During its time in power, the Communist regime—acting on its ideology of a classless society, its social theories, and its version of nationalism—killed millions of people for their political and religious convictions.

The regime’s decades-long terror and massive persecutions were directed above all at the flower of the nation: at its best representatives. The political repression in Russia in the years 1918-1919 were also endured by members of the Russian Imperial Family.

After the fall of the totalitarian Communist regime in Russia in 1991, a law was passed entitled, “Concerning the Rehabilitation of the Victims of Political Repressions,” which was meant to bring justice to those who fell victim to the political repressions on the territory of Russia after the revolution of 1917.

The goal of the law was to rehabilitate all of the victims of the political repression that had taken place on the territory of the RSFSR, the restoration of their rights, the elimination of other consequences of arbitrary rule, and the guarantee of full compensation of material and moral losses.

In the interest of defending the rights and legal interests of the Russian Imperial House, and in the interest of reestablishing the good name of those murdered without cause, H.I.H. Dowager Grand Duchess Leonida Georgievna, the August Mother of the Head of the Russian Imperial House, H.I.H. Grand Duchess Maria Wladimirovna, appealed to the Procurator-General of the Russian Federation with a request for the rehabilitation of members of the Imperial House.

On 8 November 1995, work began on establishing the circumstances of these deaths, and evidence began to be gathered and inquiries were made concerning the rehabilitation of members of the Russian Imperial House. From 1996 to 1999, evidence was supplied on the deaths of the Holy Passion Bearers Emperor Nicholas II Aleksandrovich and all of His Family: Grand Duke Mikhail Aleksandrovich; the Holy New Martyr Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna; Grand Duke Sergii Mikhailovich; the Princes of the Imperial Blood Ivan Konstantinovich, Konstantin Konstantinovich, and Igor Konstantinovich; Grand Duke Pavel Aleksandrovich; Grand Duke Dmitrii Konstantinovich; Grand Duke Nicholas Mikhailovich; and Grand Duke Georgii Mikhailovich.

On the basis of Article 1.3b of the Law of the Russian Federation “Concerning the Rehabilitation of the Victims of Political Repressions,” the decision was made to rehabilitate those shot on 24 January 1919 in the Ss. Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg , for political reasons and on the order from the Presidium of the VChK. These include the following victims: Grand Duke Pavel Aleksandrovich (evidence of his death: series II, AK #252542); Grand Duke Dmitrii Constantinovich (evidence of his death: series II, AK #252545); Grand Duke Nicholas Mikhailovich (evidence of his death: series II, AK #252543); and Grand Duke Georgii Mikhailovich (evidence of his death: series II, AK #252544). On 27 July 1999, the Procurator-General of the Russian Federation issued to H.I.H. Dowager Grand Duchess Leonida Georgievna certificates of their rehabilitation.

In addition to these aforementioned grand dukes, other victims of the arbitrary actions of the totalitarian government include the following: those murdered in Ekaterinburg, Nicholas II Aleksandrovich (evidence of His death: series I, AK #363031), Empress Aleksandra Feodorovna (née Princess of Hesse-Darmstadt; evidence of Her death: series I, AK #363032), H.I.H. the Heir and Tsesarevich Grand Duke Aleksei Nikolaevich (evidence of His death: series I, AK #443456), H.I.H. Grand Duchess Ol’ga Nikolaevna (evidence of Her death: series I, AK #363034), H.I.H. Grand Duchess Tat’iana Nikolaevna (evidence of Her death: series I, AK #363035), H.I.H. Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna (evidence of Her death: series I, AK #443455), and H.I.H. Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna ((evidence of Her death: series I, AK #363036); H.I.H. Grand Duke Mikhail Aleksandrovich, murdered in Perm’ (evidence of His death: series I, AK #252547); those murdered in Alapaevsk: H.I.H. Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna (née Princess of Hesse-Darmstadt; evidence of Her death: series II, AK #382070), H.I.H. Grand Duke Sergii Mikhailovich (evidence of His death: series II, AK #382063), H.H. Prince of the Imperial Blood Ivan Konstantinovich (evidence of His death: series I, AK #382064), H.H. Prince of the Imperial Blood Konstantin Konstantinovich (evidence of His death: series II, AK #382068), H.H. Prince of the Imperial Blood Igor’ Konstantinovich (evidence of His death: series II, AK #382069); and H.H. Princess of the Imperial Blood Elena Petrovna (née Princess of Serbia), who was deprived of Her rights and freedom.

In July, 2002, H.I.H. Dowager Grand Duchess Leonida Georgievna submitted an appeal to the Presidential Commission on the rehabilitation of the victims of political repression, requesting the rehabilitation of Emperor Nicholas II Aleksandrovich, Empress Aleksandra Feodorovna, H.I.H the Heir and Tsesarevich Grand Duke Aleksei Nikolaevich, H.I.H Grand Duchess Ol’ga Nikolaevna, H.I.H. Grand Duchess Tat’iana Nikolaevna, H.I.H. Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna, H.I.H. Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna, H.I.H. Grand Duke Mikhail Aleksandrovich, H.I.H. Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna, H.I.H. Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich, H.H. Prince of the Imperial Blood Ivan Konstantinovich, H.H. Prince of the Imperial Blood Konstantin Konstantinovich, H.H. Prince of the Imperial Blood Igor’ Konstantinovich, and H.H. Princess of the Imperial Blood Elena Petrovna.

The Presidential Commission on the rehabilitation of the victims of political repression is reviewing the request from H.I.H. Dowager Grand Duchess Leonida Georgievna according to the procedures established by the law.

Moscow, 18 December 2002