Correspondence of the Russian Grand Duchesses: Letters of the Daughters of the Last Tsar

by George Hawkins

The four daughters of Nicholas II and Alexandra, the last Emperor and Empress of Russia, Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia, often collectively called OTMA, continue to capture the imagination of people more than a century after their brutal murders in Ekaterinburg. This book contains a wide range of letters to and from the Grand Duchesses, both from relatives and friends, but also from strangers and people from other parts of the world. Through the Grand Duchesses letters we learn more about their lives, interests and events relating to the Imperial Family; through letters sent to them, we can learn more about the wider Imperial Family and Royal relatives from abroad, as well as the lives of ordinary people from a vanished world.

Genres: Romanovs

589 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 18, 2020

Reviews

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The stars are for the comprehensiveness of this collection. I also read it in paperback, ordered through Amazon. They may create it for you? Perhaps not, because I am sure that there are many, many people who will order this. Unrequited love for Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia (with Alexei thrown in for makeweight) is a cottage industry. I can't tell you how many novels I have read in which one of the girls survives. Or even the whole family for that matter, although there are those bones and DNA results every aspiring author has to deal with. Literary oppression, everywhere you look.

Helen Azar has translated some of the letters and diary entries for Olga and Tatiana, but Hawkins is the deluxe edition. All four of the girls are covered, from their earliest notes to parents until the letters sent out from Tobolsk and Ekaterinburg. To be completely honest, unless you have a crush on one of them, there isn't much here that would be of interest to any save the actual recipients of the letters. Many fall into the "bread and butter" notes we all had to write, thanking various relatives for gifts or remembering birthdays. Olga and Tatiana open up a bit more to friends (as opposed to relatives) as they age. They were fully adult by the time they died; Maria and Anastasia were still recognizably teenagers. Alexei comes off as much younger than his age at death (14) but that is to be expected given his circumstances. I admired the imperial children's ability to remain cheerful in the face of adversity. It is clear that each had a strong religious faith that sustained them in captivity. None of them seems to have been particularly disturbed by their sudden fall from the top of the social pyramid, a tribute to their governesses and also (fair is fair) Nicholas and Alexandra. The three oldest had impeccable manners. Anastasia and Alexei were handfuls, routinely rude, secure in the knowledge that Alexei at least could get away with it. I have read accounts by those who knew him that Alexei also had a true empathy with suffering because of his own illness. Here he comes across as a typical child, bored in captivity and longing to go outside and play.

Again, props to Hawkins for filling in this footnote to the Revolution. But even diehard OTMAniacs have to admit that had there been no Revolution, it is highly unlikely anyone would know the names of the four Grand Duchesses. Alexei, perhaps, but most likely as a Tsetsarevich who died young.

Recommended only if you have an undying interest in Romanov minutiae. You know who you are.

[Carolyn Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

A volume of letters by Czar Nicholas II's daughters and the letters that they received from childhood until just before the murder of the Imperial family in 1918. The Grand Duchesses are often described as isolated from their extended family and other people their own age but the letters demonstrate that they corresponded with a wide range of extended family members, especially after spending a few months in Germany in 1910. During the First World War, their social circle expanded as they were involved in nursing, volunteering and charity work. The final letters are quite poignant as they ask for news of correspondents they have not heard from in a long time and are clearly aware that few of their letters are reaching their recipients. There are short biographies of key correspondents but no additional historical context so the book is best read alongside a biography of the Grand Duchesses such as Four Sisters by Helen Rappaport.

[Ruth Moss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fascinating read. I have immersed myself, as much as I have been able, in the lives of Olga, Tatiana, Maria snd Anastasia since the late 1980’s. Their correspondence, so wonderfully collected and reproduced in this book, really add to the knowledge of their lives. Here are their family and friends, sharing nuggets of stories and anecdotes back and forth with them. This book very clearly illustrates the importance of their friendships to the girls and just how cherished the letters were. So poignant towards the end. It is such an atmospheric read, I cannot recommend it enough.

[Ella · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic book with a wide range of letters. I particularly enjoyed that the author included 'fan mail' that the Grand Duchesses received. Many funny and touching writings, recommend to anyone interested in OTMA.

[Bonnie O'Neil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love This

I can't wait to buy a hard copy of this book. It is fantastic and I loved the pictures .