{"id":1313,"date":"2026-08-17T21:03:38","date_gmt":"2026-08-17T21:03:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alfoart.com\/derionzini-en\/?p=1313"},"modified":"2026-08-17T21:03:48","modified_gmt":"2026-08-17T21:03:48","slug":"sophie-knorrings-diary-november-1841","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alfoart.com\/derionzini-en\/sophie-knorrings-diary-november-1841\/","title":{"rendered":"Sophie Knorring\u2019s Diary. November 1841."},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u2190 Read October, 1841<\/a> <\/strong><\/em>| To be continued \u2192<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Begun around May 1, 1841, at her parents’ estate of Paslep, completed around March 1, 1842, in St. Petersburg *.<\/a><\/em> The discoverer of this document and the author of the detailed commentary on the text is the historian Sergei Gavrilov<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n

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1st Saturday<\/strong>.<\/h3>\n\n\n
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Full winter; everyone was riding in sleighs. Tamburini was with me, but I was too hoarse to be able to sing; I remained at home all day. Ivan And[reyevich] was here for dinner; suddenly at the table we received a letter from Hamburg<\/a><\/strong>. Grandmamma demanded to read it; ah, how beside herself she was; the news must have been [not] good; it was a rather sad spectacle; only at 8 o’clock did she calm down and lie down to rest.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2nd Sunday.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
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\"O.
O. Kiprensky. Portrait of Karl Albrecht against the backdrop of the park at the Kotly estate (1827)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Lermontov wrote a poetic joke “Ma ch\u00e8re Alexandrine…” to Alexandra Uglinskaya in March 1841 in connection with her impending marriage, and even sketched a portrait of her from the back.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

I did not go to church, as I had caught too bad a cold, but I conducted my service at home and read a beautiful sermon. Grandmamma was still very sad, but it seemed surprising to me that she and Aunt Minna did not mention a word of anything [gave no sign of anything] all morning. In the morning I went to Dr. Ochs to have him prescribe something for my cough. For dinner [I went] to Aunt Louisa’s; Woldemar Knor[ring] was also there; after dinner I was at Aunt Louisa’s, then we made music, we spent the evening almost pleasantly. Carl was at the Uglinskys’<\/a><\/em><\/strong> in the evening, where there was a musical society.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

3rd, Monday.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
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It was very cold and windy; I rose late, at 12 o’clock. I had a singing lesson. Frau R\u00fcdiger was here for a moment. I went with Ivan And[reyevich] to Kuchin<\/em> [to the shop?]<\/strong> and bought myself a fur coat<\/strong><\/a>. We were alone for dinner; Grandpapa was not at home; after the meal I practiced [singing] a little and then wrote a long letter to my dear Mama; after that I read aloud to Grandmamma in French; we chatted until 12 [midnight] and went to sleep. My cheerfulness [spirits] are incomparably better.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

4th, Tuesday.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
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\"Karl
Karl Frommann. Source: website of the Church of St. Peter and Paul in St. Petersburg<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

In the morning I took a singing lesson; Tamburini is very friendly and obliging. We rehearsed together. He wishes to keep me as a pupil longer than until January; he asked me to write something for him and gave me his album<\/a><\/strong> [for souvenir writings\/drawings]. After the lesson, I continued finishing my letter to Mama and the others; the dressmaker was with me with the blue dress. I did not go for a walk; the weather was unwelcoming. I chatted with Aunt Minna and wrote my diary. We were alone; immediately after the meal we went to church to hear Frommann<\/strong> <\/a>[the pastor]; there was unbearable stuffiness; he spoke on the 2nd chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, [contrary] to my expectations, the sermon did not touch me, and I quickly and gladly left the church. In the evening, after tea, we had a conversation that agitated me greatly, concerning the resurrection and eternal life.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

5th, Wednesday.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The weather is very fine; it froze during the night, it was dry and beautiful; immediately after coffee I practiced for more than an hour, then tried my “black water” and my julep<\/a><\/strong> [mixture]. After breakfast I went to Weber’s and to a shop, then to “my friend” Bernard’s<\/a><\/strong>, where I bought myself exercises [sheet music] by Cherubini<\/a>. I dressed in great haste, and for dinner we went to Aunt Louisa’s; Uncle Pontus arrived, we were entirely alone, Aunt Louisa is already better. Grandmamma was very much out of sorts; it seems unpleasant to Aunt that I am still not living with her; I am very sorry to leave dear Grandpapa and Grandmamma, but what can be done (que faire – Fr.).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

6th, Thursday.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
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\"Edward
Edward Harrison May<\/a>. Detail from the painting ‘Lady Howe Checkmates Benjamin Franklin<\/a>‘<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

In the morning, a singing lesson, began Tamburini’s exercises, then practiced; after this I wrote a letter to Mama. After breakfast I looked for my money, 25 rubles<\/a><\/strong>, which, unfortunately, I did not find. Louisa<\/a><\/strong> and Helene were with me for a moment; soon after this Aunt Louisa sent me a beautiful cover for my fur coat, then I went for a walk with Aunt Minna and ordered my fur coat from Ruprecht. We stopped at the ticket office… For dinner we had Uncle Ivan And[reyevich], who is staying the night and lingered; in the evening I played chess with Grandpapa<\/a><\/strong>, and we chatted. In the evening Ivan And. read aloud quite diligently, and after we had chatted for another hour, we retired to rest.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

7th, Friday.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
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Early in the morning we had Emilia Bacheracht<\/a><\/strong> here to invite us to dinner on Sunday; after this I practiced very diligently. We had General’s wife Ovander<\/a><\/strong> here, who charged me to pass on many greetings to Mama. After breakfast I rode with Grandmamma for an hour to Aunt Louisa’s, who was feeling weaker; my intention was to move there, but as I wished to go to Emilia’s, I said that I would not come before Monday. For dinner we had U[ncle] Ivan And[reyevich], who still could not get across the Neva<\/a><\/strong>. The evening passed very pleasantly; we chatted much and laughed over the things he had brought with him.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

8th, Saturday.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
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Alexandra Wilhelmina Cramer, in her 1st marriage Baroness von Tiesenhausen<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

