TOMB OF THE CZARS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 15 November 1926, Page 7

TOMB OF THE CZARS.

OPENED BY SOVIET

SECRETS OF GRAVES. REVEALED.

Accounts of the opening ol the tombs of Euissuihi ruleiNs by a special Soviet Commission have 'been sent to Germany by may of Helsingfors. Signed by Arthur*Knuptter, a German journalist, these reports are, said to have been corroborated by several Russian evewitnesses. They assert tluvt tliG cotnn of Czar Alexander I. mas discovered to be utterly empty, descriptions of the condition of robes and j erne Is found on the bodies of Peter the Great are somewhat circumstantial. It is related that Catherine's burial jewels have been transferred to the State Treasury. The Bolsheviki. not content with opening the diplomatic- archives <>l the Gzarist Government after they had seized the regions of power, resolved to open a number of Gzarist tombs in the church attached to the Fortress of SS. Peter and Paul in Leningrad. In the crypts of this church all the Russian rulers who came after Peter the Great lie sepulchred. Otic- of the first- tombs to be opened was that of Czar Alexander I- . The legend attached to the death ol Alexander J. is well-known throughout Russia. The first part of the legend declares that Alexander did not die at Taganrog, in Southern Eius.sia,. on De1, 1825, and that the coffin which was transferred to St. Petersburg contained the body of some unknown and unimportant person. Air Knupffer expresses the opinion that there may bo some truth in this part of the stoiy. For it is conceivable that for some reason or other the body' of the Emperor never reached St. Petersburg. The second part of the legend runs aw follows: Alexander I had dwelt fot a -long time in a remote monastery and then at- the close of his life had wandered throughout- Russia as a pilgrim. This aged pilgrim under the name of Fiodor Kusmitsch. existed and his personality -had been historically attested. It may be true that this man was invested by a certain mystery—for Russia* contains many such strange Lostoievski types —but there is nothing to prove that he had once been a member of the ruling class. The legend that he was Alexander I. arose very likely because of Alexander’s character. and by reason of his sudden death in distant Taganrog, death which seemed unlikely and unnatural to many people. The opening of the sarcophagus of Alexander I. was therefore looked forward to with intense curiosity—'for now the mystery would at last be cleared up. Rut when the coffin was opened it was found to be oompletelv empty! And so the mystery is greater than ever, for where was the body of this Czar buried upon, his death a hundred years ago? As to the Fiodor Kusmitsch legend, even Sehikler, perhaps the best-known historical writer and authority upon the life and times of Alexander 1., declares that it has. a grain of truth. Thus the legend is fated to live on and there can be no doubt that it. has now been given additional substance by the matter-of-fact report of a- Soviet Commission staring into an empty coffin. The opening of the tomb,- of Peter the Great and Catherine the Great has been described. M. Knupffer writes, by an eye-witness who accompanied 1 tic Bolshevist Commission. The news that the ancient graves were to be opened by it had somehow spread, and —the eye-witnesses said—there was a smail group of curious folk standing in front of the mas.-ive portals of the fortress. An old woman cried out to the Commission : “You had bettor beware. boys ; Catherine won’t- stand any monkey-shine,-! ’

The underground vaults- which contain the .sarcophagi of the Czars were lighted only by a. few candles and lanterns. as the electric light .system was out of order. Many ikons in metal frames hung upon the walls and stared from the corners. The frames had been robbed of the precious stones they had once contained. The plain, bare sarcophagi of the dead rulers of Russia, male and female, stood there in ;a long and awe-inspiring row. Soon blows from hammers upon chisels that bitinto metal thundered through the crypt, and the incense vessels hanging from the groins of the arches shook and tinkled.

A number of workmen were occupied with one of the sarcophagi when one of the officials called out: “Keep your eyes open—you will soon have a. look at Catherine the Great!" The men worked feverishv with hammers, chisel, ■and with an oxygen flame. After an hour’s toil the massive cover was loosened and lifted off. A cofiin of yellow wood, decorated with fittings of massive silver, came to light, 'there was an ivory crucifix lying upon the cover of tlii«s wooden coffin, and also a scroll of oarclmicnt tied together with a blue -ilk ribbon and with dangling seal- of red wax. The workmen proceeded to open the wooden coffin and. after some minutes, tbo body of that iini'tue Empress. the “Scmiram.is. of the North." wa.s revealed to the eyes of living men. The embalming .had evidently been carried out by one who was anything hut a master of the craft. Catherine « features no longer could be distinguished. The burial dress of the Empress as revealed is mta.de of heavy, light blue dama-sk. Her. feet are covered with white s-ilk morning slippers, which appeared to be new and fresh. These slippers have red flaps. The stockings are of rose-coloured silk, though Htt'e is left of them. A broad .ribbon of blue silk crosses ber breast. This ribbon !>cars an order, a star, covered with rubies, emeralds, and diamonds, set in the form of Catherine's initial-. In addition to this decoration the rilvhon carries a. cross of gold set with rubies and sapphires. Surmounting the high wig glistens a diadem studded with pearls and diamond-. Close beside the head of the dead Czarina there i- an ancient loly. picture with the features of tlte Saviour —much obliterated.. After an inventory had been made of what had been discovered, the searphagud was once more closed. The Commission inquired by telephone as to what disposition wa.s to be made of the gems and jewellery, and was told that these were to he left for the present where they had been found REMAINS OF PKTEKI THE GREAT. A few days later the opening of the sarcophagus of Peter the Great took place. Tho gigantic figure of Peter had been preserved to a. most remarkable degree. The expression of liiface wa.s marked by agony, due perhaps to Peter’s sufferings during his fatal illness. Peter lay dre sed in a. dark green uniform, with button- of polished stone. H,is legs were ear used in high boots of black leather. His lueast was crossed- diagonally by a dark-blue sa-sh, and to this were attached two orders, a Russian order and a, Dutch one. A great diamond blazed upon a finger of his right hand, and a plain golden cross and a small crucifix of ivory hung about his* neck. A roll of can via s lay beside him. Upon examination tin’s

proved to be an oil paintin'! represeiit--Ing Peter working as a shipwi i<rlit in a shipbuilding yard in Holland. Several other graves and tombs in the fortress chapel was opened by the Commission, until Dmiaseharski, the Sovio Coeemissioner tor Art and ICdur.ation. issued an order that these historic; dead were no longer to be disturbed. whereupon peace, silence, and darkness once more descended upon the lone and august assembly in the gloomy crypt of the church.