Alexandra's letter to Toni Becker, dated May 29, 1901

Source:

Briefe der Zarin Alexandra von Russland an ihre Jugendfreundin Toni Becker-Bracht (2009), edited by Lotte Hoffmann-Kuhnt

The letter:

Peterhof

Mai 26. 1901

Meine gute Toni,

Ein Wort, um Dir zu sagen, dass unsere kleine Olga seit 12 Tagen am Typhus erkrankt ist. Gottlob verläuft die Krankheit normal — die Temperatur ist sehr hoch, fällt aber Abends nach dem Bade. Sie ist oben getrennt von den Geschwistern im einzigen leeren Zimmer, wo ich voriges Jahr malte, es ist gross, kein Teppich, aber unter dem Dach daher ziemlich heiss. — Ich bin fast den ganzen Tag bei ihr, die Treppen sind ermüdend in meinem jetzigen Zustande, wo täglich ....... Sie liebt mich bei sich zu haben, & so lange ich auf den Beinen bin, sitze ich mit Wonne bei ihr. — Später wird es gar hart sein wenn ich an mein Zimmer gebunden bin. — Sie ist so dünn, dünn & blass, schläft ziemlich viel & Nachts gut, — trinkt ein wenig Milch, die Hand zittert schon bei ihr, sie wird gewiss recht schwach werden, es ist eine langwierige Geschichte für das süsse Kind. Ist es nicht eigen, Typhus als „es” bei mir anfing & aufhörte? — Gott sei Dank sind die Ärzte ganz zufrieden, gewöhnlich haben Kinder keine Complicationen. Aber ein Kind krank sehen thut so weh & mein Herz weint. — Gott steh ihr bei. —

Kuss A.

Bin gar nicht angezogen, muss mich eilen. —

English translation (my own):

Peterhof.

May 29. 1901

My good Toni,

A word, to tell you that our little Olga has been sick with typhoid for 12 days. Thank God the illness is normal — the temperature is very high, but falls in the evening after a bath. Upstairs she is separated from the siblings in the only empty room where I painted last year, it is big, no carpet, but it is rather hot under the roof. — I am with her almost all day long, the stairs are tiring in my present condition, where daily ....... She loves to have me with her, & while I am on my feet I sit with her with delight. — Later it will be terribly hard when I am bound to my room. — She is so thin, thin & pale, sleeps quite a lot & well at night, — drinks a little milk, her hand is already shaking, she will certainly become quite weak, it is a long story for the sweet Child. Isn't it peculiar, typhoid when "it" started & ended with me? — Thank God the doctors are quite satisfied, children usually have no complications. But seeing a child sick hurts so much and my heart weeps. — God help her. —

kiss A.

Am not even dressed, must hurry. —

Above: Alexandra. Photo courtesy of TatianaZ on Flickr.

Above: Olga during her illness with typhoid. Photos courtesy of Ilya Grigoryev at lastromanovs on VK.

Note: Alexandra gave birth to her youngest daughter, Anastasia, on June 5/18, 1901.

Alexandra's letter to Princess Maria Baryatinskaya, dated May 8, 1901

Source:

The Life and Tragedy of Alexandra Feodorovna by Baroness Sophie Buxhoeveden, 1928

The letter:

Thank God, that your dear father is a wee bit better. I can so well imagine your feelings and know well the anxiety you are going through. Only that he should not suffer. God give you all strength and comfort. If I could have a wee word from time to time with news of him, I should be most grateful. The weather is glorious, so warm and nice. I sit working on the balcony. Anemones and blue flowers are out and the buds on the bushes are quite big, and the birds sing so sweetly. But enough for to-day. Good-bye, and God bless you. Tenderest love from your devoted friend,

ALEXANDRA.

Above: Alexandra.

Alexandra's letter to Princess Maria Baryatinskaya about the death of Countess Julia Rantzau, dated January 29, 1901

Source:

The Life and Tragedy of Alexandra Feodorovna by Baroness Sophie Buxhoeveden, 1928

The letter:

DEAREST MARY, — I send you my most loving thanks for your dear letter from the frontier — it was great happiness hearing from you. I miss you and our cosy chats very much indeed, and since you left I have again had such a loss — it is very hard, but I cannot but be grateful, that God took her to Him and that her long and weary sufferings have come to an end. But to all that knew her it is a great loss, but she was well fit for Heaven — a pure, ideal Christian. Only an hour before the fatal news, I received her last letter, so you can imagine what a shock it was. But I must not write to you about sad things, though my heart is full of sorrow — and I am awfully anxious about Gretchen Fabrice — I hope the journey was not too tiring. ...

