Anna Dostoyevskaya
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Anna Grigoryevna Dostoyevskaya ' onMouseout='HidePop("89391")' href="/topics/Saint_Petersburg">Saint Petersburg
— June 9, 1918, Yalta
) was a Russian memoirist, stenographer, assistant, and the second wife of Fyodor Dostoyevsky (since 1867). She was also one of the first female philatelists in Russia. She wrote two biographical books about Fyodor Dostoyevsky: Anna Dostoyevskaya's Diary in 1867, which was published after her death in 1923, and Memoirs of Anna Dostoyevskaya (also known as Reminiscence of Anna Dostoyevskaya), published in 1925.
Snitkina, came from a Ukrainian-Swedish family. Her father, Grigory Ivanovich Snitkin, was a minor civil servant.
. In November Dostoyevsky proposed to her.
As described in the Memoirs, Dostoyevsky shared with Anna the plot of an imaginary new novel, as if he needed her advice on female psychology. In his story an old painter made a proposal to young girl whose name was Anya. Dostoyevsky asked if it was possible for a girl so young and different in personality to fall in love with the painter. Anna answered that it was quite possible. Then he told Anna: "Put yourself in her place for a moment. Imagine I am the painter, I confessed to you and asked you to be my wife. What would you answer?" Anna said: "I would answer that I love you and I will love you forever".
On February 15, 1867, the couple were married. Two months later they went abroad, where Dostoyevsky and Anna remained for over four years (until July 1871). Shortly before their departure two of Dostoyevsky's creditors filed charges against him.
During a stop in Baden
, Dostoyevsky lost all of his money playing roulette
, as well as his wife's clothes and belongings. At that time Anna started writing the diary. For almost a year they lived in Geneva. Dostoyevsky worked very hard to regain his fortune. On February 22, 1868 their first daughter Sofia was born, but she died on May 24 at the age of three months. In 1869, in Dresden, their second daughter was born, named Lyubov Dostoyevskaya
(died in 1926). Upon returning to St. Petersburg Anna gave birth to sons Fyodor (July 16, 1871 — 1922) and Alexey (August 10, 1875 — May 16, 1878). Anna took over all economical issues, including publishing business and negotiations and soon liberated her husband from debts. In 1871, Dostoyevsky gave up gambling.
.
. It started, as explained in the Memoirs of Anna Dostoyevskaya, with a dispute between Anna and Fyodor Dostoyevsky, who made some critical comments about female inconstancy. Anna was annoyed that her husband did not consider women of her generation capable of persistence or devotion to anything. She told her husband that she would prove him wrong and show him that a woman may pursue one goal for years. She decided to collect stamps and filled up her collection throughout her life. According to the Memoirs, she didn't buy a single stamp. All of them were either her own discoveries or donations from friends. The fate of this collection is unknown.
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
— June 9, 1918, Yalta
Yalta
Yalta is a city in Crimea, southern Ukraine, on the north coast of the Black Sea.The city is located on the site of an ancient Greek colony, said to have been founded by Greek sailors who were looking for a safe shore on which to land. It is situated on a deep bay facing south towards the Black...
) was a Russian memoirist, stenographer, assistant, and the second wife of Fyodor Dostoyevsky (since 1867). She was also one of the first female philatelists in Russia. She wrote two biographical books about Fyodor Dostoyevsky: Anna Dostoyevskaya's Diary in 1867, which was published after her death in 1923, and Memoirs of Anna Dostoyevskaya (also known as Reminiscence of Anna Dostoyevskaya), published in 1925.
Early life
Anna Dostoyevskaya, néeNEE
NEE is a political protest group whose goal was to provide an alternative for voters who are unhappy with all political parties at hand in Belgium, where voting is compulsory.The NEE party was founded in 2005 in Antwerp...
Snitkina, came from a Ukrainian-Swedish family. Her father, Grigory Ivanovich Snitkin, was a minor civil servant.
