The Life of Empress Alexandra: Alix's diary entries from her stay in Russia, year 1889 (January 30 to March 20)

JANUAR 30
/8/
Ella & Serge met us at Zarskoe.

Arrived all Grand Dukes & Emperor & Nicky at the station. Drove to Anitchkoff to see Aunt Minny & the other Cousins, & took tea there. —

--

not very cold, but sharp wind.
JANUAR 31
Jan. 19
Thursday. St. Petersburg

Breakfast at 9 1/2 in Ella's Room. — Luncheon at 1, Paul, the ladies & gentlemen came. Then we sat to-gether in Ella's little sitting room.
Then Papa & Ernie payed visits, & Ella & I to-gether. -
1st to Miechen, who was not at home.
2nd to Aunt Sunny & to 3-rd to Elisabeth Mavrikevna.
4th to Eugenia Leuchtenberg. I saw her son. —
5th to Aunt Katty & to 6th Helen of Meklenburg (Helen Scheremeteff was there).
Then had tea. After that sat in my room & drew. Supped at 7 1/2. Looked at Albums & Photos of the last year. 4. Went to bed at а quarter to nine. —

Horrible cold. —

--

Cold
FEBRUAR 1
Jan. 20th

Friday.
St. Petersburg

Breakfast at 9 1/2. — Painted, whilst Ella had her Russian Lesson with Fräulein Schneider. — Then drove with her, & walked along the English Qay. Cold & sunny. Cold very bad. — Luncheon at 1, like yesterday. Ella saw some Ladies. Then we sat in my room & I wrote, whilst Papa wrote, & Ella drew. —
Supper at 7 1/2. —

Bed headache & throat in the night.

--

cold
FEBRUAR 2 Jan. 21
Saturday
St. Petersburg

Breakfast in bed, because of bad cold. Then went in my sitting room, where I spent the day on the Sopha. Ella & Miss Kitty had their singing lesson, next door. with M-me Kartgoff. Papa came. Had Luncheon alone at 1. Others went out. Wilhelmine payed a little visit, & then Xenia came from 3 1/2 - 5. Had tea to-gether tc. — Then Papa & Ella came, & he read to us in French. -

Supped at 7, the others went to Anitshkov for Supper, & then Papa, Ernie & Nicky to the Circus. Played a little on the Piano, and then to bed at 8. —

--

11 of cold
FEBRUAR 3.
Jan. 22
Sunday

Large
Family Dinner

at Anitchkoff.

--

FEBRUAR 4.
Jan. 23
Monday

Still bed cold.

--

FEBRUAR 6.
Jan. 25
Wednesday

Large Ballet

--

FEBRUAR 7.
Jan. 26
Thursday

Others went to a ball at Anitchkoff.
All in black. —

I not, because of cold. —

--

FEBRUAR 9.
Jan. 28
Saturday
Ella received Ladies, I watched behind the screen.

Skated. — In Anitchkoff.

Family Supper at Wladimirs. Then Ella, Paul, the 3 Wladimir boys & myself, went to the Circus - most amusing. —

--

FEBRUAR 10.
Jan. 29
Sunday. St. Petersburg
Went to the German Church. -
Annenkirche.

Skated & slid down the hills, the afternoon, in Anichkoff garden. & Waranzoffs, Sergé were there. —
Supped at 7 1/2. Then Ella & I went to the Winter Palace where we dressed for the Ball (white & diamonds/white flowers & sash —). —

1. Quadrille with Paul.
2. Costi
3. Sergéi
Round dances with: Derfelden, Costi, Paul, Nicky, Toll, Gadon, Schilling.
Cotillon - Nicky.
Mazurka - Serge etc. —
At Supper sat between the French Ambassador & old General Heyden. —

The Ball was quite delightful, & did not last very long. —

--

FEBRUAR 11.
Jan. 30
Monday. St. P.
Skated.

Went to the Mikado. Given in German.

