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Khodynka Tragedy
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Khodynka Tragedy was a mass panic. It occurred some time in May, 1896 on Khodynka Field during the festivities of the crowning of Russian Tsar Nicholas II and resulted in the deaths of 1,389 people.
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Main Article: Khodynka Field
Khodynka Field (Khodynskoye Pole) is a large open space in the north-west of Moscow, at the beginning of the present day Leningrad Prospect. It takes its name from the small Khodynka River which used to cross the neighbourhood.
Nicholas II was crowned Czar of Russia on May 13, 1896. Four days later, a banquet was going to be held for the people at Khodynka Field. In the area of one town square buffooneries, theaters, 150 buffets for distribution of gifts, and 20 pubs were built for the celebrations. Nearby to the celebration square was a field which had a ravine and many gullies. On the evening of May 17, people who had heard rumours of rich coronation gifts from the czar (the gifts, which everybody was to receive, were actually a bread roll, a piece of sausage, gingerbread and a mug) began to gather in anticipation.
At about 5 o'clock in the morning of the coronation day, several thousand people (some say as many as 500,000) were already gathered on the field. Suddenly a rumour spread among the people that there was not enough beer and presents for everybody. A police force of 1,800 men failed to maintain civil order, and in a catastrophic crush, and resulting panic to flee the scene, 1,389 people were trampled to death and roughly 1,300 were otherwise injured.
When they learned about the accident, Nicholas and Alexandra were shocked. They spent the rest of the day visiting hospitals and comforting the wounded. A festive ball was to be held that night at the French embassy in Moscow. Despite the deaths, Nicholas attended the ball for diplomatic reasons.
In the aftermath of the accident, the negligence of the imperial authorities caused public indignation in Russia, and a number of minor officials were dismissed. However, many mystic writers in Russia say that Nicholas's unwillingness to cancel the coronation ball predestined his death in Soviet Russia.