Hartung Maria (Pushkin)

(18-19.05.1832 - 7.03.1919)
. Some saw it slowed down or turned around - it was not clear to them that makes the tall, slender woman, from head to toe in black, wrapped in a veil, in any weather at the monument to Pushkin in the Tver Boulevard
. It was in 1918, who could only escape from cold and hunger on the outskirts of Moscow, Russia. Those who stayed and tried to sit at home, keeping the meager warmth of homes and trying to lay to bed early - maybe subside hunger.
And he came and sat on a bench near the monument for several hours, in any weather. In her hands was a green twig, a small bouquet of flowers, which she then left on a gray granite monument. She came to the interview with his father, who barely remembered, and who became her legend. It did not take it as a monument. Sat at the feet, and it seemed to her that he hears at his back the warmth of breath, a loud, cheerful voice, infectious laughter. She could remember nothing but a vague vision still haunted her: gentle, short man, dark-skinned person living with sparkling eyes, held out her hand and raises it high over a. Her heart stops, it squeal of fear and pleasure, but the man laughed: "What, Masha, razboynitsaN Tea, which pleased plenty voevatN!" (Quote from Pushkin's letters from 1834). She came to see him every day, hoping to remember something else and immerse themselves in the bliss of those memories. Stopped coming, only when mortally ill. It happened in February 1919. Seventh of March it was not. Visits to his daughter with her father over.
He called her Masha, Masha, Masha. In letters to his wife often mentioned her name. In infancy she was not in good health and often ill. This worried him. "Masha something, what it's evil and that SpasskiyN" (family doctor Pushkin) - a concern he asked his wife. "Does MashaN Walks liN What zubkiN" "What is my toothless PuskinaN" - cheerfully joked in later letters, . and immediately added: "Oh, these my teeth!" In a letter to Princess Vera Feodorovna Vyazemskaya feigned lamented: "My wife was a little awkward resolved lithography with my person.",

.
. She was born on the night of 18 to 19 May 1832
. Baptized her in Sergius, the entire artillery Cathedral g. Petersburg on 7 June the same year. Godfather at the baptismal font (godparents) were: Katerina Ivanovna Zagryazhskaya and Count Mikhail Wielhorsky. Despite the pain and fragility, Masha - Masha was a bully and often battered by her younger brothers - Alexander and Gregory. She participated in their boyhood games in the ball, . jumped as they, . a wooden horse-twig, . could pull his forelock, and for brothers, . and the doll was, . when the nurse started to get angry and saying, . that here "uzho invariably tell mamma all." (Arapova A.P,
. Recollections) Mummy. Her gentle, warm hands, gentle and sad eyes, soft voice, her tales and songs of the night - all this was mostly in the life of Mary and her little brothers and sisters.

The influence of the mother, Natalia Nikolaevna was a fundamental. The early years of childhood, Mary spent in the linen factory, in a rustic open spaces - in fact it was taken from St. Petersburg, when she was then five years. A lot of time she spent in games in the fresh air, my brother, mama, Dmitri Goncharov taught little Marie to sit in the saddle, take a horse to bridle. She has all his life, until old age, kept straight and proud bearing. But no less time was taken and serious lessons: playing the piano, embroidering, reading, grammar lessons. Natalia felt that her children should be proficient in Russian grammar and to understand the literature. First, Mary led the classes she or her sister, aunt Alexandrina.

. Later, after returning to the capital (in 1839), in spite of the uneasiness in the media, with Marie and her brothers (in front of the arrival of the Corps of Pages) is seriously engaged in several teachers recommended by friends of his father - Viazemsky, Zhukovsky, Pletnev
. Marie made great strides in the piano and playing chess, drawing and needlework, studying foreign languages.

. All who met with Maria Alexandrovna noted the unusual delicacy of her manners, wit and excellent knowledge of Russian and French language
. She was very friendly and easy to use, . very beautiful: "rare beauty mother mixed it with ekzotizmom father, . although her face, . maybe, . were several large for women "was striking her perpetual peace and an unusual attachment to mother, . expressed in a touching affectionate care of her,
. Very gently she belonged to Peter Petrovich Lansky, often speaking a buffer between the passionate Alexandrino aunt and stepfather, to whom alone aunt unconsciously jealous of his sister, Natalia Nikolaevna and nephews. Direct memories of Maria Alexandrovna has been preserved, must be content with only indirect information and facts. Direct heirs she was not there, she left no memoirs, conversations, it was not preserved, and if there are any documents, they are unknown to a wide range of. After a 20-year rate of household formation, and have barely even begun to travel light, in 1852, she was royally maids of honor and was at the Empress Maria Alexandrovna, wife of Emperor Alexander II. Attended the evening, balls and receptions. It drew the attention of many, . eager to be represented by her, . but married Maria came too late, . twenty-eight years, . in 1860, . for Major-General Leonid Hartung (1832-1877), . Managing Imperial cavalry factories in Tula and Moscow, . man deeply decent and noble.,
. How to explain, . that is so attractive girl, . former always in sight, . wears a loud and brilliant name, . married so pozdnoN possible, . its seriousness and intelligibility, . and, . possible so, . they do not have it, . Unlike other brilliant worldly beauties, . too large dowry, . although in a few minutes could inspire you liked it man fire and clever animation, . informal conversation, . smile beauty, . a rare sense of humor,
. They said that this gift was to conquer it from my father!

