Anna Anderson, Polish-American woman, who claimed to be Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia (b. 1896)

The Enduring Mystery of Anastasia Romanov and the Impostor, Anna Anderson

The tragic fate of Russia's imperial family, the Romanovs, has long captured public imagination, giving rise to persistent rumors and claims of survival. Among the most enduring figures to emerge from this historical enigma was Anna Anderson, a woman who for decades insisted she was Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna, the youngest daughter of the last Russian Tsar, Nicholas II. Her compelling yet ultimately false claim fueled an international sensation, sparking heated debates, extensive investigations, and lengthy legal battles that would only be definitively resolved decades after her death through advanced scientific methods.

The Romanov Tragedy: A Family's Fate in Revolutionary Russia

Grand Duchess Anastasia, along with her parents Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna, and her elder siblings Olga, Tatiana, Maria, and the Tsarevich Alexei, were brutally murdered on 17 July 1918. This horrific act was carried out by Bolshevik revolutionaries in the cellar of the Ipatiev House in Yekaterinburg, a city in the Ural Mountains region of Russia. The execution marked the culmination of the Russian Revolution and the end of the 300-year-old Romanov dynasty. For many decades, the precise location of the bodies of the imperial family remained a closely guarded secret of the Soviet state, giving rise to persistent speculation and hope that at least one member, particularly Anastasia, might have miraculously escaped the massacre. This uncertainty fueled various impostor claims, with the final resting place of Anastasia's body remaining officially unknown until 2007, when all remains were definitively located and identified.

Anna Anderson's Emergence: From "Miss Unknown" to a Royal Pretender

The story of Anna Anderson began in 1920 when she was institutionalized in a mental hospital in Berlin, Germany, following a suicide attempt. Found by a police officer after jumping off the Bendlerblock bridge into the Landwehr Canal, she was initially registered as "Fräulein Unbekannt," German for "Miss Unknown," as she steadfastly refused to reveal her identity. This mysterious background, combined with a striking resemblance to images of the Grand Duchess, soon led to rumors circulating among the Russian émigré community that she might be Anastasia. Over time, she adopted the name Tschaikovsky and later, more permanently, Anna Anderson. By March 1922, the claims that Anderson was the long-lost Russian grand duchess had garnered significant public attention, igniting a global fascination that would persist for generations.

The Scrutiny Begins: Debates and Divisions Over Anderson's Identity

Upon her claims becoming public, Anna Anderson's identity was subjected to intense scrutiny. Many individuals who had known Grand Duchess Anastasia personally, including former imperial court tutor Pierre Gilliard, who had taught the Romanov children for many years, firmly asserted that Anderson was an impostor. Gilliard, along with Anastasia's aunts, uncles, and cousins, noted significant discrepancies in her appearance, mannerisms, and her grasp of Russian, which was reportedly poor for someone raised in the imperial court. However, a small but influential group of supporters, including some distant Romanov relatives and former imperial staff, were genuinely convinced by her story, swayed by her alleged knowledge of intimate family details and her uncanny resemblance in certain aspects. This division created a lasting schism, with a passionate group of believers championing her cause against an equally determined group of skeptics.

Unmasking the Pretender: Investigations and Legal Battles

In 1927, a significant private investigation was launched, funded by Ernest Louis, Grand Duke of Hesse, who was Tsarina Alexandra's brother and Anastasia's uncle. The investigation aimed to definitively unmask the claimant. This thorough inquiry identified Anna Anderson as Franziska Schanzkowska, a Polish factory worker from Pomerania with a documented history of mental illness. Schanzkowska had reportedly gone missing after an industrial accident and a subsequent period of hospitalization for a nervous breakdown, around the same time Anderson appeared in Berlin. Despite this identification, Anderson's supporters remained unconvinced, leading to a protracted legal battle that spanned several decades. The "Anastasia" lawsuit, considered one of the longest-running legal cases in German history, concluded in 1970 with the German courts ruling that Anderson had failed to provide sufficient proof to establish her identity as Anastasia. Nonetheless, through extensive media coverage and her continued, unwavering assertion, her claim gained immense notoriety, making her a household name across the globe.