Above: Alexandra. Photo courtesy of TatianaZ on Flickr.

Alexandra's letter to Princess Maria Baryatinskaya about Countess Julia Rantzau, dated February 24, 1901

Source:

The Life and Tragedy of Alexandra Feodorovna by Baroness Sophie Buxhoeveden, 1928

The letter:

She was a rare flower, too delicate for this world, but rejoicing others with her fragrance and cheering them on the way. She understood the difficulties of this world, and the different temptations, and always encouraged one in the right, and helped to fight one's weaknesses. It came so naturally to speak about one's faith to her, that now I feel her loss greatly. Only her dear writings have remained to me. I pray to God to make me as worthy, as she was, of a new and more perfectly happy life in yonder world.

Above: Alexandra.

Alexandra's letter to her sister Victoria, dated January 28, 1901

Source:

The Life and Tragedy of Alexandra Feodorovna by Baroness Sophie Buxhoeveden, 1928

The letter:

How I envy you being able to see beloved Grandmama being taken to her last rest. I cannot believe she is really gone, that we shall never see her any more. It seems impossible. Since one can remember, she was in our life, and a dearer kinder being never was. The whole world sorrows over her. England without the Queen seems impossible. How thankful, that she was spared all physical suffering. Morally, she had too much to bear this year.

Above: Alexandra.

Above: Queen Victoria on her deathbed.

Alexandra's telegram to Xenia, dated August 13, 1901

Source:

GARF (State Archives of the Russian Federation) via Olga Grigor'eva at lastromanovs on VK

https://vk.com/lastromanovs?w=wall-56510987_40152

The telegram:

ИМПЕРАТОРСКИЙ Телеграф в Гатчине Дворце

Телеграмма N69

"59" слов

Подана в Петергофе 13 августа 1901 г. 9 ч. 35 м. по пд

Получена в Гатчине 13 августа 1901 г. 9 ч. 55 м. по пд

We leave thursday at three hope indeed we shall have better passage, than poor Motherdear; are in despair not to see You any more, but it's really impossible, have such a lot to do these last days, so glad you get up tomorrow. We kiss You tenderly, are glad Misha is with You now.

Alix

Above: Alexandra. Photo courtesy of TatianaZ on Flickr.

Above: Xenia.

Alexandra's autograph in a commemorative book, New Year 1901

Source:

https://www.litfund.ru/news/2194/

The autograph:

Примите мои искреннейшие и сердечные пожелания к Новому Году.
Александра.

English translation (my own):

Accept my sincere and heartfelt wishes for the New Year.
Alexandra.

Above: Alexandra.

Ledger of parcels sent by Alexandra from 1897 to 1905

Source:

https://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2018/russian-works-of-art-faberg-icons-l18113/lot.429.html

Comprising 168 pages with printed headings 'To whom' and 'Signature' in Russian, the 713 individual entries inscribed in various hands in Russian, German, French and English, from 4 December 1897 to 22 December 1905, the first page inscribed in Russian 'From the wardrobe of Her Imperial Highness Empress Alexandra Feodorovna', leather wallet-style binding.

This newly discovered original document provides fresh insight into the life of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, her generous and thoughtful nature, and her shopping habits. It lists the parcels she sent, with dates and recipients, presumably recorded by her ladies-in-waiting. The whole of her and the Emperor’s extended families appear, including her brother and sisters and their spouses, first and second cousins, her grandmother Queen Victoria, and her wide circle of friends, many from her childhood. There are several entries of packages to retailers across Europe. The Empress was shopping on approval, returning things she did not wish to keep, and some things may have been sent for repairs. There are fourteen entries to Fabergé, half occurring in the autumn of 1900. Touchingly, she sent an annual package of goods to the hospital her late mother had founded, Princess Alice’s Hospital in Darmstadt, probably as part of a fundraising drive.
There was of course a flurry of sending gifts around Christmas time, and the dates of many of the entries correspond to the recipient’s birthday. For example, there are three parcels to Queen Victoria, listed simply as ‘The Queen’, on 4 May 1898, sent to Balmoral, 5 December 1898, Osborne, and 6 May 1899, Windsor Castle; Queen Victoria’s birthday was 24 May. (There is an entry for ‘Osborne’ on 18 December 1897, a parcel which was also presumably a Christmas gift to the Queen.) One of these parcels may have contained the jewelled rock crystal desk clock in the Royal Collection (RCIN 40100) which is known to have been a gift from the Empress to her grandmother.

