❁ Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana, Maria, and Anastasia Nikolaevna were the four daughters of Emperor Nicholas II and Alexandra Feodorovna of Russia. Known collectively as “OTMA”, the tragic lives of these four grand duchesses endlessly fascinate. Here is a list of resources to get to know the Romanov sisters a bit more deeply. ❁
⮞ Primary Sources Within the last decade or so, much work has been done to translate the diaries and letters of the Romanov sisters. Additionally, primary source material from their parents and retainers provide excellent insight into their lives. These include:
The Diary of Olga Romanov: Royal Witness to the Revolution by Helen Azar • The first in an excellent series on each individual Romanov sister, Azar offers a biographical sketch and translations of the wartime diaries and letters (1914-1918) of Olga Nikolaevna in a narrative-style with additional documents of the period.
Tatiana Romanov, Daughter of the Last Tsar: Diaries and Letters, 1913–1918 by Helen Azar and Nicholas B. A. Nicholson • Translated for the first time in English with plentiful annotations, this book offers a narrative-style approach the diaries and letters of Tatiana Nikolaevna, including a biographical sketch and additional documents of the period.
Maria Romanov: Third Daughter of the Last Tsar, Diaries and Letters, 1908–1918 by Helen Azar and George Hawkins • The first English translation of the intimate writings of Maria Nikolaevna, this narrative-style book offers translations of Maria’s writings and letters, with a biographical sketch and additional primary source material on the third grand duchess.
Anastasia Romanov: The Tsar’s Youngest Daughter Speaks Through Her Writings (1907 - 1918) by Helen Azar and George Hawkins • Here for the first time, readers can discover the real Anastasia Nikolaevna through her own letters and writings - translated into English with a biographical sketch and additional documents, illustrating in a narrative style a “surprisingly modern teenager from the dawn of the 20th century.”
Journal of a Russian Grand Duchess: Complete Annotated 1913 Diary of Olga Romanov, Eldest Daughter of the Last Tsar by Helen Azar • This volume comprises of diary entries of Olga Nikolaevna from the full year of 1913, which allow the reader a unique glimpse into the daily domestic routines of the Russian imperial family just prior to the outbreak of the First World War.
1913 Diary of Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna: Complete Tercentennial Journal of the Third Daughter of the Last Tsar by Helen Azar and Amanda Madru • The first translation of Maria Nikolaevna’s 1913 diary in its entirety, Maria’s journal records the daily routines of the Imperial family, from the mundane to the magnificent.
Maria and Anastasia: The Youngest Romanov Grand Duchesses In Their Own Words by Helen Azar • Known to their family and friends as “The Little Pair”, Grand Duchesses Maria and Anastasia Nikolaevna are the main topic of this volume on their individual writings and letters.
Correspondence of the Russian Grand Duchesses: Letters of the Daughters of the Last Tsar by George Hawkins • This book contains a wide range of letters to and from the Grand Duchesses, both from relatives and friends, but also from strangers and people from parts of the world.
In the Steps of the Romanovs: Final Two Years of the Russian Imperial Family 1916-1918 by Helen Azar • Unique volume collection of first-hand accounts of the Romanov family exclusively through their diaries and correspondence.
Romanov Family Yearbook: On This Date in Their Own Words by Helen Azar and Amanda Madru • A unique edition which commemorates the last Romanovs through a collection of personal documents that recount their daily lives, ranging over a decade. This book contains 365 diary entries, letters, and photographs–one for each day of the year—including some previously unpublished material.
Russia’s Last Romanovs: In Their Own Words by Helen Azar and Eva & Dan McDonald • In this book, you will follow the events which led up to their eventual tragic fate through personal words of each family member, as well as their close friends and associates. Their letters, diaries, and postcards – many of which have been compiled into English here for the first time.
