The Diary of Olga Romanov (20 page)

24th September. Sunday.

After yesterday's incident they did not allow us to go to church, fearing someone's resentment.
Obednitza
service was at home. The day was superb: 11° in the shade with a warm breeze. Walked for a long time, played
gorodki
with Olga and sawed wood. In the evening read “Zapechatlenniy Angel” aloud.

25th September. Monday.

Lovely quiet weather: 14° in the shade. During our walk, the commandant—the dreadful commissar's assistant, ensign Nikolsky and three marksmen from the committee searched all over our house with the purpose of finding wine. Not finding anything, they stayed for a half hour and left. After tea they started to carry in our luggage which arrived from T[sarskoe] S[elo].

26th September. Tuesday.

Another magnificent cloudless day. In the morning walked a lot and read on the balcony before breakfast. Cut wood during the day and played
gorodki
. After tea unpacked the newly arrived rugs and decorated our rooms with them. Finished Leskov's novel
Nekuda
[To Nowhere].

29th September. Friday.

The other day Botkin received a document from Kerensky, from which we found out that we are allowed to take walks outside of town. To Botkin's question as to when this can start, the dreadful Pankratov replied that this is not even up for discussion right now due to some inexplicable concern for our safety. Everyone was extremely indignant by this answer. The weather got cooler. Finished “Ramuntcho.”

4th October. Wednesday.

Today we were reminiscing about the convoy holidays in the old times. It was warmer than it sometimes is in Crimea at the same time of year. Good for Tobolsk! Spent the day as usual. After
vsenoshnaya
, Aleksei got his gifts.
²⁴
Had dinner at 7 1/2 o'cl.

5th October. Thursday.

Did not get to church for
obednya
on Aleksei's name day due to stubbornness of Mr. Pankratov, and at 11 o'cl. we had a
moleben
service [at the house]. In the morning it was foggy, wh.[ich] dissipated by one o'clock. Spent a long time outside in fresh air. In the evening Aleksei arranged cinematograph for us.

10th October. Tuesday.

The weather remained pleasant—around one degree of frost. Klavdia Mikhailovna Bitner, who arrived here two days ago, gave me the letter from Ksenia. Today she started to tutor the children, except Olga, in various subjects.

20th October. Friday.

Today is the 23rd anniversary of my dear Papa's passing, and in what kind of circumstances we have to live through it! My God, how difficult it is for poor Russia! In the evening before dinner they had a
vsenoshnaya
service for the dead.

21st October. Saturday.

In the morning we saw a funeral procession from the window, with the body of the 4th regiment marksman; in front walking was a small choir of gymnasium students who played badly.

At 11 o'cl. we had the
obednitza
service. Before tea sat at Kostritzky's. At 9 o'cl. had a
vsenoshnaya
, and then we confessed with Father Aleksei. Went to bed early.

2nd November. Thursday.

During the night it abruptly froze up, in the morning [it was] down to 11°. The day was sunny with a northern wind. Took a walk as usual; during the day hauled firewood. In the evening Olga received some modest gifts.

3rd November. Friday.

Dear Olga is 22 years old; pity that the poor thing had to spend her birthday under current circumstances. At 12 o'cl. we had a
moleben
. The weather became mild again. Sawed some wood. Started a new interesting book “The Elusive Pimpernel.”

4th November. Saturday.

In the morning I was overjoyed by a letter from Ksenia. There was a lot of snow, shoveled the walking path, and during the day hauled firewood to the shed.

Already for two days the agents' telegrams have not arrived—must be that dire events are happening in big cities! At 9 o'cl. had a
vsenoshnaya
.

14th November. Tuesday.

Birthday of my dear
²⁵
and our 23rd wedding anniversary! At 12 o'cl.
moleben
service; the choristers kept getting confused and making mistakes, must have not practiced. The weather was sunny, warm and with a strong wind. During the afternoon tea I read my old diaries—a pleasant pastime.

17th November. Friday.

