How Rasputin saved Nicholas II and the world from World War II
The year is 1916. The Russian mystic Grigory Rasputin, known for his charisma, strange healing practices and incredible ability to survive any assassination, has become the focus of attention of the nobles who want to get rid of him. Rasputin was a thorn in the side of many, but Tsar Nicholas II considered him his personal advisor, healer and, according to superstition, a demigod.
Poison, shooting and a frozen river.
In December 1916, a group of nobles led by Prince Felix Yusupov decided to eliminate Rasputin for good. They took him to their palace and served him poisoned cookies and wine. The plan was simple: Rasputin would eat some cookies, drink some wine and... the end.
But Rasputin ate and drank, and nothing happened. Felix looked nervously at his companions. "Did you put enough poison in?" whispered one of them. Felix just nodded. Rasputin, meanwhile, added another cookie and remarked:
"Excellent pastry, do you have the recipe?"
When even the poison didn't work, they decided on a more radical solution - shooting. When Rasputin turned his back, Felix pulled out his pistol and fired twice. Rasputin fell to the ground. The prince was relieved. "At last!" he said. Only when he turned around, Rasputin slowly began to get up. "Felix, what are you doing? It's not safe to play with pistols!"
In a panic, the nobles beat him and threw him into the frozen Neva River. The next morning, however, Rasputin appeared at the palace of Tsar Nicholas II, a little chilled, but otherwise quite well. "The Tsar should know that your nobles need better ideas," he remarked with a smile.
Rasputin saves the Tsar
After this failed assassination, Rasputin warned the Tsar, "My dear Nicholas, if I die, you and your whole empire will fall. But if I survive, I will save you and all Russia." Nicholas II, deeply superstitious, took these words seriously.
When the February Revolution broke out in 1917, Rasputin persuaded the tsar not to abdicate and instead to initiate sweeping reforms. He urged him to provide bread for the poor and promised democratic elections. Through these steps, the Tsar regained some of the people's trust and prevented the Bolsheviks from gaining power. Frustrated by the lack of support, Lenin went to Switzerland, where he opened a small bookstore.
No agreement with Germany
Without the Bolsheviks in power in Russia, there was no disintegration of the country and chaos after the First World War. Germany never dared to propose a pact to Stalin to partition Europe. Instead, the Germans struggled with internal problems and Adolf Hitler remained a marginal watercolor painter whose greatest achievement was to sell a painting at a flea market.
World War II? Never!
Thanks to Rasputin's ability to survive assassinations and his advice to the Tsar, the world was spared World War II. Instead of conflict, Europe hosted annual international goulash and borscht festivals where Nicholas II regularly met with other European rulers.
Rasputin's legacy
Rasputin became a Russian national hero and continued as an advisor to the Tsar. Although many considered him an oddball, no one dared to underestimate him anymore. Sayings like "Rasputin will survive anything" became part of the folklore.
The lesson?
If you want to get rid of someone, check if they have supernatural powers. And sometimes it's better to let the strange healer live - you never know when he'll save your kingdom and the world.
Rasputin: the man who saved humanity simply because no one could kill him.