Messages

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Alexandra Feodorovna / The Untold Story of the Last Empress of Russia and the First World War

« on: May 15, 2022, 11:52:29 AM »

As I am a handful of pages away from finishing my book on Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, I thought I might start a new topic.

The actual name of the book is Alexandra Feodorovna: The Untold Story of the Last Empress of Russia and the First World War.

As I said in a recent post, it is hard to realize that it has taken 8 years to write.

But, just to say, I have enjoyed every minute and am so grateful for the discussi9on forum as it drew the attention of so many individuals who have been so important to the writing of my book.

Best,

Griff

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Books about the Romanovs and Imperial Russia / Re: Authors on the AP Forum and their works

« on: April 25, 2022, 11:34:54 AM »

Hello everyone, Griff here,

Well, thanks to Helen, I heard about the kind remarks made about my book, and just wanted to say, it has been a long journey, but I am in the middle of writing the last chapter of my book, and though I am terrible at predicting when it will be done, I image that a safe guess is June.

Just to say, I owe so many individuals so much gratitude for all the archival material that I have been able to use, material that helps to demystification Alexandra Feodorovna's character.

Well, I hope everyone is safe and well, and again,

Thank you so much for your kind remarks.

Best,

Griff

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Alexandra Feodorovna / Re: Empress Alexandra's War Relief Work July 1914 - February 1917

« on: February 27, 2021, 03:05:40 PM »

Just to say, I am looking for some information on the Empress's "Olga" Foundling homes that she established in St. Petersburg and Moscow in 1898.

I was sent a file on the homes with photographs, years ago, but cannot recall who sent it to me and cannot find it among my files.

Hope everyone is looking forward to the Spring!!!!

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Alexandra Feodorovna / Re: Empress Alexandra's War Relief Work July 1914 - February 1917

« on: January 06, 2015, 11:03:33 AM »

In reply 131 there is mention of Italian aircraft in Lybia. There is a book that has just come out that I sumbled upon on Amazon called "A Box of Sand" that deals with this campaign there.

Thanks so much James!!!

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Alexandra Feodorovna / Re: Empress Alexandra's War Relief Work July 1914 - February 1917

« on: December 23, 2014, 09:17:08 PM »

Merry xmas. I will be reading your book one day. I am glad my information has been of help to you. I may have some more information for you next year.

Thank you James so much and just to say I will stay in touch with you via email. I hope you and your family have a wonderful Holiday Season and a Happy New Year...

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Alexandra Feodorovna / Re: Empress Alexandra's War Relief Work July 1914 - February 1917

« on: December 23, 2014, 03:36:40 PM »

Griff,  I look forward to reading your book once it is published.  I really enjoyed the first three articles on the subject.

Thank you so much Roy for your kind remarks and just to say I am working day and night on my book manuscript.  Happy Holidays....

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Alexandra Feodorovna / Re: Empress Alexandra's War Relief Work July 1914 - February 1917

« on: December 20, 2014, 12:42:37 PM »

Thank you for the season's greetings and the lovely card. And congratulations on having found a publisher for your book. With your two other articles not being published in Royalty Digest Quarterly, I look forward to it all the more now.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Oh thank you so much Petra!

And just to say, your wonderful book of correspondence between the Empress and her brother Ernst Ludwig and his wife, Elleonore, has been an invaluable support in establishing a more accurate view of Alexandra Feodorovna and as such continues to be an invaluable addition to the historiography of the late imperial period!!!

And Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you!!!

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Alexandra Feodorovna / Re: Empress Alexandra's War Relief Work July 1914 - February 1917

« on: December 17, 2014, 12:32:53 PM »

I wanted to take a moment and say how grateful I have been to Ted Rosvall and Charlotte Zeepvat for publishing my last three article in Royalty Digest Quarterly.

Just to say, it was only after I published my first article that interest was shown in publishing my book and in consideration of this fact I have decided not to publish article #4 or #5, bu to include the material in my book.

Again I am so grateful for the opportunity Ted and Charlotte has given me.

And a great big thank you for all the posts on my thread and just to say I will start another thread when my book is published.

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Alexandra Feodorovna / Re: Alexandra's Religious Character

« on: December 11, 2014, 09:43:44 AM »

I just posted a new page on this topic on the main menu of the site.  It's by Vladimir Gurko and very interesting, I think.  I hope you enjoy it.

At the same time I posted another page from Gurko on Nicholas and ruling...

Bob

Bob, somehow or other I could not find the article by Gurko, but I did find an article Religious Character of Alexandra Feodorovna, from Nicholas Romanov - Life and Death by Yuri Shelayev, Elizabeth Shelayeva and Nicholas Semenov under the heading the general heading Palace Personalities.

I would really love to read the Gurko article. Thanks so much and happy holidays... 

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Alexandra Feodorovna / Re: Alexandra's Religious Character

« on: December 11, 2014, 09:37:36 AM »

This seems like the closest thread title under which I should post this.

This is one of my favorite stories about Empress Alexandra Feodorovna:

******************

A True Fairy Godmother

The following incident from the life of the Empress Alexandra Feodorovna took place in 1914, before the War. The Imperial Family was spending the summer in Livadia. The Empress used to like very much to take walks by herself; and for this reason she would drive out of Livadia in an open carriage; after going a few miles she would get out of the carriage and walk on foot in the company of one of her ladies in waiting. Always modestly dressed — in a plain summer dress, sandals and without a fancy hat — she would sometimes go down to Yalta, drop by some church in order to pray unnoticed by others.

