Imperial Dancer by Coryne Hall

Author:Coryne Hall
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780752488233
Publisher: The History Press
Published: 2012-06-09T04:00:00+00:00

In the spring of 1915 the Russians captured Przemysl, ‘the strongest fortress in the Austro-Hungarian Empire’.10 The air of general rejoicing soon turned to despair. Przemysl and Lemberg were lost, many of the Tsar’s subjects came under enemy occupation and refugees fled before the German advance. As the Russians retreated all their western fortresses, all of Poland and part of Lithuania were lost, together with three million men. In Russia there was anger, disillusionment and bitterness. Anger turned against the Germans and in Moscow crowds in Red Square shouted insults at the Imperial family, demanding that the ‘German’ Tsarina be sent to a convent and the Tsar abdicate in favour of Nicholasha.

The situation was not helped because the War Minister, General Vladimir Sukhomlinov, was jealous of Nicholasha and did what he could to undermine the Grand Duke’s position. Sukhomlinov and the Artillery Department were blamed for the loss of Poland and the army’s retreat. The War Minister had ‘acquired enemies in the Artillery Department and among the Inspectors-General, whose functions the Sukhomlinite General Staff began to usurp’.11

The Inspector General of Artillery was Grand Duke Sergei Michaelovich. In 1915 when complaints again arose about a shortage of ammunition, the finger was pointed at Sergei. In return, Sergei and his brother Sandro ‘have not hesitated to say in public that Sukhomlinov is a criminal’, Andrei recorded in his diary. ‘Maybe it is due to the fact that the war has shown how poorly we are provided with artillery, and Grand Duke Sergei is trying to draw attention away from himself and therefore accuses Sukhomlinov? This is quite unjust.’ Sukhomlinov (and more especially his wife, who was said to be taking bribes) were ‘popularly believed’ to be German agents.12

It was now said that Sergei was so far under the influence of Kschessinska that he allowed her to meddle in his affairs. Mathilde was believed to be mixed up in various irregularities and the Empress was only too happy to believe the rumours. In June 1915 Alexandra told her husband that Grand Duke Paul had asked ‘whether Sergei would be relieved of his post as all are so much against him, right or wrong – and Kschessinska is mixed up again – she behaved like Mme Sukhomlinov it seems with bribes and the Artillery orders – one hears it from many sides.’13 The Tsar made no comment.

Mathilde denied these allegations, claiming that someone was trying to blacken her name in the Empress’s eyes, but Alexandra was not the only person who had heard the stories. Many highly placed people, who were in a position to know the truth, heard these rumours. No one contradicted them.

The dishonesty and the cupidity of the Artillery Department was now a common topic of conversation in Petrograd, ‘but as a Grand Duke was at its head, no one dared say a word’, commented Princess Radziwill. ‘So once again began the usual cry of treason, of German gold and German spies.’14 Mathilde was rumoured to be accepting huge bribes from

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