Imperator Nikolai II i Ego Sem'ia (Petergof, Sentiabr 1905 - Ekaterinburg, Mai 1918 g.)

Viena: Rus', 1921. Hardcover. First Russian edition; 5 1/2 x 8; pp. [3], xiv, [3], vi-xii, 1-236, xv; rebound in brown leatherette with original portrait frontis and title cut-out and laid-on; thin band of archival paper to upper margin of title page; scattered spots (mostly to margins); small nicks along edges of several pages; illustrated with numerous photographs (one photo excised, the rest present), facsimile documents, plans, and a map; overall very good-.The first and only complete Russian edition (parts of the book had been pirated and published in the French journal "Illustration" without the author's permission.)Pierre Gilliard, a Swiss author and academic, was the French language tutor of the children of Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra from 1905 to 1918. He was very close to the family and followed them to Siberia where they were sent into exile after the Russian Revolution of 1917. Gilliard remained in Siberia after their murders and worked with investigator Sokolov until 1920 when he returned to Switzerland. His current memoir follows his 13 years with the emperor's family as well as the year of investigations following the family's murders. Though OCLC lists several copies in institutions research has shown no evidence of a copy sold at auction.