Alexandra's letter to Nicholas, dated April 18, 1915, and Nicholas's telegram and short letter, dated April 19, 1915

Sources:

Letters of the Tsaritsa to the Tsar, 1914-1916, published by Duckworth & Co., 1923

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=inu.30000011396573&view=1up&seq=128&skin=2021

https://www.alexanderpalace.org/letters/april15.html

The letter:

No. 70.

Tsarskoje Selo, April 18-th 1915

My own sweet precious One,

A grey, cold, damp morning — the barometer must have fallen, feel such a pressure on my chest. — Yesterday evening Hagentorn took off Ania's gypsum from round her stomach, so that she is enchanted, can sit straight, & back no longer aches. Then she managed to lift her left foot, for the first time since 3 months, wh. shows that the bone is growing together. The flebitis in the other leg is very strong — so massage cannot be done on either leg, wh. is a pitty. She lies on the sopha & looks less of an invalid; she comes to me, as I remain at home on account of my heart. —

This morning I receive Mekk — he will, entre autre, tell me about Lvov, where he saw you in Church. My little flying stores trains have hard & useful work in the Carpathans, & our mules carry the things in the mountains — hard fighting, ones heart aches, — & in the North too again. — There, the kind sun is peeping out. Yr. little plant stands on the piano & I like looking at it — reminds me of the Rosenau 21 years ago!!

Our Friend says if it gets more known that that catastrophy happened from an attempt to set fire, the hatred towards Germany will be great. —

(Hang those aeroplans in the Carpathans now too?) I am going to send money to the poorest families & Images to the wounded. —

Olga wrote you the details; & I suppose others do officially, so I wont say any more. —

My temp. rose to 37.3 in the evening & this morning 37; heart just now not enlarged. — Shall finish this in the afternoon, Xenia & Irina lunch with us, — & perhaps I may find something more interesting to tell you by then.

Well, now they have gone. Irina looked pretty, only much too thin. — It seems there was a fire in Ania's house, the little blind woman's candle fell down & things took fire, so the floor in the back room burned a little & two boxes with books, Ania got a nice fright — bad luck always. —

Now goodbye & God bless you — soon, soon I shall have you back, what joy!! 1000 fond kisses.

Ever yr. old

Wify.

Nicholas's telegram:

Telegram. Likhachevo South. 19 April, 1915.

Sincerest thanks for letter No. 301. I thank also all the children. Divine weather. Yesterday I went half-way to Yalta; saw the big landslide. It is much cooler there. The old man is well, sends his thanks. We stopped in Borki. I embrace you tenderly. How is her leg?

Nicky.

Nicholas's letter:

Sajnoe. 19 April, 1915.

MY LOVIE,

These photographs were taken in Sevastopol, when I was playing about with my plastouni. You will return them to me, will you not? when I come back. The heat in the train is terrible — 22 degrees.

I love you immensely and kiss you.

Your Nicky.

Above: Nicholas and Alexandra. Photo courtesy of Ilya Chishko at lastromanovs on VK.

Above: Anna Vyrubova.

Above: Grigori Rasputin.

Above: Olga Alexandrovna.

Above: Xenia.

Above: Irina.

Note: entre autre = among others.

Alexandra always referred to Grigori Rasputin as "our Friend".

Alexandra's telegram to her niece Irina, dated July 3, 1906

Source:

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

https://vk.com/lastromanovs?w=wall-56510987_40135

The telegram:

ИМПЕРАТОРСКИЙ Телеграф в Бьеркэ.

ТЕЛЕГРАММА N2.

"22" слов

Подана в Петергофа Александрии 3 Июля 1906 г. 8 ч. 20 м. по пд

Получена в Бьеркэ 3 Июля 8 ч. 44 м. по п

Loving good wishes dear Irina. Hope thoronghly enjoying your trip. Kisses from all to all.

Alix

Above: Alexandra and her children. Photo courtesy of White Grand Duchess on VK.

Above: Xenia's daughter Irina.

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Alexandra's letter to Xenia, dated September 3/15, 1895

Sources:

Tamara Runova on VK

https://vk.com/id22843438?z=photo22843438_314047597%2Fphotos22843438

George Hawkins at Letters and writings of Nicholas II and his family on Facebook

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0QCJcLhWi1oh6LGYznkt11G3fB9nuh6eTze8F63eHNLPZbHvca8jxd1Z5VSda9h9yl&id=100067001081671&mibextid=Nif5oz

The letter:

Peterhof
September 3/15. 1895.
My darling!
I hope this letter will reach you on your arrival at Абасъ-Туманъ. My very best thanks for your dear 💌 from Bernstorff. — We both pay our daily visits to your tiny Chicken, and rejoice to see how she grows. She is such a merry little creature and smiles so nicely. Sometimes when we go in the morning we find her asleep, but she soon wakes up to greet us 🐣 . — In her bath 🛀 she is the greatest fun, as she begins to kick about — but when the nurse takes her out she cries.

Yesterday she went for her first drive as the weather was so beautiful and it seemed a shame to keep her in — she slept most of them. I am sure you must miss her very much, and what a change when you see her again, she has grown so nice and plump now. To-day she is two months old. We shall never want to give her up to you again, and a fight will ensue, a tug of war for her.

I hope the journey will not have been too tiring for the Weeping Willow after having been in bed such a time again — I can fancy his joy at returning home and you with him.

Yesterday, we went in the new electric launch wh was fun, it went very pleasantly and I am sure Misha will be quite enchanted with it.

U. Владимиръ came for Church, Luncheon, tea and supper. Paul is at Wolfsgarten with Ernie and all the Sisters. Nicky continues shooting his ducks, but alas it gets so soon dark now that it is not easy. Baby was delighted with him this morning and fixed his gold buttons the whole time — she begins to take notice of everything. Ara even begins to attract her attention.

I feel quite sad each time I see her to think that you cannot be with her. It is such a pleasure watching her and her clever little face. The nurse I find so nice and sensible, I have long talks with her daily — she gets on quite well now with the wetnurse, there was a moment when she had to speak rather strictly to her, as her milk was getting sour and upset Baby rather, simply because she was in a bad humour and could not have all she wanted. But after Coster told her that she must try and not be so for Baby's sake whom she must do all to take care of whilst you are gone, she has become so nice and gentle with Irina.

She walks daily with the Russian nursery maid. Baby gained 69 золотникъ last week wh is most satisfactory. Her new hair is coming fast. And how are you? It must bore you, now that something has come on again, one is so much happier without it I find. Mme Günst has returned and I am going to see her to-morrow. Nicky makes me see little Dr. Ott weekly, so as that I should get accustomed to him. Now I take salt in my hot baths for strengthening and take a sort of iron.

I cannot write much more as the carriage has already come to take me to Baby. How do you get on with your little Lady?

But now then, goodbye and God bless you. With best love from us both to you, Sandro and Georgie.

I remain, yr very loving old

Hen!

Many a fond kiss.

Above: Alexandra.

Above: Xenia.

Above: Xenia's infant daughter Irina, whom Alexandra here nicknames "Chicken", a nickname she too used for Xenia herself.

Notes: золотник (zolotnik) = slightly more than 4 grams.

At the time she wrote this letter, Alexandra was pregnant with her first child Olga, who was born on November 3/15, 1895.