Although only a handful of entries include mention of the contents, in some cases, the contents of the parcels can be surmised from surviving objects known to have been gifts from the Empress and with their dates recorded. The Fabergé gold cigarettes case with plique-à-jour enamel dragonflies (included in the 2016 Schloss Fasanerie exhibition and illustrated, ex. cat. Fabergé Geschenke der Zarenfamilie, Eichenzell, 2016, no. 58, p. 124) which she gave to her brother and which she had engraved ‘For darling Ernie from Nicky + Alix xmas 1900’ is listed in Fabergé’s invoice to the Imperial Cabinet with a purchase date of 30 November 1900. It was almost certainly in the package which she sent to her brother the following day, 1 December 1900. Her Christmas gift to her sister Victoria, Princess Louis of Battenberg, a Fabergé silver case inscribed in enamel ‘Alix/ Weihnachten/ 1904’ (illustrated, ibid., no. 3, p. 51), was certainly included in the parcel she sent to her on 7 December 1904, in a spree of postings on that day which also included parcels to her uncle and her husband’s aunt, Kind Edward VII and Queen Alexandra.     

In addition to Fabergé, other retailers listed include the jewellers Bolin and Butz in St Petersburg; Madame Brissac, the leading couturière in St Petersburg, who made the Empress’ gowns; several other St Petersburg shops including Weiss, Tehran, Zhidkov, Malm, Alexander, and the furrier Greenwald; the photographer Pazetti; Maison Spritzer in Vienna; Maison Morin-Blossier, Paris; Edwards & Sons, who made vanity cases and jewellery in London; the jewellers Koch in Frankfurt and Wondra in Darmstadt; Walter Thornhill, dressing cases, London; the firm of Sir Pryce Pryce Jones of Newton, North Wales, who sold flannel to Queen Victoria, who knighted him in 1887, and Royal households across Europe; the London milliner Robert Heath; Pavel Buré, watches, St Petersburg; a shoemaker called Vels; Grachev, silver, St Petersburg; the Avantso shop in Moscow; Swears & Wells, makers of hosiery and gloves in London; Romanes and Patterson, Edinburgh, for tartans and cashmere; Egerton Burnette of Wellington, Somerset, who produced clothes and other soft goods; and Green & Abbott, Oxford Street, London, for chintzes and Chinese wallpaper.

The last entry, on 22 December 1905, rather poignantly, given their relationship, was to her mother-in-law, always listed in the ledger with her full style and title, who was in Copenhagen to avoid the unrest in Russia — 1905 was ‘a year of nightmares’ for the Dowager Empress — and spent Christmas there. The date corresponds to that of a letter, which was certainly enclosed in the parcel, from her son, who writes, ‘All my prayers are with you for the forthcoming holidays. This is the second time that I have to spend Christmas without you.  The first time was when you were at home and we were away in India. Very sad not to have your Christmas tree again this year; it used to be so cosy upstairs at Gatchina during these holidays’ (E. Bing, ed., The Letters of Tsar Nicholas and Empress Marie, London, 1937, p. 205).

Alexandra's ball gown, year 1900-1901

Source:

https://www.hermitagemuseum.org/wps/portal/hermitage/digital-collection/12.%20costumes%2C%20uniform%2C%20accessories/1246665/!ut/p/z1/jY_LDoIwEEV_BfZoC9K6bmoiolhDfGA3piGATaQlFFz49VbjykRkdpOcO-cO4CADXIm7rEQntRI3u585vjBCsD-jMGYULSBh6Q6ldLuEfghObwD-GAIBH5MfAPjw-fifwH4QtAlNKsAb0V0nUpUaZH4wdXJtur4ujOf0Spa6rT1H5HlhjG5lYV5MiDFGtiL_kqzWcyvZo4ixIw1o-AEGajb1IXtsIiiJ6z4Bb9k8yw!!/dz/d5/L2dBISEvZ0FBIS9nQSEh/?lng=en