In the morning [one] lesson, but only 3\/4 [of an hour], as I was hoarse; then I went for a walk with Aunt Minna, and we made a few purchases; I bought myself some lace and tulle, and also looked at painted snuffboxes. We returned home late. For dinner we again had dear Ivan And[reyevich], very saddened that he still cannot get across to the other side; the bridges had just been drawn; Grandpapa spent the evening at B. Cramer’s<\/a><\/strong>, U[ncle] Ivan And[reyevich] at Koch’s, so that we, “the three of us” (nous trois – Fr.), spent the evening very pleasantly. I had the indescribable joy of receiving letters from dear Mama from Revel.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We turn the page, and together with Sophie, we step into November. True winter arrives in St. Petersburg: the streets are covered in snow, and the townspeople switch to sleighs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sophie is gradually healing. She buys herself a winter fur coat, continues her lessons with the global star Tamburini, and joyfully notes that her “cheerfulness is incomparably better.” And there is a stunning musical-historical detail of St. Petersburg hidden here as well!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sophie is settling into her status as a capital resident: she visits fashionable sheet music shops, has dresses made by milliners, drinks cough mixtures, and, of course, continues her lessons with the opera star Tamburini (who even asks her to embroider something for his album!). But the main historical gem here is the description of how her uncle is unable to get home for several days because the bridges across the Neva have been drawn for the winter<\/strong>!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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9th, Sunday.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Having dressed in haste, we went to Nielsen [the pastor], who read a magnificent sermon; he spoke mainly of the natural man. After breakfast I went for a walk with Aunt Minna; the weather was magnificent; when I returned home, a certain anxiety seized me, and I wished to pay a charitable visit (Armenvisite)<\/a><\/strong> to Madame M…, but she was not at home; I left the money. I returned home, performed my toilette, and at 5 o’clock we went to Emilia’s; Pastor Muralt<\/a><\/strong>, Schultz with his wife, the deaf-mute Madame Blankenhagen, and several other gentlemen were there. After the meal we made music; later a certain Mr. von Kamensky arrived, who distinguished himself by his amiability, and a very beautiful woman with her husband… worked a little (quelques choses en main – Fr. did needlework), and at 12 o’clock we went home; I amused myself very well.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

10th, Monday.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
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In the morning, after coffee, I went with Aunt Minna to the shops [Gostiny Dvor<\/a>], I bought myself some lace and tarlatan<\/a><\/strong>, then we walked a little; the air was beautiful. After breakfast I put my purchases in order, we dressed and rode for dinner to Aunt Louisa’s; in the afternoon a table was laid for the young ladies, we made music and worked; at 11 o’clock Grandmamma departed, I remained.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

11th, Tuesday.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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The weather is bad; it snowed and melted. I rose at 8 o’clock, dressed, and awaited Tamburini; the lesson went quite tolerably, although I was hoarse. After coffee I went to my room and wrote to Papa and Mama. Louisa<\/strong> <\/a>was to [go] to the French Theatre in the evening with Countess Sollogub<\/a><\/strong>.<\/em> The Imperial family was also there; we went to the dressing room to put on the dress and all that is necessary for it. After breakfast I practiced [singing], Aunt Louisa paid visits. Uncle Pontus was at the [Alexander Nevsky] Lavra<\/a><\/strong>. After the meal I rode to Frommann’s class [for a sermon]; it was quite beautiful, he pleased me for the first [time], he spoke fewer empty phrases; what a pleasant, absolutely wondrous voice! It was especially striking to me that he said so little, or rather nothing, about prayer. I drank tea at Grandmamma’s, Andryusha <\/a><\/strong>was there, later Frau von Belikovich came there; in the evening I rode home with Charles.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Louisa von Knorring<\/strong>, in marriage Countess Tiesenhausen, Sophie’s cousin. AI reconstruction.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

12th, Wednesday.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

After coffee I wrote and practiced very diligently. After breakfast, Aunt Louisa rode to pay visits; I practiced again, and when this had already tired me out, I paced back and forth with Louisa for almost an hour. After the meal I sang quite a bit; Uncle Pontus also arrived with guests: Madame Friderici<\/a><\/strong>, who seems to possess a great intellect, while being quite caustic (malici\u00f6s)<\/a><\/strong>, mocking everything (moquirt). We spoke much of painting, of high society, and of the ladies who are currently causing a furor (Fureur machen)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

13th, Thursday.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
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George Hayter<\/a>. Portrait of E. Vorontsova. 1832. Source \u2013 internet.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Christina Robertson<\/a>, portrait of Princess Baryatinskaya. c. 1839<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Rose early in the morning, one hour with Tamburini; everything went very well. After the lesson, Uncle Pontus arrived and spoke with him, then I went to my room and wrote. Aunt Louisa came to me and proposed that I go to the French Theatre with her and the General’s wife Strandmann<\/a><\/strong>. In the evening, when Grandmamma had already left, we made very merry, danced the galop, the polonaise, etc., but the General’s wife changed her mind and, toward evening, sent us a refusal, so that Aunt Louisa had to go with us, which was very unpleasant, as Grandmamma and Aunt Minna were here for dinner! Uncle Pontus was also at a dinner party (d\u00eener) at Madame Sukhozanet’s<\/a><\/strong>; I was dressed in white. Four plays were given:<\/a><\/strong> “The Roquebourg Family” (la famille Roquebourg), “The Man Without a Name” (l’homme sans nom), “My Friend Pierrot” (mon ami Pierrot), and “The Kettledrums” (la Timbale). We arrived toward the middle of the first and left before the end of the fourth. Madame Allan sent me into raptures, Madame Vernet performed her role extraordinarily, and Paul Minet was unique in his kind in “Pierrot”. There was a great deal of laughter; I amused myself extraordinarily. Countess Vorontsova<\/a><\/strong> was the most beautiful; next to us sat Princess Kochubey, n\u00e9e Baryatinskaya<\/a><\/strong>. I amused myself extraordinarily. When we returned home, Grandmamma was still there; we chatted a little, then they departed, and we went to sleep.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

14th, Friday.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In the morning I put my letters home in order, then practiced [singing], read until breakfast. The weather is unwelcoming; it was melting, and the air was thick [foggy]. We rode to the English Shop, to Madame Sukh[ozanet?]’s, and to Grandmamma’s, where I stayed for dinner. I received my fur coat, ordered a dress of mousseline de laine and a dyed dress. We spent the evening [supped] and chatted; Grandpapa stayed home. In the evening I returned home in Grandmamma’s carriage. Everyone was still awake here; we chatted; Madame Friderici was here, Carl [did something that caused laughter].<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Sophie’s capital life is in full swing: she buys fashionable fabrics in the Gostiny Dvor, sings for guests (including caustic St. Petersburg gentlemen), prepares for outings to the French Theatre, and discusses the high-society ladies who are causing a furor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We also encounter new prominent St. Petersburg surnames of the time here, for example, Countess Sollogub.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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15th, Saturday.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I waited for Tamburini until 10 o’clock, but he did not come. The weather is unwelcoming, foggy, and it was melting heavily; after coffee I went to my room, and suddenly my tooth began to ache so badly<\/a><\/strong> that I had to lie down. After I applied [illegible] a warm [compress\/poultice?], it became better, and I sat down to read “l’H\u00e9ritage de mon oncle” (“My Uncle’s Inheritance”) by [illegible] – a very interesting book; then I sewed my brown dress. After breakfast, Aunt Louisa and Louisa departed. Meanwhile I practiced, spoke a little with Uncle Pontus, read, and paced back and forth with Helene; scarcely had I dressed when Aunt Louisa returned home. After the meal we made music and worked a great deal; Mr. von Stenger was with us in the evening. After tea we sang a little again.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

16th, Sunday.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
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\"Portrait
Portrait of P. K. Alexandrov by an unknown artist, after 1844.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

