Grand Duke Gavriil Konstantinovitch

[imperial angel]

Little does seem to be known about Gavril, but he seems to have lived a quiet life, unlike some of his relatives, and have been a quiet person. Nothing wrong with that, of course. He wasn't much of a playboy, I gather,  though he did marry outside the royals that he was supposed to marry.

[frimousse]

Yes he had a quiet life with his wife. He was a sort of inspector of Russian schools and cadet schools in France ( as his father was in Russia, but of course on a rather much more "grand" level than his ).

He attended gatherings and meetings of Russian émigrés veterans.
He was very close to GD Boris and GD André and their wives. They visited frequently their respective houses and of course played poker and bridge together ( Mala=Mathilde was a fanatic player...).

He also adviced his young cousin GD Wladimir Kirilovich, after his father's death. He organized sort of Russian patriotic programs during the war for young people in the Russian lycées, but happily GD Wladimir and GD Gavriil weren't seduced by the Germans, and were not involved in Kazem-Beck's Young Russians movement. On the contrary of GD Dimitri Pavlovich and Vova ( GD André's son) who were much more close to this organization before the war.

After Nina's death in 1950, he married Princess Irène Kourakine, and died peacefully in 1955 in Paris.

On this photography he plays golf at Mont Dore Golf Club, France July 1939.



Prince ( later Grand Duke) Gavriil was very tall and slim.

[imperial angel]

Thanks for info on Gavril. That is the most I have ever heard about him. As one of KR's only surviving sons he intrigued me, just to know more about his quiet life. I'm not sure he was much like his father, but he seems to have lived a satisfactory life after the revolution.

[Linnea]

Hello Emilia,
I think it is  published by Der Blauer Reiter in Düsseldorf, but I am not sure... :-

Thank you very much for the information, dear frimousse!

I simply couldn´t find the German version of Gavriil´s memoires - does anybody know the title of it?  :-/

[YaBB_Jose]

Are there any photos of Gavril's wives ?

[imperial angel]

I have read a book that says that Gavril's  memoirs were only published in Russian.

[frimousse]

You are true, I have made an enquiry, and unfortunately the book in German was not published...kak zhal, what a pity, Schade, quel dommage !!
 

[imperial angel]

Yes, I don't read Russian, so for me this is unfortunate as well.

[Svetabel]

I have read a book that says that Gavril's  memoirs were only published in Russian.

True. In 1993, publishing house LOGOS. And the 1st edition was issued in 1955.

[ashdean]

Princess Irina Kurakina, Gabriels 2nd wife was of the highest nobility.Her father Prince Ivan was a vastly wealthy member of one of Russia's greatest families ( his aunt Elizaveta Alexeievna, nee Princess Kurakina was the mistress of the robes to the last Empress) while her mother nee Countess Tolstoy was a kinswoman of the famous writer...In the early days of the revolution Prince Ivan by then a orthodox priest left his wife & 9 children to accompany the white army in the South.During the course of the civil war the Princess & her 3 youngest children succumbed to tyhus & died...The other 6 children cared for by governess,nanny & their redoutable maternal grandmother Countess Tolstoy made it out of Russia through the Black sea & eventually to Paris where they were reunited with their father..The Princes own mother sadly was trapped in Moscow where she died in 1925.

[Ladytaksa]

Gavriil's memoirs are only in Russian as I know. His book was published twice in Russian. I can say that his memories are not such exciting as GD Alexander Mikhailovicth's, for example, but anyway very interesting. He describes his life in detail , and in a simple, quiet manner.

Svetabel, do you really think that his memoirs are not that fascinating? I've just finished them and I think they are adorable though I've been thinking of reading Alexander Mikhailovich's memoirs for a long time, since I'd read Felix's ones. By the way, how would you evaluate Felix' memoirs in comparison with Gavriil's and Alexander's?

[Ladytaksa]

Gabriel and his wife.

[Svetabel]

Gavriil's memoirs are only in Russian as I know. His book was published twice in Russian. I can say that his memories are not such exciting as GD Alexander Mikhailovicth's, for example, but anyway very interesting. He describes his life in detail , and in a simple, quiet manner.

Svetabel, do you really think that his memoirs are not that fascinating? I've just finished them and I think they are adorable though I've been thinking of reading Alexander Mikhailovich's memoirs for a long time, since I'd read Felix's ones. By the way, how would you evaluate Felix' memoirs in comparison with Gavriil's and Alexander's?

I said Gavriil's memoirs were not exciting, but very interesting. The charm of the book in its simple and sometimes innocent style, also the text is very informative, I personally re-read the memoirs very often.
Felix's style didn't impress much,he was a multilingval speaker (as all his peers) and this somewhat spoilt the text, I mean very often it sounds non-Russian style of speaking. Gavriil's and Alexander are more native in this way. Also I don't find Felix's picturesque revelations really interesting, sometimes he sounds false.

[Ladytaksa]

thank you for the answer! and I agree with you. Felix's a  bit mannered, maybe...

does Gabriel's wife have her own memoirs?

[Svetabel]

does Gabriel's wife have her own memoirs?

As I know her only memoirs are in the text of the Gaviil's memoirs when he cites her struggle with the new Soviet powers.

The info on her can be found in various memoirs of some bohemian society people - ballet-dancers, actors and so on. Ballerina Lydia Kyasht wrote a lot about Antonina and their early life in Russian Balet.