--

FEBRUAR 12.
Jan.31
Tuesday. St. P.
Skated.

Others went to a party, I to bed. —

--

0/15
FEBRUAR 13.
Feb.1
Wednesday. St. P.

Breakfast at 10. -
Luncheon at 1. Then Ella received Ladies, & I looked on behind the screen.
Then we skated. Then I went again up to Xenia, watched Micha & Baby having their dancing lesson, & then went in to the boys.

Home at 6. — Supped at 9. Then all to see the "Boccaccio". Charming, pretty, most amusing.
Bocc: was (?). Looked exactly like a boy, & sang very well. — Had tea in the Entre acte.

at Supper I sat between General Mörder & ? --->

--

0/5
FEBRUAR 14.
Feb.2
Thursday. St. Petersburg

Heard from Victoria.
Breakfast at 10. - Ella & Serge off to a service at the Winter Palace. — I wrote.

Lunched with Papa & Ernie at 12, & then drove in a sledge to the Winter Palace. Fa(?)d the Relations still at Luncheon.
Then Ella, Serge & we three went in the Eremitagé tc, & looked at Pictures tc!
Drove along the (?) home.
Rested. Supped at 9 1/2. Then dressed for the ball at Anichkoff.
(salmon. roses)
(~~pink~~ - prim) -

1. Quadrille with Serge.
2. - // - Nicky.
3. - // - Poul.
4. - // - Steinbock.
Mazurka Gadon.
Cotillon Derfelden.

Round dances:
Ernie, Nicky, Schilling, Paul tc.
At Supper sat between Mörder & ? —

Received many lovely flowers & 3 Ribbons. - Home at 4. Papa & Ernie changed & went the directly shooting.

--

FEBRUAR 15.
Feb. 3
Friday. St. Petersburg

Got up at about 12. Lunched at 1, & at 2 Ella & I drove to Anitchkoff, where the hand & Zichy played. He with his left hand. Several Ladies with their Daughters at there. Then we changed dresses in Xenia's room & skid then down the hills, - Georgie now also. —

When Ella went home, I staied with Xenia, supped with her & Micha, & as they went to the Opera at 8, I went home - Played the Piano and sang and then wrote. —

--

FEBRUAR 17

2. Concert Ball. (White with gold. Apple blossom. emeralds diamonds).

1. Quadrille. Serge.
2. // Nicky.
3. // Costi.
4. // Uncle Miche.
Mazurka. C. Abalensky.
Cotillon. Ozeroff. —

Round Dances. Nicky, Paul, Derfelden, Stepanoff tc.

Set between the French Ambassador, old Counte Hezden at Supper.

--

FЕBRUAR 19
Maurier Ball. (white. blue sash & bows. pearls)

1. Quadrille . V. Dolgoruky
2. // Paul.
3. // Nicky.
4. // Derfelden.
Mazurka. Serge.

Round Dances. Ernie, Nicky, Serge, Adlerberg, C. Abalensky, P. Oldenburg tc.

At Supper sat between Serge & Nicky.

--

FЕBRUAR 21
Thursday
1st Parade

Eremitage Ball. (blue. diamonds. green in the hair)

1. Quadrille - Abalensky (Hofmarschall)
2. // Nicky
3. // Meientdorf.
Mazurka. Schilling
Cotillon. Junkofsky.

Round Dances. Papa, Ernie, Nicky, Paul, Derfelden, Frankinberg, Gadon tc. —

--

FЕВRUAR 23
Saturday

2nd Parade

--

FЕBRUAR 24
Sunday

Ella & Serge's Dance. (short pink pearls)

1. Quadrille - Sergé.
2. // Hartung.
3. // Gadon.
4. // Abalensky (Preob.)
Mazurka. Nicky.
Cotillon. Schilling.

Round Dances. Ernie, Nicky, Serge, Paul, Stepanof, Schilling, Gadon, Hartung, Frankenberg, Junkofsky, Derfelden tc.

At Supper sat between Nicky & (?)

