Evgeny Botkin memorial day. Dr. Evgeny Botkin: with the tsar to the end. “The most valuable thing on earth is the human soul…”

The Russian Orthodox Church canonized Yevgeny Botkin, a doctor who did not leave the emperor at his death hour and was shot along with him and his family in Yekaterinburg. The biography of the new ascetic is recalled by the Russian Planet.

Emperor's family

Despite the fact that the Botkin dynasty faithfully served two Russian emperors at once - Alexander II and Alexander III, Evgeny Botkin received the position of life physician (court physician) not because of the achievements of his eminent ancestors (his father was the famous doctor Sergei Petrovich Botkin, after whom one of the central hospitals in Moscow is named). When in 1907 the position of the chief physician of the imperial family was vacated, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna said that she wanted to see Botkin in this capacity. When she was told that there were two doctors in St. Petersburg with that name, she added: “The one who was in the war!”

Botkin went to war as a volunteer. By that time, he had achieved good success in his medical career, was married and had four children. During the Russo-Japanese War, he coordinated the work of medical units under Russian army. The position is administrative, but Botkin, despite this, preferred to spend more time on the front line and was not afraid, in which case, to play the role of a company paramedic, helping soldiers right on the battlefield.

For his work, he was awarded officer military orders, and after the end of the war he wrote the book Light and Shadows of the Russo-Japanese War. This book led Botkin to the post of medical officer of the imperial family. After reading it, Alexandra Feodorovna did not want to see anyone but him as an imperial doctor.

The Empress chose Yevgeny Botkin for another reason - the illness of Tsarevich Alexei. As a doctor, Botkin studied immunology, as well as the properties of blood. To monitor the health of the young crown prince, suffering from hemophilia, became one of his main duties at the imperial court.

There was a downside to being able to hold such a high position. Now Botkin had to constantly be close to the imperial family, to work without days off and holidays. Botkin's wife, carried away by a young revolutionary 20 years younger than her, left Yevgeny Sergeevich with a broken heart. Botkin was saved only by love and support from his children, and also by the fact that over time the imperial family became not a stranger to him. Botkin treated his august patients with sincere love and attention, he could not leave the bedside of the sick prince at night. To which young Alexei would later write to him in a letter: “I love you with all my little heart.”

“Botkin was known for his restraint. None of the retinue managed to find out from him what the empress was sick with and what treatment the queen and heir followed. He was, of course, a servant devoted to their majesties, ”said General Mosolov, head of the office of the Ministry of the Imperial Court, about Botkin.

Last way

When the revolution happened and the imperial family was arrested, all the servants and assistants of the sovereign had a choice: to stay or leave. Many betrayed the Tsar, but Botkin did not leave the patients even when it was decided to send Nicholas II with his whole family to Tobolsk, and then to Yekaterinburg.

Even before the execution, Yevgeny Botkin had the opportunity to leave and choose a new job. But he did not leave those to whom he managed to become attached with all his heart. After the last proposal made to him to leave the emperor, he already knew that the king would soon be killed.

“You see, I gave the king my word of honor to stay with him as long as he lives. It is impossible for a man of my position not to keep such a word. I also cannot leave an heir alone. How can I reconcile this with my conscience? You all must understand this, ”Johann Meyer, a former captive Austrian soldier who defected to the Bolsheviks, quotes him in his memoirs.

In his letters, Botkin wrote: “In general, if “faith without deeds is dead,” then “deeds” without faith can exist, and if one of us joins deeds with faith, then this is only by the special grace of God to him. This also justifies my last decision, when I did not hesitate to leave my children as complete orphans in order to fulfill my medical duty to the end, just as Abraham did not hesitate at the request of God to sacrifice his only son to him.

In the basement of the Ipatiev House in Yekaterinburg, the Bolsheviks read out to the emperor and his entire family the decision of the executive committee of the Ural Regional Soviet of Workers', Peasants' and Soldiers' Deputies. The sentence was carried out immediately - along with the royal family, the life physician Botkin, the life cook Kharitonov, the valet and the room girl were also shot.

The first shots were fired at Nicholas II. Two bullets that flew past the main target, Botkin was wounded in the stomach. After the assassination of the tsar, the Bolsheviks finished off their victims. Commandant Yurovsky, who oversaw the execution, later indicated that Botkin was still alive for some time. “I finished him off with a shot in the head,” Yurovsky later wrote. The remains of the doctor of the last Russian emperor were subsequently never found - only his pince-nez was found among other material evidence in a pit in the vicinity of Yekaterinburg, where the bodies of the dead were dumped.

The turmoil that engulfed Russia after the 1917 revolution did not just lead to the fall of the monarchy and the destruction of the empire. In Russia, everything collapsed overnight state institutions, and all the moral principles of the personality for each individual person seem to have ceased to operate. Evgeny Botkin was one of the few evidences that even in an era of general insanity, revelry and permissiveness, one can remain a man true to his word, honor and duty.

, passion-bearer, righteous doctor

He was educated at home and in the year was admitted immediately to the fifth grade of the 2nd St. Petersburg classical gymnasium. After graduating from the gymnasium, he entered the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of St. Petersburg University, however, having passed the exams for the first year of the university, he left for the junior department of the opened preparatory course of the Military Medical Academy.

