Anastasia's letters and notes

[super_stud2045]

Found some websites that translate Russian to English. I've retranslated these two letters a lot of times to double check, but sometimes I get entirely different results. Alright! The second letter says:

From it conducted. Knzh. Anastasiy Nikolaevna
V. G. Kapralovoy+)
Postcard, 14 X 9.
10th August of 1917. Tobol'sk

Dear faith Georgiyevna.
We have arrived here safely. We live while by a steamship, t. k. The house is not ready. while I write it is raining and M. (it conducted Knzh. Maria Nikolayevna) lays, t. k. Has caught a cold itself, but it is already better. Transmit to sister and Yevg. Aleks. bow. You hope all they are healthy. Entire good. We kiss you. Do not forget. I apologize myself for botched work.


And now the first letter:

From it conducted. Knzh. Anastasiy Nikolaevna
It conducted. Kn. Xenia Aleksandrovne+).
Tobol'sk. 8/21 March of 1918.

My dear aunt Xenia musty smell,

The thanks to you is large for the postcard, which recently was obtained. We everything thus far, glory to god, they are living and healthy. We are always are very glad, when we have from you Proceedings. As the health of grandmother (empress Marie Feodorovn). We frequently you recall and we speak. These days almost always is the sun, and already it begins to heat, so it is pleasant! We try therefore more to be in air. - from the mountain we no longer roll ourselves (although it still stands), since it they spoiled and dug ditch across, for that, so that we would not drive, well, and let; it seems on this thus far they were quieted, t. k. already long ago it many seems mozolila of glaza(y). It is terribly foolish and it is weak, truth. - well, and we now found to ourselves new occupation. We saw, we chop and split firewood, this is useful and very gay to work. It already leaves sufficiently well. And by these we still many help, and to us this entertainment. We clean other paths and entrance, they became yard-keepers. - when 4 yet it did not turn into the elephant, but this still can be in the near future, I do not already know why suddenly, it can be few motions, although I do not know. - I apologize myself for the terrible handwriting, something hand badly moves. We all on this week fast and themselves I will eat up houses. They were in the church, finally. And be taken communion also it will be possible to there. - well, and as you all pozhivayete and that you podelyvayete. Special we anything do not have, it is possible to write that. It is now necessary to end, t. k. now we will go to our court, to work by t. p. - everyone you it strongly both 4 also and all rest also. Entire good, Aunt of musty smell.
Khrani you god. All greatly thank for the bow and also they bow.
Loving you your A.

[Georgiy]

Some of those translation engines can really make for bizarre results! 'Musty smell' for 'darling'!

I will have to try and make a decent go of it myself when I get time.

Do svidania until then, my musty smells out there!

[Sarushka]

From it conducted. Knzh. Anastasiy Nikolaevna
V. G. Kapralovoy+)
Postcard, 14 X 9.
10th August of 1917. Tobol'sk

Dear faith Georgiyevna.
We have arrived here safely. We live while by a steamship, t. k. The house is not ready. while I write it is raining and M. (it conducted Knzh. Maria Nikolayevna) lays, t. k. Has caught a cold itself, but it is already better. Transmit to sister and Yevg. Aleks. bow. You hope all they are healthy. Entire good. We kiss you. Do not forget. I apologize myself for botched work.

A translation of a translation   :
From Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna to V.G. Kapralova
Postcard, 14 X 9.
10th August of 1917. Tobol'sk

Darling Vera Griogrevna.
We have arrived here safely. We are living for now on a steamship, because the house is not ready. While I write it is raining and syro [foggy?]. M. (Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna) is lying down, because she has caught a cold, but she is already feeling better. Give regards to your sister and Evg. Aleks. I hope you are all healty. We are all well. We kiss you. Don't forget. I apologize for my botched work.

[Georgiy]

OK, the shorter one goes more like this:

From Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna to V G Kapralova

10th August 1917, Tobolsk

Dearest Vera Georgievna,
We arrived here safely. For now we are living on the steamer as the house isn't ready. As I write it is wet with rain. M is lying down as she'd caught a cold, but she's already better now. Pass on our greetings to sister and Evg. Aleks. [ This is an abbreviated name, maybe Evgeny Alexandrovich or something similar].
I hope you are all well. All the best. We kiss you. Don't forget us. Excuse the smudges.

[Georgiy]

Ha! We translated at the same time. I'm going to go with Vsego horoshego as being 'all the best' as it is usually used as a way of saying goodbye, which I think is the case here.

[Georgiy]

<Slightly ammended version of original post>

Here's my version of the other letter. There were a few tricky phrases in it, but I think I got it - Sarushka please check and see though! Part way through, Anastasia makes a comment about her weight, which I thought interesting.

Here goes:

Tobolsk 8/21 March 1918
My darling, sweet Aunt Xenia,
Thanks heaps for the postcard which has just come. For now we are, thanks be to God, alive and in good health. We are always so glad when we get news from you. How is Grandma's health? We often reminisce and talk about you all.

These days it's almost always sunny here and it's getting warm - quite pleasant! So we do our best to get out in the fresh air more. We can't slide down the mountain anymore (though it's still standing) as they've wrecked it and put a drainage ditch through it and so we can't ride down it, but it's alright, - it seems like they've calmed down now that they've done something about it - it had been bugging them for some time. It's truly dumb and pathetic.

Well, we've found new things to do. We saw, chop and split firewood and this is a useful and enjoyable task. We're already quite good at it. By doing this we help many and for us it is a pastime. We clean the paths and the porch - we've become doormen! [such as you find outside a hotel or fancy apartment block] I've not yet turned into an elephant, though I might yet very soon. I really don't know why so suddenly - maybe it's from too little movement, though I don't know.

