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otmaaromanovas
otmaaromanovas

Vera Ignatievna Gedroits - the openly lesbian, first woman professor of surgery in Russia, who worked alongside the Romanovs

A black and white photograph of Vera Gedroits. She has short hair, is wearing dark clothing, and staring at the camera sternly.ALT
A sepia photograph of Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna bandaging a wounded soldier's foot. Vera Gedroitz is standing closely next to her, assisting. Vera is looking at the camera. Alexandra Feodorovna is wearing a nurse's habit, whilst Vera is wearing a surgeon's cap.ALT

Princess Vera Ignatievna Gedroits was a doctor, surgeon, poet, and pioneer of medicine. Vera worked alongside Tsarina Alexandra and Grand Duchesses Olga and Tatiana Nikolaevna, working with the Red Cross to treat injured soldiers during the First World War. 

** content warning for mention of suicide **

Born as a Princess of royal Lithuanian descent in 1870 in Kyiv, Vera is thought to have developed an interest in medicine following the passing of her little brother Sergei during childhood. Vera later wrote under the pen name ‘Sergei Gedroits’ in honour of him. 

In 1892, Vera was arrested for participating in the Populist movement. Freed and undeterred, Vera was adamant to continue her medical studies. An open lesbian, Vera entered into a marriage of convenience with friend Nikolai Belozerov, permitting the obtaining of a new passport to travel, allowing her to pursue her dream of a medical career without the restriction of borders and her previous name being on police records. Despite their marriage being one of convenience, rather that romantic love, Vera and Nikolai were close friends, and stayed in contact through letters.

In 1903, Vera obtained the title of ‘female doctor’, but later that year attempted suicide. Vera’s mental health had declined due to an overwhelming personal family life, the death of her sister, exhausting workload, and breakup of a relationship with a lady in Switzerland. The following year, Vera had recovered, and the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese war led to her working in horse-drawn mobile hospitals. 

A black and white photograph of Vera standing upright in a dark coat, white shirt, and tieALT

Working with wounded patients, Vera took detailed notes which allowed the making of the connection between injuries and the weapon used to inflict them. Interestingly, Vera did not shy away from abdominal operations, which was irregular due to previous thoughts that such injuries were ‘inoperable’. Often, patients with such injuries were refused surgery and were sadly left to pass away.


Following the War, Vera worked provincially, attending to 125,363 patients. This pioneering work was recognised by Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna in 1909, who invited Vera to take the position of Senior Court Physician. Vera was the first woman to serve as a physician in the Imperial Palace. Vera wrote ‘Conversations on Surgery for Sisters and Doctors’ to help the Palace understand the profession. Vera would eventually write 58 scientific papers. Vera earned a Doctorate of Surgery on May 11 1912, the first woman in the history of the University of Moscow to do so. 

Vera surrounded by other medical staff, some in suits and others in nurse's costume. To the right of the photo is a document in Russian, translating to her appointment as doctor.ALT

Following the outbreak of the First World War, Vera helped to install physiotherapy equipment and X-ray machines in hospitals to aid recovery. Vera taught Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna and her daughters, Grand Duchesses Olga and Tatiana, medical work, and they assisted with operations. Vera worked alongside Imperial Physician Dr. Evgeny Botkin to help connect infirmaries to railways and supplies. Vera occasionally travelled to the front lines to help provide surgery directly at the scene, and in one case performed over 30 operations over a three day period. 


Vera looks at the camera. She is sat down and surrounded by five of her patients, each wearing a dressing gown. Most of them are young and thin, with very short hair and thin moustaches.ALT
Vera is standing next to a hospital bed, where is patient is lying down and resting. Beside her at the chair next to the bed is sat Anna Vyrubova, a friend of the Tsarina. On the opposite side, the Tsarina is also sat down. Her daughter Olga Nikolaevna is standing next to her, also in nurse's outfit. Olga's hair is just peeking out of her hair covering.ALT
Vera is surrounded by officers, in an informal photo taken outside. The officers are wearing their military hats and jackets, though some are wearing dressing gowns. Vera is wearing a hat and dark jacket, with a white shirt and tie.ALT
A patient is sat down, having his hand and fingers bandaged by Grand Duchess Tatiana Nikolaevna. She is looking down thoughtfully, and he is also looking down fondly at her working. Vera is supervising, and next to her are two identified doctors, one holding a bandage that is ready to be applied.ALT

Vera is recorded as having little patience for the infamous Grigori Rasputin, with one source recording the shoving of Rasputin ‘into a corridor when he refused to get out’ of the way.


