Messages

766

Alexandra Feodorovna / Re: Alexandra and Rasputin

« on: January 19, 2006, 12:05:37 PM »

There is really no need for a , Joy.    

You're probably right that she dismissed the gossip about her and R. in later years just as one more nasty nonsensical attack like the hundreds of lies she had heard before.

767

Alexandra Feodorovna / Re: Alexandra and Rasputin

« on: January 19, 2006, 10:03:44 AM »

IMO I don't think she cared what the people thought about her. She thought Rasputin was a holy man of God and she although she heard the rumors about what he was really like she chose not to believe them.

Although I don't think she cared what the people thought about her sometmes I wonder if it did bother her a bit that they would talk so maliciously about her daughters.

Would you believe the people around you, if for years you had been surrounded by people who had criticized you for buying maternity cloths; for smiling, or for not smiling; who had spread gossip that your son was actually your husband's son by one of the maids; who said that your husband wanted to put you in a convent, while hubby himself knew nothing about these intentions of his, etc. etc. etc.; and when the police reports about Rasputin's behaviour contained "data" that were patently incorrect? I am not sure I would have believed these rumours if I had not caught the man "in the act" myself.

She did care about what people said and thought about her - there are letters to show this - but in later years she may also have tried to protect herself from criticism and gossip, as she noticed that she was criticised no matter what she did or said.

768

Alexandra Feodorovna / Re: Alexandra's Personality Traits - Good & Bad

« on: January 18, 2006, 01:59:17 AM »

She was just good? Hmmm... when Stolypin died, her behavior seems anything but good. In fact, his widow took some relatively drastic measures to ensure the Romanovs would not enter the room during his last minutes and I've read in Kurth's book that Alexandra had this to say:

"... his destiny was fulfilled.... Believe me, one must not feel sorry for those who are no more." Kurth concluded, "There was one reason above all others for Alexandra's unfeeling dismissal of the man who had done so much to preserve her husband's reign: Stolypin had had the courage to take on Rasputin.

Now, I find it hard to equate goodness with this sort of behavior which to all intents and purposes smacks of: well... he got his just desserts.

Leushino,  You have clearly not read the words she wrote to her brother about the attack and Stolypin's wounds before his death. These were words of compassion, that also showed that the situation was not exactly as some of us may think it was. If you would read those words, you might realise that your interpretation of the above quote is an unduly negative one.

769

The Hesse-Darmstadts (Hesse and by Rhine) / Re: Palaces and Castles of the Hesses

« on: January 11, 2006, 10:31:08 AM »

Indeed a lovely book. I got my copy yesterday.  

The book is certainly not an easy-reading book about the Hessian Grand-ducal family. It is actually Petra Tücks' Ph.D. thesis and describes - as far as I could see at first glance -  the history, architectual characteristics and interior decorating of the New Palace thoroughly and in great detail.

I haven't read it yet, so I cannot say anything about the text, but the photos, sketches and watercolour paintings may be of interest to those who are interested in how the family lived. The book offers several floorplans of the New Palace, photos of the exterior of the palace from different angles and from different periods, as well as clear photos and sketches of various rooms, characteristic pieces of furniture, lamps, wall decorations etc.

770

Books about the Romanovs and Imperial Russia / Re: The Court of the Last Tsar: Pomp, Power,Pagean

« on: November 30, 2005, 06:39:30 AM »

Amazon now gives January 13, 2006 as a a delivery estimate.

771

Alexandra Feodorovna / Re: Alexandra and her Health

« on: August 24, 2005, 01:44:05 AM »

This subject has already been discussed elsewhere. But if it is to be repeated here: could this discussion please start with references to testimonies by two or three independent medical experts of undisputed reputation who personally diagnosed Alexandra as suffering from hysteria?

772

Books about the Romanovs and Imperial Russia / A Lament

« on: August 10, 2005, 01:37:25 AM »

I've come across the following title:

"A Lament from Cornwall on the Death of Princess Alice".

It is a text of only a couple of pages long, written in 1878 by Henry Sewell Stokes. Does anyone know more of this lament? Is it still available?

773

Forum Announcements / Re: 20 April

« on: April 20, 2005, 04:57:14 AM »

8th/20th April 1894:
Nicholas and Alexandra got engaged  - to-day 111 years ago.

