Sources:
Letters of the Tsaritsa to the Tsar, 1914-1916, published by Duckworth & Co., 1923
The letter:
No. 65.
Tsarskoje Selo, April 13-th 1915
My very own Life,
Such a glorious, sunny morning! Yesterday I lay two hours out — shall lie out at 12 & I think after luncheon again. — The heart is not enlarged, the air & medicins are helping & I decidedly am feeling better & stronger, thank goodness. — To-morrow 6 weeks I worked last in the hospital. — The Commander of Baby's Georgian's sat with me for half an hour yesterday — such a nice man. Was before in the General staff, over the frontier guards in the Caucasus, singing highly the praises of his regiment & of poor Grabovoy — seems Mistchenko mentioned the young man 2 in his orders (he was to get the St. George's cross & sword, — the Commander presented him for both) — I got onto the sopha for dinner & remained till 1. —
Fancy only, there was a youngster in Olga Orlov's hospital Shvedov with the St. George's cross — there was something at the end louche about him, how cld. a Volunteer have an officer's cross, & to me he said he had never been a Volunteer quite a boy to look at — he left — one found german chiffres on his table — & now I hear he has been hung! Too horrid — & he begged for our signed photos. I remember; — how could one have got hold of such a mere chap! — Baby just brought one of those German arrows one drops fr. aeroplan[e]s — how hideously sharp — Romanovsky brought it (is he a flier?) & asked for Baby's card — the aeroplan[e] lies somewhere out here, Baby forgot fr. where it was brought. —
So now you are off to the South — did not get hold of your Generals? To-day perhaps in Odessa already — how brown you will get — I whisper a wish of Kirylls, wh. he told N. P. who repeated it, en passant to Ania (because thought he could not tell you) — that he hoped you would take him to Nikolaiev & Sebastopol — I only mention it like that, because I don't think you have any place for him.
Our dear sailors, how glad I am you will see them. —
Now you will find out how many plastuni battalions — & then I can send Images. —
Our Friend is glad you left for the South. He has been praying so hard all these nights, scarcely sleeping — was so anxious for you — any rotten vicious jew might have made a scandal.
Just got yr. wire fr. Proskurovo that is nice that you will see the Zaamursky frontier guards at Kamenetz-Podolsk. Really, this journey at last gives you more to see & brings you into contact with the troops.
I love to know you do and see unexpected things, not everything wh. is planned & marked out before — à la lettre — spontanious things (when possible) are more interesting. — What a lot you will have to write in your diary & only during stoppages. —
We only remained half an hour on the balkony, it got too windy & fresh. Received two officers after luncheon then Isa, after wh. Sonia over an hour, then Mme Zizi & at 4½ Navruzov, as want so much to see him again. —
I hope the rest of your journey will go off alright.
Goodbye & God bless & keep you, my Angel. I cover yr. dear face with kisses, & remain yr.
Ever very fondly loving old wife
Alix.
Bow to yr. Gentlemen.
On the 16-th is N. P.'s birthday.
Ask N. P. whether Nic. Iv. Tchagin who died, was brother of Iv. Iv. (General of Infantry) it says in Petrogr. I only know he had a brother in Moscou & one who died — an architect. —
Nicholas's telegram:
Telegram. Rasdoinaia. 14 April, 1915.
Warmest thanks for letter. To-day I saw our fine fellows [our beauties] in Odessa at a grand inspection. Visited two hospitals. Lovely summer-like weather. Kyrill is going to two other places. Tender kisses.
Nicky.
Above: Nicholas and Alexandra.
Above: Alexei.
Above: Sophie "Isa" Buxhoeveden.
Above: Sonia Orbeliani.
Above: Grigori Rasputin.
Notes: en passant = in passing.
"Our Friend" = Grigori Rasputin.
Antisemitism was rampant in Imperial Russia, especially in the upper classes. It was wrong then and it is wrong now.
à la lettre = to the letter.
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