Please forgive my shocking handwriting - my hand moves something dreadful. We're all fasting this week and sing (the hymns) ourselves at home. Finally we were able to go to Church! And we can have Communion there.

Well, how are you all, and how are you all getting on? Nothing in particular has happened with us that I need write.

I must finish now as we're going to our yard to work etc. We all hug you tightly, and I do too, and so do all the rest of us!
Goodbye, darling Aunty!
God save you! All thank you very much for your greetings and they pass on their regards to you too.
Your loving A.



The part in blue is my explaination of a word she used.

[Sarushka]

Georgiy -- are the dates on the first letters you posted in this thread old or new style?

ps: Your translation looks good to me!

[Georgiy]

Thanks Sarushka, - I've made a couple of corrections and the edited version is above. The phrase 'mnogim kazhetsa mozolila glaza' really threw me. But it is a bit like saying something was really annoying someone - eating them up inside. I've translated it as 'it was really bugging them', though others might have a better translation?

I am not sure about the dates on the first two. I suspect old style as it was a Church publication, and also the IF tended to stick to old style dates.

[Holly]

Thanks for the translation Georgiy! That was funny about her turning into an elephant. I've always wondered if she ever commented on her weight.   At least we know she had a sense of humor about that!

[imperial angel]

The letter was very revealing of her, I think. The translations that one person made about ''musty smell' had me laughing, practically falling off my chair. But I guess any translation is better than none, right?

[matushka]

About the first letter Georgy posted, some information. I have the same quote in a book about Alexandra Feodorvna. It is said the letter was adressed to a wounded officer, I do now know who is he. Vassilev was also a wounded officer, he received wounds 3 times and every time was lying in the Maria and Anastasia's lazaret until he was better. He died in july 1917, in Petrograd. Lukianov was also an officer who spend time in the M. and A's hospital, as he was wounded at the head.

[aya-anya]

Thank you for the translation! I enjoyed reading, with the annotations by matushka.

As Holly says, my eyes caught the word, "elephant" in the letter. Somehow I've imagined that  Anastasia was a Grand Duchess of Humor. I also like the way Anastasia writes about her skill in writing, such as "Please forgive my shocking handwriting."  

aya-anya

[anna11]

Anastasia was a fantastic letter writer as she got older. Her letters are really engaging and really well written, they never get boring.
She also had nice handwriting(from what Ive seen in photos)

[imperial angel]

Yes, Anastasia was a great letter writer and she makes you feel as if you are there experiencing whatever she was writing about with her, which is certainly the mark of a good writer in my opinion.

[lovy]

Here are some letters that Anastasia sent to her father during the war:

"23 September,1914 - Tsarskoe Selo
My brilliant Papa!
     I am writing again, while Shura brushes my hair for the night. Olga is having a meeting, Tatiana is also there. Ania had dinner with us, now she is on the couch, Maria is writing to you, and Mama went to see Alexei. Today we studied, then all four of us went to the store, we worked a lot plus it was rather jolly.
     I don't want to go to bed, bah! I want to be there with you, wherever you are, as I don't know where it is. Alexei is better, he's in bed and in very good spirits. Pyotr Vasilievich and M. Gilliard read to him and play at various games. I'm so sorry I'm writing so badly, but my hand won't write.
     I have to go to sleep. I kiss you 1 000 000 times, your hands and feet. I salute you.
Your devoted 13-year-old lass called Nastasia
Sleep sweetly and see me in your dreams, and I shall dream of you, which means we'll be quits."

"28 October, 1914 - Tsarskoe Selo
My golden, good, darling Papa!
     We have just finished dinner. So I am sending you my nice card. I'm sure you will be pleased. Today I sat with our soldier and helped him to read, which I enjoyed very much. He has begun to learn to read and write here. Two more poor things died, we sat with them only yesterday.
     Olga is hitting Maria, and Maria is shouting like an idiot. A dragoon and a big idiot. Olga sends you another big kiss. I have already washed and must now go to bed. Tomorrow I will finish this letter.
     Greetings Your Imperial Majesty! Good morning! I am going to have my tea. I slept well, without Mama and my sisters. I have my Russian lesson now. Pyotr Vasilievich is reading Turgenev's Hunter's Notebook. It's very interesting.
     I wish you all the best. 1 000 000 big kisses.
     Your devoted and truly loving daughter, 13-year-old servant of God
Nastasia
May God protect you."

"7 March, 1915 - Tsarskoe Selo
My dear darling golden Papa!
     I thank you so much for letting us use your bath. We bathed in it yesterday, it was such a delight. I went first, there was lots of water. I was able to swim all round it and then jumped in from the side, it was lovely. Fantastic! Then I splashed around some more with Maria, then it was unfortunately time for me to get out. Ortino was there barking the whole time. Then Olga and Tatiana had their bath and really anjoyed themselves!!! It was awfully good.
     I am waiting for you! 1000000000000 big kisses. Your loving and truly devoted daughter
Nastanka
May God keep you."

"26 August, 1915 - Tsarskoe Selo
My dear sweet darling Papa!
     I am sitting on the sofa next to Alexei having dinner with M. Gilliard, while Maria is running round like a fiend. I am already allowed to go to the infirmaries again, but the weather is so foul and cold that I am not going out.
     Ostrogorsky came to see me this morning, but Maria and I were still in bed, so Maria hid under the blanket when he came to examine me, and when he had finished I quietly drew back the blanket and Maria had to crawl out, which made her very embarassed. But as soon as he shut the door I was tipped out onto the floor. We haven't done anything very interesting during the day.
     May the Lord be with you. I kiss you 10000000000 times. Your loving and truly devoted daughter
Caspian Nastaska"