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Children of a genius: How was the fate of the heirs of Leo Tolstoy
Children of a genius: How was the fate of the heirs of Leo Tolstoy

Video: Children of a genius: How was the fate of the heirs of Leo Tolstoy

Video: Children of a genius: How was the fate of the heirs of Leo Tolstoy
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Leo Tolstoy with his wife and children, August 28, 1903
Leo Tolstoy with his wife and children, August 28, 1903

August 28, old style (and September 9, new style) marks the 190th anniversary of the birth of the great Russian writer Leo Tolstoy. His creative heritage is truly priceless. However, there were also his very real heirs - children born in a marriage with Sofia Andreevna Bers. Of the 13 children of the writer, only 8 survived to adulthood. How did their fates develop and what trace did they leave in history and literature?

Sergei Lvovich Tolstoy, born in 1863

Sergei Lvovich Tolstoy
Sergei Lvovich Tolstoy

The first-born extremely pleased his father with his talents and similarity with the elder brother of the writer, Nikolai Nikolaevich. He received the basics of science at home, and later passed the exams for a certificate of maturity at the Tula gymnasium. He left the walls of Moscow University with the title of candidate of sciences, having brilliantly defended his work on heavy oil oils. At the same time, he improved in music, mastering not only the technique of playing, but also theory, harmony, Russian song.

Sergei Lvovich Tolstoy
Sergei Lvovich Tolstoy

Sergei Lvovich became famous as a talented composer, musical ethnographer and author of articles and teaching materials. He was a professor at the Moscow Conservatory. After that, he was engaged in preserving the legacy of his father, wrote memoirs and articles on the role of music in the life of Leo Tolstoy under the pseudonym S. Brodinsky. He spent every summer in Yasnaya Polyana. He was married twice, his son Sergei was born in his first marriage.

Sergey Lvovich died at the age of 84 in Moscow.

Tatiana Lvovna Sukhotina (nee Tolstaya), was born in 1864

Tatiana Lvovna Sukhotina
Tatiana Lvovna Sukhotina

Leo Tolstoy wrote about a special closeness with Tatyana and about her ability to create a cheerful, benevolent atmosphere around herself.

Tatiana studied at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture. Subsequently, she painted about 30 graphic portraits of her father. Having inherited his writing talent, she published her own diary, which she kept from the age of 14, a number of essays and memoirs. She was the caretaker of the Tolstoy House-Museum.

1870 Children of Lev Nikolaevich: Ilya, Lev, Tatiana and Sergei
1870 Children of Lev Nikolaevich: Ilya, Lev, Tatiana and Sergei

In 1925 she emigrated with her daughter Tatyana, born in marriage to Mikhail Sukhotin, the leader of the district nobility and a member of the first State Duma.

Tatiana Lvovna died at the age of 85 in Rome.

Ilya Lvovich Tolstoy, born in 1866

Ilya Lvovich Tolstoy
Ilya Lvovich Tolstoy

Ilya caused a lot of trouble for parents in childhood, diligently violating prohibitions and showing no talent for science. However, it was him who Leo Tolstoy considered the most gifted literary. He failed to graduate from high school, was in military service, then worked as an official, an agent for the liquidation of estates, served in a bank. Later he became a journalist, founded a newspaper, but received recognition after emigrating to America. There, his works were published in various publications, but he received his main income by lecturing on his father's work.

L. N. Tolstoy with his son Ilya Lvovich. 1903 g
L. N. Tolstoy with his son Ilya Lvovich. 1903 g

He was married twice, in his first marriage with Sophia Filosofova, seven children were born. He died at the age of 67 in America from cancer.

Lev Lvovich Tolstoy, born in 1869

Lev Lvovich Tolstoy
Lev Lvovich Tolstoy

The third son of the writer was closer to his mother, from her he inherited common sense. Later, he always took the side of his mother in family conflicts. Lev Lvovich wrote about himself as of a very contradictory nature, and Sofya Andreevna noted his nervousness and lack of cheerfulness.

Lev Lvovich Tolstoy
Lev Lvovich Tolstoy

Not a special zeal in the sciences, however, it was compensated by a literary talent, musicality and artistic talent. He left his mark on history as the author of many works for children and memories of his father. From 1918 he lived in Sweden.

He was married twice, in his first marriage with Dora Westerlund, 10 children were born, in the second, one son was born with Marianne Solskaya. He died in Sweden in 1945.

Maria Lvovna Obolenskaya (nee Tolstaya), born in 1871

Maria Lvovna Obolenskaya
Maria Lvovna Obolenskaya

Maria was a sick child from childhood. She is the only one of all the children to whom the writer showed outward signs of love, could savor. The girl did not develop a relationship with her mother, but from childhood she became a faithful assistant, companion and favorite of her father. She was engaged in educational work, gave a lot of strength and health, helping those in need.

She died of pneumonia at the age of 35 in Yasnaya Polyana.

Andrey Lvovich Tolstoy, born in 1877

Andrey Lvovich Tolstoy
Andrey Lvovich Tolstoy

In the upbringing of the younger children born after the death of Peter, Nikolai and Varvara, Lev Nikolaevich took little part. This is not to say that he did not love them, but he instructed much less. Andrey was a favorite of his mother. But he upset his father a lot with his very free lifestyle, love of wine and women. Andrei Lvovich did not show any special talents, he took part in the Russian-Japanese war, was wounded and the St. George Cross for bravery. After that he held the position of a high-ranking official.

Andrey Lvovich Tolstoy
Andrey Lvovich Tolstoy

He was married twice, had three children from two marriages. Died as a result of sepsis at the age of 39 in Petrograd. Shortly before his death, he had a prophetic dream in which he attended his own funeral.

Mikhail Lvovich Tolstoy, born in 1879

Mikhail Lvovich Tolstoy
Mikhail Lvovich Tolstoy

Musical talent and desire to compose music were not further reflected in the life of Mikhail. He chose the path of the military, took part in the First World War. In 1920 he emigrated. In recent years he lived in Morocco, where his only work, "Mitya Tiverin", was written, which is Mikhail Lvovich's memoirs about life in Yasnaya Polyana. He was married, 9 children were born in marriage.

Died in Morocco at the age of 65.

Alexandra Lvovna Tolstaya, born in 1884

Alexandra Lvovna Tolstaya with her father
Alexandra Lvovna Tolstaya with her father

The youngest daughter of the writer already at the age of 16 coped with the work of her father's personal secretary. Many noted her talent and a serious attitude towards life. She took part in the First World War as a sister of mercy, was the head of the military medical detachment.

Alexandra Lvovna Tolstaya
Alexandra Lvovna Tolstaya

In 1920, she was arrested and sentenced to three years, after being released early, she returned to Yasnaya Polyana, where in 1924 she became the curator of the museum, while simultaneously doing educational work. Emigrated to America in 1929. She actively lectured, wrote memoirs about her father, created and headed the Tolstoy Foundation. She helped Russian emigrants to settle in the United States.

For her anti-Soviet statements, it was forbidden to mention her name even during museum excursions, photographs and newsreels with her participation were removed from the exhibitions. She died at the age of 95 in America.

Leo Tolstoy, whom everyone knows from the school curriculum, is a mighty mind and a wide-hearted old man. He is sorry for everyone, he cares for everyone and generously shares his deep thoughts about everything in the world. But the notes and But the beginning of their romance was so like a fairy tale …

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