--

FEBRUAR 26
Tuesday

Preobrajenski Ball (white & gold dotted. poppies, diamonds, emeralds)

12 Quadrille Junkowski
2. // Sergei
3. // Toll?
4. // Nicky's Colonel. Ozeroff.
Maz. C. Abalensky
Cot: Adlerberg.

At Supper sat between C. Abalensky & P. Dolgorouky

Brooch!

--

FEBRUAR 27
Wednesday

(short. half (?)
Pink & green. wild roses. star.)

Arseniew's Dance 5 1/2 - 10

1. Quadrille Philosophof.
2. // Arseniew.
Mazurka Stepanof.
Cotill: Nicky.

Round Dances.
Nicky, Paul, Stepanof, Arseniew, (?), Abalenski (Preob.) Pr. Galitzin tc.

Sat between Stepanof & Papa at Supper.

--

FEBRUAR 28
Thursday

III Concert Ball, to wh. I did not go. —

--

FEBRUAR 29
Friday
(Salmon pearls, diamonds, saphires)

M-me Narishkin's Ball

1. Quadr.: Sergei.
2. // Petia Oldenburg.
3. // Ozeroff.
Maz.: Abalenski (Hofn.)
Cotill: Meiendorf.

Round Dances.
Papa, Ernie, Nicky, Paul, C. Abalensky tc —

Sat between Pr. Abalenski (Hofn.) & ?

--

MÄRZ 1
Saturday

Skated every afternoon.

--

MÄRZ 3
(Short, half, cut out,
pink, pearls, diamond
halfmoon & star tc.)

Folle Journée,
Ball at Zarskoe. 3-12

1. Quadrille: Philosophof.
2. // : Paul.
3. // : Costi.
4. // : Abalensky.
Maz.: Nicky.
Cotill.: C. Abalensky.
1. Quad.: Djunkowsky.
2. // Meiendorf.
3. // Schilling.
Maz.: Sergei. —

Round Dances.
Serge. Costi. Nicky. Ernie. (?), Frankenberg, C. Abalensky, Abalensky, Schilling, tc.
1st Supper sat between Nicky & Galizine.

2nd // Sergei & (?).

--

MÄRZ 4

Head of Sandro's Marriage to J. Loisinger. Meiland.

--

MÄRZ 6

Skated.

--

MÄRZ 7

Badminton

--

MÄRZ 9
Saturday
Ella went before Breakfast with the Family to Church, as they had the Communion.
At 12, Papa, Ernie, she & I went to the German Church, & took the holy Communion.
I lunched alone. Bad headache. Went for a turn in Anitchkoff, when the others had finished skating. Went then to the Boys, & Xenia & had tea with them. Sergéi was there. — Rested. Supper at 7 1/2. Later then Boys came over for Badminton.

To bed at about 12. —

--

MÄRZ 10
Feb. 26.
Sunday
Uncle Sasha's Birthday. —
Went at 11 to the Service at Anitchkoff (square, long white satin). — Dinner there. Then skated. Then boys & Girls came us (?). Went home for tea.
Family dinner at Anitchkoff (long, square. white silk). —
Boys came over for Badminton.

To bed very late. —

--

MÄRZ 11
Monday
Said Goodbye to Aunt Minny, payed visits & then skated. Went to the Cousins for the last time to Tea. Sad but true. Romped. Played Wolf & Scheep t. Home at 9. Supper.

Off to see the "Rheingold" by Wagner. Der Truppe von Bogrenth. — Cousins did not go. -

--

MÄRZ 12
Tuesday
Luncheon. Dressed. U. Micha & Sergéi were there for Luncheon.
Emperor & both Boys came, & then he took Papa; Nicky took Ernie, Georgy t. Sergei, Ella, Serge, & I to-gether. — The Family at the station. Very sad. Said Goodbye.

Ella & Serge went out far as Gatchina with us. Mörder & Derfelden as far as the frontier.

--