This she also did on the day about which I am now going to recount. The Empress stopped by the Autsky Church, prayed for a while and put some candles by the holy icons. In the church there stood a group of very poorly dressed people who had come to baptize a child. The priest had already put on his vestments, but the people evidently were awaiting someone and thus he did not begin the service. The Empress had already intended to leave when the priest approached her and asked her to take the place of the terribly late godmother. The Empress kindly agreed, and taking the child in her arms she stood together with the child's father, a poor shoemaker. To the question directed to the Empress concerning how she would like the little girl to be called, she answered simply: “Alexandra”. And then, in the course of the service she performed everything that is required of sponsors, i.e. together with the shoemaker she walked around the font three times, holding the child in her arms, in accord with the Church typicon.

After the baptismal ceremony, the Empress jotted down simply in the metrical book of the Autsky church: “Alexandra Romanova”. In parting, she shook the hand of everyone who had come for the christening, and having asked the address of her goddaughter, she set out on foot. The next day, an imperial coach drove up to the poor house of the shoemaker, the father of the newly-baptized, which was on the outskirts of Yalta, and the lady-in-waiting who had accompanied the Empress the day before brought Shurochka (little Alexandra) an entire trousseau and for her parents a gift of 500 rubles from the Most-august godmother.

Up to the Revolution the Empress, no matter where she was living, not only remembered her goddaughter, but also took care for her and for all her many brothers and sisters, the children of the poor shoemaker. Of course, when the Revolution broke out, one can surmise that Shurochka — the Imperial goddaughter — as everyone called her, and her whole family had to suffer much on account of her father’s spiritual relationship to the Russian Empress.

This is, of course, far from being the only incident told me by the eyewitness of it, my sister-in-law, who was that lady-in-waiting who had the good fortune of accompanying the Empress and being present with her at the baptism of the shoemaker's child. The Empress Alexandra Feodorovna was the incarnation of modesty and of feminine angelic goodness, and her good deeds she strove to do unnoticed by others.

N.V. Khvostova, Addis-Ababa 1958

**********

Oh, how I would like to have been a mouse in the corner — to see the look on that shoemaker's face when the imperial carriage pulled up in front of his house the next day!

Natalia Vladimirovna Khvostova was the wife of Ivan Sergeyevich Khvostov (1889-1955), an officer in the Semeonovsky Regiment. I. S. Khvostov is known in Ethiopia for having translated the Napoleonic Law Code into Ethiopian. He was also on the government commission to draw up the modern laws of the kingdom. In his free time, he wrote poetry.

I still have not been able to determine the name of N. V. Khvostova's sister-in-law, the lady-in-waiting.

Many years ago we translated this account from the back of a sheet from one of those trear-off calendars which the Russians love so much.
But now we can't find where we "filed" the calendar sheet, so we cannot yet furnish the original Russian text for this account.
We hope to come across it again some day.

It is so important to hear the truth about the Empress's Orthodox ethos and is so in keeping with the spirit of her war relief work.

Thank you Father Nicholas for sharing this beautiful story of Empress Alexandra's gentle Christian character with all of us.
 
Happy holidays... 

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Alexandra Feodorovna / Re: Empress Alexandra's War Relief Work July 1914 - February 1917

« on: December 10, 2014, 04:01:21 PM »

Happy Holiday Season to everyone!!!

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Alexandra Feodorovna / Re: Empress Alexandra's War Relief Work July 1914 - February 1917

« on: December 03, 2014, 01:45:03 PM »

I would say it was probably stuck in a envelope or handed to a aide to deliver possibly both.


I have some more information you might find interesting:
On 10 September 1915 the Russian 5th army on the Northern front claimed it anti-aircraft fire downed a german aircraft bombing a hospital train at Ponomunok in the Dvina area. No reported German losses. I wonder if it was sponsored by the IF?

Ann I agree with James as one continually reads in the Empress's war correspondence of couriers arriving or departing with letters.

James, just to say, thank you for sharing that very interesting information!!!


     



   
   

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Alexandra Feodorovna / Re: Empress Alexandra's War Relief Work July 1914 - February 1917

« on: December 03, 2014, 01:25:39 PM »

Thanks for the link!

You are welcome rgt9w.  I so wish the photo album was available on Amazon....

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Alexandra Feodorovna / Re: Empress Alexandra's War Relief Work July 1914 - February 1917

« on: November 28, 2014, 12:32:52 PM »

I just heard from a close friend that the link did not work. The one below works....sorry about that!


http://www.angelfire.com/pa/ImperialRussian/blog/index.blog/1456815/the-art-of-grand-duchess-olga-alexandrovna-exhibition-opens-in-kaluga/

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Alexandra Feodorovna / Re: Empress Alexandra's War Relief Work July 1914 - February 1917

« on: November 28, 2014, 09:27:49 AM »

Just a quick note to say that I emailed Paul Gilbert about the photo album and he sent me a link his posting in Sept. on Royal Russia (below) explaining that the book was part of an exhibition of "he Art of Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna," took place on September 20th, at the Kaluga Museum of Fine Arts. The Kaluga show was dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the First World War, was organized by Mrs. Olga Kulikovsky, the chairman of the Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna Memorial Fund. Mrs. Kulikovsky is the widow of Tikhon Kulikovsky, the eldest son of Grand Duchess Olga. "

http://www.angelfire.com/…/the-art-of-grand-duchess-olga-a…/