Alexandra's letter to Nicholas and Nicholas's telegrams, dated May 6, 1915 (Nicholas's birthday, Old Style date)

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=132&skin=2021

https://www.alexanderpalace.org/letters/may15.html

The letter:

No. 75.

Tsarskoje Selo, May 6-th 1915

My very own precious One,

Many happy returns of this dear day. God grant you may spend it next year in peace and joy, and the nightmare of this war be over. I cover you with tender kisses — alas, only in thoughts — & pray God to protect and quite particularly bless you for all your undertakings.

Such a sunny morning — (tho' fresh) may it be a good omen. — Our Friend's lovely telegram will have given you pleasure — shall I thank him for you? And for Ania's card, wire me a message to give over to her. — We sat with her in the evening as she had spent a lonely day, by chance nobody, except mother & son Karangozov came to see her. — We had a tiring day, so I did not take Olga to town, because of her cold & Becker's visit; Tatiana replaced her at the Committee. At the stores Marie Bariatinsky & Olga were making stockings, the same as they had been doing at Moscou so far. —

Everybody asks for news — I have none to give — but the heart is heavy — through Mekk's telegrams one sees the movements more or less. — Navrusov spoke with us by telephone, the sinner only leaves to-night — as he said to me, he had "fasted" for six months, now he must enjoy town. I called him a hulligan, wh. he did not approve of, — too bad, he says my health is better now, because he has been drinking for my health. I told him Pss. Gedroitz who is very fond of him, calls him our enfant terrible; then I spoke with Amilakhvari by telephone, & he will come to say goodbye to-day. — Bobrinsky has left full speed to Lvov.

They sang beautifully in Church. We had all my ladies, Benkend. & Ressin to lunch, then I received Kotchubey, Kniazhevitch, Amilakhvari then went to Ania & read to her, after wh. to the big palace for 10 m. — Now Xenia & Paul come to tea, so must end, — always a hurry. — Blessings & kisses without end — no news, so anxious.

Sweetheart, yr. very own, longing for you

Wify.

Nicholas's telegrams:

Telegram.

Stavka. 6 May, 1915.

I am very touched by your lovely presents and good wishes. Am sorry that we are not together. I thank Ella. I kiss you and the dear children fondly.

Nicky.

...

Telegram.

Stavka, 6 May, 1915.

Again I thank you tenderly and warmly for your good wishes. Be kind enough to thank our Friend for his moving words. After great heat and a night's downpour it has become much cooler now...

Nicky.

Above: Nicholas and Alexandra.

Above: Anna Vyrubova.

Above: Olga and Tatiana. Photo courtesy of Ilya Chishko at lastromanovs on VK.

Above: Grigori Rasputin.

Above: Olga Alexandrovna.

Notes: Nicholas and Alexandra referred to Grigori Rasputin as "our Friend".

Alexandra and her daughters used "Madame Becker" as a euphemism for their menstrual periods.

Alexandra's letter to Princess Maria Baryatinskaya, year circa 1912

Source:

https://inlibris.com/item/bn55306/

The letter:

Dearest Princess,

Please kindly read this through & tell me if you think I can take my Cousin to-night to the Theatre. If you can bring it back at 11 I shall be home & glad to see you.

yr.

А. Ф.

Above: Alexandra.

Alexandra's letter to Princess Maria Baryatinskaya, undated

Source:

https://inlibris.com/item/bn55307/

The letter:

Dearest Mary,

Am most happy to know you safely arrived. Tenderest love. Are dining at Аничков, otherwise should have peeped into your room. Sleep well.

Am well tho' tired after journey & emotions.

A.

Above: Alexandra.

Alexandra's letter to Princess Maria Baryatinskaya, year circa 1912

Source:

https://inlibris.com/item/bn55308/

The letter:

Please kindly compose answers to these two telegrams for me to sign. Do let Mlle. [illegible] or Sonia try to write them with your help, as later I shall have to ask them, & they will find it difficult. —

Best love

A.

