Final Days of Rasputin

After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal

History Hit

Myths, Folklore, Mystery, History, Ghosts, Society & Culture, Murder, Ufos, True Crime, Paranormal, Supernatural, Serial Killers

4.6 • 1.2K Ratings

🗓️ 2 January 2025

⏱️ 42 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Grigori Rasputin, Russian mystic, survived multiple assassination attempts on the same night. He was poisoned, he was shot, he was drowned in a freezing St Petersburg river. His corpse was emasculated. What is myth here and what is truth? Who was the real Rasputin? Why did so many people want him dead?

Our guest today is Douglas Smith, author of the acclaimed biography Rasputin: The Biography

Edited by Tomos Delargy. Produced by Sophie Gee. Senior Producer is Charlotte Long.

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All music from Epidemic Sounds/All3 Media

After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hi, we're your host's Anthony Delaney and Maddie Pelling.
0:03.7	And if you would like After Dark myths, misdeeds and the paranormal, ad free and get early access, sign up to History Hit.
0:11.1	With a History Hit subscription, you can also watch hundreds of hours of original documentaries with top history presenters and enjoy a new release every week.
0:20.7	Sign up now by visiting historyhit.com forward slash subscribe. top history presenters and enjoy a new release every week.
0:24.8	Sign up now by visiting historyhit.com forward slash subscribe.
0:40.0	St. Petersburg, one evening in December 1916, or so the story goes, the Holy Man Rasputin arrives at the Grand Duke's palace. The temperature hasn't reached above zero for weeks, and there is barely the sun to speak of.
0:49.0	Rasputin, one of the most influential people in Russian society, has been invited to meet the princess,
0:55.7	Irina. With neatly combed hair and beard, an overcoat and beaver cap, he climbs from the car
1:02.7	with his host, Prince Yusupov, who had come to fetch him. It is past midnight, and even as they
1:09.3	enter the palace through the side door, the holy man
1:12.5	seems to carry the darkness in with him. From inside come the sounds of chatter, the clinking of
1:20.3	glasses, and the shuffle of feet, accompanied by the unmistakable Yankee Doodle went to town
1:27.4	on the gramophone.
1:29.2	Rasputin turns abruptly to the prince, what's all this? Is someone giving a party, he inquires?
1:35.2	He has been assured no one else would be present at the palace. The prince responds, his wife is
1:40.8	entertaining some friends. She will be with them soon.
1:48.5	Then he leads his guest away from the noise and down to the basement dining room.
1:54.3	This room is comfortably furnished with lights seeping from coloured glass lanterns and the log fire crackling in the fireplace.
1:57.9	Chairs are kicked back from the table.
2:00.4	The space has clearly only recently been vacated by
2:03.4	reddlers. Rasputin and the prince sit at the table, making small talk about people they are
2:09.2	both acquainted with, and discussing the supposed conspiracy against Rasputin. The Holyman takes a tea
	...

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