Baron Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim

[RomanovsFan4Ever]

Excellent chronology, thank you!, can't wait to read to second part, and also thank you for keeping this topic alive, sadly I have noticed just now that Zenit21 has left the forum, a pity. :- (

[Nicola De Valeron]

Thank's for the compliment RomanovsFan4Ever. Glad that you liked it.

Part two. Detailed chronology and interesting information. Both service and personal.
From Russian-Japanese War 1904-1905, Expedition in China 1906-1908,
Military service in Poland 1909-1914, until the First World War.


 Mannerheim is far left. Waiting for a departure to the War(1904)  
 
Russian-Japanese War 1904-1905.
 1904 - October 24, Mannerheim arrived in Harbin. Gave to Vladivostok, to Countess Shuvalova, a telegram and went there himself. Returned in Harbin on November 3. Due to organizational problems colonel had a long sit in reserve.
 1905 - January 8, Colonel Mannerheim appointed as a deputy commander of the regiment for drill part.
 1904 - December 25 to 1905 - January 8, as a commander of two separate squads took part in a cavalry operations conducted by the General Mishchenko with 77 squadrons. The aim of the operation was to break on the coast, to capture the Japanese port of Yingkou in ships and blowing up a bridge, cut the rail link between Port Arthur and Mukden. The attack on Yingkou led to the defeat of the Russian army. Division of Mannerheim did not participate in attack on Yingkou.
 February 23, received order from headquarters to conduct the operation in the eastern Impeni and to rescue the 3rd Infantry Division, fell into the trap. Dragoons, under cover of fog went into the rear of the Japanese and after a swift attack, put them to flight. For his leadership and personal courage Baron received a rank of colonel and was added to his salary 200 rubles.
Headquarters of 3rd Manchurian Army ordered Mannerheim to explore Mongolian territory, to identify where the Japanese troops. Operation was performed excellently. The army headquarters was very pleased with the work of Mannerheim. This was the last operation of Mannerheim in the Russian-Japanese War.
September 5, in Portsmouth Sergei Witte signed a peace treaty with Japan.
 In November, colonel went to St. Petersburg and learned that his position is excluded from the state of 52-Th Nezhinsky Dragoon Regiment. As a war veteran, he on the other way seen the high society of the capital.
Family life was also on the brink of disaster.
Apparently at this point, Colonel Mannerheim radically revised his views, and changed himself from the hero-lover Guardsman into serious Russian army officer.
 1906 - in early January, was at home for two months and treating his rheumatism.
 
 1906-1908. Expedition to China.
((Since that this expedition has already been studied before in detail on this topic, I decided to miss it.))
  

 During Poland service with friend general Brusilov.

Service in Poland 1909-1914.
 1909 - January 10, returned to St. Petersburg, where he was appointed as a commander of the 13-Th Vladimir Lancers His Imperial Highness of the Grand Duke Mikhail Nikolayevich Regiment.
Mannerheim brilliantly executed full training regiment. Then spend a weekend in Warsaw, in the family of Lubomirski. Also met several times with his friend and colleague Brusilov, who commanded the 14-Th Army Corps. Brusilov praised for Gustav to the Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich. After the conversation with the Emperor Baron Mannerheim was appointed as a Commander of the Guards of His Majesty's Ulan regiment and was promoted to Major General of His Majesty's entourage. It was a very honorable appointment
 1911 - February 17, Baron took regiment. The barracks of the regiment were located in Warsaw in the old park Lazienki, in the triangle of streets Chernyakovskaya - Hussar - Agricola partite. It was a great regiment. Private Life of officers until the arrival of the Mannerheim was not very diverse. But Mannerheim abruptly changed the situation and organized equestrian sport. Major-General was adopted in families of Radziwill, Zamoyski, Wielopolski, Potocki. Poles, famous for their beauty, were harassing the officers of the regiment, and Gustav was not an exception. Rumors about visits of fashionable ladies to the street Cherniakhovsky, 35 (flat of Mannerheim), quickly spread through the city. Mannerheim periodically visited the racetrack.
 1912 - full year in command of the regiment. His regiment was the only one which did not received any penalty points during the summer maneuvers near Ivangorod. Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich called Gustav as an excellent commander. Lancers guarded royal hunting area near Spala - one of the summer residences of the imperial family. Apparently, there Mannerheim also met with Nicholas II.
 1913 - autumn, Mannerheim more than a month spent in France, took place in a Russian-French exercises.
December 24, Gustaf Karlovic Mannerheim, Major-General of His Majesty's entourage, appointed as a commander of the Separate Guards Cavalry Brigade, with headquarters in Warsaw.
 1914 - first half of the summer Mannerheim rested in the resort in Wiesbaden.
July 22, met with the Countess Lubomirska and told her about his expects of the probably war.
About this meeting, the countess Lyubomirskaya left "very interesting note":
"On the morning of July 31, 1914, Gustav came to me to say goodbye ... He asked me to "give him a good tone" on his road ..."