One of the reasons for such a cautious attitude was the non-Orthodox confession of some of them; however, the report did not mention the Old Believers of E. S. Botkin. The motive for the canonization of non-Orthodox persons in ROCOR was the precedents of the Church glorifying the victims of persecution of Christians who were not baptized - for example, pagans who joined Christians during the execution.

On October 7 of that year, at a regular meeting of the working group for harmonizing the calendars of the Moscow Patriarchate and the Russian Church Abroad, chaired by the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church and with the participation of the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, "the results of studying the feat of persons revered in the Russian diaspora were noted. The possibility of church-wide glorification was recognized the following saints, previously canonized by the Russian Church Abroad: ‹…› the passion-bearer of the righteous Evgeny the doctor (Botkin), who accepted suffering together with the royal family in the Ipatiev House (+1918, Comm. 4 / 17 July) ".

Taking into account the above opinion of the working group, on February 3, the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church decided to bless the general church veneration "

Among the decisions of the recent Council of Bishops was the decision to glorify the saints of Dr. Evgeny Botkin, who accompanied the Royal Family in Yekaterinburg and was killed in 1918 along with the Royal Passion-Bearers.

Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk

I think that this is a long-awaited decision, because he is one of those saints who are revered not only in the Russian Church Abroad, but also in many dioceses of the Moscow Patriarchate, as well as in the medical community, like the holy Great Martyr Panteleimon, who is revered as a healer , now Dr. Evgeny Botkin will be revered as a saint.

With regard to other royal servants, as well as those who were killed along with Grand Duchess Elizaveta Feodorovna in Alapaevsk, the study of their lives and the circumstances of their death will be continued, the DECR chairman said.

The Romanov family's own doctor, Yevgeny Botkin, was canonized by the Russian Church Abroad in 1981. together with the royal servants - the cook Ivan Kharitonov, the lackey Aloisy Trupp and the maid Anna Demidova.

Participants of the 5th All-Russian Congress of Orthodox Medical Workers, which was held from October 1 to October 3 of the previous year in the northern capital, decided to intercede with the Russian Orthodox Church about the possibility of canonization of medical worker Yevgeny Botkin.

How right it is to finally canonize the doctor of the royal family, Evgeny Sergeevich Botkin.

He could not go to Yekaterinburg, he volunteered. He could freely leave the Ipatiev House, no one would say a word. His feat was not even in a martyr's gunshot death, but in this absolutely medical, calm, very everyday sacrifice. This is such a great dignity - devoid of pride, swagger and crowning. The same thing - do what you must and be what your heart and God commands.

Why does this happen to people? Rare and precious. From absolute unalloyed love and kindness, I guess.

With the king to the end

Despite the fact that the Botkin dynasty faithfully served two Russian emperors at once - Alexander II and Alexander III, Evgeny Botkin received the position of a life physician (court physician) not because of the achievements of his eminent ancestors (his father was the famous doctor Sergei Petrovich Botkin, after whom one of the central hospitals in Moscow is named). When in 1907 the position of the chief physician of the imperial family was vacated, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna said that she wanted to see Botkin in this capacity. When she was told that there were two doctors in St. Petersburg with that name, she added: “The one who was in the war!”

Botkin went to war as a volunteer. By that time, he had achieved good success in his medical career, was married and had four children. During the Russo-Japanese War, he coordinated the work of medical units under the Russian army. The position is administrative, but Botkin, despite this, preferred to spend more time on the front line and was not afraid, in which case, to play the role of a company paramedic, helping soldiers right on the battlefield.

There was a downside to being able to hold such a high position. Now Botkin had to constantly be close to the imperial family, to work without days off and holidays. Botkin's wife, carried away by a young revolutionary 20 years younger than her, left Yevgeny Sergeevich with a broken heart. Botkin was saved only by love and support from his children, and also the fact that over time the imperial family became not a stranger to him. Botkin treated his august patients with sincere love and attention, he could not leave the bedside of the sick prince at night. To which young Alexei would later write to him in a letter: “I love you with all my little heart.”

Last way

The turmoil that engulfed Russia after the 1917 revolution did not just lead to the fall of the monarchy and the destruction of the empire. In Russia, all state institutions collapsed overnight, and all the moral principles of the individual for each individual seemed to have ceased to operate. Evgeny Botkin was one of the few evidences that even in an era of general insanity, revelry and permissiveness, one can remain a man true to his word, honor and duty.

Pray to God for us, holy doctor Eugene!

FAITHFUL TO THE KING AND GOD

Life of the Martyr Evgeny Botkin

(1865-1918)

“By faith, fidelity, work” - such words were chosen by Evgeny Sergeevich Botkin for the motto on his coat of arms when he received the title of hereditary nobleman. These words seemed to concentrate all the life ideals and aspirations of Dr. Botkin: deep inner piety, sacrificial service to one's neighbor, unshakable devotion to the Royal family and fidelity to God and His commandments in all life circumstances, fidelity to the end. The Lord accepts such fidelity as a pure sacrifice and gives for it the highest, heavenly reward: Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life(Rev. 2:10).

parental home

The Botkin family was from the city of Toropets, Pskov province. Merchant Pyotr Kononovich Botkin, Yevgeny's grandfather, having moved to Moscow in 1791, first engaged in the production of cloth, then wholesale tea. He quickly achieved success, his company "Pyotr Botkin and Sons" traded tea without intermediaries, brought in big profits, and the Botkins soon became one of the largest tea merchants in Russia.