(photo courtesy of The State Hermitage Museum)

Alexandra's ball gown, year 1900-1901

Source:

https://www.hermitagemuseum.org/wps/portal/hermitage/digital-collection/12.%20costumes%2C%20uniform%2C%20accessories/1246605/!ut/p/z1/jY_LDoIwEEV_BfZoC9K6bmoiolhDfGA3piGATaQlFFz49VbjykRkdpOcO-cO4CADXIm7rEQntRI3u585vjBCsD-jMGYULSBh6Q6ldLuEfghObwD-GAIBH5MfAPjw-fifwH4QtAlNKsAb0V0nUpUaZH4wdXJtur4ujOf0Spa6rT1H5HlhjG5lYV5MiDFEtiL_kqzWcyvZo4ixIw1o-AEGajb1IXtsIiiJ6z4BayM83g!!/dz/d5/L2dBISEvZ0FBIS9nQSEh/?lng=en

(photo courtesy of The State Hermitage Museum)

Alexandra's pelerine, year 1901

Source:

https://www.hermitagemuseum.org/wps/portal/hermitage/digital-collection/12.%20costumes%2C%20uniform%2C%20accessories/1247469/!ut/p/z1/jY_RCoIwFIZfRe-tTZtKl2NBZtlCymw3MURtkJs47aKnb0VXQda5O_D95_sPYCAHTPKbqHkvlORXs59YcKYYB-6MwJgSfwExTXd-SrZL6CJwfAHwy2AI2D_5EYCNn49_CcwHXpeQpAas5f1lImSlQO56U6tQuh-aUjvWIEWlusaxeFGUWqtOlPrJoBAFc1ORfUhW69BI9n5EaUY8gt7ASM22OeT3TQQFtu0Hi9hlGg!!/dz/d5/L2dBISEvZ0FBIS9nQSEh/?lng=en

(photo courtesy of The State Hermitage Museum)

Alexandra's evening dress, year circa 1900-1901

Source:

https://www.hermitagemuseum.org/wps/portal/hermitage/digital-collection/12.%20costumes%2C%20uniform%2C%20accessories/1246608/!ut/p/z1/jY_LDoIwEEV_BfZoC0J129RERLGG-MBuTEMAm0hLaHHh11uNKxPR2U1y7pw7gIEcMMlvouZGKMmvdj8xdKYYI39CYEJJNIeYZtsoI5sF9ENwfAHwy2AI2D_5AYANn09-CewHQZeStAas5eYyErJSIPeDsVMobfqm1J7TS1GprvEcXhSl1qoTpX4yIUJwZiuyD8lyNbWSXRRTeiABCd_AQM222ef3dQwFdt0H1V6CeQ!!/dz/d5/L2dBISEvZ0FBIS9nQSEh/?lng=en

(photo courtesy of The State Hermitage Museum)

Alexandra's sortie-de-bal, year 1899-1901

Source:

https://www.hermitagemuseum.org/wps/portal/hermitage/digital-collection/12.%20costumes%2C%20uniform%2C%20accessories/1247477/!ut/p/z1/jY_LDoIwEEV_BfZoCxa6bmoiolhDfGA3piGATaQlFFz49VbjykR0dpOcO-cO4CAHXImbrEUvtRJXu594dGaERP6MwoTRcA4Jy7ZhRjcL6CNwfAHwyxAI-D_5EYCPn09-CewHQZfStAa8Ff1lIlWlQe4HU6fQph-a0njOoGSlu8ZzRFGUxuhOlubJIIwwthX5h2S5wlayC2PGDjSg6A2M1GybfX5fx1AS130ARVR3Ow!!/dz/d5/L2dBISEvZ0FBIS9nQSEh/?lng=en

(photo courtesy of The State Hermitage Museum)

