Olga Alexandrovna Arsenieff né Naryschkine

[anna]

Today I received the book "The Empress Alexandra a study 1872-1918 by E.M. Almedingen in my mailbox.
I found the book rather cheap in a Dutch secondhand bookstore, so I thought why not. I'm not going to discuss the book here, but browsing the book a little paper fell on the floor.

To my surprise it happened to be a clipping from a Dutch newspaper "De Telegraaf". I was a death announcement framed in black. On the left side is written in ink "Telegraaf 21/1/'64".

The exact Dutch words:

Kennisgeving voor al haar Nederlandse vrienden.
Tot onze diepe droefheid overleed op zaterdag 18 januari op Villa Ribeaupierre te Glion -sur- Montreux Zwitserland onze lieve Tante Olga
                         
                OLGA ALEXANDROVNA ARSENIEFF
                      geb. NARYSCHKINE          

Ex. "Demoiselle d'Honneur" van Hunne Majesteiten
Maria Féodorowna en Alexandra Féodorowna,
Keizerinnen aller Russen.

Villa Ribeaupierre:
Prinses Catherina Alexandrovna Cantacuzène-Naryschkine
Christina G. Sluijk van Arkel

Amsterdam:
Mevrouw Steph. van Zutphen van Arkel
Stephana G.E. van Sluijk van Arkel.      

Here's the English translation (did my best):

Declaration to all her Dutch friends.
To our deepest desolation on saturday january 18th passed away at Villa Ribeaupierre te Glion -sur- Montreux Switzerland our beloved Aunt Olga.

                 OLGA ALEXANDROVNA ARSENIEFF
                      geb. NARYSCHKINE      

Ex. "Demoiselle d'Honneur" to their Majesties
Maria Féodorowna en Alexandra Féodorowna,
Empresses of all Russia

i]Villa Ribeaupierre:
Prinses Catherina Alexandrovna Cantacuzène-Naryschkine
Christina G. Sluijk van Arkel[/i]

Amsterdam:
Mevrouw Steph. van Zutphen van Arkel
Stephana G.E. van Sluijk van Arkel.      

Who is this Olga Alexandrovna Arsenieff. Anyboyd heard of this lady before?

I will have a look what I can find on the Dutch families named here, interesting to know what their relationship was.

Hope somebody here can tell me more.

Anna

[Janet_W.]

Both Cantacuzène and Naryschkine are names familiar to many of us . . . but I can't place Olga Alexandrovna Arsenieff! Anybody out there have any theories?

[Lucien]

Anna upto now I only found one van Zutphen van Arkel family member here in Amsterdam,
the other family remains a mystery to me,they are not in the Dutch patrician book. :-/

[anna]

Thank you Lucien you're great

I also found the name van Zutphen van Arkel in Amsterdam just in the phonebook.

I'm going to phone them and ask, you never know.
If you don't ask anything you don't get to know anything.

Anna

[anna]

Well, I've phoned the family in Amsterdam and got a very old lady on the phone. She didn't mind I wanted to ask her something and explained the case to her.
She interupted me in my story, I had to talk very slowy, and said she knew the name Olga Alexandrovna Arsenieff. She mentioned directly the name Villa Ribaupierre.

And then...... :-/ the connection broke down . I tried to call her back but she didn't answer. I could really cry.

The phone book said S. van Zutphen van Arkel. The lady I talked to could be the one mentioned in the death announcement.

I will try to call her back tomorrow, I have to consider the lady is very old and I don't want to bother her. Otherwise I shall write to her.

Lucien, I really think we have something here.

Anna

[anna]

P.S. Any updates regarding the mysterious Lady of the Phone Book, Anna?

No updates at the moment.

After that phone call which wasn't very successful, I dared not to make another call, the lady in question is very old and I don't want to upset her. I decided to write her a letter and explain the whole story, also added a copy of the death announcement as proof.
For now I have to be patient and wait. If anything comes up I will let you know.

Anna

[Lucien]

Anna,almost a month after you wrote the letter,any news from the Lady yet?Lucien.

[anna]

No, unfortunately no news from the Lady.

There can be many reasons why she didn't respond to my letter: She's very old, or maybe she doesn't want to be confrontated with the past. Who know's.
I'll be patient.

For now I've very little time to write another letter, also I don't want to bother or annoy her, but after my move I'll pic up the subject and write her again.

Anna