We went to church to Moritz. The weather was very bad, the sermon was quite good, but still left much to be desired. However, I was in a very serious mood and felt ashamed of my tears, which for a long time had not flowed so abundantly, over the loss of our unfortunate Kitty<\/a><\/strong>! When we returned home, Madame Strandmann paid a visit and stayed for breakfast; a very beautiful woman, her face invariably bears a sweet expression. She is one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen. Then came Pavel Konstantinovich Alexandrov<\/a><\/strong>, who joked with us all […]; after the visitors had withdrawn, I practiced a little; Grandmamma and Minna were here. After the meal, as usual, we made music, then Aunt Minna and I spoke for half an hour about Pyotr And[reyevich], about his condition; the rest of the evening passed in work and social conversation (causerien).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

17th, Monday.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The weather, after a long time, became beautiful again; it froze, and a little snow fell, so we decided to go for a walk immediately after coffee. The air was magnificent, the sun shone, and thus we took a very cozy walk. Madame Meybaum<\/a><\/strong> came here in the morning. Scarcely had we returned home when my dressmaker arrived for a fitting. Then we went to breakfast; I was looking for new trimmings for the dress I wished to wear toward evening. We performed our toilette more carefully and exquisitely (soignirter<\/a>)<\/strong> than usual: for dinner General Strandmann was here with his beautiful wife, General Prittwitz<\/a><\/strong>, and the young Count Toll<\/a><\/strong>, who turned out to be an absolutely charming [most endearing] person. After the meal we made music; with a beating heart I had to sing for them; I did so, as they seemed to desire it, and they were all so kind as to consider it beautiful. Then we remained sitting in the hall, and Toll entertained us for a long time and very pleasantly [with tales] of his travels: he had been abroad for 4 months because of his leg [illness], he told us much about the pleasant life in Vienna, about the beautiful regions, customs, etc. Very quickly after tea they dispersed; it was a very pleasant evening.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

18th, Tuesday.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
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In the morning Tamburini arrived, but I was so hoarse that I could not take my lesson, and instead of singing, we chatted and engaged in social talk (conversation); he was, as usual, very amiable, and the hour passed quite pleasantly. After this I sat for a while with Louisa in the study [boudoir] and then began to write a letter to Mama. I suffered so terribly from a toothache again; after breakfast Fr\u00e4ulein R[\u00fcdiger]<\/a><\/strong> went with Louisa to the shops [Gostiny Dvor], Aunt Louisa went for a walk with Helene, but returned very soon, as it was very windy. Meanwhile, I dropped warm oil into my ear<\/a><\/strong>, after which I read a little; when it grew dark, which happens already at half past three<\/a><\/strong>, I sat with Aunt Louisa in the study. For dinner we were entirely alone; Uncle Pontus had gone to Peterhof in the morning; in the evening I wound wool [yarn] with Aunt Louisa<\/a><\/strong>, we sat very cozily and chatted, when Stenger’s [arrival] was announced. However, I felt so unwell, I had such severe pains in my stomach [in my body], that I had to lie down before tea, which was to the highest degree awkward and unpleasant for me, but what was to be done; Aunt Louisa is love and kindness itself. I began a letter to Mama. \u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

19th, Wednesday.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We sat at the coffee table for a very long time and spoke of the relationship between Grandmamma and Aunt Minna; then I went to my room and wrote to Fanny; Louisa came to me, we spoke of our friend Paul (l’ami Paul)<\/a>.<\/strong> After breakfast, Aunt Louisa and Louisa departed. I remained at home, as I had a cold. First I wrote, and when it grew dark, I paced back and forth. For dinner we were entirely alone. Mr. General Gr\u00fcnewaldt<\/a> <\/strong>and Sophie Rehbinder<\/a><\/strong> were here; she is not particularly beautiful, but very sweet, with very good posture (bonne tournure – Fr.); the conversation revolved around attire (toilette – Fr.). \u00a0<\/strong>Fr\u00e4ulein R\u00fcdiger and I sang a duet for the General, a duet which pleased him very much. Late in the evening Uncle Pontus returned home completely exhausted. After the meal we all sat on the chaise longue (Fr.), the conversation became very lively among Aunt Louisa, Charles, and Louisa; they both complained that so little sympathy is shown to them. On this day I had to think especially of my [family], my heart was heavy, and I longed very much for letters from home.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

20th, Thursday.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
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In the morning Tamburini arrived, but I was so hoarse that I had to skip my lesson; in the morning I wrote, then Louisa came with her tailor [and] dresses, something needed to be altered [re-ironed] there. Uncle Pontus, having been deceived by someone and still very tired, also sat here in his dressing gown (Schlafrock) and took part in our company. For dinner Mr. Gr\u00fcnewaldt was here; after the meal we made music, I paced the room with Aunt Louisa; she spoke many good things about Grandmamma, Grandpapa, etc., and about the usual weaknesses, in which she was often mistaken; Gr\u00fcnewaldt left before tea, and in the evening we worked. The weather is bad and overcast; the Neva was covered with ice, but the bridge was laid [brought over]<\/a><\/strong>, Grandmamma and Aunt were on Vasilyevsky Island<\/a> (Wasili Ostrof). In the evening I prayed especially fervently for my [family]; I had been so anxious all day whether they were all healthy, and that the Lord might soon gladden me with good news; I long for this very much, for it will soon be four weeks since I had letters from Paslep, and I have heard nothing of them; the Lord will hear my prayer.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Sophie’s diary turns into a veritable high-society chronicle. We find ourselves with her in a box at the Mikhailovsky Theatre, watching French vaudevilles, sitting literally a meter away from the cream of the St. Petersburg aristocracy\u2014Countess Sollogub, Princess Kochubey, and even the illegitimate son of a Grand Duke!
Also on this page, we finally discover the reason for the family mourning that has served as a backdrop throughout the previous entries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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21st, Friday.<\/strong><\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In the morning I finished my letters immediately: a long one to Mama, to Fanny, and a joint one to Helene and Louisa. After the post had been dispatched, I chatted with Fr. R\u00fcdiger; I undertook nothing in particular before breakfast. After breakfast, Aunt Louisa, very elegantly dressed, went to pay her visits; I sang a little, then read, and when it grew dark, I walked with Louisa. For dinner Grandmamma and Aunt Minna were here; Uncle P[ontus] was at a dinner party (d\u00eener – Fr.) with the Emperor<\/a><\/strong>, but returned while we were still sitting at the table. After the meal we made music and worked as usual; Uncle handed out pastilles. The evening passed very pleasantly. The bridge was drawn [removed] again, and the Neva here outside the windows looked completely open<\/a><\/strong>. The weather is very sad; it was almost dark all day. On Thursday I made the acquaintance of the young lady Verigina <\/a><\/strong>– a very sweet and welcoming girl; she was here with her mother on a visit.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