To be continued ....


*photos and some info are taken from www.mannerheim.fi and wikipedia.

[Nicola De Valeron]

Part three.
Detailed chronology and interesting events. Both personal and military.
Participation in First World War 1914-1917 *(I focus mainly on Mannerheim person in this chronology. Many details of the War itself are missed) *.
Until both Russian Revolutions of 1917.



During the war with his friend General Brusilov.
 
 1914 - August 1, Germany declared war to Russia.
 August 17, Mannerheim was ordered to retain the city Krasnik, and came to the rescue with the help of reinforcements in the form of two infantry regiments, held his cavalry rushing attack, drawing the enemy to flight. During this battle of Kraśnik Major General Mannerheim was awarded the Golden St. George's Sabre.


Golden St. George's Sabre

In august, for the successful operations  Major General Mannerheim was awarded with the Order of St. Stanislaus 1st Class with Swords and gets swords to the existing Order of St. Vladimir the 3rd degree. August 22, Gustav met with the Countess Shuvalova, who was in service in the Red Cross Hospital in Przemysl. Later Mannerheim won the battle for the town of Janow, that 75 km from Lublin, though with heavy losses.
 December 18, was one of the most important day's in Baron's life - he was awarded with the Order of St. George the 4th degree. Later Mannerheim secured ferry troops to the right bank of the river San. To all questions of his officers, why he is invulnerable to bullets and shells, Mannerheim always answered that he has his own amulet - silver medal from 1896, medal that was given to him after coronation of his favourite Emperor Nicholas II.


Order of St. George 4th degree.

 1915 - June 24, an old friend and colleague of Mannerheim, General Brusilov appointed Gustav Karlovich as a commander of the 12-Th Cavalry Division.
12-Th Cavalry Division consisted of two brigades, each of which had two regiments, one of which was the famous Akhtyrsky Hussars Regiment, founded in 1651, and bearing the name of the familiar of Mannerheim Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna, who worked throughout the whole war simply as an a sister of mercy. Olga and Gustav Karlovic met together very often during the war. Gustav kept a photograph of Olga Alexandrovna, personally signed by the Grand Duchess in the memory of their meetings.
 March 17, Major General was ordered to cross the Dniester Estuary near the village and connect it with the General Count Keller. March 22, part of the Mannerheim division crossed the Dniester and seized the village Schloss and Folvarok, forced to withdraw under heavy enemy counterattacks. When Mannerheim, seen that the enemy forces exceed his powers more than double, turned to Keller for support, but received no assistance.
 March 26 to April 25, the division of Mannerheim was on holiday in the countryside Shuparka. Baron repeatedly demonstrated the highest class in the sport shooting competitions of various types of the small arms. April 25, Mannerheim temporarily appointed as a commander of the consolidated cavalry corps, consisting of 12-Th division and several other divisions. Corps under the command of the Mannerheim took the city Zabolotiv on the Prut River.
 May 18, a small celebration of this event was organized in barracks. Olga Alexandrovna also participated on this celebrations. Everyone remembered the great polonaise dance shown by the main pair of the evening Olga and Gustav. May 20, Baron was ordered to move to the area of Voynilova where he entered the 11-Th Army Corps.
June 28, Gustav was ordered to organize the defense around the village Zazulintse.  In August, major general was sent to treat his rheumatism at the resort of Odessa.
September, returned to the front. Spends several successful operations with his division.
 

