Messages

16

The Imperial Family / Re: Looking for help with Picture(s) and/or Captions

« on: January 30, 2018, 03:13:55 PM »

The caption on the bottom picture could give the date as 1895, but it isn't complete. It might be 1896, 1898 or 1903, but not 1905, since Sergei was killed on 17 February 1905.

The bottom one says Grand Duke Serge of Russia (in German) anf gives his death date, so it's not when or where it was taken.
But I think you are right that they were taken outside Russia most probably in early 1900s. I know there are several versions of the picture of the Hessian sisters.

Could they have been taken in Darmstadt during the wedding of Princess Alice of Battenberg and Prince Andrew of Greece? I'm just thinking when all four sisters, Nicholas and GD Sergei were abroad together.

17

The Imperial Family / Re: Looking for help with Picture(s) and/or Captions

« on: January 30, 2018, 02:13:43 PM »

Does anyone know when, where and on what occasion these photos were taken? It seems they are shot at the same time.

18

Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna / Re: Ella and Sergei 2

« on: January 26, 2018, 12:29:50 PM »

[cont.]

When he returns to St. Petersburg, there are already rumours, some of them so nasty, he writes to Paul that he "can’t even repeat".

On New Year’s Eve he writes to Paul that it has been a “Good Year”.

GD Sergei leaves for Darmstadt for the official  engagement and on 19th Feb 1884 he writes to Maria Feodorovna from Darmstadt : “I’m happy and content here – with all my soul I’m thanking God for my happiness, hoping to be worthy of such great joy. Dmitry Serg[eevich Arsenev (his tutor)] will tell You everything – he’s enchanted by dear Ella – it has to be said that it’s hard not to be! [..] I have to say that on one of the groups [photographs that he sent] I have a little dumb expression. They say it’s because of the happiness – I really hope it’s not true!!!”

He’s very sad that Paul’s not with him, but writes a very lovely letter to him on 22 Feb 1884:
“[..] We went right to the Neues Palais, where was the happiness of meeting Ella. I forgot to tell that Shpunia [Sergei’s dog] is with me.
You know how much I miss you, my dear! I would love to share these happy moments with you. I’ll tell you more – if you were here with me right now, I would be even happier. That you and Olya [Olga Konstantinovna] almost won’t see me as a groom leave me in a little despair. Ella gave me a ring with a sapphire and two diamonds that I wear with the rings of Maman and Olga. I found a complete spring here -  the leaves are opening, as well as spring flowers and the air is warm. In a word – the air is heavenly. Everything is going great. Ella, if possible, is even more beautiful. We’re sitting together a lot; in the mornings she’s in my room and I’m teaching her a little bit of Russian. “God save the Tsar” [the anthem] among other things. We’re already walking alone through all Darmstadt and yesterday we two paid a visit to old Trota [an old lady in waiting, very loved by Empress Maria Alexandrovna]; I’m always very emotional visiting her, because those are the same rooms, where dear Maman lived in her childhood, and on one of the windows Mama has even written her name in 1835. We went to photographer with Ella. I’ll send you the photographs, they’re quite funny and nice. [..]
I dare to continue my letter after dear Ella wrote a couple of lines to you [there was a page in English written by Ella (unfortunately, I do not have this letter)]. [..] I got the idea to invite him [commander of Preobrazhenski regiment, prince Nikolai Obolenski] here, he was very moved by it and arrived immediately and was completely charmed by Ella. [..]”

There were dinners and dances (where he danced with Ella a lot, but thought the way they waltz in Germany is awful.) etc.

In the end of March he writes to Paul from St. Petersburg: “I was hoping to go to Darmstadt for the wedding of Ludwig [Battenberg and Irene of Hesse], but yesterday I got the message about the death of Leopold, the son of the Queen, and, it’s likely that all the plans are destroyed. Right now I don’t know what’s going to happen and when I’ll go there. I’m very sorry. Ella and her sisters loved this uncle very much.”