His children, and there were twenty-four of them, Peter Kononovich raised in strict piety. He managed to instill in them the understanding that if they received wealth and intelligence from God, they are obliged to share these generous gifts with other people. He wanted his sons to succeed in life through persevering work, to help their neighbors, and to respect the work of others.

Pyotr Kononovich Botkin managed to give his numerous children a good education and did not prevent them from doing the business to which they had an inclination. He created a strong family, whose members amazed those around him with their solidarity, mutual assistance, as well as cordiality and responsiveness. The fruits of family education became fully visible on the son of Peter Kononovich Sergey, the future world-famous doctor.

Sergei Petrovich, Yevgeny's father, was educated at a prestigious boarding school, and then at the medical faculty of Moscow University. Pretty soon revealed his extraordinary talent for medical art. This talent was combined with a caring and loving attitude towards the sick, which Eugene later inherited.

Evgeny's mother, Anastasia Alexandrovna Botkina, nee Krylova, was the daughter of a poor Moscow official. Beautiful, intelligent, delicate, she was also well educated: she was fluent in French and German, knew literature very well, subtly versed in music. Anastasia Alexandrovna loved her children very much, but this love was not blind adoration: she knew how to combine affection with prudent severity in her upbringing.

However, her life was short. In the spring of 1875, she died in the Italian resort of San Remo from acute anemia. After the death of his wife, Sergei Petrovich left six sons and a daughter in his arms. Eugene at that time was only ten years old. A year and a half later, Sergei Petrovich married a second time to a young widow, Ekaterina Alekseevna Mordvinova, nee Princess Obolenskaya, who treated her husband's children with delicacy and tenderness, trying to replace their mother. Six more children were born from this marriage. It was said about Sergei Petrovich that, surrounded by his twelve children aged from one to thirty years, he resembled a biblical patriarch.

The authority of Sergei Petrovich in the family was indisputable, he demanded unconditional obedience from the children. However, such severity did not seem excessive to the children: it was dissolved by the most sincere paternal love, so the children obeyed their father willingly and, as contemporaries recall, loved him dearly. In spirit, Sergei Petrovich was a peacemaker: he avoided quarrels, idle disputes and tried not to pay attention to petty everyday troubles, and in difficult life situations reminded others of the mercy of the Lord.

The greatness of his soul was especially manifested in the work to which he devoted his whole life. Many contemporaries noted the extraordinary talent of Sergei Petrovich Botkin as a diagnostician and considered this a gift from God, because he often surprised those around him with the ability to "unravel" diseases and find the best medicines for them. Some of the diagnoses made by Sergei Petrovich entered the history of medicine.

Being an exceptionally talented diagnostician, he never exalted himself by this, but considered his work a sacred duty to his neighbor and to his homeland. While those around him spoke with admiration of his genius, Sergei Petrovich himself was very humble and told his sons that a doctor must first of all be a moral person, ready for a sacrificial feat for the sake of his neighbor. After his death, Eugene, sorting through his father's papers, found a piece of paper on which Sergei Petrovich once wrote: "Love for one's neighbor, a sense of duty, a thirst for knowledge." Being a great scientist, the doctor, nevertheless, put in the first place not knowledge, but the fulfillment of the gospel law - love for one's neighbor.

The circle of communication of the Botkins was extremely wide - primarily due to the so-called "Botkin Saturdays". Once a week, scientists, musicians, poets, writers, artists gathered in Sergei Petrovich's house. Medical issues were rarely raised at these meetings, and political topics were never discussed. If a guest who first came to the evening began to condemn the government or talk about political parties and a possible revolution, then the rest of the guests knew that they were seeing the unwary newcomer for the last time.

Yevgeny's brother, Peter, was later proud of the fact that at one of these evenings, as a child, he sat on Turgenev's lap. Poets and musicians, playwrights and writers sat in the living room at a large table with doctors, chemists and mathematicians, and all together represented a colorful, unanimous society. Close contact with people of art and science had the most beneficial effect on Botkin's children.

One of the main values for the Botkin family has always been faith. They loved the temple, worship, and could not imagine that it was possible to remain without church services for a long time. This, of course, was a great merit of the father. At a time when the Russian intelligentsia was gradually losing interest in religion, Sergei Petrovich did not deviate from the Orthodox faith and took care to preserve and strengthen it in his children. This fact is indicative. In the early 1880s, Sergei Petrovich bought the Kultilla manor in Finland, which became the Botkins' family dacha. However, there was not a single Orthodox church nearby, so immediately after acquiring the estate, Sergei Petrovich began building a house church. It was the only church in the entire district, so all local summer residents gathered for Sunday services at the Botkins. Every Saturday evening, the bell ringing called everyone to an all-night vigil at the Botkin Church, as it was called. On Sundays, the entire large Botkin family prayed at the liturgy.