At the front with the officers.
 
 1916 - June 1, Mannerheim took part in the preparation of destroying enemy fortifications, and 4 June, slightly earlier than was scheduled, the troops went on the offensive. However, it soon became clear that the army was still too late with their plans. Mannerheim, at that time, had serious tensions with General Denikin. Because of the contradictions in the Army overall situation at the front became deteriorated.
 July, Baron made some rearrangements, then launched an offensive under Lutsk, but at the end of the month the entire front under the command of General Brussilov with Mannerheim went on the offensive. The fighting continued until August 12.  In August, Romania switched to the side of Entente. Gustav took this event with skepticism. In autumn, his division was transferred to Romania. For the whole  transition division did not lose a single horse.
 January, Baron for a few days went to Finland.
When he returned to Petrograd, he felt very tense atmosphere in the air.
The atmosphere of the future Revolution.


To be continued.....



*All photos are taken from www.mannerheim.fi

[Nicola De Valeron]

Part four. Detailed chronology and interesting events.
Mannerheim in the heat of February and October Revolutions, 1917.
Saying goodbye to Saint-Petersburg and Russia in December (February), 1917 (1918).

 Mannerheim in the heat of the February Revolution
 
 
 Crowd during February Revolution
  
 1917 - January, Mannerheim had a long conversation with the Emperor at Tsarskoe Selo.  Nicholas II was very depressed. The situation in the city, itself was very disturbing. Economic was collapsing and chaos on transport were on the face. Money in circulation was becoming less and less. Unfortunately, but all last weeks were fulled with the terrible frosts.
 February 25, Baron visited Finland, the situation in Petrograd was already critical. But in Helsinki the situation was calm. March 9, Gustav Karlovic arrived from Helsinki, from newspaper baron read that clashes took place in Petrograd. Crowds of people, driven to despair, robbed in large cities many shops. The streets covered with demonstrations with the red flags.
 March 11, Mannerheim, visited the Imperial Opera House. In the city was covered with endless rebellions. Baron met with a friend Emmanuel Nobel, with whom both participated in a nasty story, they happily escaped from the demonstrators. Meanwhile, the revolt took a critical turn, some military units have already defected to the rebels, the prison beasts are taken by storm, and thousands of prisoners were released. Serious attacks on police stations also started. Many government agencies also were on fire.
 March 13, Mannerheim was again in the balance of unintended consequences. He as a general, was nearly been arrested in his apartment. March 15, Mannerheim arrived in Moscow, where he learned that the emperor abdicated in favor of his brother - the Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich. This event is a little bit pleased Mannerheim, but on March 17 the Grand Duke also abdicated.
 May, returned to the army and was ordered to take the defense in the Transylvanian Alps to the west of the city Suceava. In mid-June, was promoted to lieutenant general and was appointed as a commander of the 6-Th Cavalry army corps, which consisted of three divisions. Meanwhile, throughout the summer situation in the army become also disastrous.
 During this period, Mannerheim decided to left Russia's army.
 August, due to the acute rheumatic fever Mannerheim was sent for treatment to Odessa for a period of five weeks. In September he was transferred to the reserve as an a commander, unfit for military service.


 Mannerheim in a heat of October Revolution and saying goodbuy to Russia.
 
