Notes

The Spelling of Russian Names

I use the spelling of Russian names that is most familiar to English-speaking readers. For my own family, I write Kamendrovsky. In official documents, other spellings also appear, such as Kamendrowsky, Kamendrowski, or Kamendrovski.

In this book, I include both the -off ending (such as Ivanoff) and the -ov ending. This choice is intentional. Many White émigrés preferred the -off form because it matched the French and English transliterations used across Europe at the time. Russians who remained in their homeland continued using the original -ov ending. You will therefore see both forms throughout the text.

Russian Names

Russian names traditionally consist of three parts: a given (Christian) name, a patronymic (based on the father’s name), and a surname. My own name in Russian is Masha Nikolaievna van der Heyde. Nikolaievna means “daughter of Nikolai”, and van der Heyde is my family name.

To keep things clear in the story, I refer to Lydia’s father simply as Father, since he and his son share the name Feodor. Likewise, I call Lydia’s mother Mother to distinguish her from Feodor’s wife, who is also named Elena.

When several people share the same name, such as my grandmother Lydia and Feodor’s daughter Lydia, I use a diminutive for one of them. In this case, the affectionate Russian form Lidochka helps to tell them apart.

I also use the feminine form of Russian surnames, such as Ivanova or Kamendrovskaya, for women, to reflect the original Russian grammar, even in chapters set after emigration. In émigré circles in France and the West, however, the masculine form, such as Ivanoff or Kamendrovsky, was often used for the entire family.

Titles

I use Emperor, Empress, Tsar, and Tsarina interchangeably, as all are historically correct.
The eldest son of the Tsar was the Tsarevich, while other sons were Grand Dukes and daughters Grand Duchesses. From 1886, these titles were reserved for the monarch’s children and grandchildren in the male line.

The Russian Calendar

Until 1 February 1918, Russia followed the Old Style Julian Calendar. In the nineteenth century, this calendar was twelve days behind Western Europe, and thirteen days behind in the twentieth century.
In this book, I use the Julian Calendar for dates up to 1 February 1918, and the Gregorian Calendar thereafter.

The exchange rate

Before 1917, the exchange rate was stable at 10 roubles to £1. Between 1917 and 1919, it shifted to roughly 15 roubles to £1 (around €1.15 today). This was only the nominal rate; in reality, inflation and the turmoil of revolution and war sharply reduced the rouble’s purchasing power.