A tomb holding one of the most enigmatic stories in Poços de Caldas, Minas Gerais, has been restored following an initiative by a group of friends known as the "velhinhos da Praça Pedro Sanches." The reinauguration ceremony took place on the morning of Wednesday, November 28, at the Municipal Cemetery. The site contains the remains of Countess Alexandra Tatichev, who served as the governess to Tamara Gagarin. Gagarin was the name used in Brazil by a woman identified by many as the Russian Princess Anastasia Romanov.
According to a story that has spanned generations, the woman allegedly escaped the 1918 massacre of the Russian imperial family and sought refuge in Brazil. She lived in Poços de Caldas for more than 20 years, working as an English and French teacher. Gagarin died in 1965, and since then, the narrative regarding her possible identity as a member of the Russian imperial family has sparked curiosity among residents and visitors.
Roberto Teresiano, a journalist and researcher who is part of the group responsible for the restoration, stated that the initiative aims to honor the trajectory of individuals who contributed to the municipality's history. "The old men discussed that it is not about paying homage to the dead person, but to the life of that person," Teresiano explained. He noted that Gagarin contributed to the formation of many city residents through her classes, adding that many people built their patrimony based on what they learned from her.
Despite the stories and reports attributed to the alleged princess, there is no definitive confirmation that Tamara Gagarin was Anastasia Romanov. Teresiano highlighted that she never publicly assumed this identity, although those who lived with her reported that she showed photographs of the imperial family and told stories about a possible escape from Russia. "Behind the scenes, she showed photos with the imperial family, with Nicholas II, showing pictures and telling a fantastic story of an escape with jewels, bribing security to cross the border," the researcher recounted. For Teresiano, the story remains a mystery, describing it as a true enigma in Poços de Caldas.
The group intends to expand the initiative to restore other graves of people important to the city's history. The next action, scheduled for November, will focus on the tomb of an enslaved woman. "It is not because she was a grandee, a countess, or a princess. We will also do the same thing with the graves of simple people who were important for Poços de Caldas," Teresiano explained. The participants aim to transform the cemetery into a space of memory, culture, and knowledge about the city's history, valuing the trajectories of those who helped build the municipality's identity.
Sources: G1.