A Lifelong Passion: Nicholas and Alexandra: Their Own Story by Sergei Mironenko and Andrei Maylunas • A large collection of letters, diaries, and writings of Nicholas II and Alexandra Feodorovna and their five children, this volume naturally includes much first-hand information on the Romanov grand duchesses.
The Last Grand Duchess by Ian Vorres • A memoir/biography of Aunt Olga Alexandrovna, whom OTMA were particularly close, offers much first-hand information on the sisters’.
The Romanov Royal Martyrs: What Silence Could Not Conceal by St. John the Forerunner Monastery • This beautifully-illustrated, unique volume draws on letters, testimonies, diaries, memoirs, and other texts never before published in English to present a unique biography of Tsar Nicholas II, his wife, four daughters, and son.
The Life and Tragedy of Alexandra Feodorovna: Empress of Russia by Sophie Buxhoeveden • A unique first-hand account of a close friend of Empress Alexandra, who also served as a lady-in-waiting and close confidant of the four sisters. A wealth of information and anecdotes on the lives of the girls’ full up the pages of this volume, including their lives in captivity.
Six Years at Russian Court by Margaret Eager • The memoirs of the governess of the grand duchesses, Eager offers the most complete first-hand account of the sisters’ childhoods.
Thirteen Years at the Russian Court by Pierre Gilliard • The best first-hand account of the life of the last Imperial family of Russia was written by Pierre Gilliard, French tutor to the Tsar’s children.
Memories of the Russian Court by Anna Vyrubova • Memoirs of Alexandra’s closest friend, a lady-in-waiting to the empress, Anna’s memoirs, like Buxhoeveden’s, offers particular insight to the life of Alexandra Feodorovna and her four imperial daughters.
The Real Tsaritsa by Lil Dehn • A memoir of the court by Alexandra’s lady-in-waiting, Dehn with close with the Imperial family and the Romanov sisters in their last few years.
⮞ Historical Novels As many Romanov enthusiasts knows, it is incredibly difficult to find quality historical fiction on the last Romanov family. There are important exceptions, however:
The Lost Crown by Sarah Miller • Olga, Tatiana, Maria, and Anastasia. Like the fingers on a hand–first headstrong Olga; then Tatiana, the tallest; Maria the most hopeful for a ring; and Anastasia, the smallest. These are the daughters of Tsar Nicholas II, grand duchesses living a life steeped in tradition and privilege. Highly praised for its historical accuracy and individual voices given to each grand duchess, Sarah Miller’s young adult historical fiction book can serve itself as a great starting point on the Romanov sisters, fiction or nonfiction.
Anastasia and Her Sisters by Carolyn Meyer • A young adult historical fiction novel from the point of view of Anastasia, this generally accurate book follows the lives of the Romanov sisters from their childhood to young women in captivity.
Anastasia: The Last Grand Duchess, Russia, 1914 by Carolyn Meyer • A well-beloved middle-grade novel written in the style of a fictionalized diary of Anastasia.
Rubies in the Snow: Diary of Russia’s Last Grand Duchess 1911-1918 by Kate Hubbard • Another fictionalized diary of Anastasia Nikolaevna, this book follows the grand duchess across seven years.
The Last Grand Duchess: A Novel of Olga Romanov, Imperial Russia, and Revolution by Bryn Turnbull • I have admittedly not read this book yet, so perhaps it is taking a huge chance to recommend this book; however, it is a new first-person novel of Olga Nikolaevna that has been well-received by readers and I haven’t found a trace of the usual sensationalism in the book’s reviews.
⮞ Secondary Sources While there has yet to be a definitive combined biography of the four Romanov sisters, there are a number of nonfiction works that include their lives woven into their narratives. These include:
Anastasia’s Album by Hugh Brewster • A beautifully illustrated young adult nonfiction book on Anastasia Nikolaevna and her sisters.
The Romanovs: Love, Power, and Tragedy by A. N. Bokhanov • This book provides an enthralling description of the last Romanov family. It is Told through the diaries and family albums of the last Tsar and Tsarina, and included for the first time in print the diary entries and letters of the grand duchesses. Hundreds of unique and historic photographs from the personal photo albums of Nicholas and his family complete this volume.