Two days later he writes again: “Ella writes to me wonderful letters every day, and once even a small letter in Russian, which she wrote all by herself. Of course, it’s very funny and with mistakes, but still amazing. Now I’ve found her a Russian teacher, who will go to her.”

He still goes to Darmstadt several times before the wedding. On 28th March, but he couldn’t stay for the Battenberg wedding (which was on 18th of April), because GD Konstantin was getting married on 15th and he had to be back in Russia for it. At this time he also meets Queen Victoria for the first time, who finds him “Very tall and gentleman-like, though very thin and delicate.” He writes about this to Konstantin: “It was very nice and peaceful in Darmstadt. I finally met the Queen – what a face – but with me very friendly.”

He returns for a few days to Darmstadt again on 9th -14th May.

And then he sends a train decorated with white flowers that would take Ella and all her family to St. Petersburg.

19

Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna / Re: Ella and Sergei 2

« on: January 26, 2018, 12:25:39 PM »

I’ve decided to write a bit on GD Sergei and GDss Ella’s engagement as seen from Sergei’s POW (sources taken from GD Sergei’s 4 Volume biography in Russian).
I have sort of swiped over Queen Victoria’s side of the whole engagement, but quite superficially. I’m still waiting for my book of QV’s letters to Victoria of Hesse (which I’ll hopefully get in February). So if you know more on that side of the story, I would be very happy to hear it. And sorry for my English, it's not my first language (and neither is Russian), so I’m trying to translate as well as I can.

The first time I could find Sergei write anything about Ella is in a letter to GD Konstantin on 3 Nov 1882, where he says that he's paid a visit to GD Louis of Hesse: “his daughters are really beautiful. There are rumours that I’m getting married, but they should not be believed and in truth we are still very far from it”. The next mention I can find is from 8 Feb 1883 when he writes to GD Konstantin regarding Konstantin's engagement and says he thinks he himself "wouldn't be worthy of such happiness, even though the happiness was so close and so possible. But I'm not losing hope - everything is in the hands of God. Hope and patience."

The beginning of 1883 is also time when there is a lot of gossip about GD Sergei in St. Petersburg and he writes quite desperate letters to GD Konstantin trying to understand the causes. Konstantin replies that he knows Sergei too well to believe the gossip and concludes that because of how their elder brothers acted before, they can’t do anything without being criticised now.

In summer he tells about his wish to marry Ella to his tutor and friend Arseniev. Arseniev and GD Paul exchange letters on the subject, bet Sergei doesn’t tell Paul himself. At this time Ella is in England with Queen Victoria.

On 26th August he writes to GD Konstantin that all his plans need to be postponed and that he would explain this when they meet in person. (I guess this is about the time when Ella returned from Queen Victoria, who had made her promise that she would never marry a Russian). So here’s the question – was there a first proposal that Ella turned down or wasn’t there? To me it seems that there was not an official proposal, but that there may have been some sort of discussion on the subject, since Queen Victoria is so very vexed about the possibility that Ella could marry a Russian. As I understand, he had asked to come to Darmstadt some time in September 1883, but puts it off all the time. He travels around Europe in a rather foul and philosophical mood and manages to have a couple of fights with Paul via letters (Paul is getting sort of jealous, repeating that Sergei doesn’t need him in his life anymore). They sort it out as soon as they meet in person when Sergei unexpectedly visits Paul on his birthday.

It's interesting that he only really speaks to GD Paul about his marriage on 5th Nov 1883, right before he leaves for Darmstadt for the engagement, even though by the time Paul knew all about Sergei's plans from other sources. But they have a very cordial discussion in the night that leaves them both very emotional.

The next day Sergei is already in Darmstadt. He also didn't want anyone to know that he was there, because he didn't want any kind of gossip. He asked Paul to send telegrams in his name (so they wouldn’t know that he sends them from Darmstadt). He has a very nice and long chat with GD Louis of Hesse while playing billiard and everything is arranged; 5th November becomes the date of their unofficial engagement, which they later celebrate each year, giving each other little gifts.

