Catherine Adolfovna Schneider

[felix]

I would like any information on this heroic woman.I have never found much on her.  Thanks F.

[ample]

Catherine is a cousin of my husband's grandfather, Edouard Adolphe Schneider.  Her father was Edouard's brother, Adolphe-Wilhelm Schneider. I would appreciate any information about her as well.

[felix]

Ample, Any information from your husbands family about her ?Or their familys history ?  Hope someone on this can help you.  My mothers family were Baltic Germans, but they just rented horses  in St.Petersburg.  Nothing too interesting.  F.

[Forum Admin]

I can tell you that she accompanied the Imperial Family into exile in Tobolsk and Ekaterinburg, where she continued to help teach the children, and that she was shot in the forest along with Countess Hendrikova on August 21 (old style) 1918. You can read the story as recounted by Volkov in our new online book
http://www.alexanderpalace.org/volkov/volkov

[ample]

Felix,

Most of what I have learned about Catherine is through this website and other sites discussing the Romanovs, though I do have an outline of the Schneider (or von Schneider) line, taken from  which I obtained from a distant cousin of my husband, who lives in St Petersburg. This outline shows Catherine (Ekaterina) as being the daughter of Adolph-Wilhelm born in 1838.  However, according to a journal belonging to my husband's grandfather, Edouard-Adolphe (Adolph's younger brother) born 1858, Catherine (nickname Katinka), is referred to as his cousin, daughter of his father's brother, Adolph.  Too many Adolphs!
Anyway, Catherine was born in 1866 and was educated in England and Germany, particularly Darmstadt.  Edouard 's journal mentions that she also taught the Grand Duchess Elisabeth Feodorovna.

The Schneider family received Russian nobility status in 1868 under Auguste Wilhelm, father of Adolph and Edouard. He was married to Catherine Rachette, grand daughter of Jacques-Dominique Rachette, the French porcleain artist who was "recruited" by Catherine the Great in 1779. JD stayed in Russia until his death so all his children were raised in St Petersburg.
Auguste was a university professor and a state councillor. He was born in Reval Estonia but I don't know why he ended up in Russia.

I hope this hasn't been too confusing.

[felix]

Ample, did Catherine know the Hessen family,and that's how she was appointed to teach Elizabeth F. ?  I  cant  beleive that the family  is still in St. Petersburg !   You should post all your info on them. I read that Catherine was the neice of Dr Hirsch.  Do you have info on him ?  He must be family. Who were her close survivor's   I have too many questions.  Thanks F.

[ample]

Felix, I haven't heard the names Hessen or Hirsch in connection with this family. I would think that Catherine obtained her position because of the nobility status of the Schneiders (von Schneiders).
This cousin in St Petersburg is from the Rachette side of the family. It seems that most of Auguste-Wilhelm's children left Russia or a few died before the Revolution.
I have been reviewing some of th e-mails I have received from St P and apparently Catherine, although known as the teacher to Elisabeth F,  became the tutor and "Hoflectriss" to Empress Alexandra F.
Hopefully we will eventually get more information from Edouard's journals.  

[felix]

Ample, In Fate of the Romanovs  Dr  Hirsch was a Imperial physician.  The Hessen family was the family of the Grand Duke of Hesse=Darmstadt. If she schooled there , maybe they knew her ? And thats why she was picked.  Thanks again F.

[AGRBear]

When did Catherine start to teach Nicholas II's children?

What did she teach the royal children?

AGRBear

[felix]

I may be wrong,but think it was only in Tobolsk.. Math ,was it?

[matushka]

Catherine Schneider had a very huge family and among her numerous nephrews and nieces there was a Nadejda (I think, I am not sure of the name) Solovieva. She was at that time engaged with a young officier, Ivan Vladimirovich Stepanov who was in 1914 at the lazaret of her Majesty (Olga and Tatiana's one). He let interesting memories about this. Alexandra Feodorovna suggested his fiancee to work as a nurse, what she did. She let a short report about her experience of nurse and her meetings with the Empress and her daughters. The reference of this document is:
La tristesse imperiale, in: Rodnye dali, number 202. Los Angeles (California), 1971, pages 12-15.
Does anyone of the american (or others) members know something about this magazine (?)? How could I find this perhaps interesting document?
Thanks in advance!

[Janet_W.]

Matushka, I find it fascinating that such a document was published in Los Angeles, California! The time of publication does coincide with the release of the theatrical film, Nicholas and Alexandra . . . I wonder if the advent of the one influenced the publication of the other?

I'm not sure how to locate this publication but I will check with the librarians at my local library and see if they have any suggestions.

[Clemence]

I believe she was the one who tought Alix her first notions in russian while engaged to Nicky ... I cannot immagine why she was executed in the end!

[blessOTMA]

Catherine Adolfovna Schneider and Countess Hendrikova in the Standart's  dining salon.

[LisaDavidson]

I believe she was the one who tought Alix her first notions in russian while engaged to Nicky ... I cannot immagine why she was executed in the end!

The Bolsheviks were very angry and spiritually bankrupt people. So, they saw nothing wrong with lying and killing and many other actions that most people would find objectionable. The reason Mlle. Schneider was killed was because they could do it and get away with it. It had nothing to do with her personally.