A Few Years before the Catastrophe by Sofia Ivanova Tyutcheva

This book is a bit slim (52 pages) but Sofia Ivanova Tyutcheva's memoirs, A Few Years Before the Catastrophe, offers a glimpse into court life when 1896,  Sofia was appointed as a Maid of Honor to the young Empress Alexandra.  Eleven years later, she became a governess to the four grand duchesses, a position she held until 1912. 

Sofia was informed of her dismissal by Alexandra's Mistress of the Robes.  It was due to the "mutual misunderstanding, the raising of children is impossible, and it would be better for her to leave."

But her discomfiture may have more to do with her "negative attitude" toward Anna Vyrubova, Alexandra's confidante, and Rasputin.

Unfortunately, for historians and biographers,  Sofia's memoir offers few details about her feelings as she did not put her thoughts on paper until 1945.

When Grand Duchess Marie Pavlovna married Prince Wilhelm of Sweden in 1908,  Grand Duchess Helen Vladimirovna and her husband, Prince Nicholas of Greece and Denmark, attended the wedding with their two young daughters, Princess Olga and Princess Elisabeth.

At tea, five-year-old Elisabeth sat next to Alexis.  The Greek princess spoke Greek and English, but Alexis spoke only Russian.  Alexis would scream into Elisabeth's ear, thinking she would understand him.  Sofia offered to translate,  Alexis said: "Elizabeth, I love you."  Elizabeth responded: "I also love little Alexis."

Sofia's time at Court included the Imperial visit to England and Darmstadt and the assassination of Prime Minister Stolypin in 1911.

After leaving court, she returned to her family home in Muranovo, where she remained for the rest of her life.  She died in 1957.

The text was translated by George Hawkins, who lives in New Zealand and is fluent in Russian

It is an informative and recollective read.  I think the text itself, probably a direct translation, needed a bit of tidying up, to make the text more readable.  One particular glaring error (due to the translation) is when Hawkins describes Maria Pavlovna as Greek Queen Alexandra.  Grand Duke Paul married Princess Alexandra of Greece and Denmark, not the queen of  Greece.  Alexandra was the daughter of King George I and Queen Olga of the Hellenes.

I would also recommend redoing the layout of the book, especially for the photos and their captions.  The book is available in a print edition ( $12.00)and Kindle. 

The book is a quick read and brings a new voice to courtiers who served Nicholas II and his family.