The Romanov Sisters by Helen Rappaport • Although more of a general overview of the Romanov family than a biography of the sisters’, with particular bias against Alexandra Feodorovna, and operating from the largely disproven narrative that OTMA were uniquely isolated by their mother, it nevertheless necessarily includes more information on the grand duchesses’ than most general biographies due to its publication after the fall of the USSR. That said, when the four sisters are discussed, the Big Pair feature far more than the Little Pair; Maria, in particular, gets very little individual attention.
Nicholas and Alexandra by Robert K. Massie • A masterful classic of nonfiction, this book is considered by many to be the standard biography of the last Imperial Family of Russia. Written by Robert Massie with much research work done by Suzanne Massie, this book is a generally great nonfiction starting point on Nicholas, Alexandra, and their five children.
The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperial Russia by Candace Fleming • A young adult historical biography of the last Romanov family of Russia. This well-researched and well-annotated book provides information not only on the history of Nicholas, Alexandria, and their children but also on the Russian people living at the time and on the social conditions that contributed to the family’s demise.
The Resurrection of the Romanovs: Anastasia, Anna Anderson, and the World’s Greatest Royal Mystery by Greg King and Penny Wilson • This groundbreaking book serves three purposes: first, a biography of Anastasia Nikolaevna; second, a recounting of the tale of “Anna Anderson”; and third, a biography of Franziska Schanzkowska and how under the guise of Anna Anderson she falsely claimed to be Grand Duchess Anastasia Romanova.
⮞ Websites The internet has proven to be an endless mine of Romanov material on the grand duchesses and the imperial family as a whole. These websites are particularly good starting points:
Alexander Palace Time Machine • The world’s preeminent Romanov website–a treasure trove of photos, letters, books, articles, and more.
Liviadia.org • A tribute to the Romanov children, featuring scrapbook-style biographies and photo albums of each grand duchess.
The Romanov Family • A popular Romanov history website focusing on Nicholas, Alexandra, the four sisters, and Alexei in their own words, run by translator Helen Azar.
Frozentears • A media-rich memorial to the last Imperial family.
Romanov Memorial • A virtual tour of the Ipatiev house.
Yale Beinecke Albums • Browse six of Anna Vyrubova’s personal photo albums, loaded with candid snapshots of the grand duchesses and their family.
The Romanov Royal Martyrs Project • A multimedia dedication to the last Imperial family of Russia.
⮞ Films, Documentaries, & Footage While there have been numerous films and documentaries on the Romanovs, only a small amount steer away from the sensationalism often associated with the family, particularly the imposters. Documentaries and films that focus on the real family instead includes:
The Romanov Four Sisters (2021) • A documentary on the Romanov sisters by The Romanov Royal Martyrs project, this two-part series is a purposeful remake of a far less well-received documentary. This new version features colorized pictures by Olga Shirnina (Klimbim), newsreel footage, and a selection of photographs from the State Archive of the Russian Federation (GARF).
OTMA — Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana, Maria & Anastasia (Footage) • An hour length collection of the old archival film footage with the Russian Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia Romanov of Russia from the Russian State Documentary Film & Photo Archive at Krasnogorsk (RGAKFD).
Last of the Czars (1996) • A three-part documentary on the last imperial family of Russia, Discovery Networks.
Russia’s Last Tsar (1995) • A documentary on Nicholas II and his family, National Geographic Video.
The Romanovs: An Imperial Family (2000) • A Russian historical drama film about the last days of Tsar Nicholas II and his family. It has been praised by Romanov enthusiasts for its depictions of the Romanov sisters.
Nicholas and Alexandra (1971) • The film adaptation of Robert K. Massie’s book of the same name, this historical drama focuses on the imperial couple and their family throughout Nicholas’s reign.