The religiosity of the Botkin family had a great influence on the Finnish people. Work on the estate gave them material support, while they respected the owner of the estate very much, who often treated them for free. Every Christmas, the Botkins arranged a holiday for local residents on the estate with games, round dances, Christmas songs, and refreshments. Every year, Easter services were held in the Botkins' church with a procession, which even Protestant Finns gathered to look at. And after the festive service, the workers of the estate and the villagers were waiting for gifts from the owners: watercolor drawings on the Easter theme, colorful eggs, chocolate. Such kindness acted on the Finns as the most convincing sermon: some of the Protestants, struck by the sincere love of the Botkins for ordinary people, converted to Orthodoxy.

The Botkin family knew and revered the holy righteous John of Kronstadt. History has preserved for us the following case. Sergei Petrovich was the attending physician of Saltykov-Shchedrin for twelve years and saved him from death several times. Once, when the writer fell seriously ill, his wife invited Father John of Kronstadt to pray at home. At this time, Sergei Petrovich was passing by. He saw a large crowd of people at the entrance, was frightened for the health of his ward and literally burst into the Saltykovs' apartment, where at that time the family was giving Father John tea. Mikhail Evgrafovich was very embarrassed at the thought that the arrival of a priest at the house was, as it were, a sign of distrust in the doctor. He was afraid that the doctor would be offended, but Botkin reassured him, saying that he was glad to see Father John. “Batiushka and I are colleagues,” Sergei Petrovich smiled, “only I heal the body, and he heals the soul.”

Dr. Botkin treated Father John with reverence and asked him for help in those cases when he was conscious of impotence scientific medicine. So, in the 1880s, the whole of St. Petersburg was agitated by the news of the healing of Princess Yusupova, who was dying from blood poisoning. Father John of Kronstadt was called to the patient. Dr. Botkin came out to meet the shepherd with the words: “Help us!” And when Princess Yusupova recovered, the doctor sincerely admitted: “We didn’t do it!”

Since 1873, Sergei Petrovich became the life physician of Emperor Alexander II and his wife Maria Alexandrovna. Often accompanying the emperor on his trips as a doctor, he won the sovereign's trust with his moral and business qualities. However, despite his high position, Sergei Petrovich remained just as humble and accessible to ordinary people, continuing to help everyone who turned to him. His purse "was open ... for all kinds of charity, and hardly anyone who asked for help left him with a refusal." In addition, due to his compassion and kindness, he often treated people for free. The words and deeds of his father, his behavior, attitude towards God and people were deeply imprinted in the soul of young Eugene and became moral guidelines for his whole life.

"He came into the world for the people..."

Eugene was born on May 27, 1865 in Tsarskoe Selo and was the fourth child in the large Botkin family. Thanks to wise upbringing, he acquired in childhood such virtues as generosity, modesty and compassion. The soft, intelligent Eugene was distinguished by a dislike for fights and all kinds of violence. His brother Peter recalled: “He was infinitely kind. One could say that he came into the world for the sake of people and in order to sacrifice himself.

Like all children in the family of Sergei Petrovich Botkin, Eugene received a thorough home education. In addition to general education subjects, he studied foreign languages, painting. The famous composer Mily Balakirev taught him music. Eugene treated him with great respect and, already years later, in letters to Balakirev, “Your student” or “Your former student” was invariably signed.

In addition to his parents, the boy was greatly influenced by his godfather, Uncle Pyotr Petrovich Botkin, who headed a tea trading company, and besides her, also owned sugar factories. Uncle was very rich, and at the same time he was distinguished by deep faith, integrity and attention to people. So, for the workers of his sugar factory, he opened a free canteen, built a hospital and a parochial school. Petr Petrovich, who lived in Moscow, was the headman of several churches, was a trustee of the public Andreevsky hospital, donated large sums of money to the Moscow Guardianship of the Poor. He helped build an Orthodox church even in Argentina. Petr Petrovich also donated a large amount for the construction of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, and then became the headman in it. One of his relatives recalled: “...Almost immediately at the consecration, he became a headman in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, at least I remember him only there. It seems that the last time I was at the morning of Holy Pascha for a church box, in front of me in an incredibly dense crowd, Peter Petrovich made his way with a dish in his hands in a tailcoat with Vladimir around his neck, collecting the church collection. Before Evgeny's eyes, there was always a living example of how to treat the wealth given to you by God - it is given to help others.

Thanks to good home preparation, Evgeny was able to immediately enter the fifth grade of the 2nd St. Petersburg classical gymnasium, which was the oldest in the capital. Such high demands were placed on the students in this gymnasium that students were often left for the second year. So, one of the students spent in the gymnasium instead of the prescribed eight years - thirteen. From the Botkin family (and besides Yevgeny, his brothers Sergei, Peter, Alexander and Viktor also studied at this gymnasium), no one has ever stayed for the second year.

Eugene studied quite well, in German, French and Russian - perfectly well. Later, when he assumed a high position at court, he was among the few in the emperor's retinue who spoke excellent French, German and English. Eugene not only studied diligently, but also distinguished himself by impeccable behavior during the lessons. In the journal of student progress and behavior, it was reported about him: “In attending classes, he is usually in good order, he missed classes due to illness; in the preparation of lessons - very serviceable, in execution written works- very diligent, regarding attention in the class - attentive.