774

The Hesse-Darmstadts (Hesse and by Rhine) / Re: Was Grand Duke Ernst really gay/bisexual?

« on: September 09, 2004, 01:23:21 PM »

We have probably read more or less the same books, bios and letters, yet we clearly come to different conclusions about Alix's character. My opinion about her character is certainly much milder than yours. There is a lot I would like to say about your characterisations of Alix and Ducky, but this is clearly not the right thread to go into a full consideration of your descriptions. So again, let's agree to disagree.

775

The Hesse-Darmstadts (Hesse and by Rhine) / Re: Was Grand Duke Ernst really gay/bisexual?

« on: September 09, 2004, 01:02:00 AM »

Bookworm, I don't put words in your mouth. It's just that, to me, you come across as a person who is rather negative about Ernie and Alix and quite willing to interpret their behaviour in a negative way, whereas you appear to be far less willing to do the same when it comes to Ducky and her behaviour. Alix may not have liked Ducky very much and she may have been appalled by this divorce, but that may have been for reasons you and I know nothing about (sanctity of marriage?). She may have had reasons for not wanting Ducky to marry Cyril that had nothing to do with her blaming Ducky for not "reforming" Ernie. We simply don't know her private thoughts. Than why suggest that she may have blamed Ducky? You may not mean it to sound negative, but it does to me. And that may be because, based on the bios, letters and stories I have read, I have a different impression of Alix. I tend to think that Alix was not the type of woman who would have blamed Ducky.

By the way, the fact that a lot of her contemporaries would have blamed "the wife" doesn't mean that Alix did. Attitudes and opinions differ. The attitude of a majority is just that, the attitude of a majority, not the attitude of every single person in a group or class. I think the heated discussion on contemporary attitudes towards homosexuality in this thread is a fine example of that. It clearly shows that one should be very careful with extrapolating "common" attitudes to individuals.

776

The Hesse-Darmstadts (Hesse and by Rhine) / Re: Was Grand Duke Ernst really gay/bisexual?

« on: September 08, 2004, 11:38:48 AM »

It's hard to say what Alix knew or didn't know. If she knew anything about Ernie's life, I'd say it was later and she may have been the type to blame Ducky for not reforming him. If she'd been a good woman, Ernie wouldn't need to indulge himself with men!

Bookworm, I know from earlier threads on this board that Ernie and Alix can hardly do any good in your eyes. Could you please give us conclusive evidence that Alix blamed Ducky for Ernie's said homosexuality?! If you can't, please try not to malign them by nasty insinuations. None of us has known Alix or Ernie in person. You don't really know "the type of woman" Alix was - or "the type of man" Ernie was - so please treat them with proper respect.  

777

The Hesse-Darmstadts (Hesse and by Rhine) / Re: Was Grand Duke Ernst really gay/bisexual?

« on: September 07, 2004, 11:55:54 AM »

In keeping with discussing GD Ernie, I wonder what his reaction would have been had his family shunned him for being bi or gay? What would have been the outcome? Yes we know that Ducky had possible ill feelings towards him, but then she was his wife at the time.

What would have been the outcome if the people of Darmstadt had ostrisized Ernie for being either bi or gay? Would the artistic/enlightened era had flourished?

I don't want to get involved in the discussion that has been going on in the past few days, but rather return to the topic of this thread.

It may not have been customary to discuss one's sexual preferences with relatives and friends or to be openly gay, but we do know that Ducky discussed her (and Ernie's) sexual life with Alix when Alix returned from England in the summer of 1894. So, Alix must have had some idea about their sexual problems. I didn't get the impression that she was shocked by anything Ducky told her or that she wanted to shun Ernie, just that she was surprised about Ducky's openness. Apparently, his sexual preferences - whatever they were - were no problem to her.

778

Servants, Friends and Retainers / Monsieur Philippe (Nisier-Vachot)

« on: June 07, 2004, 03:08:04 PM »

I have been wondering whether there are any photos of Monsieur Philippe (Nisier-Vachot), the quack who was introduced to Nicholas and Alexandra by Militsa and Anastasia of Montenegro. Does anyone know if any pictures were taken of this man?

779

The Final Chapter / Re: Were the Grand Duchesses raped?

« on: May 11, 2004, 01:46:53 PM »

You're absolutely right, Rodger.

I thank God that the girls were spared such horror! That doesn't mean that the situation wasn't horrible enough as it was.