   
 Shot from the movie when soldiers are storming the Winter Palace
 
 1917 - November 8, Kerensky and his government was overthrown. Mannerheim was very upset with this event. The fighting took place in the capital for two days, after which Lenin and Trotsky, stood at the head of the Bolshevik government and seized power. In Odessa  this event was received calmly.
 November, Baron arrived at Headquarters in Mogilev. At the station Mogilev Mannerheim discovered the crowd of terrified people, and in the middle was a large bloodstain. There was a killed supreme commander, Lieutenant General Dukhonin. Then Mannerheim reached Petrograd, stayed there for a week and met with his many old friends. They were all very depressed. All of them was covered with fear and nobody felt the desire to fight against the new regime.
 December 6, Finland declared an independence from Russia, and Mannerheim decided resigned from Russia's army. From army, which he gave thirty years of his life. Immediately he went to the Finland Railway Station in St. Petersburg. And in a gloomy and rainy weather, went to Helsinki. In Finland Mannerheim tried to found out military forces, including also from France, to help Russia, but failed.
 December, returned to Petrograd, where there was no hint of resistance. Then again went to Helsinki. Then again returned in Petrograd, and finally,
 1918 - January, forever left his beloved city and his country. Leaving behind a whole life long of exciting thirty years.
 
 
 Frustrated and devastated General at Finnish coast (1918)







*All photos are taken from www.mannerheim.fi
Some info are taken from Mannerheim memoirs.

[Nicola De Valeron]

And finally,
Some words about Mannerheim family and also about some people that were mentioned earlier in this chronology and played a big role in his life.
And my personal opinion about him.
(I do not claim to absolute objectivity and completeness of my opinion, This is just my personal, subjective evaluation)


Wife Anastasia Arapova

His family.
 1892 - May, Mannerheim married,
 Baroness Anastasia Nikolaevna Arapova(Mannerheim) (1872–1936)
A daughter of a wealthy Russian general and former Chevalier Guards officer, Nikolai Arapov, and his wife, Vera Kazakova. Anastasia was Orthodox, Gustaf was Lutheran. Even of the fact that Empress Maria Feodorovna, was greatly in favor of the marriage between Gustaf and Anastasia, the couple's life was not happy. The couple had two daughters, Anastasie, Sophie and a son who died at birth. Mannerheim and his wife separated unofficially in 1903. Then Anastasia went with her daughters to France. In 1919 Mannerheim obtained a formal divorce in the Tornio court.
 

Daughters Anastasie and Sophie

 In 1936, Mannerheim met Anastasia, now with failing health, in France and they forgave each other. After Anastasia death, which occurred in the same year, Mannerheim, although been a Lutheran, prayed for her in Orthodox church.  Elder daughter of Mannerheim, Anastasie, became a Carmelite nun in England. Younger, Sophie, lived in France, visited her father in Finland and act as his hostess during his term as Regent of Finland. Anastasie died in 1978. Sophie died in 1963.

 Empress Maria Feodorovna (Dagmar of Denmark) (1847–1928).
Women, who played a very big role in Mannerheim's life. Mannerheim served in Her Majesty Maria Feodorovna's Chevalier Guards from 1891 till 1904. Empress Maria Feodorovna repeatedly helped Mannerheim in his carrier. They always talked with each other in Swedish. Later, when Empress was in exile, grateful former Russian general visited Her Majesty.


General Brusilov
 
General Aleksei Alekseevich Brusilov (1853–1926)
 General of Cavalry(1912) (full General)
 Commander of the Southwestern Front(1916)
 Order of St. George 3rd degree
One of the best commanders of WWI, noted for the development of new offensive tactics used in the 1916 offensive which would come to bear his name. The innovative tactics were used later by the Germans. Helped Baron Mannerheim, as an older friend and higher rank general throughout all his war military carrier from 1898 till 1917. Always praised about him to GD Nikolai Nikolaevich and Nicholas II. Although Brusilov later defected to the Red Army (1920), Mannerheim always remembered about him with greatest respect.

 Also Mannerheim had affairs with Countess Elizabeth Baryatinsky (Shuvalova) (1855 - 1938), countess Lyubomirskaya and other grand ladies, befriended with GD Olga Alexandrovna, Emmanuel Nobel, and was adopted with the most elite circles of the Russian Empire. Was familiar with many Grand Dukes, Duchesses, Countesses, Generals, governors and other endless court people.
 