In the gymnasium, the behavior of students was strictly monitored. So, at a meeting of the Pedagogical Council on October 12, 1879, a decision was made to enter the misconduct of students in the conduit journal. It was a thick book in which one page was dedicated to each of the students. On each sheet of the conduit there was a table: the date of the remark, the misconduct, the name of the teacher who made the reprimand, the punishment that took place. Some sheets contained dozens of comments. Typical violations of discipline were: "laziness", "restless behavior", "failure to prepare homework”, “made firecrackers at recess”, “was half an hour late”, “didn’t do anything during the lesson”, “ugly laughter”, “constant chatter”. The archives have preserved a conduit journal for 1880, from which you can learn about the attitude of the Botkin brothers to study. Peter Botkin this year, for example, the following remarks were made: "did not have time to buy books", "for avoiding lessons for 2 hours." There are no remarks on the page of the high school student Yevgeny Botkin.

Study was given to Eugene easily. He was fond of mathematics, read religious, historical and secular literature, loved Pushkin's poems. The father delved into his son's studies, often discussed with him any book he had read. Sergei Petrovich especially admired the essays by Saltykov-Shchedrin. “How much intelligence and truth,” he said about his works. Eugene always listened to his father's opinion and appreciated the opportunity to discuss any issues with him. He later wrote that his father became for him an experienced, kind elder friend who could instruct, guide, and who could be consulted. The development of Yevgeny's literary interests was greatly influenced by the "Botkin Saturdays", which were regularly held in the parental home. Constantly communicating with talented and outstanding people, Eugene learned to understand literature and poetry. Contemporaries later noted his erudition and talent as a storyteller.

The father often took Evgeny and other sons to his clinic. Before her visit, he asked the boys to behave calmly, not to faint at the sight of blood, since they are medical children. About the work of doctors, he repeated that "there is no greater happiness on earth than this continuous and selfless work for the benefit of others." Eugene also accepted this conviction with all his heart. He saw that for his father these were not just words: Sergei Petrovich gave all of himself to the sick without a trace.

Student

In 1882, Eugene graduated from the gymnasium. Its graduates, who received a certificate, were enrolled in the university without additional exams and tests. Eugene became a student of the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics at St. Petersburg University. He studied diligently. However, the very next year, having passed the exams for the first year of the university, he entered the Imperial Military Medical Academy. From the very beginning, his choice of profession was conscious and purposeful. Medicine, according to contemporaries, was his vocation: he knew how to help and support in a difficult moment, relieve pain, lend a helping hand.

The Military Medical Academy at that time was known not only for giving deep medical education. Her task was to educate doctors devoted to God, Motherland and profession. The rules for teachers of the academy specifically stipulated that they "cannot express anything contrary to religion, morality, laws and government orders." There was a special instruction for students, which stated the need for mandatory attendance at church, fasting during Great Lent, confession and communion. In the main building of the academy there was a church in honor of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God, where, in addition to divine services, all academic celebrations were held. Memorial plaques were installed in the church with the names of students and graduates of the academy who died in the line of their medical duty during wars or epidemics.

Among Yevgeny's classmates, students of the 1889 graduation, there were many students from the families of scientists: E. P. Benard, F. E. Langebacher, A. V. Rutkovsky, P. T. Sadovsky. It was they who on the course set the tone in their studies with their passion for medicine. AT free time many of Yevgeny's classmates went to work for free at Red Cross hospitals. The course in which Eugene studied was distinguished by a special comradely unity and nobility of spirit. Here is just one of the facts. Many students of the academy did not have sufficient means of subsistence and were forced to earn money. The head of the course proposed the creation of a special monetary fund from voluntary donations, so that less well-to-do students would not be distracted from their studies to earn money. This idea was accepted with enthusiasm by the students. Evgeny Botkin was among those who donated a lot of money for the poor fellow students.

During school year Eugene worked hard, and summer vacation, as a rule, spent in the estate of Kultilla. There he not only rested, but also worked: he collected hay with pleasure, watered a vast garden, and cleared paths. The father, who believed that physical work was useful for maintaining health, was an example for him in this.

In 1889, Eugene successfully graduated from the academy, receiving the title of doctor with honors and the personalized Paltsev Prize, which was awarded to the third highest student in the course. Upon graduation, students of the Military Medical Academy gave the so-called "faculty promise", expressing the fundamental moral and ethical principles of a doctor's behavior. His text was placed on the reverse side of the diploma of a doctor: “Accepting with deep gratitude the rights of a doctor granted to me by science and comprehending the importance of the duties assigned to me by this title, I promise throughout my life not to darken the honor of the estate, which I now enter. I promise at all times to help, according to my best understanding, the suffering who resort to my allowance, I promise to sacredly keep the family secrets entrusted to me and not to use the trust placed in me for evil. I promise to continue to study medical science and contribute with all my strength to its prosperity, informing the learned world of everything that I discover. I promise not to engage in the preparation and sale of secret means. I promise to be fair to my fellow doctors and not offend their personalities, however, if the benefit of the patient required it, to tell the truth without hypocrisy. In important cases, I promise to resort to the advice of doctors who are more knowledgeable and experienced than me; when I myself am called to a conference, I undertake, in conscience, to do justice to their merits and efforts.