He also writes to his brother Alexander III and asks him not to tell anyone, because the wedding would only be in summer (because they feared that Russian winter would be too harsh for Ella in the beginning) and therefore until then there would be an awful lot of gossiping otherwise. For now he only tells his very closest - his siblings and  a couple other of the closest people. He stays in Darmstadt until 19th of November, quite disappointed that Louis leaves for a hunt (which, according to custom, means he can't see Ella) and that Vicky (Queen Victoria’s daughter) is coming to visit, though they do end up being mutually very friendly.

Sergei writes to Konstantin from Darmstadt without telling anything, and GD Konst. replies “I don’t understand your behaviour concerning Darmstadt. All the world is talking about your engagement. What are you doing there if you don’t count on it and why don’t you write to me about your plans?” However, the next week Sergei meets GD Konstantin and his fiancee in Altenburg, so I guess he told him in person.

20

Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna / Re: Ella and Sergei 2

« on: January 25, 2018, 09:25:14 AM »

In the 4 Volume there are no GDss Elizaveta's letters.

Well, as I see, there are the letters from 1892, which is at least something

21

The Imperial Family / Re: Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovitch

« on: January 24, 2018, 11:23:11 AM »

He does look quite remarkably like Sergei Alexandrovich!

I wonder whether Sergei was godfather to Sergei Belevsky.

Ann

it is said that GD Sergei was Sergei's godfather and GDss Elizabeth was godmother to Alexei's daughter Elizabeth.

22

The Imperial Family / Re: Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovitch

« on: January 24, 2018, 09:09:05 AM »

In Russian the name is spelled Белёвский, so it should be pronounced Belyovskiy (stress on the second syllable), even though it's written Belevsky.

That is true. However, since it is usually written as Belevsky, I presume it's better to stick to it.

I've also dug up a bit more about the descendants of Count Sergei Alexeievich Belevsky-Zhukovsky, the only son of Count Alexei Belevsky-Zhukovsky. His daughter Elena's first husband was Nikolai Mojaiski. They got married in Paris in 1949. Their son Alexis was born in Paris in 1951. They got divorced in 1956 and the same year Elena married Count Kirill Mikhailovich Nieroth. Apparently, after this marriage Elena's son from the 1st marriage took the surname Mojaisky-Nieroth. Elena and Kirill had two other children - Count Peter Nieroth (b. 1957 in France) and Countess Elizabeth Nina Nieroth (b. 1966 in Houston, Texas, USA). Elena's son Alexis also moved to USA and had issue, his children taking the surname Nieroth.

And here is a lovely picture of Alexei Belevsky-Zhukovsky and his wife Maria.

23

The Imperial Family / Re: Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovitch

« on: January 24, 2018, 05:52:02 AM »

I don't know whether his ex-wife emigrated or not (maybe someone else can help?), but she died 20 March 1954.

Ok, so I did a bit more searching and it seems that Marusia did emigrate with her children (which is logical, since Sergei was only little) and ended up in France. If anyone would give me some proper sources for this info, I would be most thankful.

Also, I am somewhat interested in when the Belevskys actually got divorced. Most internet sources say 1904. However, there are notes in GD Sergei's diary from the beginning of 1905 telling about Belevskys visiting. So either they just stayed on really good terms after the divorce, or the divorce came later.

24

The Imperial Family / Re: Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovitch

« on: January 24, 2018, 04:37:04 AM »

Alexei Belevsky sounds an interesting fellow.

I know he died in the Gulag, but does anyone know what happened to his wife and children?

Ann

Yes, he does indeed. He was a scientist-biologist. When he became an officer, he was made GD Sergei's orderly (adjutant in 1904). From 1905 (I guess after the death of GD Sergei) til 1914 he lived in his own villa in Baden-Baden. He married again to Natalia Vladimirovna fon Shilling. Before WWI he was the master of horses in Imperial court. Stayed in Russia after the October revolution, when his children emigrated. From what I can find, he was shot in Tbilisi in 1932.

