Profile of the Day: Anastasia Romanov

Grand Duchess Anastasia

On June 18, 1901, Anastasia, daughter of the last Russian tsar, Nicholas II, was born in Petrodvorets, Russia. She was killed along with her family by members of the Bolshevik secret police, but the location of her body remained unknown until 2008.

Rumors of her escape widely circulated after her death, with many women claiming to be the real Anastasia. The most notorious Anastasia impostor was Anna Anderson, who surfaced publicly during the 1920s. She fought for years to prove herself the rightful claimant of Anastasia’s inheritance. Her suit was rejected in 1970 and after her death in 1984, DNA tests showed she was not related to the Romanov family. The story of Anastasia’s purported survival has been the subject of many Hollywood productions, including Ingrid Bergman‘s award winning role as Anna Anderson in 1956 and the 1997 animated film Anastasia.

Anastasia is connected to over 70 million people in Geni’s World Family Tree. How are you related?
 

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