Elena Palmer

Last updated
Elena Palmer
Occupation Journalist, Author
NationalityGerman
Period1990s to present
Genres Biography
Notable worksPeter III - The Prince of Holstein

Elena Palmer is a German journalist and author with Russian origins.

Contents

Biography

Elena Palmer is the author of the biography Peter III - The Prince of Holstein (Sutton Publishing, Germany, 2005), [1] herein she is expressing reasonable doubt[ citation needed ] towards the common portrayal of Russian emperor Peter III. In her work Palmer is referencing and questioning Peter III's wife Catherine the Great's memoirs. According to Palmer's research Catherine initiated Peter's murder and illegally succeeded his throne, while later characterizing him as an “idiot”, “drunkard of Holstein”, “good-for-nothing” in order to improve her own bad reputation among the people of Russia. Elena Palmer says: "Peter III was neither a drunkard nor a moron. His plans for the dramatic transformation of society reveal a young Emperor's vision that was far ahead of his contemporaries. Peter took a position of “enlightened absolutism”, which was very new and progressive for this period in Russian history. With his democratic approaches, Peter was in a position to lead Russia out of the impasse of feudalism and was able to create a new social order without bloodshed. He proved his fortitude with ambitious reforms and gave the country hope for economic and social advancements. There were no political reasons for Peter's overthrow, as the people loved their Emperor and his supporters idolized him. Rather, the fate of Peter III was a family tragedy the likes of a Shakespeare drama. The queen's lover killed her husband while she silently supported him in this treacherous act" [2]

Thanks to her knowledge of both old German and old Russian languages and after having spent months in Russian and German historical archives Palmer has found out a different truth about Peter III: a cultivated, open-minded emperor who tried to introduce various courageous, even democratic reforms in the 18th century Russia. Her work is considered unique in its unbiased and scientifically correct historical information. [3] [4] In her book she called upon the German people to revise the account and to build a monument for Peter III. As a result, a fundraiser association has been established, and the monument has been built in Kiel by A. Taratynov. [5] On 2018 another monument erected in Oranienbaum palace complex, Russia. Palmer earned her PhD in history from Eastern Illinois University in 2003. Her ongoing research on Russian-German history includes the entire reign of Romanov-Holstein-Gottorp's dynasty from its founder Peter III. to the last Russian emperor, Nicholas II.

Literary works

„Peter III. Der Prinz von Holstein“ (Sutton Publishing, Germany, 2005) [6]

Personal life

Elena Palmer graduated with a master's degree in arts from Sorbonne, Paris. She is an active freelancer with different media networks, while continuing to write novels and hold University lectures in Germany, Russia and the US. She currently resides in Kiel, Germany.

Political involvement

On October 3, 1993, Elena Palmer was one of the few foreign journalists to film the Parliament Revolution in Moscow. The events of that night are publicly considered the "second October Revolution" and resulted in hundreds of deaths. [7] Her documentary received multiple awards and aired in many countries.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexander III of Russia</span> Emperor of Russia from 1881 to 1894

Alexander III was Emperor of Russia, King of Congress Poland and Grand Duke of Finland from 13 March 1881 until his death in 1894. He was highly reactionary in domestic affairs and reversed some of the liberal reforms of his father, Alexander II. This policy is known in Russia as "counter-reforms". Under the influence of Konstantin Pobedonostsev (1827–1907), he opposed any socio-economic moves that limited his autocratic rule.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">House of Romanov</span> Imperial dynasty of Russia (1613–1917)

The House of Romanov was the reigning imperial house of Russia from 1613 to 1917. They achieved prominence after Anastasia Romanovna married Ivan the Terrible, the first crowned tsar of all Russia. Nicholas II and his immediate family were executed in 1918, but there are still living descendants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catherine the Great</span> Empress of Russia from 1762 to 1796

Catherine II, most commonly known as Catherine the Great, was the reigning empress of Russia from 1762 to 1796. She came to power after overthrowing her husband, Peter III. Under her long reign, inspired by the ideas of the Enlightenment, Russia experienced a renaissance of culture and sciences, which led to the founding of many new cities, universities, and theatres, along with a large-scale immigration from the rest of Europe and with the recognition of Russia as one of the great powers of Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter III of Russia</span> Emperor of Russia in 1762

Peter III Fyodorovich was Emperor of Russia from 5 January 1762 until 9 July of the same year, when he was overthrown by his wife, Catherine II. He was born in the German city of Kiel as Charles Peter Ulrich of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp, but he was a grandson of Peter the Great and a great-grandson of Charles XI of Sweden.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kiel</span> German city, capital of Schleswig-Holstein

Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 246,243 (2021).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexey Bestuzhev-Ryumin</span> Russian diplomat and chancellor of the Russian Empire (1693-1766)

Count Alexey Petrovich Bestuzhev-Ryumin was a Russian diplomat and chancellor. He was one of the most influential and successful diplomats in 18th-century Europe. As the chancellor of the Russian Empire was chiefly responsible for Russian foreign policy during the reign of Empress Elizaveta Petrovna.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yemelyan Pugachev</span> Leader of a Russian peasant uprising (1742–1775)

Yemelyan Ivanovich Pugachev was an ataman of the Yaik Cossacks and the leader of the Pugachev's Rebellion, a major popular uprising in the Russian Empire during the reign of Catherine the Great.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Order of St. Andrew</span> Highest award of Russia

The Order of St. Andrew the Apostle the First-Called is the highest order conferred by both the Russian Imperial Family and by the Russian Federation . Established as the first and highest order of chivalry of the Russian Tsardom and the Russian Empire in 1698, it was removed from the honours system under the USSR before being re-established as the top Russian civil and military order in 1998.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia</span> Duchess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha from 1893 to 1900

Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia was the fifth child and only surviving daughter of Alexander II of Russia and Marie of Hesse and by Rhine; she was Duchess of Edinburgh and later Duchess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha as the wife of Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. She was the younger sister of Alexander III of Russia and the paternal aunt of Russia's last emperor, Nicholas II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orlov family</span> Russian noble family

The House of Orlov is the name of a Russian noble family which produced several distinguished statesmen, scientists, diplomats, and soldiers. The family first gained distinction in the 18th century through the achievements of five Orlov brothers, of whom the second eldest was Catherine the Great's paramour, and two younger brothers were notable military commanders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles Frederick, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp</span> Duke of Holstein-Gottorp

Charles Frederick, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp was a Prince of Sweden and Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp and an important member of European royalty. His dynasty, the Dukes of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp, were a cadet branch of the ancient House of Oldenburg, which at that time was ruling Denmark-Norway. His mother was a sister of Charles XII of Sweden. Charles Frederick married a daughter of Peter the Great and became the father of the future Peter III of Russia. As such, he is the progenitor of the Russian imperial house of Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov and the patrilineal ancestor of all Russian emperors starting with Peter III, except for Catherine II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand Duchess Anna Petrovna of Russia</span> Duchess of Holstein-Gottorp

Grand Duchess Anna Petrovna of Russia was the eldest daughter of Emperor Peter I of Russia and his wife Empress Catherine I. Her younger sister, Empress Elizabeth, ruled between 1741 and 1762. While a potential heir in the reign of her nephew Peter II, she never acceded to the throne due to political reasons. However, her son Peter III became Emperor in 1762, succeeding Elizabeth. She was the Duchess Consort of Holstein-Gottorp by marriage. She was born in Moscow and died in Kiel in her youth, at the age of 20.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holstein Kiel</span> German association football club

Kieler Sportvereinigung Holstein von 1900 e.V., simply as KSV Holstein or Kieler SV Holstein, commonly known as Holstein Kiel, is a German association football and sports club based in the city of Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein. From the 1900s through the 1960s, the club was one of the most dominant sides in northern Germany. Holstein appeared regularly in the national playoffs, winning their most important title, the German football championship in 1912, and finishing as vice-champions in 1910 and 1930. Holstein also won six regional titles and finished as runners-up another nine times. They remained a first-division side until the formation of the Bundesliga in 1963.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Order of Saint Alexander Nevsky</span> Order of chivalry in the Russian Empire

The Imperial Order of Saint Alexander Nevsky was an order of chivalry of the Russian Empire first awarded on 1 June [O.S. 21 May] 1725 by Empress Catherine I of Russia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna of Russia</span> Grand Duchess of Russia

Elena Pavlovna was a grand duchess of Russia as the daughter of Paul I, the Russian emperor, and later became the Hereditary Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin as the wife of the Hereditary Grand Duke Frederick Louis (1778–1819).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duchy of Holstein</span> Territory of the Holy Roman Empire

The Duchy of Holstein was the northernmost state of the Holy Roman Empire, located in the present German state of Schleswig-Holstein. It originated when King Christian I of Denmark had his County of Holstein-Rendsburg elevated to a duchy by Emperor Frederick III in 1474. Members of the Danish House of Oldenburg ruled Holstein – jointly with the Duchy of Schleswig – for its entire existence.

Holstein-Glückstadt or Schleswig-Holstein-Glückstadt is the historiographical name, as well as contemporary shorthand name, for the parts of the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein that were ruled by the Kings of Denmark in their function as dukes of Schleswig and Holstein, thus also known as Royal Schleswig-Holstein. Other parts of the duchies were ruled by the Dukes of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp. The territories of Holstein-Glückstadt are located in present-day Denmark and Germany. The main centre of administration was Segeberg and from 1648 Glückstadt on the River Elbe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christoph Prinz zu Schleswig-Holstein</span> Prince of Schleswig-Holstein

Christoph Prinz zu Schleswig-Holstein was the head of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg and, by agnatic primogeniture, of the entire House of Oldenburg between 1980 and 2023. Traditionally he would have been the eighth Duke of Schleswig-Holstein and Duke of Glücksburg, styled as His Highness. He was a male-line descendant of Christian I of Denmark, and was also descended cognatically from numerous more recent monarchs, including Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, Emperor Alexander II of Russia and several more recent Danish kings. His paternal grandmother was Princess Marie Melita of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, a great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duke Constantine Petrovich of Oldenburg</span>

Duke Constantine Frederick Peter of Oldenburg was a son of Duke Peter Georgievich of Oldenburg and his wife Princess Therese of Nassau-Weilburg Known in the court of Emperor Nicholas II as Prince Constantine Petrovich Oldenburgsky, he was the father of the Russian Counts and Countesses von Zarnekau.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Princess Catherine of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck</span> German noblewoman

Princess Catherine of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck, was a German noblewoman and member of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck. Through her marriage she became Princess Baryatinskaya, being mostly known as Princess Ekaterina Petrovna Barjatinskaya.

References

  1. "Peter III - The Prince of Holstein (German) on Amazon". Elena Palmer.
  2. "Причастен ли "главный режиссёр" императрицы Екатерины II к убийству её мужа Петра III?".
  3. J.von Dube. Der Zar, der ein Kieler war. Kieler Nachrichten. 12.13.2003
  4. Slovo pravdy. Moscow, Nauka, 2006
  5. "Denkmal fuer Zar Peter iii kommt heute nach Kiel". 21 February 2014.
  6. "Peter III Der Prinz von Holstein (Sutton Verlag GmbH)". Elena Palmer.
  7. The whole text of the declaration in Russian, part of the video broadcast