22nd, Saturday.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The weather, after many days, has become a little better; the Neva is free of ice again, and today they laid the bridge, [which] …opens up for… …to bring… Before breakfast I wrote and read in my room; after breakfast we had a very pleasant walk, as it was not cold at all. After the meal we made music and worked; after tea… Aunt sat with… and we chatted very cozily. We did not go to sleep until 12 o’clock; I racked my brains much [was very worried] about the condition of … Tamburini did not come in the morning.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

23rd, Sunday.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The weather is again very unwelcoming; it was melting and very muddy; on this day, as it was so overcast here, I had a great desire to [go] to Nielsen [the pastor], but as there was no sleigh track (Schlittenbahn), and the weather was so unwelcoming, I did not wish to [ask for] carriages and stayed. …I felt such a great desire to hear something serious that I strongly asked Aunt to read some sermon; it was by Hofacker, and although it does not belong among his most beautiful sermons, it moved me so deeply that I could barely compose myself… this sermon [had] great power and effect; I felt such a precise reproach in it. After breakfast we again tried on some outfits (Toiletten). Around 4 o’clock I rode with Louisa to Dr. Ochs (Doctor Ochs) because of my cough, which was terrible and very dry. Dr. Ochs<\/a><\/strong> was very polite and advised me to go home; snow was falling [when] we arrived. For dinner, Grandmamma, Minna, and Nikolai Knorring<\/a><\/strong> were here; we spent the evening quite pleasantly, but I felt quite unwell: I had a headache, and my cough had worsened even more compared to yesterday. Still no news from Paslep, which worried me greatly.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

24th, Monday.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I spent the morning quite ordinarily; I remained at home all day, as my cough was still very incessant. Aunt walked less; for dinner we were alone. Before the meal the General’s wife [illegible] was here; in the evening we were entirely alone and chatted so pleasantly that I was utterly astonished when 12 o’clock struck.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

25th, Tuesday.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In the morning at 9 o’clock Tamburini arrived, but unfortunately I could not sing again; I was completely hoarse, my voice had gone completely (v\u00f6llig verlegt)… General Gr\u00fcnewaldt was here for dinner… for tea we were alone; Carl was at the Uglinskys’ and told us a great deal about them.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

26th, Wednesday.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A very hard day for me: it is the birthday of my dear, beloved Kitty. I prayed in the morning… for myself, and for Mama, and ah, how vividly I recalled that day when the Lord gave us this dear creature [Kitty], and now, ah, how quickly these years have flown by; like a dream, a sweet dream they were for us all. The ways of the Lord are inscrutable [wondrous]; that on this day I especially occupied my thoughts with my dear ones [family] in Paslep is quite natural. I remained at home all day; the weather was still bad, I practiced [singing] a little and spent a great deal of time in my room. After tea I paced back and forth with Aunt Louisa, and we spoke quite a bit with each other; toward evening I placed my dear Mama in the Lord’s hands, that He might send her much peace and comfort.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

27th, Thursday.<\/strong><\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In the morning Tamburini arrived, but, to my great grief [heartache], again in vain, as I was hoarse, just as on all the preceding days, and I asked him to come again in the evening, as I am always less hoarse in the evenings. Aunt Jette came to us at 1 o’clock and stayed until 3 o’clock; I was very glad to see her again after such a long time. There were very many visits here this day: Countess Orlova-Denisova<\/a><\/strong>, who spoke much of the ball, and several others besides. For dinner we had Grandmamma and Aunt Minna, as well as Count Oppermann<\/a><\/strong>. Very good news of Pyotr And[reyevich]: he himself wrote a letter to Ivan And[reyevich], and Robert Bacheracht writes that [he] is much better now. Thank God for that. In the evening at 8 o’clock Tamburini arrived<\/strong>,<\/a> and I took my lesson; everything went better, but despite this I was hoarse; he stayed until 10 o’clock, Uncle Pontus came into the hall and chatted with him, I sang, and then Helene, Louisa, and I had a lovely social chat (la belle causette – Fr.) with him for a very long time.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

28th, Friday.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
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In the morning I hurried to finish my letters and sent them to the post. I wrote only one long letter to Mama; even before breakfast we went for a walk: the weather, after a long time, was quite fine, it had frozen and was only a little windy. Immediately after breakfast, Aunt Louisa rode to Princess Vyazemskaya’s<\/a><\/strong>. The Grand Duke was also there. I sang, and when it grew dark, we paced back and forth, and then sat on my canap\u00e9 and chatted until we went to dress. I forced myself to ask Aunt for the carriage to go to Grandmamma’s; she was so kind as to give it to me; upon arriving there, I found her at her soup. Immediately after the meal, I rode with Aunt Minna to Nielsen, who was giving his last lecture in the old church house<\/a><\/strong> and spoke of death; it was a beautiful, edifying hour. He refreshed my heart greatly. The liturgy was sung; I thought so much of Mama and how willingly I would have wished this for her [shared these feelings with her]. I saw Madame Knorring, who reproached me for not having been to see her yet; I also made the acquaintance of Eliza Knorring, who was very friendly and obliging to me; I had to promise her to come to see her as soon as possible; she introduced me to her guardian and another acquaintance. In the evening we were at Grandpapa’s, the three of us (en trois – Fr.) besides our [own household]; we chatted very animatedly; Grandmamma seemed a little displeased that I come to see her so rarely, but all this time I have been suffering from such a bad cold that I dared not go out, and besides, I feel awkward asking for the carriage. And to walk… then I rode in a hired carriage<\/a><\/strong> (gemietheten Wagen), which was also quite unpleasant for me. Louisa spent the evening at Sophie Rehbinder’s.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

29th, Saturday.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The morning passed as usual. After breakfast, Aunt Louisa departed; I stayed behind, again expecting Tamburini, but unfortunately I had to skip my lesson. We were alone for dinner; after the meal we worked and talked, after tea, Louisa went to dress; she rode to the Dondukov-Korsakovs<\/a><\/strong>. Louisa looked quite advantageous; we sat for another half hour and then went to sleep.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

30th, Sunday.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
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We drank coffee late. Aunt Louisa and everyone went to church to Moritz, I remained; the weather was so unwelcoming, and I am still suffering from such a bad cold, and in general I felt very unwell on this day; I read a very beautiful sermon by Hofacker. After breakfast we paced the room, I felt very unwell. Many were expected for dinner, but they all declined, except for Stenger and Grandmamma; after the meal, as usual, we walked, made music, and worked. I was glad when I reached my bed.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The sun has finally come out, fresh snow has fallen, and a brilliant society gathers in the house: generals, beautiful wives, and the “charming” young Count Toll, who entertains them with tales of Vienna.
And Sophie, who has suffered so long from hoarseness, finally works up the courage to sing before this exacting capital audience, and her performance is received with great favor!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The diary is filled with everyday details that give the text that very effect of cinematic realism: from society chats on a chaise longue and the purchase of fashionable dresses to dinners with the Emperor himself!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We also see the classic anxieties of separation in an era when letters took weeks to arrive, and the drawing of the bridges over the Neva literally cut off parts of the city from one another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winter Petersburg tests Sophie’s endurance: the damp, slush, and cold cause her to completely lose her voice and force her to cancel lessons with the great Tamburini.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the most important thing on this page is the poignant entry from November 26th, which puts an end to our guesswork about the family mourning. On this day Sophie observes the birthday of the deceased, dearly beloved Kitty.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

