After the Romanovs: what happened to the Russian elites after the Bolshevik Revolution

After the Romanovs: Russian Exiles in Paris from the Belle Époque Through Revolution and War by Helen Rappaport is the story of Russians in Paris. Paris has always been the city of culture, fine wine and food, and the latest fashions. It also has also been a refuge for those fleeing persecution. For years, Russian aristocrats had enjoyed all that the City of Lights had to offer. Living lavishly Paris was their home away from home. However, with the rise of the Bolshevik Revolution and the fall of the Romanov dynasty, many Russians came to Paris, some with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Suddenly former princes become taxi drivers, their wives sewing for the fashion houses. It is a story of menial jobs, political plots, espionage and assassination with few success stories while many lived in a cycle of poverty. The one thing that joined them all was love of the land that they were forced to leave behind. 

After the Romanovs bring the human stories to the historical events. A very detailed account of those who left Russia, afraid for their lives, while hoping for the chance to bring Russia back to her glory. The interesting aspect of After the Romanovs is the cycle in which people can easily become “enemies.” Vladimir Lenin declared the bourgeois, enemies of the revolutions. But the bourgeois weren’t just the monarchy and the wealthy class but intellectuals, writers, and artists who influenced the country’s culture. Many of these individuals would have been considered “have-nots” but because of their professions, they were now enemies of the revolution.  I enjoyed reading what happened to those who fled Russia after the revolution and how they fared. Ms. Rappaport does not shy away from the nit and gritty facts of these individuals’ stories, beliefs and attitudes that contributed to their downfall. If you are interested in this area of history, I highly recommend After the Romanovs. 

After the Romanovs: 

Russian Exiles in Paris from the Belle Époque Through Revolution and War 

is available in hardcover, eBook, and audiobook