As Alexei's titles go - he was first made Baron Seggiano in San Marino on 24 March 1875, on 21 March 1884 he was made Count Belevsky in the Russian Empire and from 14 January 1913 he was made Count Belevsky-Zhukovsky. His daughters got the title Countess Belevsky, while his son was Count Belevsky-Zhukovsky.


I don't know whether his ex-wife emigrated or not (maybe someone else can help?), but she died 20 March 1954.

His daughter Elizabeth (b.1896 Russia - 1975 NJ, USA) married twice.
First to Petr Glinka-Perevozshikov (Петр Глинка-Перевозчиков 1872-1937, had a daughter Maria (1917 Odessa, Ukraine-1990 Grasse, France) and son Dmitri (1919 Rapallo, Italy-1960 Paris, France)) and second to Arthur-Vincent Lourié (1892, Belarus - 1966 Princeton, NJ, USA).

Maria married Lucien Teissier and had 2 children.
Dmitri married Maria (?), don't know if had any issue.

Alexei's 2nd daughter Alexandra (1899-1994) was married two times : first to Heinrich Lepp, second to Georgi Ivanovich Flevitzky (Георгий Иванович Флевицкий), had no issue.

Alexei's 3rd daughter Maria (1901Moscow -1996 Paris, France) married in 1922 Vladimir Sergeievich Sverbeev (Владимир Сергеевич Свербеев (1892-1951) and had a daughter Elisabeth (1923 Berlin, Germany-); and 2nd to Vladimir Alexandrovich Janushevski (Владимир Александрович Янушевский 1897 St. Petersburg, Russia - 1970 Paris, France).

Elisabeth Sverbeeva was married twice - to Alexander Guéorguiévitch Tarsaidze (1901 Tbilisi - 1978 NYC) and Charles Byron-Patrikiades (1919 Istanbul, Turkey - ). Don't know about issue.

Count Alexei's only son Count Sergei Alexeievich Belevsky-Zhukovsky (1903 (or 1904 - sources differ) Moscow, Russia - 1956 LA, USA) married Nina Sergeievna Botkine (1901 Berne, Switzerland - 1966 Lausanne, Switzerland) and had one daughter Elena (1929 Paris, France -). Elena was married twice. I only know that her first husband's surname was Mojaisky and they had 1 child. Her second husband's surname was Nieroth and they had 2 children.

25

The Imperial Family / Re: Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovitch

« on: January 23, 2018, 04:08:20 PM »

[cont.]

In 1894 they spend Easter together, In June 1894 on return to Ilinskoe after being away Grand Duke finds both GDss Elizabeth and Count Belevsky ill with a cold, sore throat and fever.

However, soon Dzunkovsky writes: "On 17th of August in Moscow was the wedding of Count Belevsky to Princess Troubetzkaya, and I was very sorry that I could not be there.

Dzunkovsky says the wedding happened in Moscow, but I have also read that it took place in Ilinskoe. Don't know which is right.
It is know that GD Sergei bought a house in Moscow for the newlyweds.

GD Sergei often writes about meeting Marusia and Alexei in his diary, e.g. 28 Oct 1894 (the first day after returning home to Moscow after the death of Alexander III) "Saw Marusia and Alexei - they are glowing. Supper with Uncle Misha and Belevskys."; the next day they dined together again, after which the Grand Ducal pair left for the funeral of Alexander III and wedding of Nicky and Alix. After their return on 13th Dec, they spent the first evening with the Belevskys "Alexei and Marusia dined with us and stayed the evening."

On 14th december he writes to GD Paul: "It was a great pleasure to see dear Belevskys - they seem flourishing - she seems younger and more beautiful."
On 15th GD Sergei writes in his diary "at 5 with wife to Belevskys -Zhukovsky was there - it is wonderful at theirs, cosy and nice - drank tea and looked at everything. Humorous monkey."

