The Life of Empress Alexandra: August 2020

Monday, August 31, 2020

Fender for one of the planters in the Maple Room

Source:

Gosfond

Sunday, August 23, 2020

Alix's diary entries from April 1 to 7, 1889

Source:

Transcripts (edited to fit the pages) and photos of scans of diary pages courtesy of GARF via Olga Grigor'eva at lastromanovs on VK.

https://vk.com/lastromanovs?w=wall-56510987_43643

The diary entries:

APRIL 1
Monday
Saw "The Walhküre".

--

APRIL 2
Tuesday

--

APRIL 4
Thursday
Saw: "Siegfried" given

--

APRIL 5
Friday
Pfr. Sell at 8.

Victoria & Sandro's BirthDay. Elisabeth, A. Helena, U. Christian, Marie & Gustav, came to F. Luncheon. Then we went in the garden.

Stayed at home in the evening. —

--

APRIL 6
Saturday.
Heard of poor, dear old Aunt Cambridge's Death. Papa is going to the Funeral.

Toni for reading. — Went to the Tableaux & Theatre pieces, wh. were charming. —

--

APRIL 7
Sunday
Breakfast at 9. Walked with Gretchen to the Martins Kirche. Toni accompanied us back, & we went a little to her Garden. —

Family Luncheon.

Went to the Theatre.

Above: Alix.

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Alix's letter to Ernst, dated August 8/20, 1887

Source:

The Correspondence of the Empress Alexandra of Russia with Ernst Ludwig and Eleonore, Grand Duke and Duchess of Hesse, 1878-1916, edited by Petra H. Kleinpenning, 2010

The letter:

My darling Ernie,
I am quickly going to begin this letter, before going to Breakfast wh. we are to have indoors to-day (for the second time since we are here) as it is raining, & also rather grey & foggy. —

I got a letter from Victoria to-day saying that they have at last got rain. — I hear from her that your first Aufgabe went off nicely the other day & you had to write a report. How difficult it must have been. — I am too disappointed to think that we shall not be home for the Manoevres! What fun it would have been to live once more at Romrod and to see you flying & marching all over the place. —

I only hope, that it will not tire you very much, as I hear you are growing again rather thin, poor boy. —

I feel much better in my head, since I am in England and have luckily very few headaches unberufen. — Yesterday I had a nervous one but I bore it patiently, as I was so thankful for not having it oftener.

I only did not drive with Grandmama. — I have just returned from breakfast and the sun is shining brightly, so that we shall go soon for a turn with Grdmama, so I shall have to end. With a hearty kiss for you & dear Papa, I remain, My darling old Ernie, Ever your most loving & truely devoted little Sister Alix.

[P. S.] I shall write as soon as possible again.

We have been making different sketches here, & it is most amusing, although they are not always very beatiful.

We leave Wednesday afternoon, it will be very sad to have to say goodbye to the dear cousins & the Yacht.

Above: Alix.

Above: Ernst.

Notes: Aufgabe = assignment

unberufen = knock on wood

Alix's letter to Ernst, dated August 4/16, 1887

Source:

The Correspondence of the Empress Alexandra of Russia with Ernst Ludwig and Eleonore, Grand Duke and Duchess of Hesse, 1878-1916, edited by Petra H. Kleinpenning, 2010

The letter:

Darling Ernie!
You must not mind a pencil note, but I cannot write in ink, as my Haar is being done. — I am sure you will think that I have quite forgotten you, for not having written so long, but I have not had much time; often I began a letter, but never managed to finish it, as I was forgetful, & sometimes thought I had sent them.

I hear that Licko has already arrived, and I am quite incusitive to see him so as to hear how you are all looking. —

I hope you have not got over much to do now, so as to be able to rest before the Manoevres begin. I am so angry to think that we shall not be back for them, as they were always such fun, — & this time especially as they are your first you have to go with. Do take care that you do not catch a cold then, like so many poor Officers did, & had to stay in bed. — Has Tebe returned from A. yet? & has Pebe told you anymore about them & what does the latter think? I hope and trust that all may come right one day; — poor things. —

We leave here on the 24th & with very sad hearts, as we have to part from the dear Prussian Cousins & the Yacht on which we have spent some happy hours. —

Uncle Arthur, Aunt Marie & the Cousins left yesterday, & Aunt Louise leaves to-morrow. —

It will be very lonely then, and also as we shall no more be able to go on the Victoria & Albert as she leaves Thursday for taking Aunt Helen[a] to Rotterdam. She returns the 23rd, so we hope to have a little fun then as it will be our last evening here.

Now, my own darling Ernie, Goodbye & God bless you. With a hearty kiss, I remain your most loving & devoted little sister Alix.

