Diaries of NAOTMAA

[Shvibzik]

I think that I saw either Olga's or Tatiana's at the N&A exhibit (I know I saw Nicky's), but it's been such a long time it's hard for me to remember.  But, as Georgiy said above, Nicky's, Olga's, and Tatiana's are in existance.  

[Shvibzik]

Didn't Nicholas require AOTMAA to keep diaries?  Or was that the camera's...or both? :-/

[Margarita Markovna]

Hmm, if anybody has a photo of their diaries could you post it?

[Margarita Markovna]

I thought he required them to keep diaries but OTMA actually enjoyed writing in them. I think Alexei either didn't like writing in it or was too lazy because a lot of the time he dictated to his sisters. But I'm pretty sure OTMA, or at least Olga, liked writing in their diaries.

[Laura Mabee]

Hmm, if anybody has a photo of their diaries could you post it?

I have photos, but I am not at home at the moment. I'll be home this sunday, if nobody gets to this before me

[Shvibzik]

Alexei, I'm pretty sure, was pretty devoted to writing in his diary/journal, for when he was sick he would have Olga write in it for him.

[Georgiy]

Also I have seen Maria's diary in a book and a photo of an entry with very scrawling writing - quite different from the evident care she took in her lesson books! I can't recall seeing a photo of an Anastasia diary, but no doubt there are one or two about.

[Georgiy]

I don't think they were 'required' by Nicholas to keep diaries. As public figures it was probably expected of them, and also it was quite common in those days anyone for people to keep diaries, but they were more about what they did rather than what they felt.

[Margarita Markovna]

I can wait til Sunday. Thanks!

[Prince_Christopher]

Robert K. Massie says that immediately after the revolution, while Nicholas was still away, that Alexandra began burning most of her letters, including the ones she had gotten from QV and the ones she had written to QV, which had been returned to her from Windsor after QV's death. She did not destroy the correspondence between herself and Nicholas because in case of being brought to trial, Alexandra believed that the letters would prove their patriotism towards Russia.

[RissiaSunbeam1918]

in "TSAR" there is a picture of Anastasia's (I think) english workbook, where you can read a bit of a story she wrote. From what I can gather (I think the page it shows is one of the final pages) it seems like a "cinderella" kind of story....I know it's not her diary, but still an imaginative mind at work.

[Georgiy]

I have seen a photo of Maria's 1912 and 1916 diary, and a photo of entries from her 1913 diary. The writing is very scrawly, and even my wife who is Russian commented and said it  is very hard to read. It was not such exciting stuff - Went for a walk with Papa, T and Olga. Tea at 4 with Mama and Anastasia. We had supper together.

That sort of thing.

[Shvibzik]

in "TSAR" there is a picture of Anastasia's (I think) english workbook, where you can read a bit of a story she wrote. From what I can gather (I think the page it shows is one of the final pages) it seems like a "cinderella" kind of story....I know it's not her diary, but still an imaginative mind at work.

I've also seen Maria's, which wasn't much of a story, just some sentences to practice her English.  There were some scratch outs and you could see where their tutor wrote the correct spelling on top.

[Margarita Markovna]

Can you scan this picture?

[Laura Mabee]

Just a sec, I'm scanning a lot of pictures now