The same unpleasant weather with stabbing wind. It is nauseating to read the newspaper descriptions of what happened two weeks ago in Petrograd and Moscow! Much worse and more shameful than the events in the Time of Troubles.

18th November. Saturday.

Received shocking news that 3 members of the parliament of our 5th army went to the Germans ahead of Dvinsk, and signed some preliminary peace treaty with them!

21st November. Tuesday.

We were forced to spend the Temple Entrance Holy Day without a service because Pankratov did not feel like allowing it! The weather was warm. Everyone worked in the yard.

26th November. Sunday.

Today is Georgievsky holiday. The town arranged a dinner for the Cavalry and other entertainments in the People's House. There were a few Georg. cavaliers but in the ranks of our guards whom their non-Cavalry comrades decided not to relieve, and forced them to serve—even on such a day! Liberty!!! Walked a lot and for a long time, the weather was mild.

30th November. Thursday.

A nice clear day –8° of frost. From 12 o'cl before breakfast tutored Aleksei. During the day hauled firewood into the shed. After tea, Olga was playing cards with Aleksei, showed 4 beziques.

1st December. Friday. 2nd December, Saturday.

Both days passed the exact same way. It was rather freezing and sunny. After the afternoon walk we meet at M. Gilliard's [the French tutor] daily, and overtly study our roles.
²⁶
At 9 o'cl. had a
vsenoshnaya
.

6th December. Wednesday.

Spent my name day quietly and not like in the previous years. At 12 o'cl. a
moleben
service. The marksmen of the 4th regiment [were] in the garden, former guards, all congratulated me, and I them—with the regiment holiday.

Received three name day pies and sent one of them to the guards. In the evening Maria, Aleksei and M. Gilliard acted in a very friendly little play “Le Fluide de John”; there was a lot of laughter.

7th December. Thursday.

The freeze came down to 22° with a strong wind, which cut the face, nevertheless we successfully went outside in the morning and evening. In my study, in the daughters' room and the hall it is very cold –10°, which is why I wear my
Plastun cherkesska
²⁷
all day until nighttime. Finished part II of “World History.”

—

From the memoirs of V. I. Chebotareva:

December.

Strange coincidence: the favorite child
²⁸
of the Toboltzy
²⁹
ceased to exist on the first year anniversary of Grigori's [Rasputin] death. To save everything and store it at the Grand Palace will most likely not be possible; already greedy paws are reaching out from all sides, asking for instruments, beds, linens.

—

From the diary of Nicholas II:

9th December. Saturday.

Got a nice letter from Olga [Alexandrovna]. It got colder, it was windy and clear. After my walk I tutored Aleksei. Finally, after intense heating it got really warm in [our] rooms.

21st December. Thursday.

The weather was very pleasant. Gave a lesson to Aleksei before breakfast. Wrote to Olga [Alexandrovna] in Ai-Todor.
³⁰
In the evening Anastasia got some modest gifts.

22nd December. Friday.

Celebrated Anastasia's name day with a
moleben
at 12 o'cl. During the day worked on the hill and sawed firewood. After tea we rehearsed.

24th December. Sunday.

In the morning sat at the dentist's for a half hour. At 12 o'cl. there was an
obednitza
service in the hall. Before our walk, prepared gifts for everyone and set up the Christmas trees. During tea—before 5 o'cl.—went with Alix to the guard room and had a party for the 1st platoon of the 4th regiment. Sat with the marksmen of all shifts until 5 1/2 o'cl. After dinner, a party for suite and all our people, and we had ours before 8 o'cl.
Vsenoshnaya
was very late, started at 10 1/2, as the
Batushka
could not make it [earlier] due to the church service. The off-shift marksmen were there.

26th December. Tuesday.

The same kind of quiet frosty day –13°. Everyone slept a lot. In the morning stopped by the guard room with the children—the 1st platoon of the 1st regiment were there; yesterday we sent them a tree, a sweet pie and a checkers game. The other day Isa Buxhoveden arrived, but was not allowed to see us due to Pankratov's caprice.

