NB! · Archive · Books · Saint Petersburg
The Dog Was Never Caught
The dog was never caught. From the siege diary of Tatyana Velikotnaya
Alexandr Radayev
NB! · Observations · Nature · Humour
The sea giant Jasconius in a medieval miniature, travellers light a fire on its back
One depiction of the sea-giant Jasconius, whose back weary travellers mistook for the long-awaited land, only for him to sink beneath the waves when they lit a fire. Something about renovation came to mind
NB! · Aristocracy · Art · Monarchies · Heritage
The Vladimir Tiara and Its Owners: 1 – Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna, 2 – Mary of Teck, 3 – Elizabeth II
Aristocracy · Monarchies · Heritage · Mores · People
Emperor Alexander III had a brother, Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich, who was married to a German princess, Maria Pavlovna of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Emperor Alexander III had a brother, Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich, who was married to a German princess, Maria Pavlovna of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. The Grand Duchess was also known as Miechen. What a shrew she was! The whole life of the grand ducal couple was marked by bilious envy of the
Observations · Heritage
A disappearance discovered on 29 April and an alarm that failed to go off
The loss was discovered on 29 April, and since the alarm failed to go off, the precise time of the disappearance is unknown. The case reminded me of another disappearance, if one may put it so
NB! · Monarchies · Museums · Heritage
Tiara of Duchess Hilda of Luxembourg, set with 367 diamonds, stolen
The tiara of Duchess Hilda of Luxembourg, set with 367 diamonds, has been stolen. It was taken from the throne room of the museum in Karlsruhe Palace, straight out of its display case
Mores · Ethnography
Folk beliefs about eggshells and the fear of water among evil spirits
There is a superstition that eggshells must never be kept, because witches can use them to sail out to sea. The shells must be burnt. Bear this in mind the next time you make scrambled eggs. There is, in fact, another widespread belief connecting unclean spirits with water. Evil entities
The East · Books · Observations · Humour
Skobelev instructs NCOs to raid a Turkish trench at night and bring back the dead
Military literature is, of course, a world entirely apart. Let me quote one witty passage about Skobelev. Having gathered the non-commissioned officers in his tent, he proposed that they creep by night into a Turkish trench and frighten the Turks away from the Russian camp: "Get to the
Archive · Observations · People
Skobelev gave soldiers oral St George Crosses and strewed telegraph wire before the trenches
Skobelev had his own approach to awarding decorations. When he was asked why he preferred to give his best soldiers the “voiced” St George Crosses rather than the named ones, although the named ones rank higher, Skobelev explained: “The voiced one he will get now, and be happy; but put
Aristocracy · Society · People
General Skobelev, High Society's Dislike and the Order on Soldiers' Dugouts
Skobelev was disliked in high society, evidently for his popularity, though they added that he was too Russian: a peasant's grandson. The general was invariably reproached for his love of the common man. The way he treated his soldiers is astonishing. Once, in a field camp, he noticed
Archive · Books · People
Nemirovich-Danchenko describes an episode from the Turkish campaign, during the distribution of St George Crosses, when General Skobelev refused an officer from one of the companies that had wavered in battle
Nemirovich-Danchenko describes an episode from the Turkish campaign, during the distribution of St George Crosses, when General Skobelev refused an officer from one of the companies that had wavered in battle. “YOU may well deserve it; let them recommend you for a personal cross. But now I am giving
Archive · Society · People
Skobelev's popular acclaim, his fall from favour under Alexander III and his views on the army
In his lifetime Skobelev was called the White General for his love of white uniforms and white horses, and the wreath from the General Staff Academy at his funeral bore the inscription: “To the hero Skobelev, commander, the equal of Suvorov”. Indeed, since Suvorov no other commander had enjoyed such