Marriage
On October 4, 1866, Anna Snitkina started working as a stenographer on Fyodor Dostoyevsky's novel The GamblerThe Gambler (novel)
The Gambler is a short novel by Fyodor Dostoyevsky about a young tutor in the employment of a formerly wealthy Russian general. The novella reflects Dostoyevsky's own addiction to roulette, which was in more ways than one the inspiration for the book: Dostoyevsky completed the novella under a...
. In November Dostoyevsky proposed to her.
As described in the Memoirs, Dostoyevsky shared with Anna the plot of an imaginary new novel, as if he needed her advice on female psychology. In his story an old painter made a proposal to young girl whose name was Anya. Dostoyevsky asked if it was possible for a girl so young and different in personality to fall in love with the painter. Anna answered that it was quite possible. Then he told Anna: "Put yourself in her place for a moment. Imagine I am the painter, I confessed to you and asked you to be my wife. What would you answer?" Anna said: "I would answer that I love you and I will love you forever".
On February 15, 1867, the couple were married. Two months later they went abroad, where Dostoyevsky and Anna remained for over four years (until July 1871). Shortly before their departure two of Dostoyevsky's creditors filed charges against him.
During a stop in Baden
Baden
Baden is a historical state on the east bank of the Rhine in the southwest of Germany, now the western part of the Baden-Württemberg of Germany....
, Dostoyevsky lost all of his money playing roulette
Roulette
Roulette is a casino game named after a French diminutive for little wheel. In the game, players may choose to place bets on either a single number or a range of numbers, the colors red or black, or whether the number is odd or even....
, as well as his wife's clothes and belongings. At that time Anna started writing the diary. For almost a year they lived in Geneva. Dostoyevsky worked very hard to regain his fortune. On February 22, 1868 their first daughter Sofia was born, but she died on May 24 at the age of three months. In 1869, in Dresden, their second daughter was born, named Lyubov Dostoyevskaya
Lyubov Dostoyevskaya
Lyubov Fyodorovna Dostoyevskaya was a Russian writer, memoirist and a second daughter of famous writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky and his wife Anna. Their first, Sofiya, was born in 1868 and died the same year.Dostoyevskaya was a nervous child and cried a lot...
(died in 1926). Upon returning to St. Petersburg Anna gave birth to sons Fyodor (July 16, 1871 — 1922) and Alexey (August 10, 1875 — May 16, 1878). Anna took over all economical issues, including publishing business and negotiations and soon liberated her husband from debts. In 1871, Dostoyevsky gave up gambling.
Later life
In the year of Dostoyevsky's death (1881) Anna turned 35 years old. She never remarried. After the death of her husband she collected his manuscripts, letters, documents and photographs. In 1906 she created a room dedicated to Fyodor Dostoyevsky in the State Historical MuseumState Historical Museum
The State Historical Museum of Russia is a museum of Russian history wedged between Red Square and Manege Square in Moscow. Its exhibitions range from relics of the prehistoric tribes inhabiting present-day Russia, through priceless artworks acquired by members of the Romanov dynasty...
.
Philately
Her stamp collection was established in 1867 in DresdenDresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
. It started, as explained in the Memoirs of Anna Dostoyevskaya, with a dispute between Anna and Fyodor Dostoyevsky, who made some critical comments about female inconstancy. Anna was annoyed that her husband did not consider women of her generation capable of persistence or devotion to anything. She told her husband that she would prove him wrong and show him that a woman may pursue one goal for years. She decided to collect stamps and filled up her collection throughout her life. According to the Memoirs, she didn't buy a single stamp. All of them were either her own discoveries or donations from friends. The fate of this collection is unknown.
See also
- Reminiscences of Dostoyevsky by His Wife, (Selection), from Dostoyevsky: Letters and Reminiscences, pgs 97-155, Chatto and Windus, UK, 1923. from Archive.org
- Dostoevsky: Reminiscences, (Complete), Liveright Publishing Company, NY, 1977.
- Twenty Six Days from the Life of Dostoyevsky, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twenty_Six_Days_from_the_Life_of_Dostoyevsky