CHAPTER 10
1916 THE DEATH OF RASPUTIN
With the onset of the First World War in 1914, the Russian people's feeling against the German-born Tsarina was intensified to hatred. Captain Willem Krieger was compelled to return to military service with his regiment in Germany, thus abruptly ending a long and successful partnership.
The supreme command of the Russian Army was given to Grand Duke Nicholas, who set up military headquarters at a Polish railway junction. The camp, which was called 'Stavka', comprised of a dozen army trains and was near the main Moscow-Warsaw railway line within easy access to the front line of fighting. Every available fighting man was either enlisted or re-enlisted to fight for his country, and Max was no exception. Re-commissioned to his Hussar Regiment, he was assigned to duty at Stavka, and it was there that Tsar Nicholas summoned him to his Imperial Presence. Resplendent in his red jacket with gold loopings, dark blue breeches and black boots, Max presented himself. The Tsar was dressed in a plain khaki jacket, blue breeches and black riding boots, and his blue eyes regarded Max in friendship.
"Ah, Captain Maltzev."
"Sire!"
"I wish you to travel in my retinue, Captain. Your duties will be to ensure my safety, checking for bombs and sabotage to the Imperial train, and any other duties I see fit to give you. I do not wish you to go to the Front - your knowledge of the Revolutionary movement is unique and I wish you to brief me fully, giving all the names you have of my opponents. Captain Voronin of the Cossacks will be responsible for the safety of my son during his visits here. Understood?"
"Yes, Sire."
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As the First World War progressed great losses were sustained by the Tsar's Army. Tsar Nicholas and the Tsarevich spent much time at 'Stavka', occasionally visited by the Tsarina and her four daughters, Olga, Tatiana, Marie and Anastasia, with all of whom Captain Maltzev was respectfully familiar. When the Tsar left the camp in December 1916 to spend the winter in Tsarskoe Selo it was to be for the last time.
While Max was in military service at the front line camps he was relatively well protected from the vengeance of the Bolsheviks, but on his return to St Petersburg with the Tsar's retinue he was once again exposed to the threat of reprisals from the now-powerful Bolsheviks, whose movement under the leadership of Alexander Kerensky was quickly gaining momentum.
Also gaining momentum was a plot, led by Prince Felix Yussopov, to assassinate Gregory Rasputin. Well aware of the Count's position in Court, Yussopov commanded an interview in his Moika Palace in St Petersburg.
In the middle of a very severe winter when most people stayed indoors in a vain effort to keep warm, the Count took an Imperial Palace car and drove across the city, arriving, at the Prince's request, at midnight. Dressed in a black, full-length fur-lined coat, wide-brimmed hat and heavy gloves, the Count showed a pass previously issued by the Prince and entered the Moika Palace, curious to know what the second richest man in Russia wanted with him.
The Count knew Yussopov from Court and disliked him intensely, but had no intention of letting personal prejudice stand in the way of another possible assassination mission and the pursuant financial awards that the wealthy nobleman would endow.
Led by an aged servant to a warm library room, where the Prince was standing over the fire, a brandy glass in his hand, the Count made abeyance.
"Ah, Count Maltzev, thank you for coming." The Prince's light, feminine voice offended the Count's ears, but he concealed his reaction. As the Prince approached Max, a strong smell of scent filled the air. Prince Yussopov, not yet 30 years of age and newly married to Princess Irena, a niece of the Tsar, already bore the signs of his earlier life of debauchery, although his soft eyes and unmanly character hid a determined nature. He bade the Count sit, offering him brandy, which the Count declined, and then he elegantly arranged himself to lounge on a sofa, affectedly smoking a cigarette through a long holder. He looked at the Count through his eyelashes, then said "Mmmh - I have never found it - necessary - to associate with you, Count, but these are difficult times." The Count waited. "M-yes, difficult times."
"Not difficult for you," thought the Count, "you haven't served at the Front."
"There is, dear Count, something that must be done, and done quickly."
The Count was already doubling his fee in his mind.
"Shall we get to the point, sir? Who is it you wish me to kill?"
"Ah, you misunderstand me, Count - I don't want you to kill anyone. I do, however, wish your advice on how best to do it."
The Count's heart sank - not such a great fee, after all.
"I want to kill - Rasputin!"
The Count's hooded eyes widened in surprise. "What? Are you serious?"