 
 And my opinion.
 World history had a small number of people, people who strongly influenced the course of the world, had enormous respect and influence at all, from simple servants to kings and tyrants, including Hitler, and thus never used their popularity. You will not find many books about them, or, even if you'll find one, you'll see there only superficial and terse look on their lives. One of these was Baron Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim. Simple Finnish born Swede from a small principality in the Northwest of the Russian Empire. But he will be remembered, not by his birth certificate, by some other unique qualities.
 - The only white general, including Kolchak, Denikin and others, who managed to win the Civil war, though with a big losses, and proclaim Finland as a Republic, which is a remarkable achievement, and requires a lot of research, not only by Finnish and Russian scientists.
 - Lover of a different bad entertainments, women and gambling in youth, and then, one of the greatest military leaders of the 20th century, with more then hundred of military decorations.
 - The monarchist by nature and handsome aristocrat, a man of 19th century - and then a fighter for an independence of Finland, winner of the Finnish Civil War, and the man who gave the Finnish main - independence, pride, and awareness of their national membership. The most important quality for any nation in the world.
 - Man from the Russian Empire, who fought for it in all possible wars, a lover of Russian cuisine and totally Russian in his basic views, knew Russian as his native and even better than Finnish, the conqueror of the hearts of many Russian grand ladies, and at the same time, person, though reluctantly, but fought against the Soviet Union.
 And we can only regret that Mannerheim, who offered Kolchak 100000 soldiers in assist for the Russian Civil War and until the end remained faithful to Russian Empire was not able to stay in Russia, and to help his first, beloved country(the first love is always not forgotten), to win Russian Civil War, then carry out with new government liberal reforms, proclaim a republic, and finally help this country to become a normal civilized European member.
 Mannerheim, apparently decided otherwise. He thought that it is better to have a bird in the hand than an eagle in the sky. Baron choice a small and underdeveloped, at that time (1918) Finland. Now, Finland has a highest standard of living, civil and political liberties, powerful economics, smooth roads, the huge life expectancy. Now we shouldn't worry about this country. His mission is over.
But why he choose Finland? Or, for example, not Sweden? Or even stayed in Russia?
Another one of his controversial decisions. But this is Mannerheim!
In this he is unique!




All photos are taken from www.mannerheim.fi
Some info are taken from Mannerheim memoiars and wikipedia.

[Naslednik Norvezhskiy]

Very interesting posts! For a Scandinavian (Norwegian) like me, Marshall Mannerheim is a fascinating link between Scandinavia and Imperial Russia.

Allow me to be a bit pedantic just because it' so fun to discuss noble titles - and especially those in the Grand Duchy of Finland:

4 June 1867. Born in the family of the Swedish aristocrat, Baron Karl Rubert Mannerheim. Place of birth - estate Louhisaari.

His father was actually a count, being the only male-line grandson of Baron Carl Erik Mannerheim, who was made a (Finnish) count by the Emperor-Grand Duke Alexander I in 1824. Gustaf Mannerheim was the second son, so he only inherited the older, Swedish baronial title. Unlike the Russian comital titles, Scandinavian (Swedish, Finnish, Danish and Norwegian) comital titles were sometimes, but far from always, passed on by primogeniture and younger agnates sported baronial titles (but with the original name/designation), either as a courtesy title or, as in Mannerheim's case, as substantive titles. It's somewhat like the "declension of titles" introduced in France during the Restoration.

Baron Gustaf Mannerheim's ancestral arms:

[Nicola De Valeron]

Very interesting posts! For a Scandinavian (Norwegian) like me, Marshall Mannerheim is a fascinating link between Scandinavia and Imperial Russia.

Allow me to be a bit pedantic just because it' so fun to discuss noble titles - and especially those in the Grand Duchy of Finland:

4 June 1867. Born in the family of the Swedish aristocrat, Baron Karl Rubert Mannerheim. Place of birth - estate Louhisaari.

His father was actually a count, being the only male-line grandson of Baron Carl Erik Mannerheim, who was made a (Finnish) count by the Emperor-Grand Duke Alexander I in 1824. Gustaf Mannerheim was the second son, so he only inherited the older, Swedish baronial title. Unlike the Russian comital titles, Scandinavian (Swedish, Finnish, Danish and Norwegian) comital titles were sometimes, but far from always, passed on by primogeniture and younger agnates sported baronial titles (but with the original name/designation), either as a courtesy title or, as in Mannerheim's case, as substantive titles. It's somewhat like the "declension of titles" introduced in France during the Restoration.