P. S. I hope you see dear Papa when you have time, so as not to let him feel lonely.

How is the Lawn Tennis getting on? Do they play more now?

I hope that Lord is flouring & the other dogs. —

To-day it looks like Regen, but it really seems as if it never would, not a drop has fallen since our last drive we had with Papa.

Baby Drino has been very merry all this time & laughed whenever he saw me but now his teeth seem to bother him very much. How is ours?

Above: Alix.

Above: Ernst.

Notes: Haar = hair.

A. = Auerbach, a village on the Bergstrasse, to the south of Darmstadt.

Regen = Rain.

Alix's letter to Ernst, dated July 29/August 10, 1887

Source:

The Correspondence of the Empress Alexandra of Russia with Ernst Ludwig and Eleonore, Grand Duke and Duchess of Hesse, 1878-1916, edited by Petra H. Kleinpenning, 2010

The letter:

My dearest Ernie,
We have just been saying goodbye to all the Wales', dear Georgy for two years, & dear Louis for a long time. — Ach! These Abschiedstränen are such bad things!

To-night Mossy dines with me, I am going to fetch her. —

You must not mind if this letter is not long, but I have not much time as Miss Jackson wants me for lessons. — But a note is better than no letter, I think.

To-day it is a slight bit cooler. — Aunt Louise & Uncle Lorne leave on the 18th, A. Helen[a] on Friday from here, and A. Marie also very soon, so that really it will be very sad & only [lonely].

How is the affair getting on, between Tebe and Pb?

I enclose a few flowers from here. —

Goodbye, With many kisses, I remain Ever your most loving & truly devoted little Sister Sunny.

P. S. I have sent the Forgetmenot Books to you. Choose one, and send the other to Victoria from me. — Louis sent love. — Irène sends you many messages, but has no time to write.

Above: Alix and Ernst with family.

Note: Abschiedstränen = tears of separation.

Alexandra's letter to Nicholas, dated December 17, 1914, and Nicholas's telegrams

Sources:

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=inu.30000011396573&view=1up&seq=91

http://www.alexanderpalace.org/letters/december14.html

Alexandra wrote this letter to Nicholas on December 17, 1914, and Nicholas sent her a telegram the next day and another on the 19th.

The letter:

Tsarskoje Selo, Dec. 17-th 1914
My own precious One,
This will probably be my last letter, if you return on Friday. Now you are with the troops — what a joy for you and them — tho' painful to see masses of known faces missing.

The Children are working & then go to Anitchkov Palace to luncheon before receiving donations in the Winter Palace. The train with poor Butakov's body is 24 hours late, so the funeral can only be to-morrow morning.

I scarcely slept a wink this night, perhaps from 4-5 & 6-7. The rest of the time could not, & in despair kept always looking at the watch, hundred of sad thoughts coursed through my tired brain & gave it no rest. The heart again enlarged this morning — to-morrow hope to rebegin my medicines again, then I shall get quicker right again. —

6 degrees this morning — Olga walks through the garden to Znamenia & fr. there on foot to the hospital, Tatiana follows in a motor after her lesson, Olga feels the better for air & short exercise in the morning. — Sonia sat with me yesterday & chattered a lot whilst I lay on the sopha & threaded Images. — Ania's brother returns to-morrow, so he asked to see me a minute at 4. — Anastasia & Ania have gone for a turn, they say its beastly cold & windy; Baby's foot hurts a wee bit, Marie is coming down at last. Thoughts so much with you — what joy to see the dear brave troops. — This morning our Friend told her by telephone that He is a little more quiet about the news. — The papers say we took German quickfiring guns at — it does indeed seem strange! — Excuse a mighty dull letter, but feel quite cretinised & good for nothing. — Just a wee bit of scent again to remind you quite particularly of your Wify, who is impatiently awaiting yr. return. You remember I left candles for you in my compartment in the glass cupbord over my writing-table. Now my sweet Treasure goodbye & God bless & protect you. I kiss you ever so tenderly & bless you. Ever my Nicky yr. very. own tenderly loving
Sunny.

Ania kisses yr. hand. All the Children kiss you.

Nicholas's telegrams:

Telegram.
Stolbtzy. Al. Rly. 18 December, 1914.
Many thanks for two letters; also to Tatiana and Olga, I saw to-day the Moskovsky, Pavlovsky and Atamansky Regiments. The weather was warm. We are returning home. So glad to be with you all tomorrow night. Tender embraces. Nicky.

...

Telegram.
Novosokolnikovo Rly. 19 December, 1914.
N. P. has received your telegrams, but has not received A.'s letters. The weather is warm. Am glad to return.
Embrace you closely. Nicky.