The next day also writes to GD Paul:"Yesterday we drank tea at the Belevskys - it is cosy and beautiful at theirs. They've got themselves a monkey and amuse themselves like children." At that time nearly every day either the Grand Ducal pair visited the Belevskys or the Belevskys visited the GD. (e.g. 20 Dec "Belevskys dined and spent the evening - they are glowing"; 22 Dec "went for supper to Belevskys - all ours were there - nice and lovely - played with the monkey - drank tea") etc.

So it is quite clear that the Belevskys were very close and dear to GD Sergei and GDss Elizabeth.
I add here another picture of Count Belevsky that I do not think has been posted here yet:


GD Konstantin Konstantinovich also wrote in his diary about what happened after GD Alexei Alexandrovich's death:
7th Jan 1909: "They found out from Fredericks that Alexei did not leave a will, but Shilling, who works for him, has got a draft of a letter that Alexei had written to his son, Count Belevsky, that he will get everything he has after his death. However, the lawful heirs Vladimir and Paul do not want to aknowledge this letter and want to get their share. Since the will was not written, the capital goes to the brothers and the children of the brothers who have died, namely, Vladimir, Paul, The Emperor and Misha. The Emperor, as usual, declines his share. I think the brothers could do better by declining their rights, since they know the will of the deceased."

In a way it is very sad... especially, in my mind, it is strange from GD Paul's side, since GD Sergei also only ever left a letter (by which most of his belongings went to Paul's children)... and in that case there being no official will was not a problem.


Sorry for the translations from Russian, they are mine... All materials taken from Великий Князь Сергей Александрович Романов. Биографические материалы and Романов Константин. Дневник великого князя 1907-1909 гг

26

The Imperial Family / Re: Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovitch

« on: January 23, 2018, 04:03:24 PM »

In his book "The Romanovs 1818 - 1959" John Van Der Kiste also says that on 3/16 Feb 1905 Serge, having received letters that threatened his life, begged Countess Belevsky-Zhukhovsky  to persuade her husband not to come on duty in attendance on him the following day.  Serge was not afraid of what might happen to himself but was not prepared to expose Alexis to danger, as he had a young family.  Sadly, Serge was correct to heed the warnings but paid the ultimate price nevertheless.

Though it is true that Count Alexei Belevsky was close to GD Sergei and GDss Elizabeth, I wonder where Van Der Kiste got the information that GD Sergei begged Alexei's wife to persuade her husband not to come on duty in 1905, especially since they got divorced in 1904.

On the other hand, I've looked through GD Sergei's biographical materials and think that they give quite a bit of information to be able to make out some character traits of Count Alexei Alexeevich Belevsky-Zhukovsky, son of GD Alexei Alexandrovich.

V.F Dzunkovsky remebers the first time he met Count Belevsky on 1 Feb 1892 right after he had become GD Sergei's adjutant. "[..] The same day I met for the first time Count Belevsky, son of GD Alexei Alexandrovich. He was raised abroad at his mother's, who was the daughter of the poet Zhukovsky, and he had come to Russia by the invitation of his uncle GD Sergei Alexandrovich, who, by his inherent kindness, arranged his voluntary enrolment in the Sumskoi dragoon regiment and accommodated him in his [GD Sergei's] home in Neskuchnoe. He was a handsome young man, a copy of his father, only with more delicate features, acted modestly, spoke all the languages brilliantly, was very well raised and left a very good impression."

On June 13th GD Sergei writes to his brother GD Paul "Tomorrow Belevsky comes to visit us for a while, a fresh element works beneficially on me - he looks upon life so brightly."

On 17th June he writes to GD Paul again: "Belevsky, unfortunately, left us yesterday - he went abroad with his mother, but he will be back in autumn. I positively miss him - always so humble and joyful!"

On 14th dec 1892 GD Sergei writes to Paul: "Belevsky was at ours - looking good, in very high spirits and is going on a bear hunt with Nicholas Maltsov."