Alexandra's house dress, year circa 1901-1903

Source:

https://www.hermitagemuseum.org/wps/portal/hermitage/digital-collection/12.%20costumes%2C%20uniform%2C%20accessories/1246595/!ut/p/z1/jY_LDoIwEEV_BfZoC1KMy6YmIoo1xAd2YxoC2ERaQosLv95qXJmIzm6Sc-fcAQzkgEl-EzU3Qkl-tfuJRWeKceRPCEwoQXOIabZFGdksoB-C4wuAXwZDwP7JDwBs-HzyS2A_CLqUpDVgLTeXkZCVArkfjJ1CadM3pfacXopKdY3n8KIotVadKPWTCSM0Q7Yi-5AsV1Mr2aGY0gMJSPgGBmq2zT6_r2MosOs-ADSxuQU!/dz/d5/L2dBISEvZ0FBIS9nQSEh/?lng=en

(photo courtesy of The State Hermitage Museum)

Imperial presentation photographs of Nicholas and Alexandra, year circa 1901

Source:

https://www.christies.com/lotfinder/photographs/two-imperial-presentation-photographs-of-nicholas-ii-5151516-details.aspx?from=searchresults&intObjectID=5151516&sid=c354821a-dc9c-4602-a496-5c5331bcdf9e

Alexandra's letter to Xenia, dated November 7, 1901

Alexandra wrote this letter to her sister-in-law Xenia on November 7, 1901, about her brother Ernst's divorce from his wife, Victoria Melita.

Source:

A Lifelong Passion, letters and diary entries compiled by Andrei Maylunas and Sergei Mironenko

The letter:

Darling Chicken,
It is with a very heavy heart that I write to you today. Yes dear, it is true, Ducky wishes to be divorced and in a few days all will be finally settled. It nearly broke my heart when I got the news, it was so quite unexpected, I always hoped that in time things would come right. It is too long and too painful to write about. They have parted friends and each wrote to me saying of the other that they were the truest of friends and would always remain so. Only with her character married life thus was impossible to continue. It is not for us to judge tho' it is an awful step they are taking — when we meet again it will be easier to talk about than write. Only one thing I entreat of you, darling Xenia, whenever you hear nasty gossip, at once put a stop to it, for their sakes and ours. They parted as their characters could impossibly get on together, that is enough for the public.

She will not be missed in the country, as she never made herself beloved nor showed any liking for the country, alas! Poor girl, she is utterly miserable now without a home, tho' he leaves her the sweet Child. His home is desolate and everything will remind him of her whom he still cares for.

But I cannot write any more about it; you can think how we sisters who adore him and are very fond of her, have suffered. But we must believe that always all is for the best. You will not judge them harshly dear, my poor unhappy ones. It is doubly hard beginning 'society' life again when all know that one's brother and sister in law have gone asunder. All one's pride is crushed out of one.
A good kiss from your old Hen

Above: Alexandra.

Above: Xenia.

Above: Ernst and Victoria Melita ("Ducky").

Above: Ernst's and Victoria Melita's daughter, Princess Elisabeth of Hesse and by Rhine.

Alexandra's letter to Xenia, dated October 13 and 14, 1901

Alexandra wrote this letter to her sister-in-law Xenia on October 13 and 14, 1901.

Source:

Alexandra Feodorovna: Diaries and Correspondence, volume 3: The Young Empress, 1895-1905, pages 129 to 132, by George Hawkins, 2024

A Lifelong Passion, letters and diary entries compiled by Andrei Maylunas and Sergei Mironenko

The letter:

Darling Chicken,
I have taken my 18th mudbath. I generally take it at 9.30 or 8, according to the plans of the day, then drink a cup of cocoa and rest an hour on my bed, reading. Before dinner I rest again an hour. I was good and only began riding now — one has to be reasonable when one has four Children and has not been well, of course now we are good.
Your tenderly devoted old Hen

The letter in full:

Спала

Oct 13th 1901

Darling Chicken,

I send you my very tenderest thanks for two dear letters and the splendid picture of us in France. You will think me a monster for never having written — forgive the lazy old Hen please!

I am so sorry to hear that yr precious Baby has not been increasing as well as he ought to have and find it very wise of you giving him extra cream with water. I do not know how much our little one weighs now, we have not had her weighed since we left Peterhof. She looks about with eyes full of deepest interest and is such a little angel. The other three take specially strengthening salt baths, Sonia O. too, and I mud-baths.

Poor dear, I am so grieved that yr nurse is such a nuisance and like her sister was. I think it is a certain age wh probably makes her especially intolerable. But you must be severe with her and make her feel that you are displeased with her. A good and quiet scolding generally helps. But what a bore that Lala is engaged, she seemed such a reliable, excellent girl. My fat nursery housemaid Шура is marrying a dentist as soon as we get back to Царское — it is such a pitty as she was a bright cheery girl. Misha kisses you and wishes me to tell you that he bores himself very much here and I add that he is insupportable! Try to believe it if you can.

