Sunday, August 20, 2006

Maria Rasputin in Peru

Maria Rasputin, famous daughter of Grigori Rasputin, came to Peru in 1935 to be featured as an animal trainer with Hagenbeck-Wallace, Forepaugh-Sells Bros. circus. She traveled throughout Europe for five years with circuses before coming to the United States. Maria is described as being of medium build, very charming in appearance, a striking brunette, with fiery eyes when talking about her father, the famous "mad monk". Maria fluently spoke Russian, German and French-her English was quite broken at times.
Maria and husband were in Bolshevik prison and were to be shot in the early morning. By bribing the guard with money and jewelry they were able to gain their freedom. Maria had two daughters. Her husband died in 1926. Shortly thereafter, she joined the circus as a dancing girl and a wild animal trainer. Maria wrote a book trying to clear the name of her father. She described her father as a religious, God-fearing man of intelligence. He was hated by the militarists because he opposed revolution.
more tomorrow...........

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