News report on a rumour accusing Alexandra of being behind the death of Lord Kitchener in B.T. newspaper, dated November 6, 1917

Source:

Published in B.T. newspaper in Copenhagen, Denmark on November 6, 1917

http://www2.statsbiblioteket.dk/mediestream/avis/record/doms_aviser_page%3Auuid%3A16a4f749-96f3-445c-af8f-55f9cd4ec1c8/query/kejserinde%20Alexandra%20Rusland/page/doms_aviser_page%3Auuid%3Ae70c2054-f6c1-49be-adc0-0b7a254172a1

The report:

Sendte den russiske Eks-Kejserinde Lord Kitchener i Døden?

En sensationel Beskyldning for Forræderi mod den fængslede Czaritza.

Nordhavets Taager hviler stadig som et Slør over det Mysterium, der hedder Lord Kitcheners Død — blandt Skotlands Klipper hviskes der endog sære Sagn om, at den store Hærfører slet ikke er død, men en Dag vil vende tilbage og frelse old Britain.

Men en tysk Matros, der er bleven taget til Fange af Englænderne, har med sit Vidneudsagn kastet et nyt sensationelt Skær over den mærkelige Affære.

Lord Kitchener omkom, som bekendt, paa den Maade, at han blev skudt ned med Krydseren „Hampshire” i Nærheden af Hebriderne paa Vej mod Rusland.

Man gik i England ud fra, at en tysk U-Baad var „Hampshire”'s Banemand, og allerede den Gang anede man, at der var Forræderi med i Spillet, thi kun 5-6 Mennesker kunde forudsættes at kende noget til Lordens verdenshistoriske Rejse.

Nu forklarer den tyske Matros, at ikke een, men fem U-Baade var sendte ud paa Jagt efter „Hampshire”. De havde faaet Ordre til at sænke Krydseren for enhver Pris, og der blev givet Løfter om store Belønninger, hvis Foretagendet lykkedes — men først da Foretagendet var lykkedes og U-Baadene atter var løbne ind i Wilhelmshafen, fik Mandskabet Meddelelse om, hvorfor der var sat saa meget ind paa denne Affære: Kitchener of Khartum havde været ombord.

Men hvorfra havde Tyskerne denne skæbnesvangre Efterretning var det ganske naturlige Spørgsmaal, som Matrosens Forklaring affødte.

En indgaaende Undersøgelse til Opklaring heraf blev iværksat, og foreløbig er man standset ved følgende uhyggelige Teori:

Det var den daværende russiske Kejserinde, der har forraadt Hemmeligheden til Tyskerne. Hun vidste, at Kitchener skulde komme, men hvilket Skib og ad hvilken Rute, Rejsen skulde foretages. Ad neutral Omvej meddelte hun Admiralitetet i Berlin alle disse Oplysninger. Allerede i 1916 var hun Forræder mod de Allieredes Sag!

Dette er ikke den eneste Forræderi-Sigtelse, der er rejst mod den ulykkelige Eks-Czaritza, men vel nok den mest opsigtsvækkende. Men de, der har fremsat den, skylder dog den haardtprøvede Kvinde at fremlægge afgørende Beviser, før de dømmer hende.

English translation (my own):

Did the Russian Ex-Empress Send Lord Kitchener to Death?

A sensational accusation of treason against the imprisoned Tsaritsa.

The fog of the North Sea still rests as a veil over the mystery that is called Lord Kitchener's death — even among the cliffs of Scotland, there are even whispers that the great military man is not dead at all, but will one day return and save old Britain.

But a German sailor, taken prisoner by the English, has, with his testimony, cast a new, sensational cut on the strange affair.

Lord Kitchener, as is known, perished in the way of being shot down with the "Hampshire" cruiser in the vicinity of the Hebrides on his way to Russia.

It was assumed in England that a German U-boat was Hampshire's pioneer, and already at that time it was thought that there was treachery in the game, for only 5 or 6 people could be presumed to know anything about the Lord's world-historic trip.

Now the German sailor explains that not one, but five U-boats were sent in search of Hampshire. They had been ordered to sink the cruiser at all costs and promises of great rewards were given if the enterprise succeeded — but only when the enterprise succeeded and the U-boats again ran into Wilhelmshaven was the crew told why there was put so much effort into this affair: Kitchener of Khartum had been on board.

But from where the Germans had this fateful intelligence was the quite natural question which the sailor's explanation gave rise to.

An in-depth investigation into this has been launched, and for the time being, the following disturbing theory has emerged:

It was the then Empress of Russia who betrayed the secret to the Germans. She knew that Kitchenerwould come, but not which ship and which route to travel would be made. By neutral detour, she communicated all this information to the Admiralty in Berlin. Already in 1916 she was a traitor to the Allies' cause!

This is not the only betrayal charge brought against the unhappy ex-Tsaritsa, but it is probably the most startling. However, those who have made it owe it to the hard-pressed woman to produce decisive evidence before convicting her.