All article commentary<\/summary>\n
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O. Kiprensky. Portrait of Karl Albrecht against the backdrop of the park at the Kotly estate (1827)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
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1. Dramatic News from Hamburg:<\/strong> Sophie’s favorite uncle, Pyotr Andreyevich Severin, was undergoing medical treatment in Hamburg. Grandmamma reacts to the letter so violently (“was beside herself” and only calmed down by evening) that it is obvious: either his condition was causing grave concern, or the news concerned the divorce between her other nephew, Robert Bacheracht, and Therese von Struve. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1.1 The Uglinskys – <\/em><\/strong> Maria, n\u00e9e Yevreinova, widow of Lieutenant Colonel A. V. Uglitsky, and her daughters Leocadia (c. 1821 – date of death unknown) and Alexandra (in marriage Albrecht) (1822 – 1862), who graduated from the Smolny Institute in 1839; second cousins of the poet M. Lermontov. In March 1841, Lermontov wrote the poetic joke “Ma ch\u00e8re Alexandrine…<\/a>” to Alexandra Uglinskaya regarding her impending marriage, and even sketched a portrait of her from behind. In April 1841, Alexandra married Karl Albrecht, a retired general, thereby becoming related to the Velhos, and through them indirectly to the Knorrings.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Buying a fur coat on Nevsky Prospect. Ill. \u2013 AI.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

2. I went with Ivan And[reyevich] to Kuchin<\/em> [to the shop?]<\/strong> and bought myself a fur coat: <\/strong>The onset of the St. Petersburg winter demands a wardrobe update. Sophie goes to a specialized shop or a furrier to buy herself winter furs, which were absolutely essential for sleigh rides through the capital’s icy winds. It was possibly Osip Kuchin’s shop. Considering that Sophie often spells surnames phonetically by ear, it is possible that the surname, especially a Russian one, was actually something else. Another detail is significant here: to go out shopping, Sophie requires a chaperone\u2014in this case, her uncle Ivan Andreyevich Severin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Sophie’s Healing:<\/strong> The phrase “Meine Heiterkeit ist unvergleichlich be\u00dfer”<\/em> (My cheerfulness\/spirits are incomparably better) shows that the decision to remain in St. Petersburg was the right one. Away from her father’s reproaches and provincial gossip, occupying herself with singing, shopping, and French literature, Sophie finally finds peace of mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Tamburini’s Album:<\/strong> The Italian maestro Tamburini is clearly charmed by his talented pupil. He wants to keep her as a student until January and asks her to write something as a keepsake for his album. Collecting albums with drawings and verses from admirers and friends was a major part of the high-society culture of the time.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Karl Frommann. Source: website of the Church of St. Peter and Paul in St. Petersburg.<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

5. Pastor Frommann <\/strong>– Georg Carl Ludwig Gottlieb Frommann (1809, Lauter, Germany – 1879, Jena) \u2014 a German and Russian theologian, Lutheran preacher, and educator; Doctor of Theology, Doctor of Philosophy, Professor of Theology at the Universities of Jena and Berlin, Vice-President of the St. Petersburg Evangelical Lutheran Consistory.  In 1839, he was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Theology by the University of Rostock, and having been ordained, on December 16 of the same year he was appointed preacher of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Saints Peter and Paul in St. Petersburg, a position he held until October 1865.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Black Water and Julep:<\/strong> The girl treats her autumnal cold and loss of voice with classic 19th-century apothecary mixtures: “black water” (likely herbal or tar-based drops) and a julep (a sweet medicinal syrup or infusion).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. Bernard’s Music Shop:<\/strong> Sophie writes that she went to “her friend Bernard” to buy sheet music (exercises) for her teacher Tamburini. This is a 100% historical match! Matvey Ivanovich Bernard<\/strong><\/a> (1794\u20131871) was a famous St. Petersburg music publisher and owner of the largest music store.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. The Lost 25 Rubles:<\/strong> Sophie casually complains that she lost 25 rubles (a huge sum for those times!). But like a true aristocrat, she doesn’t make a tragedy out of it and calmly goes off to order a new fur coat from the furrier Ruprecht.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Edward Harrison May. Detail from the painting ‘Lady Howe Checkmating Benjamin Franklin’, 1867<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

9. In the evening I played chess with Grandpapa  – <\/strong>A girl from a noble or educated family in 1841 could play chess without any hindrances. It was considered not just a men’s pastime, but an intellectual game perfectly suited for a society lady.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Portrait of V. Ovander, circa 1825. Louis-Ren\u00e9 Letronne<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

10. Emilia Bacheracht – <\/strong> wife of Georg Bacheracht, Sophie’s mother’s cousin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

10.1 General’s Wife Ovander –\u00a0 <\/strong>n\u00e9e Cramer, daughter of Benedict Cramer<\/strong> (see below). Her husband <\/strong>Vasily Yakovlevich Ovander (Ger. Wilhelm Ovander; 1790 – 1855) was the brother of the husband of Aunt Jette, Sophie’s mother’s sister. At the time, he was a Major General and commander of the Life Guards Volynsky Regiment. The Ovanders hailed from St. Petersburg merchants. Their father Jacob was a 1st-guild merchant in St. Petersburg, although his grandfather was merely a cantor in Mitau. \u00a0Their rapid career rise was likely linked to marriage. The mother of the Ovander brothers, Anna Regina M\u00fcller, belonged to the M\u00fcller\/Meller-Zakomelsky clan. Among Jacob Ovander’s (the father’s) business ventures was the White Sea Company (in 1803), modeled after the Russian-American Company, for fishing and sealing in the northern seas. The company’s archives contain contracts with \u00a0“Greenland industrialists, Pechenga and Pustozersk Lapps regarding trades and their harvesting of fish and marine animals” and correspondence with buyers from L\u00fcbeck and Hamburg. Large vessels like the “Alexander Nevsky” and “Count Rumyantsev” were built for the company. Expeditions to Novaya Zemlya were organized in 1807, to Grumant (Spitsbergen), etc. For his sons, Jacob Ovander hired E. E. K\u00f6hler as a private tutor, an academician of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences, who was the head of the First Department of the Hermitage (1805-1837), which included the library, the numismatic collection, and a collection of various stones and antiquities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

11. Ice Drift and Bridges over the Neva:<\/strong> The entries from November 7th and 8th are simply magnificent! Ivan Andreyevich “still could not get across the Neva,” as “the bridges had just been drawn” (die Br\u00fccken waren gerad abgelegt<\/em>). In the 1840s, there were no permanent bridges in St. Petersburg yet (the first one, Blagoveshchensky, would only open in 1850). Pontoon bridges were laid across the Neva. In November, when the autumn ice drift began on the river, these bridges were completely dismantled and pulled to the banks so they wouldn’t be crushed by the ice floes. Because of this, the residents of Vasilyevsky Island and the Petersburg Side were completely cut off from the city center for days or even weeks!<\/p>\n\n\n