There are no records that suggest that the patients or the Romanovs objected to Vera's sexuality, though there was disapproval of her continuing to remain in Tsarskoe Selo to continue military surgery after the Revolution. If anything, she was renowned as one of the most capable and intelligent women of the era. Vera wore a surgeon's cap rather than the head coverings that nurses and Sisters of Mercy wore.

Vera is standing in the hospital ward. On either side of her are the Grand Duchesses Olga and Tatiana Nikolaevna. They are surrounded by officers, most in dressing gowns, recovering from their injuries. On the wall behind them is a map of Russia.ALT
A blurry photo showing Vera standing next to Tatiana Nikolaevna, Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna, and Olga Nikolaevna. Vera is wearing her surgeon's cap.ALT
A more relaxed photo shows Vera looking slightly worn out and frazzled. She has taken off her cap to show her short hair looking a bit untidy. She is sat next to the bed of a patient, who is looking at the camera whilst lying down. Vera is resting her elbow on his bedside table, next to a lamp and a vase of flowers. Olga Nikolaevna is sat at the bottom of the soldier's bed, whilst Tatiana Nikolaevna has taken a seat beside him opposite Vera. Just out of shot, another soldier in bed is looking at the camera.ALT

During the First World War, Vera met fellow nurse Countess Maria Dmitrievna Nirod-Mukhanova, a widowed maid-of-honour at the palace. The pair fell in love and started a relationship, which would last for the rest of Vera’s life. Maria had three children: Dmitri Feodorovich, Marina Feodorovna, and Feodor Feodorovich. The children knew about their mother's relationship with Vera, as they lived as a married couple whilst caring for and raising them. Some sources suggest that Vera and Maria had a marriage ceremony.

A very blurry, sepia photo of a young woman in a riding hat. The photo shows only her head and shoulders, though a dark riding dress can be seen around her neck.ALT

By the late 1920s, Vera was living with Maria, who worked as a surgeon, in Kyiv after the couple and Maria’s children escaped Revolution, taking refuge with monks. They spent eighteen years together. The pair lived as a married couple. In 1932, Vera passed away aged 61 after a diagnosis of uterine cancer. Maria continued Vera’s work by operating a pharmacy that provided free medicine to the poor. Maria passed away in 1965 aged 86. The above image is the only photo that has been attributed to her.


Vera defied all the social norms, becoming a pioneer of medicine and challenging traditions within the profession, saving thousands of lives in the process. Vera’s legacy lives on today.


SOURCES:

Hands that bring back to life. Vera Ignatievna Gedroits - surgeon and poet by V.G. Khokhlov

Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library

Wartime albums of Olga Nikolaevna and Tatiana Nikolaevna, Last Romanovs on Flickr

The Princess who Transformed War Medicine - BBC

Princess Vera Gedroits: military surgeon, poet, and author by J.D.C. Bennet

The Diary of Olga Romanov : Royal Witness to the Russian Revolution by Helen Azar

Tatiana Romanov, Daughter of the Last Tsar : Diaries and Letters, 1913-1918 by Helen Azar and Nicholas B.A. Nicholson

Vera Gedroitz Vera Gedroits
otmaaromanovas
otmaaromanovas

124 years ago on this day, Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna was born at Peterhof Palace to Nicholas II and Alexandra Feodorovna 

