Working in the lazaret

[wakas]

In this extract, written by a wounded soldier, Pavlov, who was in the lazaret in 1916, it seems like Maria worked somehow in the lazaret:
« В первой группе работала Сама Государыня, во второй группе работала Великая Княжна Ольга Николаевна, в третьей – Великая Княжна Татьяна Николаевна и в четвертой – Великая Княжна Мария Николаевна».

The extract says something like: “in the first group worked the Empress herself, in the second, worked Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna, in the third, Grand Duchess Tatiana Nikolaevna, and in the fourth, Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna”.
Sorry if the translation isn’t good; I know just a bit of Russian and I used Google Translator.

We know Maria didn’t work as a nurse in the lazaret, but she and Anastasia visited soldiers, trying to cheer them up, writing their letters, etc… But could it be possible that, when she was old enough, she started to work as an assistant (= doing more serious work but not nursing)? Anastasia is not mentionned, that’s why I thought what Maria did here (“working”), was different than what she did with her younger sister (visiting soldiers).

I put the entire paragraph for those who understand Russian; I’m not sure about the translation. It seems like all the wounded able to work, the nurses, etc worked on something, all together:
« В голове так много фактов, что не знаешь, который из них взять, чтобы лучше и ярче оттенить нежный и благородный образ Высоких Особ. Вот, например, летом 1916 года на фронте потребовались индивидуальные пакеты. По разверстке на Царскосельский особый эвакуационный пункт пришлось что-то около 100 000 пакетов и, в частности, на наш лазарет 10 000. В заготовке этих индивидуальных пакетов приняли участие все могущие работать раненые, весь сестринский персонал и Высокие Особы. Для работ было образовано четыре группы по 4 человека в каждой группе, так как самую работу по характеру производства можно было шаблонировать. В первой группе работала Сама Государыня, во второй группе работала Великая Княжна Ольга Николаевна, в третьей – Великая Княжна Татьяна Николаевна и в четвертой – Великая Княжна Мария Николаевна, против обыкновения оставленная Государыней позже 10 часов вечера на период предпринятых работ. В первой группе работал и я. »

Here is the link: http://www.pravaya.ru/govern/391/2311

[matushka]

Maria never was an assistant, nor a nurse. In this extract, Pavlov speaks about working on preparing some individual pacckages for soldiers at war front. They had to to prepare 10000 pacckages in a few day. So all valid people was working. As an exception, and only because there was so much to do, the Empress let Maria Nikolaevna working at the lazaret, heading a group of 4 person.

[wakas]

Maria never was an assistant, nor a nurse. In this extract, Pavlov speaks about working on preparing some individual pacckages for soldiers at war front. They had to to prepare 10000 pacckages in a few day. So all valid people was working. As an exception, and only because there was so much to do, the Empress let Maria Nikolaevna working at the lazaret, heading a group of 4 person.

Ah OK, I understand now what it's all about. So it was just an exception. I thought,  because of what he said, maybe she worked and helped regularly in the lazaret.
I've always wondered why Maria never worked as a nurse in the lazaret. I saw a few explanations about it in the forum, but nothing sure. They're just suppositions. Maybe we'll never know for sure what is the real reason.

Thank you very much for your explanation.

[Rodney_G.]

Maria never was an assistant, nor a nurse. In this extract, Pavlov speaks about working on preparing some individual pacckages for soldiers at war front. They had to to prepare 10000 pacckages in a few day. So all valid people was working. As an exception, and only because there was so much to do, the Empress let Maria Nikolaevna working at the lazaret, heading a group of 4 person.

Ah OK, I understand now what it's all about. So it was just an exception. I thought,  because of what he said, maybe she worked and helped regularly in the lazaret.
I've always wondered why Maria never worked as a nurse in the lazaret. I saw a few explanations about it in the forum, but nothing sure. They're just suppositions. Maybe we'll never know for sure what is the real reason.

Thank you very much for your explanation.

Well, we do know the reason Marie didn't work in the lazaret. It's that she was was considered , and in fact was, too young and inexperienced. She had just turned fifteen when the war began. That really is too young to be able to either help much with serious work with badly wounded men, or to even be exposed to such real, bloody  pain and suffering. Even older girls, young women couldn't handle it,  for example Olga .

As the war dragged on, Marie eventually became about seventeen and a half years old, but was still, in spite of  her strong character and sweet nature, or maybe because of the latter, thought not ideally suited to the harshest of nursing care. By then she already had an established role with Anastasia in her own recovering patient areas, where she did help with cheering and helping those no longer needing critical care.

