NB! · Archive · The East · Society · People

The Mongolian Stalin, Khorloogiin Choibalsan (1895–1952), took a matronymic because he was the illegitimate son of a shepherdess named Khorloo

The Mongolian Stalin, Khorloogiin Choibalsan (1895-1952), took a matronymic because he was the illegitimate son of a shepherdess named Khorloo. In the photograph from the parade marking the 26th anniversary of the October Revolution he stands at the microphone

Archive · Books · Society · People

Ever since the ancient Scythians, our forebears have yielded more reluctantly than any other people to classical civilisation, and if they distinguished themselves by anything, in the words of Herodotus, it was only by a bent for drunkenness and interneci

Ever since the ancient Scythians, our forebears have yielded more reluctantly than any other people to classical civilisation, and if they distinguished themselves by anything, in the words of Herodotus, it was only by a bent for drunkenness and internecine strife. The father of history says plainly that the Scythians,

NB! · Archive · Books · Saint Petersburg

The Dog Was Never Caught

The dog was never caught. From the siege diary of Tatyana Velikotnaya

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

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

Dust jacket of Vasily Nemirovich-Danchenko's Skobelev: a general on a white horse raising a sword, with soldiers and a banner. A purple Rare Book band runs across the top.

NB! · Archive · Books · People

Cover of Nemirovich-Danchenko's book Skobelev from the Rare Book series

V.I. Nemirovich-Danchenko (the brother) described the life of his friend General Skobelev. The biographical details in the book are rather meagre, but the accounts of the military campaigns are thorough, and there are extracts from letters

Archive · Architecture · Faith · Heritage

The Church of the Saviour at Nereditsa stood on territory held by our troops, on the line of defence, and for several months the Nazis shelled it from the other bank of the Volkhov, from artillery positions in the Yuriev Monastery

The Church of the Saviour at Nereditsa stood on territory held by our troops, on the line of defence, and for several months the Nazis shelled it from the other bank of the Volkhov, from artillery positions in the Yuriev Monastery. V. F. Antonov, the church's long-standing

NB! · Archive · Architecture · Faith · Heritage

The Church of the Saviour on Nereditsa, 1910 and 1942