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107 years ago, Maria sent out telegrams to her favourite officers and family friends, inviting them to have a birthday breakfast with her . She received this reply from Anatoly Mordvinov, who affectionately referred to the Grand Duchesses as his ‘tormentors’: “I have just now been sent your lovely telegram, and you cannot imagine, my beloved "tormentor", how sincerely and heartily pleased I was with your dear attention, and at the same time terribly upset that I could not use your sweet invitation and come to breakfast at 13 o'clock, on the 15th of June [old style]. Believe me, it was a very, very big deprivation for me, all the more difficult, that I have not seen all of you so long, and for me, the last time was not enough! … Thank you heartily therefore, once again, for your kind remembrance, for your sweet invitation and for not having forgotten me yet! My warmest heartfelt greetings to all of you and 1000000000000000 most sincere wishes. Be healthy, joyful, happy, and have all your heart desires…”

Pyotr Vasilievich Petrov, beloved tutor, wrote to her in 1913: “Dear Maria Nikolaevna. For the eleventh time, beginning in 1903, it is my happiness and heartfelt pleasure to congratulate you on your birthday and wish you health, prosperity in everything and constant happiness in the future…”

Happy birthday Maria Nikolaevna!

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Sources:

Correspondence of the Russian Grand Duchesses: Letters of the Daughters of the Last Tsar by George Hawkins

happy birthday Mashka dear! maria nikolaevna happy birthday

Sorry that I am hoarding everyone’s asks in my inbox but I am going to try to answer whenever I can so thank you for your cooperation! Summer is starting and I want to treat myself mentally to this glorious time that only comes once a year. Thank you and still feel free to ask me things, just note that it might take a while to answer!

update thank you!
sophiebernadotte
sophiebernadotte

9 People You Want To Get To Know Better

I was tagged some time ago by @luhvey-duhvey to answer this! Thanks for tagging me & I'm sorry I take like 3 business weeks before I actually get to stuff 😂

Last Song: Live video of Little Mix's Power x Gloves Up remix from the Confetti tour, that counts right?

Currently Watching: Love Island UK, if you haven't noticed...? No, but seriously, apart from Love Island the last thing I actually watched was Global Champions Tour when it was in Stockholm

Last Read: A scholarly article about Jewish integration in Swedish society (yes, I'm still working on my BA thesis despite it being summer. send me your thoughts & prayers!)

My Current Obsession: Grapes, Treatville's wine gums, Love Island/Love Island The Game/The Morning After podcast, Princess Beatrice's glow up & The Real Story from BBC World Service

I technically cheated there on the last one, because it said obsession & not obsessions but hey ho

So... I'm not sure who has done this or not, but, I'll tag @death-of-astar, @silverhallow, @bridgertonbabe, @world-of-wales, @cambridgemadness, @lizisanamimal, @foreverinthepagesofhistory, @caitkaminski & @beesandfigsblog plus anyone else who feels up for doing this!

foreverinthepagesofhistory

Thank you for tagging me @sophiebernadotte!

Last song: the one that’s stuck in my head right now, I forget what it’s called but it goes like “Always the fool” you guys know what I mean lol

Currently watching: Ant Man and the Wasp Quantamania (i can’t spell that right)

Last read: the last book I finished reading (which I also started and finished today) was called “A Coal Miner’s Bride” from the Dear America series and the book I am reading currently (which I started today also) is another book in the Dear America Series (i can’t remember what it is called)

My Current Obsession: well I’m kinda taking a break from getting hyperfixated on anything at the moment because I want to focus on having a relaxing start of the summer but I would definitely say that besides history ofc, mine would be Outlander, HOTD, and Marvel is creeping back into my brain lol

Tagging: @otmaaromanovas @abigaaal @adini-nikolaevna @thiziri @grandmaster-anne and anyone that wants to participate!

tag game

Anonymous asked:

saw your reblogging sarah chatto's gif sets, maybe you should see this the future king and his sister lining up their much younger siblings and cousins to take a picture. https://www.tumblr.com/princessanneftw/637152353852735488/prince-charles-and-princess-anne-organising-the?source=share

OMG I JUST REBLOGGED IT AND IM DYING OF CUTENESS!

Thanks anon! 🤍

answered ask