These moral rules of the doctor, which Yevgeny Botkin called the "code of principles", were not just words for the graduates of the 1889 course. It was, one might say, the program of their life. After graduating from the academy, most of Yevgeny's classmates, becoming doctors, showed great dedication and nobility: they admitted patients for free in the hospitals of the Russian Red Cross Society; served in various military settlements, fortresses, sapper battalions and in the navy; worked as zemstvo doctors; worked during epidemics, exposing themselves to the risk of infection. Here are just a few examples. Zemsky doctor Vasily Vasilyevich Le Dantu created a network of small hospitals and thereby achieved a decrease in mortality among the peasants. He died after contracting typhus while treating a peasant family. The talented surgeon Franz Vikentievich Abramovich also died after being infected by a patient. During the Russo-Japanese War, ten classmates of Yevgeny Sergeevich died in the performance of their medical duty.

Evgeny Botkin adhered to the "Code of Principles" in his medical practice. He rightly believed that such ethical standards come close to Christianity and can naturally lead from religious indifference to faith - as happened to him. During his studies, student Botkin experienced some cooling towards religion, but this period did not last long. He called himself one of those fortunate ones who, by the special grace of God, after a period of religious indifference, faith also joined their deeds. In any case, it was obvious to Yevgeny that good deeds, including medical assistance to people, should be based on faith. As he wrote in one of his letters, recalling the words from the Epistle of the Apostle James, “if faith without works is dead, then works without faith cannot exist.”

Graduation celebrations at the academy, which took place on November 11, 1889, were marred for Yevgeny by the serious illness of his father. A month later, on December 12, Sergei Petrovich died in France, in Menton, from coronary heart disease. He died relatively young: he was only 58 years old. Sergei Petrovich was buried in St. Petersburg at the cemetery of the Novodevichy Convent. Eugene often came to his father's grave, prayed with concentration and wept.

Doctor

After graduating from the academy, it was time for Evgeny to choose the place of his ministry. The glory of his father, a world-famous physician and scientist, opened all doors for him: he could immediately find a place with the highest salary. However, Eugene did not want to use the name of his father. He decided to start his practical activity at the St. Petersburg Mariinsky Hospital for the Poor, established by Empress Maria Feodorovna. There was little pay. However, this hospital was one of the best clinics in St. Petersburg - it was called "a medical institution close to perfection", and therefore many young doctors (students and graduates) of the Military Medical Academy chose it for themselves as a practical school.

By that time, V. I. Alyshevsky, a student of Sergei Petrovich Botkin, had been the head physician of the Mariinsky Hospital for several years. He brought the hospital into such a brilliant state that every young doctor aspired to get there. In his name, the young doctor Evgeny Botkin filed a petition. Dr. Alyshevsky, personally knowing Yevgeny and his abilities, petitioned for his appointment as an intern doctor. In January 1890, Eugene began his work in the clinic. His duties included examining patients upon admission to the hospital and making a preliminary diagnosis, as well as supervising the sorting wards where the newcomers were located.

However, Eugene did not stay long as an intern doctor. At the end of the year, he got married, and since he had a family to support, the hospital management offered him a better paid position as a supernumerary resident of the clinic.

By the time of the wedding, Eugene was twenty-five years old. His chosen one, Olga Vladimirovna Manuylova, was much younger: she had just turned eighteen. She was an orphan, from the age of four she was brought up by wealthy relatives. On January 7, 1891, their wedding took place in the Catherine's Church of the Imperial Academy of Arts. The young couple loved each other very much, had complete unanimity and considered themselves the happiest couple in the world. On September 12, 1892, their first son was born. The boy was named after his grandfather - Sergei. However, six months later, the first-born, dearly beloved by his parents, died of inflammation of the meninges. This death shocked Evgeny Sergeevich. He painfully endured the pain of loss, but it was this pain that led him to deep faith and humility before the fate of God. The Lord gave him the opportunity and strength to completely rethink his life. Eugene himself later wrote that after the loss of his firstborn, he began to take care not only of the conscientious fulfillment of the duties of a doctor, but more “about the Lord”: his professional activity was illuminated for him by the light of the commandments of God. The Orthodox faith became the basis of his life and the main treasure that he tried to pass on to his children. In total, four children grew up in the Botkin family: Dmitry, Yuri, Tatyana, Gleb. Eugene was a faithful and loving husband and a gentle and caring father. It seemed that this family ship could not be shaken by any storms...

In May 1892, Evgeny Sergeevich entered the post of doctor of the imperial court singing chapel. With this appointment, a situation arose in which the special delicacy of the young doctor was manifested. The manager of the chapel was the composer Mily Balakirev, who, being dissatisfied with Dr. Yurinsky, who worked at the boarding school, decided to put his former student Yevgeny Botkin in his place. However, when he realized that he was being invited to the place of a person objectionable to the authorities, he flatly refused to accept the offer. And only after some time, having learned about the successful arrangement of Dr. Yurinsky in another place, he agreed to take the vacancy.