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Alexandra Wilhelmina Cramer, in her 1st marriage Baroness von Tiesenhausen<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

12. B. Cramer – <\/strong> Benedict Benedictovich Cramer (1768 Narva – 1849 SPb). Great-grandson of the Narva merchant woman Anna Strahlborn. He shared a common ancestor with our Strahlborns 9 generations back. Through his mother (n\u00e9e Wolff), he was the first cousin once removed of Jacob Wolff, a banker, first-guild merchant, and the British consul in St. Petersburg.  B. Cramer was one of the largest St. Petersburg entrepreneurs of the first third of the 19th century and a Commerce Councilor. In 1800, together with his brother Sebastian and Edward James Smith (from England), he founded the wholesale firm “Cramer, Smith & Co.” in St. Petersburg, which traded with American wholesalers. Thanks to successful business operations, he became exceedingly wealthy. Together with Andrei Severin, he became a director of the Russian-American Company in 1808 and steered it out of a crisis. He was an elder of the St. Petersburg Stock Exchange. A great-nephew of Anna Regina Cramer, he bought out her Joala estate near Narva in 1821. In 1836, he co-founded the “Narva Manufactory” company, which acquired and expanded a textile factory on the territory of modern Ivangorod, founded there in 1820 by P. Momma. He was the owner of a sugar factory in St. Petersburg. Among his other business projects was Russia’s first railway, the St. Petersburg-Pavlovsk line (1836). His brother Sebastian was the Austrian Consul General in St. Petersburg. One of his daughters (Alexandra) married Prince Ernst Barclay de Tolly, the son of the Field Marshal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

13. Armenvisite:<\/strong> On November 9th, Sophie experiences an inner anxiety and, to ease her conscience, decides to make an Armenvisite<\/em> – a charitable visit to distribute alms or money to the poor, which was a frequent Christian practice among pious noblewomen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

14. Pastor Muralt<\/strong> – <\/strong>Johannes von Muralt<\/a> (1780, Ch\u00e2teau de Heidelberg \u2013 1850, St. Petersburg) was a Swiss pastor and educator, a follower of the Pestalozzi system. In 1810, he was invited to Russia to take the position of pastor at the Reformed Church in St. Petersburg. He is primarily known as the founder of a boarding school for wealthy and noble youth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

15. Tarlatan:<\/strong> In the Gostiny Dvor, Sophie buys herself lace and tarlatan. This is a light, semi-transparent cotton fabric (similar to stiff muslin) which in the 1840s was massively used for sewing fashionable puffy ball gowns, bonnets, and trimmings.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Louisa von Knorring, in marriage Countess Tiesenhausen, Sophie’s cousin. AI reconstruction from a later portrait.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

16. Louisa – <\/strong>Aunt Louisa’s daughter, Sophie’s cousin. In the autumn of 1841, she is 17 years old. Soon she will become a lady-in-waiting to the Empress and will marry Count Tiesenhausen. To avoid confusing mother and daughter, Sophie usually writes “Aunt Louisa” for the mother and simply “Louisa” when referring to her cousin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

17. Countess Sollogub:<\/strong> One of the most prominent high-society names in the diary! Most likely, this refers to Anna Mikhailovna Sollogub (1793 Hapsal \u2013 1854), sister of Chancellor A. Gorchakov and aunt of the writer Leo Tolstoy. Through her mother Osten-Sacken, n\u00e9e von Fersen, she was a German from Estonia, and moreover, was born in Hapsal\u2014practically a countrywoman of Sophie and her cousin Louisa. It is doubtful that Louisa was accompanied by any of Anna Mikhailovna’s unmarried daughters\u2014Vera or Elena Lvovna Sollogub. They were the same age as Sophie and Louisa and, according to the conventions of the time, needed chaperones themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

18. Holy Trinity Alexander Nevsky Lavra<\/strong> – a male Orthodox monastery at the eastern end of Nevsky Prospect in St. Petersburg. The first and largest monastery in the city. The title “Lavra” is given to some of the largest male Orthodox monasteries that hold special historical and spiritual significance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

19. Andryusha<\/em><\/strong> <\/em><\/strong>– The name is written with Latin letters, but precisely in the diminutive Russian form “Andryusha”. This refers to the son of Aunt Jette and Johann Ovander, Heinrich (1826-1886), who was named after his grandfather, and who is already called by a Russian name even within the family\u2014evidence of the Russification of the St. Petersburg Germans. Heinrich, or Andrei, Ovander later became a stockbroker. His younger brother Jacob, or in Russian Yakov Ivanovich, Yasha, Ovander (1828-1898), later became a Russian General of the Artillery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

20. Madame Friderici \u2013 <\/strong>possibly Charlotte, n\u00e9e R\u00fcdiger (1786-1867), whose sister was Stenger’s mother.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

21. High-Society Gossip and “malici\u00f6s”:<\/strong> Her uncle brings guests over, and Sophie astutely characterizes one of them: clever, but caustic (from the French malicieux<\/em>), who mocks everything (moquirt<\/em> from the Fr. se moquer<\/em>). Sophie, as we can see, generously weaves fashionable French buzzwords into her German text.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

21.1 General’s Wife Strandmann:<\/strong> Wife of General Karl Strandmann (Ger. Karl Gustav von Strandmann; 1787 – 1855), n\u00e9e Lucia Tarczynska.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

22. The Mikhailovsky Theatre Repertoire:<\/strong> Sophie scrupulously lists all four French vaudevilles they watched that evening (from “The Roquebourg Family”<\/em> to “The Kettledrums”<\/em>). Performances in the French Theatre (the present-day Mikhailovsky) were incredibly long back then: they staged 3 to 5 short plays in a single evening, and spectators were free to leave without waiting for the end of the show, which Sophie and her family did right before the final play. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

23. Madame Sukhozanet <\/strong>\u2013 Wife of the General of the Artillery Ivan Sukhozanet<\/a>, n\u00e9e Princess Ekaterina Alexandrovna Beloselskaya-Belozerskaya (1804 – 1861). They owned a mansion on Nevsky Prospect.<\/p>\n\n\n

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George Hayter. Portrait of E. Vorontsova. 1832. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

24. Countess Vorontsova \u2013 <\/strong>Elizaveta Ksaveryevna<\/a>, n\u00e9e Branitskaya, wife of the Governor-General of Novorossiya, Count Mikhail Vorontsov. She was a romantic interest of the poet Alexander Pushkin during his stay in Odessa, and the addressee of many of his poems. <\/p>\n\n\n

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Christina Robertson, portrait of Princess Baryatinskaya. c. 1839<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