Sunday Oct 14th 1901. We take picnics almost daily. The men of the family and a gentleman or two ride to it, shooting ducks or hares on the way; we ladies go earlier so as to prepare the luncheon. Cubat teaches us all sorts of good dishes. I drive my chestnut 4 in hand and take Irène and one other person, then follows Sonia driving a four in hand with three people, then Котя drives 4 in hand with three more. He prepares excellent onion soup and other dishes and won't listen to Cubat — he is killing. But we prepare such a lot of dishes that one nearly explodes fr eating such an amount and the onions leave terrible after remembrances to those who relished in them.

I have ridden 3 times, Irène too. We also drive in 4 two wheeled carts with one horse — or in 4 carriages with two horses according to the roads and distances. Sasha Olenine drives too, sometimes also the past four in hand wh are easier to manage.

We go down the Pilitza too in canoes and others punts, but the current is very strong. At the beginning we went almost daily up a tiny brook, often having to wade and drag our punt after us, as the water is very shallow, then N and Henry hewed down trees wh were in the way. When Сережа came for two days came for two days we made him take part too.

Now the nights have become much colder and the days bright and the leaves turning golden — too lovely. We catch lots of badgers with the Dachshunde and let them out here in the evening. Fredericks has his automobile here and goes flying about in it, at times sticking hopelessly too.

We played lawn tennis two days ago and I fell down on the asphalt, so you can imagine the colour of my poor knees and how they ache, but I shall have to play again to-day.

In the evening the gentlemen play cards in the little room, N, H, and Misha billiards and we ladies writing games, salta or I read aloud whilst they work, or I glew photos. I am sending you a large selection 13, wh were done of us this summer, when Baby was not yet 3 months old. There is one of Olga standing and a big head of Marie wanting, I shall send them you as soon as Levitzky forwards them to me.

Marie B. comes for Skernevitze, she was to have been here to-day, but cought cold alas and so had to postpone her journey.

We leave next Sunday, Irène and H on Saturday. We shall be at Царское probably on the 2nd or so.

After the huzar feast, Boris leaves for a year, he is going round the world with some comrades, part of the journey he accompanied Kyrill on his ship. I think such a voyage may improve B and give him new ideas.

I have taken my 19th mudbath, I generally take it at 9.30 or 8, according to the plans of the day, then drink a cup of cocoa and rest an hour on my bed, reading. Before dinner I rest again an hour. I was good and only began riding now — one has to be reasonable, when one has four Children and has not been well, and when there can be no rest until a little ... turns up; of course now we are good, but I won't wait so long again, as the difference in age between parents and ... will be too great — and I shall be old when ... grows up and no real companion but an old mother.

The quiet here is so enjoyable and I dread the moment of our departure and having to return "into the world" so to speak — receptions, presentations, balls, theatres — you must help me, dear Chicken.

Till now Olga was flourishing and rides at Рамонъ. It was too nice having them here those few days. Gr. Nicky never came — he went to Wolfsgarten — he too has a great weakness for Ducky. I hear she is at Coburg, she never writes. At last the others are at Усово, till now they sat at Ильинское in quarantine, as Marie had microbes on her tongue. Paul wrote that he is better after his seven weeks' treatment at Berlin. Now he is in Paris.

Georgie and May are expected home on the 1st Nov/21st Oct.

Now my long rigmarole must come to an end.

We all kiss you very tenderly. I hope Ирина completely recovered fr her nasty fall! May the Nurse improve and cause you no more trouble — be severe and speak straight to her yourself, not through Nastia as that will make her only worse if she interferes.

So your couple prospers — ours, Sasha and H continues too, fr his side at least and I try to seperate them when ever possible as I am afraid of his wife. One says she too since some years has new affections.

Sonia was to have gone to Divone for a cure with the Dens, but they changed their minds after the engagement, so I brought Sonia here and she is madly happy. I made her take daily Kreuznach baths and I think they do her good.

Goodbye and God bless you. Fondest kisses to you all, fr yr tenderly devoted old Hen

Above: Alexandra.

