Misplaced Pages

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Gwen Gale (talk | contribs) at 22:55, 8 July 2009 (→Claims: +). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Anna Anderson Manahan (16 December 1896 – 12 February 1984), also noted as Franziska Schanzkowska, was the most widely known of over 200 people who claimed to be Grand Duchess Anastasia of Russia, the youngest daughter of the last Tsar and Tsarina of Russia, Nicholas II and Alexandra, who was murdered with her family on 17 July 1918 by Bolsheviks in Ekaterinburg, Russia. There is strong scientific consensus that despite her long standing claims, Anderson/Schanzkowska was not Anastasia. The remains of all seven members of the imperial family have been identified through DNA testing which has been independently verified by multiple laboratories in different countries.

Claims

Anderson was institutionalised in 1920 following a suicide attempt in Berlin, after which she went by the name Fräulein Unbekannt (German for Miss Unknown), refusing to reveal her identity to anybody in the mental hospital. She later used the name Tschaikovsky and then Anderson. Her claims that she was a Russian grand duchess first drew public attention in March 1922. Anderson had many scars on her abdomen which she claimed were bullet and bayonet wounds inflicted by Bolsheviks. Most members of Anastasia's family and those who had known her, including court tutor Pierre Gilliard, said Anderson was not Anastasia. In 1927 a private investigation funded by the Tsarina's brother, Ernest Louis, Grand Duke of Hesse, identified Anderson with Franziska Schanzkowska, a Kashubian factory worker with a history of mental illness.

Nevertheless, Anderson convinced many people she was Anastasia and lived with various supporters and in asylums and nursing homes, spending World War II in Germany. After a lawsuit lasting many decades the German courts ruled Anderson had failed to prove she was Anastasia, but by then her claim had become widely known through media coverage. She went to the United States in 1968 and shortly before the expiry of her visa, married University of Virginia history professor Jack Manahan who was later characterized as "probably Charlottesville's best-loved eccentric." Later in life she suffered from anemia, arthritis and psychiatric problems. Her story shifted through the years, settling on a tale of family "doubles" who she said were the murder victims in 1918. She and Manahan lived in Charlottesville until her 1984 death from pneumonia. Anderson's body was cremated and her ashes were buried in the churchyard at Castle Seeon, Germany.

DNA tests

After the discovery in 1991 of the first mass grave bearing remains of the Romanovs and their staff, Anderson was confirmed to have been an imposter. In 1994, ten years after her death, DNA tests were conducted on a lock of her hair and samples of her tissue which had been stored at a hospital in Charlottesville, Virginia after a medical procedure. The DNA tests showed Anderson's mitochondrial DNA matched neither the Romanov remains, nor that of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (a great-nephew of Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna) or any other living Romanov relative. However, Anderson's mitochondrial DNA did match the mitochondrial DNA profile of Karl Maucher, a great-nephew of Franziska Schanzkowska. Five years after the original testing was done the DNA sequence tying Anderson to the Schanzkowska family was still unique, although the database of DNA patterns had grown much larger. This led to even higher confidence in her 1927 identification as Franziska Schanzkowsa. The 2007 discovery of another grave nearby brought forth the remains of two more Romanov family members and in March 2009 the authors of a DNA study funded by the US Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory and Innsbruck Medical University at Innsbruck, Austria published "virtually irrefutable evidence" that the remains of all four grand duchesses were accounted for and that no one escaped. Scientists and major news agencies note that Anderson was Schanzkowska.

See also

• Romanov claimants

References

1. ^ Tucker, William O., Jr. (5 July 2007), "Jack & Anna: Remembering the czar of Charlottesville eccentrics", The Hook, Charlottesville, Virginia: Better Publications LLC, retrieved 1 July 2009{{citation}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
2. ^ Coble, Michael D.; Loreille, Odile M.; Wadhams, Mark J.; Edson, Suni M.; Maynard, Kerry; Meyer, Carna E.; Niederstätter, Harald; Berger, Cordula; Berger, Burkhard; Falsetti, Anthony B.; Gill, Peter; Parson, Walther; Finelli, Louis N. (11 March 2009), "Mystery Solved: The Identification of the Two Missing Romanov Children Using DNA Analysis", PLoS ONE, 4 (3): e4838, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0004838, retrieved 2 July 2009{{citation}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: unflagged free DOI (link)
3. Massie, Robert K. (1995), The Romanovs: The Final Chapter, Secaucus, New Jersey: Carol, p. 193
4. Gill P, Kimpton C, Aliston-Greiner R, Sullivan K, Stoneking M et al., Establishing the identity of Anna Anderson Manahan, Nat Genet 9: 9–10, 1995
5. Van der Kiste, John (2002), Once A Grand Duchess: Xenia, Sister of Nicholas II, Phoenix Mill: Sutton Publishing, ISBN 0 750 92749 6 {{citation}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
6. ^ Stoneking, Mark; Melton, Terry; Nott, Julian; Barritt, Suzanne; Roby, Rhonda; Holland, Mitchell; Weedn, Victor; Gill, Peter; Kimpton, Colin; Aliston-Greiner, Rosemary; Sullivan, Kevin (9 January 1995), "Establishing the identity of Anna Anderson Manahan", Nature Genetics, 9: 9–10, doi:10.1038/ng0195-9, retrieved 2 July 2009{{citation}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
7. Godl, John (25 March 2000), Remembering Anna Anderson, Boise, Idaho: Archimandrite Nektarios Serfes, retrieved 29 June 2009
8. "Mystery Solved: The Identification of the Two Missing Romanov Children Using DNA Analysis". Plos One. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0004838. Retrieved 2009-05-05.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unflagged free DOI (link)
9. Sykes, Brian (2001), The Seven Daughters of Eve, New York: Norton, p. 75, ISBN 0 393 02018 5
10. Gutterman, Steve (23 August 2007), Bones turn up in hunt for last czar's son, Associated Press, retrieved 23 June 2009
11. Sieff, Martin (1 May 2008), Romanov mystery finally solved, United Press International, retrieved 23 June 2009