25. Princess Kochubey, n\u00e9e Baryatinskaya:<\/strong> This is a phenomenal historical find! At the theater, Sophie sits next to Princess Maria Ivanovna Kochubey<\/strong><\/a> (1818\u20131843), n\u00e9e Princess Baryatinskaya. She was one of the most brilliant and famous beauties of Pushkin’s St. Petersburg, daughter of the diplomat I. I. Baryatinsky. Tragically, just a year and a half after this theatrical encounter, in early 1843, the young princess would suddenly die of a fever, sending the entire St. Petersburg high society into shock.  Princess Maria Baryatinskaya-Kochubey is the author of an unpublished diary containing entries about Pushkin and d’Anth\u00e8s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

26. Toothache:<\/strong> A sudden, severe toothache forces Sophie to take to her bed. In the 1840s, dentistry was agonizing, so people relied on home remedies until the very last moment: they applied a hot herbal compress or poultice to the cheek to reduce swelling and ease the pain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

27. The Loss of Kitty:<\/strong> For the first time, the reason for the family mourning and the grandmother’s tears is explicitly explained. The family is grieving for the deceased Kitty. Sophie’s younger sister Katharina (1837-1840) died in Paslep in December 1840 at the age of 3. This explains both the melancholy at the beginning of the diary and the fact that Sophie was reluctant to return to high society for a long time.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Portrait of P. K. Alexandrov by an unknown artist, after 1844.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

28. Pavel Konstantinovich Alexandrov<\/strong><\/a>:<\/strong> The entry from November 16th brings another prominent name. Colonel P. K. Alexandrov (1808\u20131857) comes to joke with them. This is none other than the legitimized illegitimate son of Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich<\/strong> (brother of Emperors Alexander I and Nicholas I) and the French actress Josephine Friedrichs. He was welcomed in the most elite circles of the capital. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

29. Madame Meybaum \u2013 <\/strong>Grandmamma’s sister, Elizaveta Bacheracht, married to a “first-guild merchant,” one of the pillars of the St. Petersburg merchant class, Jacob (James) Meybaum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

30. General Prittwitz<\/strong> – One of the three Prittwitz brothers who were generals, likely Karl Prittwitz<\/a>  <\/strong>(Ger. Carl Leonhard Friedrich Anton von Prittwitz, 1797 – 1881). In 1841, he was a Major General in His Majesty’s Retinue, and later became a General of the Cavalry and Adjutant General.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

31. French in Everyday Life:<\/strong> Sophie generously peppers her German text with French loanwords, which was the norm for the aristocracy. The word “causerien”<\/em> (from the French causerie<\/em> – casual conversation, social chatter) and the phrase “toilette soignirter”<\/em> (from the Fr. soign\u00e9<\/em> – well-groomed, exquisite) show how the ladies prepared to receive such high-ranking guests: they devoted much more attention to their attire and appearance than on an ordinary day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

32. The Young Count Toll:<\/strong> This refers to a representative of the famous countly Toll family (the son of the hero of the Patriotic War of 1812, Karl Fyodorovich Toll – likely Nikolai Karlovich). The fact that he had just returned from a 4-month medical treatment abroad (in Vienna) made for an ideal topic of salon conversation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

33. Debut Before the Public:<\/strong> Sophie writes that she had to sing “with a beating heart” (mit Herzklopfen<\/em>). No wonder! Performing before capital generals and counts is a great trial. But the lessons from Maestro Tamburini had not been in vain, and the guests received her vocals quite favorably (“were so kind”).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

34. Maestro Tamburini as a Conversationalist:<\/strong> The scene with the great operatic baritone Tamburini repeats itself! Sophie once again cannot sing due to a cold, and the world-famous artist, instead of leaving, simply sits with her for a whole hour and chats pleasantly. Clearly, he very much enjoyed the company of this educated Baltic young lady. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

35. Fr\u00e4ulein R[\u00fcdiger] <\/strong>\u2013 Evidently the governess in the household of Pontus and Louisa Knorring, niece of Madame Friderici, and sister of the mistress of Weissenfeld, Katerina Knorring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

36. Winding Wool (Wolle wickeln):<\/strong> In the evening, Sophie and her Aunt Louisa “wind wool.” This is an incredibly cozy and classic detail of 19th-century noble domestic life. Women often spent their evenings winding balls of yarn for needlework while engaging in long, intimate conversations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

37. 19th-Century Medicine:<\/strong> Sophie suffers from a toothache and employs a popular home remedy of the time: she drops warm oil into her ear<\/em> (warmes Oel ins Ohr). Because dentistry was undeveloped, people often tried to soothe the inflamed trigeminal nerve through the ear canal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

38. Petersburg Winter Darkness:<\/strong> The entry “when it grew dark, which happens already at half past three”<\/em> is a 100% St. Petersburg reality. In mid-to-late November in St. Petersburg, daylight dwindles catastrophically, and twilight indeed sets in by 3:30 PM. For a southern young lady or someone from sunnier latitudes, this would be depressing, but Sophie finds comfort in cozy gatherings in the boudoir.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

39. “Friend Paul” (l’ami Paul):<\/strong> The girls gossip about “friend Paul.” It is highly likely they are referring to General Pavel Konstantinovich Alexandrov (the illegitimate son of the Romanovs), who had visited them a couple of days prior and made a great impression on everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

40. General Gr\u00fcnewaldt<\/strong> – Rodion Egorovich Gr\u00fcnewaldt<\/a> (Moritz Reinhold von Gr\u00fcnewaldt) – Major General (later General of the Cavalry), commander of the Chevalier Guard Regiment (as such, he participated in the investigation and trial concerning the duel between Pushkin and d’Anth\u00e8s). A distant relative of Sophie’s fianc\u00e9 through the von Kursell mother. After making Sophie’s acquaintance, he became a frequent visitor to the Knorring household.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

41. Sophie Rehbinder \u2013 <\/strong>Sophie’s second cousin, granddaughter of her grandfather’s sister Sophia Velho. Lady-in-waiting to Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna (see the Severin-Velho-Rehbinder family tree).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

42. Verigina:<\/strong> It is not entirely clear who this is. Possibly the younger sister of General A. Verigin; however, considering that Sophie often writes names by ear and with mistakes, especially when rendering Russian names, she might be referring to a representative of the family of the St. Petersburg banker (from Narva merchants, and thus a partner of her grandfather and the Cramers) Johann Christoph Bergin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

43. Darkness and Separation:<\/strong> Sophie’s mood is very subtly tied to the St. Petersburg climate. Outside it is “almost dark all day” (fast dunkel<\/em>), the bridges are drawn, and there has been no news from home in Estonia (Paslep) for a whole month. Mail transported by horses over autumnal muddy roads took an unpredictably long time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

44. The Logistics of the Neva Freezing Over:<\/strong> The diary thoroughly chronicles the struggle with the St. Petersburg elements. On November 20th, the pontoon bridge (St. Isaac’s or another) is laid out again (die Br\u00fccke wurde aufgestellt<\/em>), allowing Grandmamma to travel to Vasilyevsky Island. But the very next day, on November 21st, due to strengthening ice, the bridge is dismantled again (Die Br\u00fccke war wieder ab<\/em>), and the Neva outside the windows of their house becomes “completely open.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

