they are attacked. That means there might be a war, and we must get ready for it.
16/29 July 1914
Papa sent a message to his generals ordering our Russian soldiers to prepare for war. He is so brave and looks so anxious — the pouches under his eyes are bigger than ever. Papa and Cousin Willy could actually end up fighting against each other if there is a war. Papa showed us on a map: Because Russia must help Serbia fight Austria-Hungary, Germany would side with Austria against us. Then France and Great Britain, who are our allies, would fight on our side against Germany.
We all pray for a miracle to stop the war, because Papa says many men will lose their lives when the fighting begins. Now we’re waiting to see what Cousin Willy, the kaiser of Germany, will do.
19 July/1 August 1914
What a terrible day! I shall never forget it.
Papa stayed shut up in his study for hours with his advisers. When he finally appeared, he was as white as a ghost. “We are going to war,” he said, leaning against the doorway. “Germany has declared war on Russia.” Then we all began to weep, including poor, dear Papa, because we’re so upset by the news and so frightened of what lies ahead.
20 July/2 August 1914
St. Petersburg
Yesterday is still kind of a jumble. We ate a hurried meal, changed our clothes, and left for St. Petersburg. Alexei had to stay in Peterhof because he can’t walk, and Papa thought this was a bad time for people to see the tsarevitch in such a condition. So it was Papa and Mama and the four of us and our usual suite.
I had been feeling so sad and afraid, but it was quite thrilling to find the crowds outside the Winter Palace all cheering and singing. “Batiushka,” they were shouting (that means “Father of Russia”), “lead us to victory!” And they sang, “God Save the Tsar” in a voice like a mighty roar.
The cheering went on and on. Dr. Botkin and Gleb were there, and Gleb kept going on about how great a thing this war was going to be for Russia. When I asked him if he wasn’t frightened, he said, “The Germans don’t know how to fight! They only know how to make sausages!” He says all we have to do to defeat them is throw our caps at them.
Dear Gleb, his excitement was so great that I began to feel excited, too. But one look at Papa’s face tells me it may not be as easy as Gleb believes.
30 July/12 August 1914
Peterhof
This is Alexei’s tenth birthday. Papa works constantly now, conferring with his generals about how to win the war, but he did take time to celebrate.
Of course everyone knows it’s the tsarevitch’s birthday, and so gifts have been arriving from people everywhere — except from Cousin Willy! Alexei’s favorite is his new toy train, an exact replica of the Trans-Siberian Express. He also has several model boats for sailing on the lake.
Dressed in his sailor’s uniform, Alexei relentlessly orders everyone around. My sisters and I always take care not to burden our servants, and we go to great pains not to give orders. Alexei doesn’t believe in that at all! He is forever sending someone scurrying off to fetch him sweets. But it’s understandable, because often he can’t walk and must be carried around. I suppose I would be giving orders, too, if I had to sit still. Nagorny and Derevenko seem to take it in good humor.
1/14 August 1914
Papa says it’s an ancient tradition to go to the Kremlin, the citadel in Moscow, to ask God’s blessing on Holy Russia at the beginning of a war, so we’re leaving for Moscow in a day or two.
4/17 August 1914
Moscow
The crowds that welcomed us here were even bigger and noisier than the ones in St. Petersburg. At least a million people jammed the streets and hung from balconies and tree branches for a look at us as our procession slowly moved along. Every church bell in the entire city was ringing and making a terrific din.
Poor Alexei is terribly upset, because he wants to appear beside Papa before the crowds, but he
16/29 July 1914
Papa sent a message to his generals ordering our Russian soldiers to prepare for war. He is so brave and looks so anxious — the pouches under his eyes are bigger than ever. Papa and Cousin Willy could actually end up fighting against each other if there is a war. Papa showed us on a map: Because Russia must help Serbia fight Austria-Hungary, Germany would side with Austria against us. Then France and Great Britain, who are our allies, would fight on our side against Germany.
We all pray for a miracle to stop the war, because Papa says many men will lose their lives when the fighting begins. Now we’re waiting to see what Cousin Willy, the kaiser of Germany, will do.
19 July/1 August 1914
What a terrible day! I shall never forget it.
Papa stayed shut up in his study for hours with his advisers. When he finally appeared, he was as white as a ghost. “We are going to war,” he said, leaning against the doorway. “Germany has declared war on Russia.” Then we all began to weep, including poor, dear Papa, because we’re so upset by the news and so frightened of what lies ahead.
20 July/2 August 1914
St. Petersburg
Yesterday is still kind of a jumble. We ate a hurried meal, changed our clothes, and left for St. Petersburg. Alexei had to stay in Peterhof because he can’t walk, and Papa thought this was a bad time for people to see the tsarevitch in such a condition. So it was Papa and Mama and the four of us and our usual suite.
I had been feeling so sad and afraid, but it was quite thrilling to find the crowds outside the Winter Palace all cheering and singing. “Batiushka,” they were shouting (that means “Father of Russia”), “lead us to victory!” And they sang, “God Save the Tsar” in a voice like a mighty roar.
The cheering went on and on. Dr. Botkin and Gleb were there, and Gleb kept going on about how great a thing this war was going to be for Russia. When I asked him if he wasn’t frightened, he said, “The Germans don’t know how to fight! They only know how to make sausages!” He says all we have to do to defeat them is throw our caps at them.
Dear Gleb, his excitement was so great that I began to feel excited, too. But one look at Papa’s face tells me it may not be as easy as Gleb believes.
30 July/12 August 1914
Peterhof
This is Alexei’s tenth birthday. Papa works constantly now, conferring with his generals about how to win the war, but he did take time to celebrate.
Of course everyone knows it’s the tsarevitch’s birthday, and so gifts have been arriving from people everywhere — except from Cousin Willy! Alexei’s favorite is his new toy train, an exact replica of the Trans-Siberian Express. He also has several model boats for sailing on the lake.
Dressed in his sailor’s uniform, Alexei relentlessly orders everyone around. My sisters and I always take care not to burden our servants, and we go to great pains not to give orders. Alexei doesn’t believe in that at all! He is forever sending someone scurrying off to fetch him sweets. But it’s understandable, because often he can’t walk and must be carried around. I suppose I would be giving orders, too, if I had to sit still. Nagorny and Derevenko seem to take it in good humor.
1/14 August 1914
Papa says it’s an ancient tradition to go to the Kremlin, the citadel in Moscow, to ask God’s blessing on Holy Russia at the beginning of a war, so we’re leaving for Moscow in a day or two.
4/17 August 1914
Moscow
The crowds that welcomed us here were even bigger and noisier than the ones in St. Petersburg. At least a million people jammed the streets and hung from balconies and tree branches for a look at us as our procession slowly moved along. Every church bell in the entire city was ringing and making a terrific din.
Poor Alexei is terribly upset, because he wants to appear beside Papa before the crowds, but he
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