Bibliography

• Saint Peter and Paul Cathedral and the Grand Ducal Burial Chapel. St. Petersburg, Russia: The Cultural Committee of the Government of St. Petersburg/The State Museum of the History of St. Petersburg. 2006. ISBN 5-902671-37-X.
• Antonov, Boris (2004). Russian Tsars. St. Petersburg, Russian Federation: Ivan Fiodorov Art Publishers. ISBN 5-93893-109-6.
• Godl, John (August 1998), "Anastasia: The Unmasking of Anna Anderson", The European Royal History Journal (VI), Oakland: Arturo Beeche: 3–8
• Greece, Prince Christopher of (1938). Memoirs of HRH Prince Christopher of Greece. London: The Right Book Club.
• Hall, Coryne (1999). Little Mother of Russia - A Biography of Empress Marie Feodorovna. London: Shepheard-Walwyn (Publishers) Ltd. ISBN 0 85683 177 8. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
• King, Greg (2003). The Fate of the Romanovs. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
• Klier, John (1999). The Quest for Anastasia: Solving the Mystery of the Lost Romanovs. Citadel. ISBN 0-8065-2064-7. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
• Knodt, Manfred (1997). Ernst Ludwig: Grossherzog von Hessen und bei Rhein. Sein Leben und seine Zeit,. Darmstadt: Schlapp. ISBN 3-87704-006-3.
• Kurth, Peter (1995). Anastasia: The Life of Anna Anderson. Pimlico. ISBN 0-7126-5954-4.
• Kurth, Peter (1997?). Anastasia: The Riddle of Anna Anderson. Back Bay. ISBN 0-316-50717-2. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
• Kurth, Peter (1995). Tsar. Toronto: Little, Brown and Company. ISBN 0-316-50787-3.
• Lerche, Anna (2003). A Royal Family: The Story Of Christian IX And His European Descendants. Egmont Lademann A/S Denmark. ISBN 87-15-10957-7. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
• Lovell, James Blair (1998). Anastasia: The Lost Princess. Robson. ISBN 0-86051-807-8.
• Massie, Robert K. (1971). Nicholas and Alexandra. London: Pan Books. ISBN 0 330 02213 X.
• Massie, Robert K. (1995). The Romanovs: The Final Chapter. Secaucus, New Jersey: Carol.
• Romanov, Alexander Mikhailovich, Grand Duke (1933). Always A Grand Duke. Cassell.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
• Van der Kiste, John (2002). Once A Grand Duchess: Xiena, Sister of Nicholas II. Phoenix Mill: Sutton Publishing. ISBN 0 7509 2749 6. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
• von Hessen und bei Rhein, Ernst Ludwig, Grossherzog (1916). Ernst Ludwig, Grossherzog von Hessen und bei Rhein - Tagebuch. Homburg: Hessiche Hausstiftung.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
• Von Rahl, Frau (19 June-4 July 1925). The Notes of Frau Von Rahl. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
• Vorres, Ian (2001 revised edition). The Last Grand Duchess. Key Porter Books. ISBN 13 978-1552633021. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
• Yussopov, Felix, Prince (19 September 1927). Letter of Prince Felix Yussopov to Grand Duke Andrei. Hamburg.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
• Znamenov, Vadim (2004). Nicholas II: The Imperial Family. St. Petersburg, Russian Federation: Abris Publishers. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)

External links

• Anastasia: The Unmasking Of Anna Anderson - An online article arguing reasons Anna Anderson was not the Grand Duchess Anastasia.
• Anna Anderson Exposed: Busting the Myth of the most infamous royal imposter - a site explaining why Anderson wasn't Anastasia.
• Jack & Anna: Remembering the czar of Charlottesville eccentrics - an article on Jack and Anna Manahan and their eccentric life in Charlottesville, Virginia, USA after their marriage.
• Anastasia and Anna Anderson — A narrative of Anastasia’s death.
• Article by Peter Kurth — Anderson supporter/biographer Peter Kurth explains why he doesn't believe Anna Anderson was Franziska Schanzkowska.
• Greg King replying to Bob Atchison on the Ekaterinburg Romanov bones - Greg King's refutation of Bob Atchison's explanation of the Romanov bones.
• Article by Rey Barry — Journalist Rey Barry — friend of Anna Anderson and Jack Manahan, supporter of Anderson's claims.
• Anastasia: Duchess in Disguise — a website arguing that photographs of Anna Anderson resemble photographs of the Grand Duchess Anastasia.
• Anastasia: The Truth - An opinion website by Andrew W. Hartsook, ref: Anastasia and Anna Anderson.

Template:Link FA

• 1896 births
• 1984 deaths
• Deaths from pneumonia
• Impostor pretenders
• Infectious disease deaths in Virginia
• People from Charlottesville, Virginia
• Pretenders to the Russian throne