Name: __________________________
Anna Anderson and the Mystery of the Romanovs
Mrs. Gardner
We’re using this website to study a famous forensic genetics case, that of the last Tsar
and Tsarina of Russia. When their government was overthrown and the Bolsheviks took
over, the entire family - including 5 children, a doctor, a nurse, and 2 servants - was
murdered.
A number of years later, a 'mystery woman' appeared, claiming to be one of the Tsar's
daughters, Anastasia...
Go to the following website:
http://www.dnai.org/lesson/go/37434/
and then click on the “Applications” tab at the top of the page, “Recovering the Romanovs” at
the bottom of the page, and then “The Romanov Family” at the top of the page.
Please answer the following questions as you read.
1. How long had the Romanov family ruled Russia?
2. Click on the “Glossary” tab at the bottom of page 1. What is a pedigree?
3. What blood disorder did Alexei inherit?
4. What are the symptoms of this disorder?
5. From whom did Alexei inherit this disease?
6. What “proof” was there that Alexei inherited this disease from that parent?
7. When did Tsar Nicholas II abdicate his throne (i.e. step down from the monarchy)?
8. What happened to the royal family after his abdication?
9. Why might the new government have decided to imprison and subsequently murder the
Tsar and his family?
10. Why did bullets ricochet off of the women’s chests?
Click on the tab, “The Mystery of Anna Anderson” at the top of the page.
11. How did Anna Anderson first come to the attention of the Berlin (German) police?
12. What traits did Anna Anderson have that Anastasia had had, giving her claim some
credibility?
13. Examine the handwriting, the ear test, and the facial comparison yourself. Then write
your own statement as to the believability of Anna’s claim.
a. Handwriting:
b. Ear Test:
c. Facial Comparison:
14. The German courts decided that Anna could not prove that she was Anastasia, and so
denied her claim. A private investigator claimed to have discovered the true identity of
Anna. What did he say about her real name and background?
15. Why might this investigator have been biased in disclaiming Anna’s claim to the royal
family?
16. Why did author Peter Kurth believe that Anna Anderson was truly Anastasia, daughter of
the last Tsar of Russia?
Click on the tab, “Science Solves a Mystery” at the top of the page.
17. How many people were originally murdered?
18. How many skeletons were found in the grave believed to be the burial site of the royal
family?
19. What are three of the methods used to determine the age and/or sex of a skeleton?
20. After looking at the evidence from the gravesite, whose skeletons are missing?
21. Besides the nucleus, in which other organelle can DNA be found?
22. From which parent is mtDNA inherited?
23. Who is the most recent maternal relative of the Tsarina’s family tree? (Hint: he is also
Queen Elizabeth of England’s husband, grandfather to Princes William and Harry…).
24. Based on the DNA sequencing of both the male skeletons and the female skeletons
found in the grave, what conclusions can be reached regarding the identities of these
individuals?
25. When having surgery in Virginia, part of Anna Anderson’s intestine was frozen. In
addition, a hair sample belonging to Anna was found. The mtDNA from these samples
could be compared to the mtDNA from which other people to determine if Anna is
actually Anastasia?
26. What was the conclusion of the scientists who did the comparison testing of Anna’s
mtDNA samples?