In the singing choir, Evgeny Sergeevich worked, however, not for long. Mily Alekseevich was distinguished by high demands both on himself and on others, his pupils were very tired from endless rehearsals and classes. Dr. Botkin, pitying the children, freed them from exorbitant loads. The composer was very unhappy with this and, in turn, canceled the doctor's appointments. One day, Balakirev was informed that Dr. Botkin allegedly took lightly dressed boys to the hospital in a cab on a frosty day with a strong wind. The composer was outraged. Evgeny Sergeevich was upset that Mily Alekseevich believed the slander, and wrote to him: “The first condition for the possibility of my service in the court chapel is your unconditional trust in me. Now, when, as it seems to me, he is no longer there, it remains for me only to bring you my heartfelt gratitude for all the past and ask you to relieve me of my duties as a doctor of the Court Chapel. In December 1893, Evgeny Sergeevich resigned from the choir and a month later he again entered the service of the Mariinsky Hospital for the Poor. As an assistant doctor, he conscientiously worked in all departments of the hospital: therapeutic, surgical, and also in the isolation ward. A year later, in January 1895, for "excellent diligent service and special work" he received his first award: the Order of St. Stanislav III degree.

Simultaneously with clinical practice, the young doctor was engaged in science, he was interested in questions of immunology, the essence of the process of leukocytosis, and the protective properties of blood cells. A year later, Evgeny Sergeevich brilliantly defended his dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Medicine, dedicating his scientific work to the memory of his deceased father.

In the spring of 1895, the hospital management, taking care of improving the skills of their staff, decided to send Yevgeny Sergeevich to Germany. Dr. Botkin worked in medical institutions in Heidelberg and Berlin. He studied at the Pathological Anatomical Institute with Professor Arnoldi, in the laboratory of physiological chemistry of Professor Salkovsky, listened to lectures by Professors Virchow, Bergman, Ewalds, the neuropathologist Groman, took a bacteriological course with Professor Ernst, a course in practical obstetrics with Professor Dürssen in Berlin, attended courses on childhood diseases of Professor Baginsky and on nervous diseases of Professor Gerhardt ... While working in therapeutic clinics and departments of Berlin hospitals, Evgeny Sergeevich noticed how well the Germans cared for the sick, and suggested organizing a similar one in Russian hospitals.

This business trip was extremely fruitful for Dr. Botkin: he received versatile medical knowledge at the very high level and was perfectly prepared for independent medical and scientific work.

In May 1897, the Conference of the Imperial Military Medical Academy awarded Yevgeny Sergeevich Botkin the title of Privatdozent in Internal Medicine with a clinic. The young doctor began to teach. What did he say at his first lecture? About medical skills? About the need for proper diagnosis? About the achievements of modern medicine? No. He said that the doctor, first of all, should show mercy, sincere heartfelt participation and sympathy for the sick person: “So do not be stingy, learn to generously give sympathy to those who need it ... let's all go with love to the sick person to learn together how to be useful to him. Evgeny Sergeevich considered the service of a physician to be a truly Christian work, akin to a priestly one. He often reminded students of the need to “conscientiously fulfill your sacred duty towards ... unfortunate patients, treating them with all the care that you can, with the sincere cordiality that they so need. The doctor knows that with this he does not “spoil” the patient, but only fulfills his sacred duty.

Being a believer, Evgeny Sergeevich had a Christian view of illnesses, saw their connection with the mental state of the patient: “Acquaintance with the mental world of a sick person is no less important for a doctor than an idea of anatomical changes and violations of the physiological functions of certain cells of his body ... And how often all the physical ailments of the patient turn out to be only a consequence or manifestation of his spiritual unrest and torment, with which our earthly life is so rich and which are so poorly amenable to our mixtures and powders. Later, in one of his letters to his son Yuri, he expressed his attitude to the medical profession as a means of knowing God's wisdom: “The main delight that you experience in our business ... is that for this we must penetrate into the details and mysteries of God's creations, and it is impossible not to enjoy their expediency and harmony and His highest wisdom.

Georgievsky community

Since 1897, Dr. Botkin, retaining his position as a supernumerary doctor at the Mariinsky Hospital, began his medical practice in the communities of sisters of mercy of the Russian Red Cross Society. At first, he became a supernumerary doctor in the outpatient clinic of the Holy Trinity Community of Sisters of Mercy. It was one of the largest communities in Russia, which was under the patronage of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna. The sisters of the community participated in the Crimean, Russian-Turkish and other wars.

But another Red Cross community played a much larger role in the doctor's life. From January 1899, Evgeny Sergeevich became the chief physician of the St. Petersburg Community of Sisters of Mercy in honor of St. George. This community was created with the active participation of his father, who was an honorary consultant in it. It was founded in 1870 and was under the patronage of Empress Maria Feodorovna. The charter of the community read: “Stand with a firm foot against the onslaught of disasters that haunt humanity in the form of miserable hygienic conditions of our life, daily illnesses, epidemics, and in case of war, alleviate the suffering of the wounded on the battlefield.” To do this, it was necessary to create a medical staff who would devote all their strength to selfless, selfless service to a suffering person.

Despite the fact that the Red Cross was a secular organization, there were confessional restrictions for admission to work in its communities: only Christian women who knew basic prayers were accepted as sisters. The sisters during their service had to live in the community and had no right to marry. The training program for them was developed by Sergei Petrovich Botkin himself. The sisters studied anatomy, physiology, hygiene, they were taught special courses in internal medicine, surgery, and were taught how to care for the sick.