Welcome to the topic about this great man!
As we are at the Imperial Russia forum, we are trying to talk here mainly about his Russian life.
Now we are already three: me myself, researcher of his Russian life,
RomanvsFan4ever, interested as I know in his Finnish period and read a book about it,
and you, interested in his genealogy and roots.
Welcome again.

Thank you for the information. Of course I, as a researcher of Mannerheim (mainly of his Russian life) knew about his Swedish ancestors, that they also worked and lived in Russia. But!!, By the way, as I understood you clearly(I do not understand anything in this titles, etc), he was not really a Baron!?

[Naslednik Norvezhskiy]

Thank you for the information. Of course I, as a researcher of Mannerheim (mainly of his Russian life) knew about his Swedish ancestors, that they also worked and lived in Russia. But!!, By the way, as I understood you clearly(I do not understand anything in this titles, etc), he was not really a Baron!?

Sorry for writing a bit cryptic. Mannerheim was a baron (and his daughters baronesses), while his father and elder brother were counts. There was already a baronial title in the family before Alexander I made the head of the family counts. I just meant that in some other Scandinavian comital families younger sons just had baronial titles as courtesy titles.

the Empress Maria Feodorovna was inspired of him (frendship). She helped him in his career

Another reason why I consider Empress Maria Feodorovna as a very intelligent and farsighted person.

Unless she had many protegées that turned out to be unworthy, I must say that is an excellent point about her skills as a judge of people.
And of course I love that he spoke Swedish while she spoke Danish. Cеверная империя....

[Nicola De Valeron]

Although some of Mannerheim's Military decorations were already posted on this topic,
I decided to make a detailed and complete list of all Mannerheim military decorations during his Russian Military service until the September of 1917.
All information are accompanied with photos.
Both Russian and foreign decorations of that period.
Both Military decorations, nonmilitary awards and different other anniversary medals.
(I apologise in advance, cause there is a certain confusion with definition of degrees of a St. Anna and St. Stanislaus Orders, different sources said absolutely opposite information. In this post I'm trying to use only last and accurate information)
Decorations are sorted in order of their Military importance.


    Order of St. George, Knight of 4th degree. (1914)
    
    
    St. George Gold Sabre, with diamonds, Knight of 1st degree. (1914)
    
    
    Order of St. Anna, Knight of 2nd degree and 1st degree with swords. (from 1906 to 1917)
    
    
    Order of St. Stanislaus, Knight of 2nd and 1st degrees, both with swords. (from 1905 to 1917)
    
    
    Order of St. Vladimir, Knight of 3th and 2nd degrees, both with swords. (from 1906 to 1917)
    
 
Foreign Orders.
    
    Order of Franz Josef, Officer. (1895) Austro-Hungarian Empire.
    Order of Maurice and Lazarus, Cavalier Cross. (1902) Greece.
    Order of Saviour, Knight's Cross. (1902) Greece.
    

Bracket with different decorations.
From left to right:

   Order of St. Vladimir, Knight 4th degree with swords.
   Alexander III's, reign medal. (1896)
   Nicholas II's, coronation medal. (1896)
   Russo-Japanese War 1904-1905, medal. (1905)
   "Battle of Poltava 200 years", anniversary medal. (1909)
   "1812 Patriotic War 100 years", anniversary medal. (1912)
   "300 years of Romanov dynasty", anniversary medal. (1913)
   Legion of Honour (Legion d'honneur), Officer (1912) France.
    

Compilation of other minor regimental and service decorations.
From left to right:

  His Majesty's Nicholas II Life Guards Ulan Regiment, mark. (1911)
  13th Vladimir Ulan Regiment, 200 anniversary mark. (1912)
  Nicholas Cavalry School, mark. (1909)
  1st prize to the excellent rider, gold, produced by C. Faberge. (1911)?
  2nd prize to the excellent rider, produced by C. Faberge. (1909)?
  "300 years of Romanov dynasty", honory mark. (1913)
  




*All photos are slightly modified and taken from www.mannerheim.fi and from http://medalirus.narod.ru/,
and are all exclusively property of their respective owners. I don't pretend on any rights.
Some information are taken from www.Mannerheim.fi


      

[RomanovsFan4Ever]

Another photo of Mannerheim (dating to the Imperial Russia time?)...unfortunately not in a perfect quality.

