From the 1914 diary of Tatiana Romanov:
Read more ROMANOV FAMILY: ON THIS DATE IN THEIR OWN WORDS. TATIANA ROMANOV. 13 AUGUST, 1914
It was a Romanov family tradition for the Tsar to create each of the imperial daughters honorary commander of one of Russian regiments on her fourteenth birthday.
In 1901, after the birth of Nicholas II’s youngest daughter Anastasia, the Kaspiysky 148th Infantry Regiment received the name of St. Anastasia – in honor of the baby grand duchess. Since then their regimental holidays were celebrated on December 22 – the day of the saint.
Read more ANASTASIA ROMANOV: HER REGIMENT, INFIRMARY AND MEDICAL TRAIN
Letter from Anastasia Romanov to Nicholas II:
Read more ANASTASIA ROMANOV AND HER “PAPA”: LETTER TO NICHOLAS II
Tatiana Romanov wrote this entry just prior to Russia’s involvement in World War I, so this was her last “normal” pre-war diary entry. Life would never be the same again after this day.
Read more ROMANOV FAMILY: ON THIS DATE IN THEIR OWN WORDS. TATIANA ROMANOV. 18 JULY, 1914.
ROMANOV FAMILY FRIEND: ANNA VYRUBOVA
Anna Alexandrovna Vyrubova, nee Taneyeva, a noblewoman at Russian imperial court, became a very close friend to Empress Alexandra and the entire Romanov family. It was said that Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra almost considered her their fifth daughter.
“Anya”, as the family members affectionately referred to her, even worked as a Sister of Mercy along the side of the Empress and her daughters, Grand Duchesses Olga and Tatiana, after the First World War began.
In early January of 1915, Anya boarded a train from Tsarskoe Selo to St Petersburg, and was involved in a very serious, near fatal accident. She survived, but was left crippled for the rest of her life. There is a myth that Grigori Rasputin, who was brought to see Anya shortly after the accident, was the one who saved her life.
Read more ROMANOV FAMILY FRIEND: ANNA VYRUBOVA
From the diary of Tatiana Romanov 19 October, 1914: Read more DIARY OF TATIANA ROMANOV: INFIRMARY PATIENT IEDIGAROV