45. Dinner with the Emperor:<\/strong> The entry from November 21st is an absolute gem! Uncle Pontus attends a dinner party hosted by the Kaiser<\/em> himself (the Russian Emperor Nicholas I at the Winter Palace) and returns to the family even before they had finished their own meal. This vividly underscores the family’s proximity to the imperial court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

46. The Neva here outside the windows looked completely open <\/strong>\u2013 an indication of Sophie’s place of residence in St. Petersburg. It is not entirely clear where she could have seen the Neva outside her windows. Uncle Pontus’s apartment (according to Nistr\u00f6m’s 1844 guidebook) was located in the Chevalier Guard Regiment barracks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

47. The Bridge and Ice on the Neva:<\/strong> In the entry from November 22nd, the Neva is “free of ice again” (wieder frei von Eis<\/em>). The autumn ice drift had passed, the river had temporarily cleared before the onset of hard frosts, and the authorities rushed to relay the pontoon bridge to restore communication between the banks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

48. The Absence of a Sleigh Track:<\/strong> On Sunday, Sophie wishes to go to church, but cannot, because the snow has melted, there is impassable mud everywhere, and the “sleigh track” (Schlittenbahn<\/em>) is not yet established. Traveling in a wheeled carriage through such slush was pure torment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

49. Dr. Ochs:<\/strong> A historical figure. Dr. Eduard Ochs was a very well-known and respected physician in St. Petersburg at the time, practicing among the German and Russian aristocracy. He politely but firmly advises the cold-stricken young lady not to stroll about the city, but to head home immediately to the warmth.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

50. Nikolai Knorring \u2013 <\/strong>an officer, treasurer of the Chevalier Guard Regiment, a distant relative of Sophie’s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

51. Countess Orlova-Denisova and Princess Vyazemskaya:<\/strong> The diary rings with names from the very highest echelons of the Russian aristocracy. Countess Elizaveta Alexeevna  Orlova-Denisova<\/strong>, n\u00e9e Nikitina (1817 – 1898), lady-in-waiting to the court (from Sept 14, 1832), was the only daughter of Count Alexei Petrovich Nikitin and heiress to the entailed Kolomyagi estate. Her St. Petersburg house at 22\/16 Liteyny Prospect was considered one of the most “bon ton” in the capital. She was regarded as one of the “lionesses” of high society, along with Princess Z. I. Yusupova and Princess E. N. Urusova.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

52. Princess Vyazemskaya – <\/strong> Vera Fyodorovna, n\u00e9e Princess Gagarina (1790 – 1886), wife of the poet Prince Pyotr Vyazemsky, and a confidante and correspondent of Alexander Pushkin. Louisa Knorring had been friends with the Vyazemskys since their husbands served in Warsaw in the 1820s. The Vyazemsky salon was frequented by many aristocrats, but the fact that a Grand Duke<\/strong> (Gro\u00dff\u00fcrst – most likely Mikhail Pavlovich, younger brother of Nicholas I) is present at Princess Vyazemskaya’s during Aunt Louisa’s visit demonstrates just how close Sophie’s family stood to the imperial court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

53. Count<\/strong> Leonty Karlovich Oppermann<\/strong> <\/a>(1810 – 1870), son of General Karl Oppermann and Carolina von Kelchen, long-time adjutant to Uncle Pontus, later a Lieutenant General and participant in the Crimean War.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

54. The High-Society Maestro Tamburini:<\/strong> The story with the great baritone Antonio Tamburini takes on an almost comical tone. In the morning, Sophie sends the global celebrity home because she is hoarse. And Tamburini obediently returns to her in the evening (at 8 o’clock!), gives the lesson, and then sits in the hall (until 10 PM) engaging the young ladies in “la belle causette”<\/em> (pleasant French chatter). This vividly illustrates the status of opera stars in the salons of St. Petersburg: they were not merely hired tutors, but welcome society guests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

55. The Old Church House:<\/strong> In the evening, Sophie and her aunt go to hear the pastor deliver a lecture on death “in the old church house” (im Alten Kirchhause). This likely refers to a building belonging to the Sarepta Society, where, in addition to church services, spiritual readings and lectures were held, bringing Sophie the comfort she so desperately needed right now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

56. The Shame of a Hired Carriage:<\/strong> On November 28th, Sophie complains that she feels ashamed to ask her relatives for her own carriage (“awkward asking for the carriage”), but riding in a hired carriage<\/strong> (gemietheten Wagen<\/em> \/ a cab) is “quite unpleasant” to her. For a noble young lady from high society to ride in a hired carriage, where anyone could have sat before her, was considered a breach of social decorum and a sign of straitened circumstances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

57. The Dondukov-Korsakovs – <\/strong> Prince Mikhail Alexandrovich Dondukov-Korsakov<\/a> (until September 10, 1820 \u2014 Mikhail Alexandrovich Korsakov; 1794 \u2014 1869) \u2014 a Russian imperial statesman and military figure, Vice-President of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences (from 1835\u20131852), and his wife Maria Nikitichna Dondukova-Korsakova (1803\u20141884), the only daughter and heiress of Prince Nikita Ivanovich Dondukov-Korsakov and Vera Ionovna, n\u00e9e Princess Dondukova.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

National Archives of Estonia (EAA). F. 1334. Inv. 1. F. 78.<\/strong> EAA.1334.1.78<\/a> Tagebuch der Sophie von Knorring. [Diary of Sophie von Knorring. Volume II] (1841\u20131842).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2190 Read October, 1841<\/a> <\/strong><\/em>| To be continued \u2192<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u2190 Read October, 1841 | To be continued \u2192 Begun around May 1, 1841, at her parents’ estate of Paslep, completed around March 1, 1842, in St. Petersburg *. The discoverer of this document and… <\/p>\n

Read full entry »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1320,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"The real drama of the 1840s is hidden in the archives. \ud83d\udcdc\u2728 Step into 1841 through the secret diary of a young noblewoman on the run from an arranged marriage. Masked balls, ruthless aristocratic matchmaking, and unfiltered gossip from the 19th-century elite. Discover a true story that proves reality","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[36,1],"tags":[18,35,33,13],"class_list":["post-1313","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-diary","category-uncategorized","tag-diary","tag-history","tag-libraries","tag-pushkin"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/alfoart.com\/derionzini-en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/sophie-von-knorring-november-1841.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alfoart.com\/derionzini-en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1313","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alfoart.com\/derionzini-en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alfoart.com\/derionzini-en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alfoart.com\/derionzini-en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alfoart.com\/derionzini-en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1313"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/alfoart.com\/derionzini-en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1313\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1322,"href":"https:\/\/alfoart.com\/derionzini-en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1313\/revisions\/1322"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alfoart.com\/derionzini-en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1320"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alfoart.com\/derionzini-en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1313"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alfoart.com\/derionzini-en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1313"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alfoart.com\/derionzini-en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1313"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}