[Nicola De Valeron]

RomanovsFan4Ever, very interesting photo. I have never seen it before.
Moreover it looks like a kind of private photo. I mean not official. Where did you find it?

About time, when this photo was taken.
Sadly, but it's not Russian period of Mannerheim.  On the photo Mannerheim is in a Finnish Military uniform (of that time).
I cannot exactly name a year. But I think that photo was taken just after his Russian service. From 1918 to
any other year until the Second World War.

[RomanovsFan4Ever]

Thank you very much for the answer.
Unfortunately, I found that photo months ago, and now I don't remember exactly in which web site I found it, however I remember that it wasn't completely dedicated to Mannerheim.

I had the suspect that maybe it wasn't from the Imperial Russia time judging by the type of uniform (although I have to admit that I consider my knowledge of historical military uniforms modest, but I want to learn more), so I preferred to ask.

[Nicola De Valeron]

Mannerheim and his life in Saint Petersburg.
Mannerheim's places of the former Russian capital Saint Petersburg, and his life before the Russian-Japanese war is mostly undiscovered even today. However, Mannerheim almost all that time, from 1887 to 1904, lived permanently in majestic Saint Petersburg. This city was also the favorite city of Gustaf. Unfortunately, today, this Great city has lost all its political and cultural status and leaves a very sad impression. Nevertheless,
Here is a brief St. Petersburg part of a Mannerheim's life, 1887-1904.  In addition, housing troubles of the Baron and some personal information.

