1913 Diary of Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaievna, transl. by Marina Petrov

[Sarushka]

I think the names before the dates stadn for people who came to tea or something liek that...

I agree. It could also be a note of the tsar's aide de camp for the day. (They can't be name days, because the same person's name appears on multiple dates.)

[GrandDuchessAndrea]

Ahh. i did notice that, but forgot when i posted. What is an aide-de-camp?

[blessOTMA]

Ahh. i did notice that, but forgot when i posted. What is an aide-de-camp?

it's means a military man there to help a superior officer...or in this case, the royal family 

[GrandDuchessAndrea]

OK, so an assistant of sorts?

[Kalafrana]

Aide-de-camp is somewhat difficult to describe - (it's like an elephant, you know one when you see him!).

Essentially an ADC is a young officer attached to a senior officer - in the British army an ADC is usully a Captain. He travels about with him, smooths his way and acts as a confidant. He almost always belongs to the great man's own regiment, and being an ADC is a sign that he may well be on the path to greater things.

As far as royalty are concerned, there are two types of ADC. One is the type described above, also known as an equerry (though in Britain an equerry is usually a Major). There will usually be more than one, and they take turns to be 'in attendance' on the monarch. I don't know whether it's still the case, but equerries here used to do two weeks in attendance at a time, as did ladies in waiting. The other is a senior officer who is made a ADC to the monarch as a sort of honorary appointment, though he will attend on the monarch when the monarch visits. A prince, once he reaches a certain age, will usually be made an ADC to the monarch (Prince Charles is an ADC to the Queen, and no doubt Prince William and Prince Harry will become so in due course). One of the arguments put forward by Anna Anderson's supporters was that Grand Duke Andrei Vladimirovich accepted her as Anastasia, and Andrei Vladimirovich was an ADC to Nicholas II, so must have seen her regularly. But Andrei Vladimirovich was an ADC in the honorific sense, not in regular attendance on the Tsar, so that doesn't prove anything. In fact, Andrei Vladimirovich was more-or-less persona non grata at the Alexander Palace, so probably didn't know Anastasia all that well.

An ADC of either kind can be recognised by his aiguillettes - the fancy gold cord things on the right or left shoulder.

Ann

[GrandDuchessAndrea]

My goodness how complicated! not really, but it is more involved than i thought.
does anyone know who Mary is? she appeared suddenly, wheeling Alexei around in his chair, and was mentioned a bit more, and she, along with Trina, are not mentioned in the characters list. any idea who they are?

[Sarushka]

My goodness how complicated! not really, but it is more involved than i thought.
does anyone know who Mary is? she appeared suddenly, wheeling Alexei around in his chair, and was mentioned a bit more, and she, along with Trina, are not mentioned in the characters list. any idea who they are?

It could be an anglicized version of Maria that slipped through the translating/editing process.

[GrandDuchessAndrea]

Ohh. i thought maybe so. likley that's what it is.

[clockworkgirl21]

Anyone know who Trina is?

[Ally Kumari]

Ekaterina Schneider.

[blessOTMA]

Here's a photo of "Trina"  who is ,as Ally replied, Ekaterina Schneider. In this photo she is  with Countess Hendrikova in the Standart's dining salon. Ekaterina Schneider is the older woman. Once one knows who Trina is,you often start seeing her in the group  photos and realize you have been acquainted with this fine woman for some time already  lol!

[GrandDuchessAndrea]

I know i should know who she is, but who is Ekaterina Schneider?
A lady in waiting?

[Ally Kumari]

She was a lady who taught Russian language first to Grand Duchess Ella and later toher sister Alix. Later she was appointed a lectrice (sp??) to the Empress so she could stay int he palace. She followed the family to Siberia and was brutally murdered after tranfer to Ekaterinburg.

here´s a whole thread on her http://forum.alexanderpalace.org/index.php?topic=1630.0

[Suzanne]

I just bought this book at Galignani in Paris and really enjoyed reading it. There were a few things that stood out to me that I don`t think have been mentioned yet

1) The variable `school year` for the Romanov children. While Olga often mentions having lessons they seem to be frequently interrupted - there`s various holiday breaks, a Romanov tricentennial break and I assume half days at Livadia (to fit in all those afternoon tennis matches!). I also found it curious that while Olga mentions reading with her mother or Gilliard she never names books or what she thought of them

2) The regular presence of Nikolai Kulikovsky at Aunt Olga`s Sunday gatherings. In the letters Olga wrote to her nieces, reprinted in 25 Chapter of my life, she refers to him as her dear Kukushkin from the beginning of the war. I wonder how aware OTMA was of their aunt`s relationship with Kulikovsky before her second marriage.

3)The week long visit of Rasputin, his wife and daughter Varvara to Livadia during the fall of 1913. Olga mentions that visited her mother and sat with her. I wonder how often the Empress and Rasputin`s family encountered each other. There are a few other visits mentioned in Maria Rasputin`s memoirs.

4) The constant visits from relatives but little comment on how enjoyable these visits were. Olga demonstrates a close relationship with Aunt Olga, refers to Dmitri talking nonsense at one point, making her laugh and says a critical word about Felix Yussupov`s civilian status but the family visits are generally just reported rather than discussed. I wonder how she felt about, for instance, the Vladimirs, or who she was closest to among Xenia`s sons or the Constantinovichi

[blessOTMA]

I also found it curious that while Olga mentions reading with her mother or Gilliard she never names books or what she thought of them

I was just thinking about that the other day as I leafed though her  diary. Olga is a reader,  as we know, but what she thought of the books, or even which ones is, as you say,  missing. It is interesting to read this book. One almost has to read it at least twice to get the  full benefit . The first time though,  one's ideas about a diary get  recalibrated in a way . We are use to " full confessions"  in a dairy...what one learns from Olga's reports  is read between the lines and found in patterns ..... I do know two of her  most important words are  " cozy"  and " boring"  lol!

In the letters Olga wrote to her nieces, reprinted in 25 Chapter of my life, she refers to him as her dear Kukushkin from the beginning of the war. I wonder how aware OTMA was of their aunt`s relationship with Kulikovsky before her second marriage.

That's interesting. Seems the war opened that door...and they knew a good deal...at least the big pair. A term like  " dear Kukushkin"  is serious stuff it seems to me.  In a letter to her aunt from captivity , Olga Nikolaievna said she wished they could have a heart to heart talk, but there wasn't the opportunity. One can't help wonder what she wanted to speak to her aunt about.

The week long visit of Rasputin, his wife and daughter Varvara to Livadia during the fall of 1913.

Wow I some how missed that, have to go back and look.  Olga's idea of a diary is almost as a report.. ..but I find I learn more or can see more every time I read a few entries . I would imagine this diary could be read at any time by others...and that  may account for the absence of  her  decided opinion of others in the family etc.  She knows what she thinks. The diary seems more a reminder for her of what she did.  Thank you for your very interesting post!