On 11 March 1893 he writes again to Paul :"They say Belevsky has joined the Sumskoi regiment."

On 30th May GD Sergei tells his brother that Belevsky has moved with them to Ilinskoe (their country estate near Moscow). And on 3rd June he writes that "baby [Maria Pavlovna the younger] was playing and flirting with Belevsky- very funny."


Count Belevsky got engaged to Princess Maria Petrovna Troubetzkaya (a lady in waiting of GDss Elizabeth) around 20th of December 1893. Dzhunkovsky writes of this occasion: "On 20s of December Princess Troubetzkaya, lady in waiting of the Grand Duchess, was pronounced the fiancee of Count Belevsky - the son of GD Alexei Alexandrovich from his morganatic marriage to the daughter of the poet Zhukovsky. Everybody was very happy, especially GD Sergei Alexandrovich, who dearly loved his nephew and took great care of him. Princess Troubetzkaya was a wonderful girl and everybody was happy for her as well."

GD Sergei writes on this subject to his good friend and cousin Konstantin Konstantinovich on 5th Jan 1894: "We were also greatly rejoiced by the wedding of Marusia Troubetz[kaya] and Belevsky - it is all so fresh, young and great!"

27

The Imperial Family / Re: Imp. Family/Romanov's Family's Pets Links List

« on: January 23, 2018, 10:30:01 AM »

Whichever dog it was in all these pictures, Sergei was certainly very devoted to it.

He can't have been such a bad chap!

Ann

I wish more people would be able to read GD Sergei's biographipcal materials and see for themselves what kind of person he was. It would be great if people could form their opinions from reliable sources rather than draw information from biased, badly researched opinions of others. But I guess that is a bit off topic here.

As for pets...

In 1892 DG Sergei and GDss Elizabeth also brought a dog from abroad for GD Paul. On 12 Nov 1892 he writes to his brother from Windsor "Found the dog for you. I think, it's suitable - small with yellow spots" and then later on 27 Nov from Darmstadt "the dog is with us - male, friendly."

28

The Imperial Family / Re: Imp. Family/Romanov's Family's Pets Links List

« on: January 23, 2018, 02:50:47 AM »

A few more pictures of the doggy that I think might be Shpunia:

Here on the table

Withe Ernie

And I believe that this doggy is also pictured (under the table) in this 1886 portrait of GD Sergei at Ilinskoe by Lemoh


And here is Ella at Ilinskoe with a different doggy:

29

The Imperial Family / Re: Imp. Family/Romanov's Family's Pets Links List

« on: January 22, 2018, 01:44:58 PM »

I’ve read through this thread and run a quick search and couldn’t find any mention of GD Sergei Alexandrovich’s and GD Elizaveta Feodorovna’s family pets, so here’s a bit of information. The translations from Russian are my own so bare with me. All the quotes are from the 4 volume biography of GD Sergei Alexandrovich “Великий Князь Сергей Александрович Романов. Биографические материалы.”


As far as I’ve been able to find out, there were at least 2 dogs (later more) and 2 cats in the family.

The only mention of the cats so far I could find in a letter GD Sergei wrote to his brother GD Paul from 15 Feb 1893 (“we [GD Sergei and GD Elizabeth] spent the evening alone in my study, we read, surrounded by both cats, who bow to you”).

The names of the dogs were Shpunia [Шпуня] and Sitch [Сыч].

When GD Sergei went to Darmstadt in February 1884 for the official engagement to GD Elizabeth, in one of his letters home to his brother Paul he says: “I forgot to mention that Shpunia is with me”.

Shpunia is also mentioned in a funny poem written by GD Sergei’s adjutant M.P. Stepanov in 1880s that was left in the guestbook of GD Sergei’s country estate Ilinsoke. Since the poem is in Russian and I am officially awful at translating poetry, bare with me.
[original:
С последним ударом восми на часах
Великий Князь Сергий уже на ногах
Спешит он прогулку свою совершить,
За ним, хвост поджавши, собачка бежит!
Собака та – Шпуня, ее нет милей,
Резвее и краше, нежней и умней!!]

