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Updated: September 28, 2025
Nelka was somewhere at the front near the Rumanian border. We did not know where each of us was and had no communications. Gradually the discipline in the Army, under the impact of the Revolution, broke down and the front started to disintegrate. While my regiment was coming apart on the Galician front, Nelka's unit was doing the same on the Rumanian border.
While in later years she never hardly spoke about it, I think the pain always remained. Nelka was a great believer in 'circumstances' in life. The death of Tibi was a 'circumstance' which affected Nelka's life and mine as well. Had Tibi not died as she did then, Nelka would not have returned that year to Russia.
Also the Bakhmeteffs were at that time in St. Petersburg and they too helped make arrangements. Despite the fact that Nelka was then 26 years old, she did not feel that she should travel alone and was trying to find someone who was going to Russia from Paris.
Nelka de Smirnoff was born on August 19, 1878 in Paris, France. Her father was Theodor Smirnoff, of the Russian nobility. Her grandmother had tartar blood in her veins and was born Princess Tischinina. Nelka's father was a brilliant man, finishing the Imperial Alexander Lyceum at the head of his class.
Perhaps we may miraculously escape if not, goodbye. Perhaps some one may pick this up and send it. I send you much, much love give my love to my friends in Petersburg, it is terrible for the poor wounded. Love to Max. Nelka." Here is a letter from Aunt Susie Blow to Nelka in 1913: "Nothing I can say suggests what I feel.
She had a great deal of trouble with her frightened horse, trembling and scared, because of the noise and flashing guns. The fighting was going on a short distance ahead and hardly had they unloaded as the wounded started to be brought in. They worked on them in muddy dugouts. Between moments of respite Nelka would run out into the dark and try to soothe her horse which was tied in the woods.
But for the moment the war was on and everyone had other thoughts and jobs on hand than romance. But I was growing up and so was my feelings for her. Every time Nelka would come to Petersburg, I would see her off to the train, taking her back to the front. On one such an occasion I gave her a box of white cream caramels.
While in Paris, in addition to the general subjects and the lectures at the Sorbonne, Nelka also studied music, in particular the violin, and at a time was quite proficient in it, though she did not keep it up, as she did with painting, which she continued for a number of years. Nelka's mother tried to bring her up in the Russian spirit with a great veneration for the memory of her father.
We stopped on our way at Biserta on the African coast and had a day ashore. The day after we left Biserta at lunch time, I smelled smoke, so I told Nelka I would go and investigate. The moment I came out on deck the alarm bells started off and I saw the middle of the ship aflame. While I went on deck, Nelka had gone to our cabin, and when she entered she also heard the alarm.
The Baron then returned to Finland taking with him the kitten where it lived on their estate to a ripe old age. Nelka, upon her arrival, stopped as usual at my mother's. Soon after that I returned from the front. Now we were all together once more and all together tried to survive in the Revolution, which was not an easy matter.
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