Source:
Letters of the Tsaritsa to the Tsar, 1914-1916, published by Duckworth & Co., 1923
The letter:
No. 81.
Tsarskoje Selo, June 10-th 1915
My very own precious One,
It is with a heavy heart I let you leave this time — everything is so serious & just now particularly painful & I long to be with you, to share your worries & anxieties. You bear all so bravely & by yourself — let me help you my Treasure. Surely there is some way in wh. a woman can be of help & use. I do so yearn to make it easier for you & the ministers all squabbling amongst each other at a time, when all ought to work together & forget their personal offenses — have as aim the wellfare of their Sovereign & Country — it makes me rage. In other words its treachery, because people know it, they feel the government in discord & then the left profit by it. If you could only be severe, my Love, it is so necessary, they must hear your voice & see displeasure in yr. eyes.; they are too much accustomed to your gentle, forgiving kindness.
Sometimes a word gently spoken carries far — but at a time, such as we are now living through, one needs to hear your voice uplifted in protest & repremand when they continue not obeying yr. orders, when they dawdle in carrying them out. They must learn to tremble before you — you remember Mr. Ph. & Gr. say the same thing too. You must simply order things to be done, not asking if they are possible (you will never ask anything unreasonable or a folly) — for instance, order as in France (a Republic) other fabrics to make shells, cartridges (if guns & rifles too complicated) — let the big fabrics send teacher — where there is a will there is a way & they must all realise that you insist upon yr. wish being speedily fulfilled. It is for them to find the people, the fabricants, to settle all going, let them go about & see to the work being done, themselves. You know how talented our people are, how gifted — only lazy & without initiative, start them going, & they can do anything, only dont ask, but order straight off, be energetic for yr. country's sake!
The same about the question wh. our Friend takes so to heart & wh. is the most serious of all, for internal peace's sake — the not calling in the Second class — if the order has been given, you tell N. that you insist upon its counterordering — by your name to wait, the kind act must come fr. you — dont listen to any excuses — (am sure it was unintentionally done out of not having knowledge of the country). Therefore our Friend dreads yr. being at the Headquarters as all come round with their own explanations & involuntarily you give in to them, when yr. own feeling has been the right one, but did not suit theirs. Remember you have reigned long, have far more experience than they — N. has only the army to think of & success — you carry the internal responsabilities on for years — if he makes faults (after the war he is nobody), but you have to set all straight. No, hearken unto our Friend, beleive Him, He has yr. interest & Russians at heart — it is not for nothing God sent Him to us — only we must pay more attention to what He says — His words are not lightly spoken — & the gravity of having not only His prayers, but His advise — is great. The Ministers did not think of telling you, that this measure is a fatal one, but He did. — How hard it is not to be with you, to talk over all quietly & to help you being firm. — Shall follow & be near you in thoughts & prayers all the time. May God bless & protect you, my brave, patient, humble one. I cover yr. sweet face with endless, tender kisses, — love you beyond words, my own, very own Sunshine & joy. — I bless you. — Sad not to pray together, but Botk. finds wiser my remaining quiet, so as soon to be quite alright again.
Yr. own
Wify.
Our Marie will be 16 on the 14-th, so give her diamond-necklace fr. us, like the other two got. —
Above: Alexandra. Photo courtesy of Ilya Grigoryev at lastromanovs on VK.
Above: Nicholas. Photo courtesy of Ilya Grigoryev at lastromanovs on VK.
Above: Grigori Rasputin.
Above: Maria.
Notes: Alexandra always referred to Grigori Rasputin as "our Friend".
It was Nicholas and Alexandra's custom to give each of their daughters a special diamond necklace when one of them had her sixteenth birthday. Due to unforeseen circumstances (Nicholas's abdication and the house arrest), the youngest daughter Anastasia did not receive such a necklace on her sixteenth birthday in 1917.
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