35/2/61 Guide to the Elisabeth Debar Russian Railway Letter File Elisabeth Debar Russian Railway Letter File

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Guide to the Elisabeth Debar Russian Railway Letter File University of Illinois Archives Overview of the Collection Elisabeth Debar Russian Railway Letter File ca. 1890-1910 35/2/61 Debar, Elisabeth 0.10 French English University of Illinois Archives
19 Library 1408 W. Gregory Dr. Urbana, IL, URL: http://archives.library.illinois.edu Email: illiarch@illinois.edu Phone: (217) 333-0798 Fax: (217) 333-2868
Biographical Information:

Elisabeth Debar was born ca. 1860 in Le Havre, France, to Théodore and Anne Maria Debar. She had a sister, Clara, and two brothers, Pierre and Christino Théodore. Her letter suggest that she took a position as a governess or tutor for two children just outside of St. Petersburg in the late 19th-early 20th century.

Her sister, Clara Doublel (née Debar) was born July 16, 1858 in Le Havre, France to Théodore and Anne Maria Debar. She married Charles Doublel on January 26, 1882, and had two children, Alfred (born 1885) and Charlotte (born 1889).

Administrative History:

Based on information included in materials provided by the Archives et Documentation of the Mairie du Havre, as well as the content of the letter itself, the letter has been roughly dated to ca. 1890-1910. Clara Debar is recorded to have been born in 1858. In 1861, her sister Elisabeth was recorded to be 7 months old, thus being born either in 1860 or early 1861. Within the letter, Elisabeth mentions an "Alfred," presumably her nephew, Alfred Doublel, born in 1885. In considering Elisabeth's sentiment in writing "Alfred a t-il-re�???�??�?�§u son argent je crains fort qu'il m'oublie maintenant qu'il me sent loin," it is presumed that Alfred must have been at the very least three years old, if not older at the writing of this letter.

Additionally, Elisabeth mentions the presence of "La Grande Duchesse Anastasie" on the same train. Research indicates that it is highly improbable that the famed Grand Duchess Anastasia, daughter of Tsar Nicholas II, was the Anastasia mentioned. She had been born in 1901 and no evidence could be found indicating she would have visited Berlin in her early years. Instead, it is seems that the Anastasia in question is Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna (1860-1922) of Russia, later of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, who was a member of the Romanov dynasty and who, as a member of the court in a northern German province, could potentially have been present on a train from Berlin to St. Petersburg, potentially to visit her family who stilled lived in Russia.

Access Terms

This Collection is indexed under the following controlled access subject terms.

Topical Term: Correspondence France Music -- Russia Railroads
Title:

Elisabeth Debar Russian Railway Letter File (Digital Surrogates)

Administrative Information Custodial History:

The letter Elisabeth wrote to her sister, Clara, on the completion of her trip to St. Petersburg was donated to the University Archives by Jerry O'Hara via the Russian and Eastern European Center and Mark Steinberg in 2000. Information on Elizabeth and Clara's genealogy was included by Jerry O'Hara from his mother, Edith Serries (O'Hara/Robertson). Additional historical information related to the letter was provided by the Russian and Eastern European Center, Bob Burger, Pat Hawkins, and Kit Condill.

Scope and Contents

Elisabeth Debar Russian Railway Letter File includes correspondence, transcription notes, and photocopies concerning a letter written ca. 1890-1910 by Elisabeth Debar to her sister, Clara, following a five day train trip from Paris to St. Petersburg via train which includes accounts of travelling in 3rd class, meeting fellow international travellers, delays between Berlin and St. Petersburg, the Grand Duchess Anastasia [Mikhailovna of Russia] being on the same train, and arrival in St. Petersburg. The file contains the original letter as well as supporting materials concerning rail travel in the late 19th-early 20th centuries; genealogical records and marriage records from Mairie du Havre and Prefecture de Paris; and transcriptions of the letter.