Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-26
NIECE OF TCFIAIKOWSKY HERE
PREPARES MEMOIRS OF RUSSIA
Nine. N. Rimsky-Korsakoff
Tells How Grandfather
Died in Exile.
Expatriated NobIeWoman Re-
calls Days at Court of Last
of the Cars.
BY GRETCHEN SMITH.

Reno-bound wives of modern Americs
will doubtless Shrug scornful shoulders
at the story of q Russian noblewoman
| who a century ago, followed into volun.
tary exile her husband condemned for
| life to work in the mines Of frozen
Siberia.
Preparing her memoirs, Prom Exile
to Exile" at her modest apartment at
the Montello, 1901 Columbia road, Nine
N. Rimsky-Korsakoff, widow Of q for
mer vice admiral Of the Russian I'M
perial Navy. and a favorite niece Of
the great composer, Tchaikowsky,
promises a fascinating and colorful tale
of Russia under the Gears and Russia
later, during the terror-6lled days OF
the last revolution.
Nine. Korsakof includes in her
memoirs the "reminiscences Of her
grandmother, Nine. Leo Davidoff, who
ships in Siberia In order to ease the
sufferings and privations Of her hus-
band, a nobleman of the realm, con-
demned to life of exile by Gar Nicolas
I, for his participation in the political
rebellion Of 1925.
Returned TO Russia.
IT knew my grandmother very well, "
said Nine Korsakoff. she was q dear
little old lady, and despite the rs years
she spent in Siberia, she returned to
Russia after the death Of my GRANDPA
ther, and lived to the age Of g."
Pressed to tell more about the story
of the little grandmother, Mime. Kor-
sakoff continued:
TT Is truly amazing to think of what
she, and number of other women at
that time, lived through. In 1925, my
grandfather with five others was SEN
fenced to be hanged for political activi-
ties against the Emperor, Nicholas I.
My grandfather's sentence Of death was
changed to one of life exile in Siberia.
His estates were confiscated, and with
a great number of other prisoners,
loaded with chains, they were marched
from Russia to their destination ct
Cheta, the eastern part Of Siberia. He
left behind him my grandmother, only
IS years old, and five children.
There were many mobiles besides my
grandfather who were exiled at that
time, and the Gear issued o decree
granting a divorce to all the wives Of
these men. with permission to remarry.
My grandmother always proudly re-
called that not one woman Of that
group ever agreed to accept this divorce
which was offered to them. On the
contrary, several, including the Princess
Volsonsky and the Princess TroubeZ-
kaya. besides my grandmother, planned
to follow their husbands.
Left Children with Uncles.
This had been strictly forbidden by
the Emperor But despite his prohibition,
they went on with their plans, bribing
guards and overcoming one difnculty
after the other. until they succeeded In
getting out Of Russia into Siberia. There
after untold hardships. deprivations
and insults, they somehow managed
to reach their husbands. penetrating,
In some cases, even to the farthermost
mines My grandmother, who had been
reared in luxury and had never been
away from the protection of her home.
tore herself away from her five small
children, whom she left on the estate
Of their uncles and followed her hus-
band to Chita.
she often told" continued the Rus
sian lady, that the hardest moment
Of her life was the night she left her
home. She purposely chose nighttime
so that she could 60 when the children
were sleeping. One of her little girls
stirred In her sleep, and throwing her
arms around my grandmother neck,
she said, don't 60, Mammal How the
child knew her mother was leaving
was never known.