—

Letter from Olga to her friend Rita Khitrovo:

26 December 1917.

Hello my dear Ritka! Well, the Holidays are upon us already. We have a Christmas tree in the corner of the hall and it dispenses a wonderful scent, but not at all the same as in Tsarskoe [Selo]. This is some special kind of tree called “balsam.” It smells strongly of oranges and tangerines, and there is resin flowing down the trunk constantly. There are no ornaments, but only silver streams and wax candles, of course from the church, since there are no other.

—

From the diary of Nicholas II:

28th December. Thursday.

A lovely sunny warm day, 2° of frost. Stayed outside for a long time in the morning and the evening. Resentfully [we] learned that our good Father Aleksei is being investigated and is under house arrest.

This happened because during the
moleben
on 25th Dec, the deacon mentioned us by title while a lot of marksmen of the 2nd regiment were present in the church as usual, and they apparently made a fuss, but [it was] without Pankratov's involvement.

29th December. Friday.

Another nice sunny day, 4° of frost. Worked on the hill which is now ready, and sawed [wood] during the day, while the daughters skied down [the snow hill].

30th December. Saturday.

A clear quiet day. Aleksei's calf is slightly swollen, and he stayed in bed. Walked a lot, the daughters went outside after dinner too.

31st December. Sunday.

Not a cold day [but] with strong wind. Aleksei got up towards the evening since he was able to put on his boots now.

After tea, [we] dispersed before the arrival of the new year.

1
. Alexandra took the news of Rasputin's death very hard.

2
. Three-horse sleigh.

3
. Rasputin was originally buried in Alexander Park, not far from the palace. After the revolution his body was exhumed by the soldiers and burned. It is unknown where his charred remains ended up.

4
. Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich (1878–1918), youngest brother of Nicholas II.

5
. Abbreviation for Alexander Konstantinovich.

6
. Abbreviation for Viktor Grigorevich.

7
. The fortieth-day anniversary of death is important in the Orthodox church.

8
. One of the imperial physicians.

9
. Olga records her body temperature throughout the day (in Celsius).

10
. Anastasia.

11
. Pavel Pavlovich Rodzyanko, a member of the Duma.

12
. At this time Nicholas II was attempting to return to Tsarskoe Selo from headquarters.

13
. Count Vladimir Borisovich Fredericks (1838–1927), minister of the Imperial Court.

14
. Head of the Provisional Government.

15
. Fasting and attending divine services during the Holy Week.

16
. Klementy Nagorny was Aleksei's sailor nanny, who voluntarily went into exile with the imperial family and was murdered by the revolutionaries.

17
. Chebotareva and her son.

18
. Children's Island in Alexander Park.

19
. For Olga's name day.

20
. Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich (1878–1918), youngest brother of Nicholas II.

21
. This was very significant to the imperial family because allegedly Rasputin predicted that they would one day visit his village in person.

22
. An abbreviated
obednya
service.

23
. Head of the guards in Tobolsk.

24
. For his name day.

25
. Alexandra.

26
. For a play.

27
. Uniform of the unhorsed Cossacks.

28
. The palace infirmary where Olga used to work.

29
. Refers to the imperial family: “Tobolsk residents.”

30
. In Crimea, where the rest of Nicholas's side of the family was living at the time.

1918

A
fter the Bolsheviks came to power in October 1917, the conditions of Olga and her family's imprisonment grew stricter, and talk of putting the former tsar on trial got louder. Life for the family became progressively worse in March 1918 when the family was placed on soldiers' rations and hence was forced to part with many of their loyal retainers, who gave them much needed support, because they were unable to feed them. As the civil war between the “Reds” and the “Whites” gained momentum, Lenin's new government increasingly viewed the former tsar and his family as a liability that became a dangerous banner for the monarchists to rally around. In April 1918, Nicholas, Alexandra, and Maria were transferred to Ekaterinburg, a city in the Urals that was extremely hostile to the former tsar. Olga and her two sisters remained in Tobolsk with their ill brother until Aleksei was healthy enough to travel. They joined their parents and sister in Ekaterinburg about a month later.