Above: Alexandra.

Alexandra's letter to Maria Baryatinskaya, year circa 1912

Source:

https://inlibris.com/item/bn55305/

The letter:

Dearest Princess,

Please let Maria Pery know that I should I should like to hear her play this evening at 9. Lamsdorff knows her address, please let him know. —

Hoping to see you at 12.

yr.

А. Ф.

Above: Alexandra.

Alexandra's letter to Princess Maria Baryatinskaya about Princess Sophia Gagarine, the mother of Countess Anastasia Hendrikova, undated

Source:

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

The letter:

I thank God that He allows me to be the means of giving her a little comfort and brightness. After all, it is life's greatest consolation to feel that the sorrowing need one, and that is my daily prayer, for years already, that God should just send me the sorrowing, and give me the possibility to be a help for them, through His infinite mercy. ...

Above: Alexandra.

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, undated

Source:

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

The letter:

Separation makes no difference — friends remain the same, don't they, dear? And you will have a lot to tell me about your life and interests, and I shall have my little ones to show you. Life brings us sorrows and trials without end, but all is for the best, and God gives one strength to bear one's heavy cross, and go on fighting. ...

Above: Alexandra.

Alexandra's letter to Princess Maria Baryatinskaya, dated August 9, 1912

Source:

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

The letter:

Once more let me tell you how very happy I was to have seen you again, dear, after 5 long years of separation. It is a joy to see a dear friend so unchanged again, and to feel as though we had never been separated at all, these years. But that is real friendship that remains the same through time and space may sever one. A warm heart is a treat, and I always deeply, gratefully, value it.

Above: Alexandra. Photo courtesy of Ilya Grigoryev at lastromanovs on VK.

Alexandra's letter to Princess Maria Baryatinskaya, dated December 28, 1898

Source:

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

The letter:

To have such a true and devoted friend is indeed a gift from God and I thank Him for it daily. ... Don't be anxious about me, I tell you openly all, so that you need not worry. I am careful, and rest all day and miss your dear company more than I can say. For your precious letter from the frontier a hearty kiss and many thanks. Your words of tender love did me much good.

Above: Alexandra. Photo courtesy of TatianaZ on Flickr.

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 Princess Maria Baryatinskaya, dated November 23, 1905

Source:

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

The letter:

I must have a person to myself, if I want to be my real self. I am not made to shine before an assembly — I have not got the easy nor the witty talk one needs for that. I like the internal being, and that attracts me with great force. As you know, I am of the preacher type. I want to help others in life, to help them to fight their battles and bear their crosses. … What can I tell you in a letter? Things are more than serious and intricate, and all one's hope and trust must be placed in God. Serious times are yet ahead, and rough ones — One's heart is so full. ...

Above: Alexandra.

Alexandra's letter to Princess Maria Baryatinskaya, dated July 16, 1900

Source:

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

The letter:

… My grandmother invites us to come to England, but now is certainly not the moment to be out of the country. How intensely I long to see her dear old face, you can imagine; never have we been separated so long, 4 whole years, and I have the feeling as tho' I should never see her any more. Were it not so far away, I should have gone off all alone for a few days to see her and left the children and my husband, as she has been as a mother to me, ever since Mama's death 22 years ago.

To-morrow is the Christening. ...

Above: Alexandra.

Above: Queen Victoria.

Alexandra's letter to Princess Maria Baryatinskaya, dated December 31, 1900

Source:

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

The letter:

LIVADIA,

Dec. 31st, 1900.

DEAREST MARY, — I feel I cannot go to bed without having once more thanked you from the bottom of my heart for the Image. It touched me deeply, and tears were not far off when you three gave it me. Bless you for your kind thought. I shall always take it with me everywhere as a remembrance of that anxious time and Xmastide and the beginning of the new century. What sorrows this last year brought us, what endless anxieties, what worries and losses — God grant the new year may be a calmer and happier one for the whole of dear Russia. Sleep well and peacefully. …

Above: Alexandra.