Probably, Leonid Pushkin Hartung and Mary met and betrothed rambunctious and a good stepfather Pyotr Lanskoy, who loved Mary as their own child. Maybe they met on their own, the benefit of the house was always a lot of people, among them not only writers and artists, but also military. Natalia did not think to prevent the marriage of Masha, she liked the thoughtful and considerate man with sad eyes. There was Leonid estate near Tula (with. Prilepa), there and gone to live Hartung shortly after the wedding in aprele1861 year.

. They are hospitable, generous home, where often arranged musical evenings and "tea balls" became known in the district, the couple is surrounded Hartung attention and respect.

. At one of the provincial balls in 1861godu in Tula acquainted with Maria Alexandrovna graph and writer Leo Tolstoy.

. Maria attracted his attention immediately, as soon entered the ballroom
. When he asked who this woman he was told, he said, admiringly: "Yes, now I understand where she gets her pedigree, these curls at the back!" Tolstoy wanted to be immediately submitted to the daughter of the Poet. They talked animatedly all evening. Maria, at his request, telling about his father (probably from her mother's words), shared his impressions of literature and art. Lev genuinely admired the subtlety of its taste, originality and boldness of opinion, and said later Sophia Andreyevna that Maria is not only externally but also internally, probably looked like a great father. The daughter of the poet's imagination is so struck by Tolstoy, that it will display its external features in the shape of the beloved heroine of his famous "family novel" - Anna Karenina.

. Fate and life of Maria Alexandrovna later evolved no less tragic than the heroine of Tolstoy
. Here is what Boris Putilov wrote in a brief essay "Pushkin's Children", placed in the magazine "Ural pathfinder" (No.3-6 for 2000.): "In 1875 Hartung was in charge of the Moscow branch of the State Horse Breeding. F.M. Dostoevsky in "Diary of a Writer in 1877 spoke about the tragic event in the family MA. Hartung - suicide of her husband, who are entangled intrigue dishonest people and tried. Prosecutor accused of stealing Hartung bills, bills books and other papers of a Zanftlebena - percenter, the duties of executor, which had been careless enough to take Hartung. He did not suspect of nefarious intent relatives percenter. When the judge, declaring a break, withdrew from the courtroom to compose a sentence, LN. Hartung "... went out in another room ... sat at the table and grabbed the hands of his poor head, then suddenly a shot rang out: he killed himself he had brought with him a loaded revolver, a stab in the heart. It also found a ready-made a note in which he "swears an almighty gods, nothing stolen, and forgives his enemies". The main cause of death was considered Hartung Attorney N.T. Shipov, who said in court impassioned speech. The owner of the house where he lived the prosecutor denied him from the apartment, and ordered to leave immediately, not wanting to have, as he put it in his murderers. The result justified the universal belief of the innocence Hartung.
After the death of her husband, Maria was left virtually penniless. But do not lose heart. Long staying at his stepsisters Lansky - Sophia and Elizabeth. She helped raise nephews widowed elder brother Alexander. Several years had lived in his large and happy family. (Y Alexander Pushkin, Jr., had eleven children!)

She was always cheerful, witty, fond of society young people and children. Do not bore the old women's gossip and gossip. When she felt especially sad, sat down at the piano. In Moscow, Maria was an honorary trustee and chairman of the first Public Library Pushkin. She is often invited to all sorts of celebrations devoted to Pushkin, and the modest literary evenings, where they drank tea and read poems poets, often unknown to the public. Invitations to such evenings Maria preferred to all others.

How she lived the last years - there is little. Same B. Putilov brief states: "Only in 1899 pension Maria Alexandrovna was increased from 240 to 300 rubles a year"

. Modest amount, but her Maria managed to survive with dignity.

. Great-granddaughter of the poet Natalia S. Shepeleva remembered, . the words of his mother Vera Aleksandrovna, . eldest granddaughter of the eldest son of the poet: "Auntie Masha was always distinguished the unchanging love of life and manners of her manners were truly great lady, . spent many years in the highest range,
. When she appeared in the living room, then until the late evening, it will not stop talking jokes and laughter. Very aunt watched her hands. She had beautiful hands with long fingers of pianist. When I looked at her hands, then remembered the hands of Alexander Sergeevich, about the beauty of which read and heard many times. Jars from the koldkrema and antique pearl necklace - a necklace Natalia Nikolaevna, in which she stood at the altar with Pushkin - that was one of the few memorable things that got relatives after her death.
. Things are more memorable and significant, it referred to the museums and library, which the trustee was "
. (Quoted from the book M. Korshunova In. Terekhova "Stag" Dreamy story.)
. Died Maria A. Pushkin Hartung seventh in March 1919, and before they can get their new personal pension and allowance of 2,400 rubles, which gave her the people's commissar of education of the new government of Russia A
. V. Lunacharsky.
She was buried the eldest daughter of the poet in Moscow at the Donskoy Monastery cemetery. At the grave always live green branch or a bouquet of flowers. Perhaps similar to those that brought it once at the monument to his father, coming to visit him ...