Later Life: A Nomadic Existence and American Interlude

Between 1922 and 1968, Anna Anderson's life was characterized by a nomadic existence, moving between Germany and the United States. She lived with various financial supporters, often residing in private homes, nursing homes, sanatoria, and at least one asylum, as her physical and mental health frequently deteriorated. In 1968, she emigrated to the United States. Shortly before her visa was due to expire, in a move that secured her residency, she married history professor Jack Manahan. Manahan, an eccentric academic known for his unconventional lifestyle and described by some as "probably Charlottesville's best-loved eccentric," became her devoted, if somewhat unconventional, companion. Anna Anderson passed away on 12 February 1984, in Charlottesville, Virginia. Her body was cremated, and in accordance with her wishes, her ashes were interred in the churchyard at Castle Seeon in Bavaria, Germany, a place where she had once found refuge with her supporters.

The Definitive Truth: DNA Evidence and the Unveiling of the Romanov Graves

The collapse of communism in the Soviet Union in the early 1990s finally paved the way for the truth regarding the Romanov family's fate. In 1991, a mass grave containing nine bodies was exhumed near Yekaterinburg, which were identified as Tsar Nicholas II, Tsarina Alexandra, and three of their daughters. The remains of the two missing children, Tsarevich Alexei and Grand Duchess Maria (or possibly Anastasia, initially), were discovered in a separate, smaller grave in 2007, not far from the first site. Multiple forensic laboratories in various countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, meticulously confirmed the identities of all seven Romanov family members through advanced DNA testing. This scientific breakthrough provided irrefutable proof of their murder. Crucially, the same rigorous DNA testing methods were then applied to a lock of Anna Anderson's hair, preserved from a 1920s surgical procedure, and surviving medical samples of her tissue taken in 1979. These tests unequivocally demonstrated that her DNA did not match that of the identified Romanov remains, nor did it align with DNA profiles of living relatives of the Romanovs. Instead, Anna Anderson's mitochondrial DNA, which is inherited solely from the maternal line, precisely matched that of Karl Maucher, a great-nephew of Franziska Schanzkowska. This conclusive genetic evidence definitively established that Anna Anderson and Franziska Schanzkowska were, in fact, the same person, finally closing one of the 20th century's most persistent historical mysteries. Today, the vast majority of scientists, historians, and journalists who have examined the case accept this DNA evidence as the definitive resolution, confirming Anderson as an impostor.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Anna Anderson and Anastasia Romanov

Was Anna Anderson truly Grand Duchess Anastasia Romanov?

No, definitive DNA evidence has conclusively proven that Anna Anderson was not Grand Duchess Anastasia Romanov. DNA tests conducted on her remains matched those of Franziska Schanzkowska, a Polish factory worker, and did not match the Romanov imperial family or their living relatives.

When and where were the Romanov family's bodies finally found?

The main grave containing Tsar Nicholas II, Tsarina Alexandra, and three of their daughters was discovered in 1991 near Yekaterinburg, Russia. The remains of the two remaining children, Tsarevich Alexei and Grand Duchess Maria, were found in a separate grave nearby in 2007. All remains have since been positively identified through DNA analysis.

What was Franziska Schanzkowska's background?

Franziska Schanzkowska was identified as a Polish factory worker from Pomerania. Records indicated she had a history of mental health issues and had been hospitalized after an industrial accident and a nervous breakdown, going missing around the time Anna Anderson first appeared in Berlin.

How did the media influence Anna Anderson's notoriety?

Media coverage played a crucial role in popularizing Anna Anderson's claim. Her story was extensively reported in newspapers and magazines, captivating public imagination and turning her into a global figure. This sustained attention, despite legal rulings against her claim, maintained the mystery and debate for decades.