stood before me,
quiet and trusting. What had become of his second-sight? What good
did his gift of foretelling the future do him? Of what use was his
faculty for reading the thoughts of others, if he was blind to the
dreadful trap that was laid for him? It seemed as though fate had
clouded his mind. But suddenly, in a lightening flash of memory, I
seemed to recall every stage of Rasputin's infamous life. My qualms
of conscience disappeared, making room for a firm determination to
complete my task.
"Gregory
Yefimovich," I said, "you'd better look at the crucifix
and say a prayer." Rasputin cast a surprised, almost frightened
glance at me. I read in it an expression which I had never known him
to have: it was at once gentle and submissive. He came quite close
to me and looked me full in the face.
I realized
that the hour had come. "O Lord," I prayed, "give me
the strength to finish it." Rasputin stood before me motionless,
his head bent and his eyes on the crucifix. I slowly raised the crucifix.
I slowly raised the revolver. Where should I aim, at the temple or
at the heart? A shudder swept over me; my arm grew rigid, I aimed
at his heart and pulled the trigger. Rasputin gave a wild scream and
crumpled up on the bearskin. For a moment I was appalled to discover
how easy it was to kill a man. A flick of a finger and what had been
a living, breathing man only a second before, now lay on the floor
like a broken doll.
On hearing
the shot my friends rushed in. Rasputin lay on his back. His features
twitched in nervous spasms; his hands were clenched, his eyes closed.
A bloodstain was spreading on his silk blouse. A few minutes later
all movement ceased. We bent over his body to examine it. The doctor
declared that the bullet had struck him in the region of the heart.
There was no possibility of doubt: Rasputin was dead. We turned off
the light and went up to my room, after locking the basement door.
Our hearts
were full of hope, for we were convinced that what had just taken
place would save Russia and the dynasty from ruin and dishonour. As
we talked I was suddenly filled with a vague misgiving; an irresistible
impulse forced me to go down to the basement.
Rasputin
lay exactly where we had left him. I felt his pulse: not a beat, he
was dead. All of a sudden, I saw the left eye open. A few seconds
later his right eyelid began to quiver, then opened. I then saw both
eyes - the green eyes of a viper - staring at me with an expression
of diabolical hatred. The blood ran cold in my veins. My muscles turned
to stone.
Then a
terrible thing happened: with a sudden violent effort Rasputin leapt
to his feet, foaming at the mouth. A wild roar echoed through the
vaulted rooms, and his hands convulsively thrashed the air. He rushed
at me, trying to get at my throat, and sank his fingers into my shoulder
like steel claws. His eyes were bursting from their sockets. By a
superhuman effort I succeeded in freeing myself from his grasp.
"Quick,
quick, come down!" I cried, "He's still alive." He
was crawling on hands and knees, grasping and roaring like a wounded
animal. He gave a desperate leap and managed to reach the secret door
which led into the courtyard. Knowing that the door was locked, I
waited on the landing above grasping my rubber club. To my horror
I saw the door open and Rasputin disappear. Purishkevich sprang after
him. Two shots echoed through the night. I heard a third shot, then
a fourth. I saw Rasputin totter and fall beside a heap of snow.
(5) General Peter
Wrangel was on the Eastern Front when he heard of Rasputin's death.
He wrote about this incident in his Memoirs (1929)
During the march an orderly came to inform me that General
Krymov, who was marching at the head of our column, wanted me. I found
him with our General Staff busily reading a letter which had just
come. Whilst I was still some way off he called out to me: "Great
news! At last they have killed that scoundrel Rasputin.!"
The newspapers
announced the bare facts, letters from the capital gave the details.
Of the three assassins, I knew two intimately. What had been their
motive? Why, having killed a man whom they regarded as a menace to
the country, had they not admitted their action before everyone? Why
had they not admitted their action before everyone? Why had they not
relied on justice and public opinion instead of trying to hide all
trace of the murder by burying the body under the ice? we thought
over the news with great anxiety.
(6)
Felix Yusupov was in Petrograd
during the October Revolution.
The day after I arrived, the Provisional Government collapsed
and the Bolshevik party, with Lenin and Trotsky at its head, assumed
power. All government posts were instantly occupied by Jewish commissaries,
more or less camouflaged under Russian names. Indescribable confusion
reigned in the capital; bands of soldiers and sailors broke into people's
houses, pillaging and murdering. The town was in the hands of a frenzied,
bloodthirsty populace, eager for destruction.
One day
a detachment of soldiers came to occupy my house. I showed them over
it, and tried to make them understand that it was more fitted to be
a museum than a barracks. They went away without pressing the point,
but obviously meaning to come back.
A few days
later, on leaving my room I stumbled over the bodies of some soldiers
sleeping, fully armed, and on the marble floor. An officer came up
to me and said that he had been ordered to guard my house. I did not
like this at all; it meant that the Bolsheviks considered me a sympathizer,
which was a compliment I did not appreciate in the least. I decided
to leave immediately for the Crimea.
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