Anastasia had many health problems. She had an acute case of Hemophilia, bunions on her big toes, a deformity on her left foot, and a bad back for which she received messages. She often tried to put it off by hiding in cupboards.
That Little Imp!
Anastasia in Court Dress, 1910
Anastasia was a deviant. She constantly teased and harassed the staff. Many called her a devil, and she didn't always play nice with others. She constantly made fun of her sister, Maria, and on one account, she threw a snowball with a stone in it at her sister, Tatiana's head, knocking her to the ground. It's no surprise, then, that her father, Nicholas called her "shvibzik", the Russian word for Imp.
Hey! I'm You!
Anna Anderson, 1922
Possibly the best known impersonator, Anna Anderson was a German women who claimed to be the Grand Duchess after the rumors of her survival. Many people believed her, but some people also knew that she'd spent some time in a mental institution. Regardless, she spent the rest of her days in legal procedures and hearings, and declared to her dying breath that she was Anastasia, but eventually, a DNA test with the closest relative to the Czar's family showed that Anna had nothing at all in common with the Grand Duchess besides the deformity on her left foot. At least ten other women claimed to be Anastasia, and with all of these rumors of survival, the Bolsheviks became worried that it may be true. Women claiming to be Anastasia would be taken in for questioning by the Russian secret police.
Cultural Significance
Betty White referencing Anastasia in an episode of "Hot in Cleveland".
Though she did not survive, the rumor has been used in media from books, to movies, and even TV shows of different people's views on what might have happened if she truly had survived.
Fiction
Trouble at the Palace
Young Anya
In the 1997 animated movie of "Anastasia", Anya was about 7 when her family perished. This is not true. Anastasia was 16 when her father abdicated the throne, and 17 when she died.
Disputin' Rasputin
The real Rasputin
Rasputin as depicted in the 1997 film
Though not trusted by all of the servants, Rasputin did not hate the Romanovs. He was a monk, not a sorcerer, and his death filled the royal family with sadness. After the family was shot, it was found that all of the Czar's children were wearing lockets with his picture and a parchment with his hand-writing on it. Rasputin met his end by multiple means of poison, bullet wounds, and finally, drowning.
Rumored Survival
The Royal family in captivity in Tobolsk
In order to keep her family's jewels from being taken, the Romanovs sewed the gems into the lining of their coats. It was because of this that people thought that Anastasia had survived and escaped. However, it is now a known fact that she perished alongside the rest of her family. She may not have died immediately, however, she ultimately passed away that night, July 17, 1918.
Location of Yekaterinburg, Russia
Where did she go?
Anastasia in captivity, 1918.
As is common with all rumors, each story is slightly different. The jewels sewn into the family's coats gave rise to the belief that she only pretended to be dead and escaped while the others were being carried out of the cellar, while others speculate that a sympathetic guard rescued her after she showed signs of life. However she supposedly survived, there are also different ideas about where she went. A popular belief is that she went to New York City. Other ideas say she went to Alaska.