Everyday life of NAOTMAA - your quick questions

[GrandDuchessAndrea]

Ah, thanks a lot Sarushka! 
War censors? Would they cross out things, etc? 

[historyfan]

Exactly.  They would black out or otherwise obliterate anything they didn't want seen.  Just what that was depended on a lot.  Most often the letter would get sent on no matter how much had been removed.

[sunbeam]

We know a lot of pictures were taken of the IF, also by themselves. Does anyone know more about the type or brand of photocameras that were used in their days? So roughly between the 1880s and 1918?
I might use this bit of info for a poem Thanks!

[Forum Admin]

We know that the Imperial Family had Kodak brand cameras. Nicholas was quite a fan, and Alexei had his own Kodak.

[Jen_94]

They each had their own photo albums too, didn't they? The IF took photos of each other quite a bit.

[AnastasiaTheImp]

I guess I'm more looking for information that asking a single question. If the information is already posted in a reply, please direct me to the thread.
I know OTMAA were referred to with diminutive forms of their given names (ex: Tanya, Masha, Nastya) within their family and that there are several diminutive forms of Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia, and Alexei.
Which diminutive form did Alix use for her children (or did she use the English version of their name)? What about Nicholas? Or OTMAA to each other?
Were there forms that they generally didn't use?
Also, is there a difference in meaning between the -sha and -shka endings? (Masha vs Mashka) Is one more endearing?
Any info you have is appreciated.
I love names and the meanings behind them.

[Sarushka]

I know OTMAA were referred to with diminutive forms of their given names (ex: Tanya, Masha, Nastya) within their family

I'm not so sure, actually. With the exception of Maria and Anastasia, the written instances of OTMAA's diminutives are actually quite few.

What they used in daily speech is possibly another matter. I do know that at least one of the courtiers' memoirs points out that Maria was called "Masha" by her sisters, which implies that they did not use other diminutives amongst themselves.

Which diminutive form did Alix use for her children

I'm aware of seven letters from the empress to Olga in which she uses "Olenka," one to Tatiana using "Tatianochka," and two to Maria using "Mashenka." These were all written between 1909 and 1910, and I've never seen those forms used elsewhere in the IF's correspondence or diaries. I don't recall the empress ever using any diminutives for Anastasia. For Aleksei she used English nicknames like "Sunbeam" and "Baby."

Were there forms that they generally didn't use?

I've never seen a single instance of "Olya," "Olishka," or "Tanya" in the imperial family's letters or diaries. Pretty sure I've never seen "Alyosha" either. The only place I see those diminutives are on fansites.

What about Nicholas?

Anastasia routinely signed her wartime letters to the tsar as "Nastasya," "Nastanka," and "Nastaska." However, I don't believe I've ever seen a written instance of the tsar using a traditional Russian diminutive to address or refer to any of his children.

Or OTMAA to each other?

The only usage of diminutives I've seen between the siblings are letters to and from Maria that use "Mashka" or "Masha." In letters they used their full given names. In their diaries they most often use initials to indicate each other, although Olga often refers to Anastasia as "Schvybs."

Also, is there a difference in meaning between the -sha and -shka endings? (Masha vs Mashka) Is one more endearing?

My understanding is that the longer the nickname, the more intimate its use becomes. So from least to most endearing: Masha, Mashka, Mashenka.

[AnastasiaTheImp]

You are AMAZING! I had been referring to OTMA by their diminutives on my tumblr site (Tanya is quicker to type than Tatiana), but I want to be historically accurate more that I want to be quick. Thank you so much for the info.

[nena]

Tsar Nicholas called/referred to Aleksei in his diaries/letters as 'Alyosha'. Am I correct? I am off any my Romanov book, so I can't confirm that.


P.S. I have gained the access to the internet, and I am looking trough NII's diaries for 'Alyosha'. No results so far.

[Sarushka]

Tsar Nicholas called/referred to Aleksei in his diaries/letters as 'Alyosha'. Am I correct?

I've not seen that, but I certainly haven't read all of NII's diaries yet. However, I'm 99% sure "Alyosha" doesn't appear in his wartime correspondence with the empress.

[Jen_94]

Tsar Nicholas called/referred to Aleksei in his diaries/letters as 'Alyosha'. Am I correct? I am off any my Romanov book, so I can't confirm that.


P.S. I have gained the access to the internet, and I am looking trough NII's diaries for 'Alyosha'. No results so far.

I'm reading some letters now and all I've seen is:
Aleksey
Baby

No sign of Alyosha..... I'll keep looking in the diaries and letters in case.

[EmHarms]

Guys, I apologize if this has been discussed. I searched and searched & didn't see this specific topic, so if I overlooked it, please forgive me.

I know it would be an INCREDIBLE longshot, but, just for the sake of "what if"....

Does anyone know of hairbrushes or locks of hair preserved from the Grand Duchesses that might, slim chance thought it may be, possibly contain enough DNA to test against the remains to determine who's who?  Maybe somehow even preserved in their garments, that a forensic team might investigate?

[edubs31]

I've only heard of the lock of hair taken from Nicholas when he was a small child and preserved by his mother. Otherwise the only reference to using hair for DNA testing, as relating to the Romanovs, was that taken from the head of Anna Anderson. Helping to debunk the claim that she was the real Anastasia Nikolaevna.

[Kalafrana]

DNA testing with hair is problematic, because hair which is kept for any length of time easily becomes contaminated. The consequence is not false positives but unusable sequences.

Ann

[EmHarms]

DNA testing with hair is problematic, because hair which is kept for any length of time easily becomes contaminated. The consequence is not false positives but unusable sequences.

Ann

I've always heard that, Kalafrana. I just wonder if someone would be able to undertake the task & just see what they could come up with.  A hair with part of the follicle still attached.  I know it would be a huge stretch.