With the last beat of 8 o’clock
Grand Duke Sergei is already up
He’s is a hurry to finish his walk
A dog, tail tucked, after him runs,
This doggy is Shpunia, you’ll find none kinder
Faster or fairer, tenderer or smarter [..]

13 June 1892 GD Sergei writes to Paul: “Shpunia and Sitch found a little rabbit, which we caught right away. Wife took it for herself”.

V. Dzhunkovsky, who served as GD Sergei’s adjutant at the time, writes to him on 22 Jul 1893: “Today, when I went for a swim with Forbiher, I met Paul with Shpunia and Sitch, who ran with me and was so excited to swim. It was so funny – Sitchy climbed on my back while I was swimming and scratched me awfully.”

Unfortunately Sitch died some time in January 1894, on 21 Jan GD Sergei writes to GD Paul “I was sure, You would be sorry for dear Sitch. I miss him so much, I can’t even express; I feel his absence on every step. Yesterday he was taken to Ilinskoe and buried in the birch alley.

On 13th December 1894, right after returning to Moscow after the death of Alexander III and marriage of Nicky and Alix, GD Sergei writes in his diary “Unfortunately Shpunia is feeling very bad – he’s very weak.” On 30th December he writes in his diary again “everybody went to skate, I went for a walk with the dogs. Shpunia is feeling very bad, he’ll have a surgery!!!”. For now I do not know what happened to Spunia afterwards.

I believe that the little black dog may be Shpunia. I think these are the pictures from the time of engagement in Darmstadt.


Here at Ilinskoe on Ernie



From GD Sergei’s letters and diaries we also find out about a monkey who was the family pet of his nephew Alexei Belevsky-Zhukovsky (son of GD Alexei Alexandrovich) and his first wife.

On 16 Feb 1894 GD Sergei writes to GD Paul : “Yesterday we drank tea at the Belevsky’s – it’s cosy and beautiful at theirs. They’ve got themselves a monkey and amuse themselves like children.” On 15th Feb he states the same in his diary: “at 5 with wife to Belevsky’s [..] drank tea and looked at everything [GD Sergei had acquired a house for his nephew and his wife (who was GD Elisabeth’s lady in waiting) in Moscow and helped to arrange everything.]- humorous monkey.” A few days later on 22nd Feb he writes in his diary again that they went to Belevskys for tea and “played with the monkey”.

30

The Imperial Family / Re: Prince Ioann Konstantinovitch (1886-1918) - letters

« on: January 16, 2018, 04:09:21 AM »

my question is whether there are any letters to and by Prince Ioann regarding the assassination of his Uncle GD Serge Alexandrovich in 1905?

This is the only letter I could find by Prince John to his father regarding Sergei's death. He was living and studying in Livadia during this time.

Livadia.  March 13, 1905
My dear Dad!
... Firstly, I thank you very much for the calendar and sincerely ask you to forgive me for not responding for a long time.  Secondly, dear Uncle Sergei!  I think a lot about You this time.  Did you see the parts of the body that remained of him or not?  (I skip the question of who you learned about the demise, because you already wrote).  I write to You, because I know how You loved the deceased and then to pour out my soul for repentance.  Uncle's death made a great impression on me.  Let me, please, skip the fact, how we found out about it, because I write about it in detail to Tuske...

Joanna

Thank You very much. So I wonder if this Tuska (Туська) is his sister Tatiana?

I have been doing some research on this (as much as internet lets me) and in addition to the letter you so kindly posted, there is also a letter from Ioann to his mother (or both parents) from 20th February 1905.
 
(which I found here :
http://www.runivers.ru/new_htmlreader/?book=5607&chapter=84148).

Does anyone know if Ioann's mentioned letter to Tatiana is in the book Svetabel mentioned? I would love to read it.