Anastasia: The autobiography of H.I.H. the Grand Duchess Anastasia Nicholaevna of RussiaSmith, Eugenia
History
Anastasia: The autobiography of H.I.H. the Grand Duchess Anastasia Nicholaevna of Russia
Smith, Eugenia
Anastasiia Nikolaevna, Grand Duchess, daughter of Nicholas II, Emperor of Russia, 1901-1918
Mother, shy and reserved by nature, came with us even though she
dreaded meeting the members of the Allied Military Missions, some of
whom she had not yet met. We knew many of the officers quite well.
I particularly remember our friend General Keller, Generals Ivanov,
Lechitsky, Dieterichs, Yanin, Resin, Kornilov, Brussilov, Father’s
Chief of Staff, General Alexeiev, General Dubensky, the military
historian attached to G.H.Q., and Captain Nilov. I recall, too, the
traitor, General Ruzsky, who left such a bad impression in the Baltic.
In the morning we went to the garrison church services nearby, under
the thick pine trees. There were many high ranking men and titled
guests in attendance.
Mother had ordered flowers from the Crimea to be used as decorations
for the occasion. We sisters made two flower arrangements for Father’s
study and his bedroom. One of these was placed on the table in his
bedroom in front of an icon of Saint Nicholas. On the piano in the big
hall were large branches of white orchids artistically arranged.
Dinner was served to about fifty guests. All the members of foreign
missions and the Russian generals and their wives who happened to be
there attended, as well as a number of the Grand Dukes who came to
Mogilev especially for this occasion.
We assembled in the large hall and stood in line with Father to receive
the congratulations of the guests. We girls wore white dresses and
white hats trimmed with ostrich feathers. Uncle Serge Mikhailovich, who
was in command of the Russian artillery, was present. Others were the
Grand Duke Cyril and his brother the Grand Duke Boris Vladimirovich;
they could not disguise their bitter hatred for the family, especially
for Mother, when their turn came to take our hands.
At the dinner Mother sat next to Father and at her side was
our handsome, lively brother Alexei. Opposite them was Olga,
Hanbury-Williams and the others. In the evening we took in a movie.
Prince Igor Constantinovich was there and accompanied us next morning
on a walk in the forest, where spring flowers were abundant.
From Mogilev we went to Sevastopol, Crimea, making several stops on the
way to inspect military hospitals. At the Tsarskaya Pristan (dock) in
Sevastopol we were greeted with cheers by sailors from Navy vessels.
Everywhere we went, we were met with a great deal of friendliness by
the people who came forth with flowers, fruits, and gifts of money for
the hospitals. We also made a surprise visit to the Romanov Institute
of Physical Therapy. In Evpatoria we met Admiral Kolchak, who later
played an important role in fighting the Communists in 1918 in order
to capture Ekaterinburg and rescue us. Unfortunately he was betrayed
by the Czech troops. We had tea with Anna, who had been sent there by
Mother on a special mission some weeks earlier. Father and Alexei went
back to Mogilev and we left for Tsarskoe Selo. Anna accompanied us for
several stations, and then returned to the Crimea.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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