Above: Xenia.

Notes: Спала = Spała.

Шура = Shura.

Царское = Tsarskoe.

Cubat = Pierre Cubat, the French chef of the Imperial Family.

Котя = Kotya.

Сережа = Seryozha, a nickname for Sergei.

salta = a board game similar to Halma and Chinese Checkers.

Boris = Grand Duke Boris Vladimirovich.

Рамонъ = Ramon.

Усово = Usovo.

Ильинское = Ilinskoe.

Ирина = Irina.

Alexandra's letter to Nicholas, dated August 27, 1901

Alexandra wrote this letter to Nicholas on August 27, 1901.

Source:

Alexandra Feodorovna: Diaries and Correspondence, volume 3: The Young Empress, 1895-1905, pages 122 to 123, by George Hawkins, 2024

A Lifelong Passion, letters and diary entries compiled by Andrei Maylunas and Sergei Mironenko

The letter:

No. 159

Aug 27th 1901

My own precious One,

I want you to find these lines when we are separated so as that you may feel Wify is is near to you. My thoughts and earnest prayers will follow you all the time, Mr. P...'s too, I know, and that is one comfort to me, as otherwise our parting would be too awful. The idea of having to part makes me wretched, but God grant we shall soon be together again — your sweet kisses — how I shall yearn for them. We have been so lucky that we are always to-gether, only it makes every separation harder to bear. Don't forget, Saturday evening towards 10.30 — all our thoughts will fly to Lyon then. How rich life is since we know him and everything seems easier to bear.

Give my love to U. Alexei, Willy and Henry please. Sweet precious Nicky, how I love you, there are no words to say how much. Thank you sweet angel for all the love you show me. I shall look well after our four tinies, they will be my comforters. I am better off than you in this case.

I love you, love you, and cover your precious face with tenderest burning kisses. God bless and protect you and keep you from all harm.

Oh, how hard to part — fare well, sweety, my Nicky, my very own Boy to whom I cling with every fibre.

I kiss you, kiss you +

Ever yr own old

Wify

Maylunas' and Mironenko's transcript of the letter:

My own precious One,
I want you to find these lines when we are separated so as that you may feel Wify is near to you. My thoughts and earnest prayers will follow you all the time. Mr P's too I know and that is one comfort to me, as otherwise our parting would be too awful.

The idea of having to part makes me wretched, but God grant we shall soon be together again — your sweet kisses — how I shall yearn for them. We have been so lucky that we are always together, only it makes every separation harder to bear.

Don't forget Saturday evening towards 10.30 — all our thoughts will fly to Lyons then. How rich life is since we know him and everything seems easier to bear.

Give my love to Uncles Alexei, Willy and Henry please. Sweet precious Nicky, how I love you, there are no words to say how much. Thank you sweet angel for all the love you show me. I shall look well after our four tinies, they will be my comforters, I am better off than you in this case. I love you, love you and cover your precious face with tenderest burning kisses. God bless and protect you and keep you from all harm. Oh, how hard to part — fare well, sweety, my Nicky, my very own Boy, to whom I cling with every fibre. I kiss you, kiss you ever your own old
Wify

Above: Alexandra, year 1901. Photo courtesy of Tatiana Z on Flickr.

Above: Nicholas. Photo courtesy of Tatiana Z on Flickr.

Above: The little Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia with nannies, year 1901.

Note: Mr. P... = Monsieur Philippe (Nizier Anthelme Philippe) — a renowned healer and miracle worker of the late 19th century.

Alexandra's note in Nicholas's diary, dated February 11, 1901

Alexandra wrote this note in her husband's diary on February 11, 1901.

Source:

mashkaromanova on Tumblr

https://mashkaromanova.tumblr.com/post/182744771885/alexandra-feodorovna-and-nicholas-ii-from-a

The note:

Sweet one, a tiny word before going to bed. I am longing to have you quite to myself again; we have seen so little of each other these last weeks and I do love you so terribly. All these years go on, my love for huzy sweet increases — it grows always deeper and truer. God bless you, my Darling, for all your love, sleep well, and wake up strong and healthy. I cover your precious face with tender kisses. Night, night my angel. I have just kissed & blessed our sleeping girlies.

Above: Portraits of Nicholas and Alexandra in a magazine, year 1901. Courtesy of the same source.