[wakas]

I knew that, at the beginning at the war, she was too young to become a nurse. I was just wondering why, later, she didn't do the same as her elder sisters. I always thought of her as a stronger person than Olga (looking at their own ways of coping with detention). But, possibly, because her mother seeing Olga's nervous breakdown, thought she didn't want to risk the same with the sweet Maria. I think Maria didn't show how strong she was until the Revolution. Like Lili Dehn said "When I first knew the Grand Duchess Marie, she was quite a child, but during the Revolution she became very devoted to me, and I to her, and we spent most of our time together, she was a wonderful girl, possessed of tremendous reserve force". I think she was really able to cope with things, she was always there when she was needed. She was sweet but quite a strong character too, like you said. I really admire her. So young and brave.

[Kassafrass]

Did Maria ever show interest in wanting to be a nurse?

[wakas]

Did Maria ever show interest in wanting to be a nurse?

I don't know. One has to check in her letters as well as in her sisters' and in her mother's.
It's really a mystery for me. Maybe she didn't even think about it. Anyway, if she had become a nurse, it would have separate the Little Pair in two, Anastasia being too young for that. But it would have bring  O,T and M closer.

[Kassafrass]

Maybe they got a little closer as they got older anyway, being closer in age to each other than Anastasia was with Maria. Of course I only say this based on the photos I have seen of them. I have done a shamefully little amount of reading letters and diaries.

[Kassafrass]

Maybe they got a little closer as they got older anyway, being closer in age to each other than Anastasia was with Maria.

My mistake. The difference was the same between her and Tatiana and her and Anastasia.

[Ally Kumari]

Even Tatiana was considered too young to be a nurse when the war broke out, being 17. She begged to be allowed though (I read this in some memoirs - by S. Buxhoeveden I think) and so she was. So even as Maria reached 17, she was still in the "too young" cathegory. I suppose had revolution not happen and war went on she too would have joined in the nursing - and I dare say she was well suited for it, being definitely much more mentally and emotionally stable than Olga ever has been. When the family nearned the end of their stay in Tobolsk, Olga was "too depressed" to be even taken along to accompany her mother on a journey, while Maria was the pillar of stregth everybody could (and did) rely on.

[wakas]

Even Tatiana was considered too young to be a nurse when the war broke out, being 17. So even as Maria reached 17, she was still in the "too young" cathegory.

I didn't know about Tatiana. It answers my question about why Maria didn't work in the lazaret when she was 17. Thank you for the info.

I suppose had revolution not happen and war went on she too would have joined in the nursing - and I dare say she was well suited for it.

I agree with you. She would have made a wonderful nurse, the kind of one you want by your side if you're in pain.

[Kassafrass]

I find it interesting that T and M were considered to be too young for nursing when they were technically considered adults at 16.

and I dare say she was well suited for it, being definitely much more mentally and emotionally stable than Olga ever has been. When the family nearned the end of their stay in Tobolsk, Olga was "too depressed" to be even taken along to accompany her mother on a journey

I can't help but feel for Olga though... It was a very difficult time and it's just a fact that not everyone has "it" in them... :-/ But of course that's not to downplay Maria's strength and bravery in that situation. She was one of a kind.

[Ally Kumari]

I suppose being "an adult" still did not mean one was old enough for utter horrors of operation theaters and treating men with post-traumatic experience. Not to mention to Nicky and Alix their children were still children and treated that way even after they ceased to be children..... :-P

[Kassafrass]

I wonder if Alix wanted to put the girls into nursing because she felt that it was part of their duty or if she wanted them to have more exposure to help them grow up.

[wakas]

I wonder if Alix wanted to put the girls into nursing because she felt that it was part of their duty or if she wanted them to have more exposure to help them grow up.

I think because as grand duchesses, she thought her daughters had to take part into the war effort. They could not stay idle while soldiers were dying, while people were suffering from hunger,etc. I think what she wanted was only to help the people, the Nation whom she was the Mother. I don't think she put O and T into nursing to help them grow up (it was secondary). But that's only my opinion.

+ I think  the Empress wanted all the available girls and women to help in the hospitals. So, what's better than showing the example and becoming nurse herself with her daughters and helping in the lazaret, like ordinary people. If the Empress and her daughters did that, it inspired others to do the same.