"I can assure you, dear Count, that I, and a few other friends, are perfectly serious. We are aware of your - reputation - as the Tsar's assassin. Rasputin is an evil influence on the Royal family - the Tsarina finds him indispensible and is sending his suggestions on how to run the War back to the Tsar, who is permitting her to act for him in his absence. Rasputin is effectively running the country, hiring and firing the Tsar' s most senior Ministers for no reason other than the respective gentlemen do not like him. It is intolerable. Do you agree, dear Count?"
The Count realised he had to choose his words carefully. "Sir, you place me in an impossible position. I have been the servant of the Tsar and his family, and his father before him, for many years. If I were to concern myself with this enterprise of yours, and be in any way implicated, I would face at best instant banishment to Siberia, or at worst death by firing squad. I have no wish to face either fate again. However, as you do not wish me to carry out the murder, in what way do you intend I assist?"
"In an advisory capacity, dear Count." The Prince swung his legs off the sofa and onto the floor, leaning forward earnestly towards the Count, who was seated opposite. Once again the smell of scent assailed the Count's nostrils.
"May I remind you there has already been an unsuccessful attempt on Rasputin's life?"
"But you were not implicated in that, Count Maltzev."
The Count said nothing, but the Prince was chilled by the expression in the Count's dark eyes.
"I - see." the Prince paused, assimilating this piece of information and unsure of his guest's stance between Tsar and country.
Making up his mind, the Count took a deep breath and spoke rapidly. "Sir, I completely agree that Rasputin should be removed from the scene. If you can guarantee me safe passage out of the country after the act, as I can feel the cold winds of change approaching this country of ours, and I do not want to be here when it happens - if you can guarantee me safe passage and a reasonable fee for my advice, then I shall assist you. I want the money now, and paid into a Swiss bank."
"Ah, excellent, excellent! It shall be done!" the Prince leaned forward and took the Count's hand. The Count disliked intensely the feel of Prince's unmanly, weak handshake.
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So it was that, on the evening of 16 December 1916, Prince Felix Yussopov persuaded Rasputin to leave his warm home and come to the Moika Palace on the pretext that his wife wished to meet him. Yussopov sent a car late at night for Rasputin. Despite having predicted his own murder, Rasputin went willingly to the Palace. He was ushered down to a basement room which Yussopov and his collaborators had had prepared as the murder room. Yussopov arranged for the sounds of a party to be heard through the house, and the Count was one of the revellers. Although he was not to be present during the first murder attempt, he heard later what happened in the room.
Rasputin was led to the room in the basement, which had a low, vaulted ceiling and was adorned with carved chairs and tables, one of which had a crucifix of rock crystal and silver. On the floor there was a large Persian carpet and a white bearskin rug. Dr Lazovert, one of the conspirators, had laced cakes with potassium cyanide crystals with a dosage of the poison that should have been enough to kill Rasputin many times over. It was, however, insufficient for the Man of God. Yussopov persuaded him to eat a poisoned cake and waited, but Rasputin showed no ill effects. Yussopov then gave Rasputin Madeira to drink which also had been poisoned, but that too had no effect, and Yussopov grew increasingly frightened, believing he was in the presence of an unkillable man. Yussopov waited nervously for two and a half hours for Rasputin to die, during which time he sang songs while Rasputin listened with obvious pleasure. Distraught, Yussopov left Rasputin and went upstairs to the waiting conspirators and, although they advised him to give up the attempt, Yussopov took a revolver and returned to the basement room. Rasputin was still acting normally, and even suggested that he and Yussopov visit the gypsy encampment "With God in thought, but mankind in the flesh." he said, winking and grasping his crotch in a way which clearly outlined his readiness. Yussopov showed him the crucifix, and then, standing behind him, he took the revolver and shot Rasputin in the back as he knelt before it. Rasputin slumped forward over the table, then fell backwards onto the white bearskin rug. The Count and the other conspirators, on hearing the shot, ran into the room and saw Rasputin lying unmoving. Dr Lazovert pronounced him dead, but Rasputin suddenly jumped to his feet and grabbed Yussopov by the throat, foaming at the mouth and roaring in anger and hatred. Yussopov, beside himself in horror, fled up the stairs and into the courtyard, followed on all fours by Rasputin. Everyone pursued him to the courtyard, and those with guns levelled them at Rasputin who stood facing them, swaying. The Count saw a volley of bullets hit Rasputin in the shoulder, chest and head and he fell, then tried unsuccessfully to get up, collapsing finally in the blood-red snow. The Count assisted in the removal of the body, rolling it up in a blue curtain and driving with fellow-conspirators in a car, with the body in the boot, to the River Neva, where it took five men to throw it into the river through the ice.
It was discovered later that Rasputin had died from drowning and not from the wounds of the assassins.
---oo0oo---