Mannerheim's arrived in Saint Petersburg, and soon he had become a student of Nicholas's Cavalry school.  
 From 1887 to 1889 - Mannerheim lived in a hostel of the Cavalry School, and during short-term layoffs, not having his own house, lived in a 10-room apartment on Aptekarsky lane, 4, in the apartment of the family of his godmother Baroness Skalon. For all of these two years Mannerheim has studied the saturated life of the capital.
 August, 1889 - Mannerheim became an officer, with the right of service in the Guard. But before graduating, he became involved in a scandal in the train with another guard's officer. Baroness Skalon, meanwhile, has made the transfer of Mannerheim to St. Petersburg in Her Majesty's Maria Feodorovna Cavalry Regiment, which was located on Shpalernaya street, 41. That was a great regiment, the most prestigious Cavalry regiment of the Russian Empire.
 August, 1891 - Gustaf became a permanent member of the regiment, while continuing to live in the house of his godmother. But soon he had become thinking about his own house. After a series of troubles with finding a personal apartment Mannerheim finally moved into his first St. Petersburg house.
 October 30, 1891 - Baron, with his orderly, by the suggestion of his friend Pavel Demidov, moved into a four rooms apartment on Zakharievskaya street, 31.
 May 2, 1892 - Mannerheim married on the Russian noblewoman Anastasia Arapova. Immediately after the wedding a happy couple went to the Uspenskoye - a gorgeous bride's estate near Moscow. There, during their honeymoon, Gustaf and Anastasia met with the famous Russian painter Levitan.
 July, 1892 - Mannerheim and his wife settled in the 12-room apartment with three back rooms on the second floor of the house 29 on the Moika Embankment. Apartment was supplemented with three stables and cartwright. Soon Baron bought six horses in Germany.
 August, 1893 - Unexpectedly, Prince Lobanov-Rostovsky increased the monthly cost of an apartment, and Mannerheim moved to Gagarinskij Embankment, 28, into the 19-room apartment. Pavel Demidov and Prince Volkonskiy, closer friends of Gustaf, also lived there, not far from the Mannerheim. Mannerheim had survived in a very cold winter with his wife and little daughter who were constantly ached.
 July 14, 1894 - Anastasia gave birth to a dead son. The family experienced many serious conflicts.
 November 20, 1894 - Gustaf rented a two-storied mansion for a hundred rubles in a month on Ligovskaya street, 49, just in front of the Moscow railway station. It was a beautiful and spacious mansion, with utility rooms, stables and cartwright. His wife was also very happy with the new place, because as a Muscovite she could easily travel to Moscow in any time. Soon, with the birth of a second child (girl Sophia) family life had experienced new challenges. Gustav decided to find a new housing.
 Summer, 1895 - Lieutenant Mannerheim met with a retired colonel Nikolai Glinka-Mavrin, who offered Gustav 11-room apartment on Millionnaya street, 8. Apartment was equipped with a very rare for those days personal phone. Nicholas Glinka-Mavrin also had provided Baron with two cartwrights and stables for eight horses. That was also a very good place in the heart of Saint Petersburg just near Nevsky prospect and the Palace square.
 May, 1896 - Lieutenant Mannerheim as a member of the Cavalry Regiment took part in the coronation of Nicholas II. This was probably the most important event in his earliest Russian life. From that time Mannerheim had his own and beloved Emperor.
 September, 1898 - being an assistant to a chief of the Court Konyushennaya department, the General Greenwald, Gustav Karlovic Mannerheim got the certificate for the right to stay with his wife and children in an apartment at Konushennaya Square, 1. It was a spacious apartment of seven rooms, utility rooms and with a personal phone. There Baron, for the first time in his life, organized his personal cabinet, with the U.S. secretaire, and later, with a typewriter and photocopier apparat. But, despite the rapid promotion to the Captain degree and a high salary, Mannerheim's life in that apartment was not happy. Firstly, Captain Gustav Karlovic had seriously injured his leg in Berlin, then his wife Anastasia learned about an affair of her husband with the Countess Shuvalova and his meetings with ballerinas, and immediately went with her daughters to France. But these were not all the troubles. Soon, just after wife's departure, on April 1903 his older brother Carl was expelled from Finland (then Finnish principality) to Sweden. After all this unforeseen troubles, Mannerheim dismissed the servants, sold all the furniture, sent some of the things and pictures of Skalon and moved to the one-room apartment on Konyushennaya Square, 2.
 October 9, 1904 - Lieutenant Colonel Gustav Karlovic Mannerheim had left Saint Petersburg and went to the Russian-Japanese War.
 After that Baron had never lived permanently in his beloved St. Petersburg, only occasionally had been visiting the capital of the Russian Empire, stopping only in the most prestigious hotels of that time, mainly in a luxurious Grand Hotel Europe.
 January, 1918 - Lieutenant General Mannerheim had left Saint Petersburg and Russia, forever closed all his "housing troubles". But of course all that time of his life and these minor troubles with the capital's apartments had stayed in his heart forever.

 P.S.
 February, 1942 - WWII, Eastern Front, North direction. Mannerheim is fighting against the Soviet Union on the side of Hitler. German headquarters commanded Mannerheim and the Finnish army to march on Leningrad. Mannerheim's answer had surprised everyone: "I will not attack." Also early, in September of 1941, Mannerheim refused to bomb the Leningrad. As a result of Mannerheim's actions, the Soviet - Finnish front was frozen up to the early Spring of 1944.  And eventually in September of 1944 Finland and USSR signed a peace treaty. No comments....

Modern view of some Mannerheim's houses in Saint Petersburg.

Aptekarsky lane, 4

Millionnaya street, 8

Moika Embankment,29

Zakharievskaya street, 31


*This article was written using the article of Leonid Vlasov in the "Adresses of Saint Petersburg" magazine (http://www.adresaspb.ru/index.htm). A big thanks in absentia to author. Photos are also taken from that site and all of them are property of their respective owners.

[wox24]

Thanks for informations. I am suprised it.

[Nicola De Valeron]

Dear Wox24,

You are welcome!
I'm happy that you've found this topic about Mannerheim interesting for you.
And this is good, that you've also found a lot of new information about him.

If you will have any questions about this interesting man in the future, you are always welcome.