The main patients of the Georgievsky community were people from the poorest strata of society, but doctors and attendants were selected with special care. Some women of the upper class worked there as simple nurses and considered this occupation an honor for themselves. The sisters of mercy not only provided medical assistance to poor people, but also visited the apartments of the sick, helped them get a job, and put someone in an almshouse. Thanks to the ascetic attitude of the spiritual father of the community, the famous Archpriest Alexei Kolokolov, who “never spared himself in the fulfillment of his pastoral calling”, such enthusiasm reigned among the employees, such a desire to help suffering people that the people of St. George were compared with the first Christian community. “The sisters of the community gave themselves to the holy cause of serving the sick with undivided zeal, reminiscent of the early days of Christianity,” they wrote, for example, in Sankt-Peterburgskiye Vedomosti.

Of course, the position of chief physician of such a community could only be entrusted to a highly moral and believing person. As a rule, before such an appointment, all information about the candidate was collected, from the previous duty station, an accurate and complete description of both official and moral qualities. Therefore, the fact that Yevgeny Sergeevich was accepted to work in this exemplary institution spoke volumes.

At this time, Dr. Botkin had other duties: a doctor for business trips of the VI category at the Clinical Military Hospital, a therapist at the Mariinsky Hospital for the Poor, and a teacher at the Imperial Military Medical Academy. But he never left the care of his community. “My community,” he called the St. George people. He took care of the training of staff, treated the condition of the patients with participation - all aspects of the community's activities were under his supervision. Evgeny Sergeevich paid equal attention to each patient, both rich and poor, and tried in every possible way to help the patient. Many facts are known confirming that the spirit of exceptional mercy reigned in the Community of St. George. Let us cite one incident that occurred during the First World War. One patient of a simple rank, who was in the hospital, did not get better and was in deep despondency. The doctor, visiting him and learning about his mood, in the most affectionate terms promised that he would be prepared for any dish that he would agree to taste. At the request of the patient, pork ears were fried. From such attention, he cheered up, cheered up and soon went on the mend.

In July 1900, Yevgeny Sergeevich and five sisters of mercy of the Community were sent to Sofia to work in the Alexander Hospital, where care for the sick was poorly organized. Their activities in this hospital were reported by the diplomatic ambassador to Bulgaria, State Councilor Bakhmetev: “Their activities manifested themselves so quickly and so beneficially that one cannot help but rejoice, looking at the improvements and transformations that they have already achieved. Our kind, industrious, and experienced sisters have attracted doctors by their practical knowledge, and the sick by their cordial and tender treatment, that both of them claim that they can no longer exist without them. And that until now they did not realize the terrible situation in which the hospital was. About Dr. Botkin, Mr. Bakhmetev reported: “Dr. Botkin stayed here for two weeks and, working tirelessly to familiarize the sisters with such new conditions for them, and, more importantly, to familiarize the doctors with the activities of the sisters, earned universal gratitude and respect. The entire medical corps met and saw him off with the greatest honor and genuine sympathy. The ambassador sent his review of Yevgeny Sergeevich's work even to Empress Maria Feodorovna, who wrote on the text of the report: "I read it with pleasure." By the highest permission of the Empress, Dr. Botkin was awarded the Red Cross badge and the Bulgarian Order of Civil Merit for his hard work in Sofia.

With his great employment, Dr. Botkin found time for scientific work: He lectured, conducted practical classes for students and reviewed dissertations of candidates for the degree of Doctor of Medicine.

Hand the Russo-Japanese War

In 1904, the Russo-Japanese War began. Evgeny Sergeevich, leaving his wife and four small children (the eldest was ten years old at that time, the youngest four years old), volunteered to go to the Far East. He had the right not to go to war - no one would have condemned him for this - but, being a man who passionately loves Russia, Dr. Botkin could not stand aside when it came to the honor and security of the Motherland.

He was appointed assistant to the Chief Plenipotentiary of the Russian Red Cross Society under the active armies for the medical part. The duties of Dr. Botkin included the organization of field hospitals, infirmaries, evacuation points in the Manchurian region, the purchase of medicines and equipment, and the timely evacuation of the wounded and sick. This work was associated with many difficulties, since until that time the Red Cross Society did not work in Manchuria and did not have enough premises here that could accommodate hospitals and infirmaries.

One of the very first concerns of the doctor in the war was that the hospitals and infirmaries must be visited by the priest to perform the Sacraments, require and provide spiritual assistance to sick and wounded soldiers. If in the rear hospitals it was easier to resolve this issue, since priests from local churches came to the sick, then in Manchuria it was not easy to find an Orthodox priest. But Evgeny Sergeevich, who loved worship, made every effort to ensure that his subordinates and the wounded were not left without church services - and everyone was so used to these services that when the hospital had to send a camp church during the evacuation, the doctors built a "temple" from improvised means . The doctor himself recalls this as follows: “Along the groove that surrounded the church tent, they poked pine trees, made the Royal Doors out of them, put one pine tree behind the altar, the other in front of the lectern prepared for prayer; they hung on the last two pines in the image - and the result was a church that seemed even closer than all others to God, because it stands directly under His heavenly cover. His presence was felt in it more than in any other, and thus the words of Christ were remembered: “Where two or three are gathered in My Name, there I am in the midst of them.” This all-night vigil among the pines in the semi-darkness created such a wonderful prayerful mood that it was impossible not to pull up the choir and not go into prayer, forgetting all the trifles of life.

Evgeny Sergeevich held a high administrative position, which involved more organizational issues than participation in battles, but he could not remain in the war just an outside observer. Pyotr Botkin recalled: “When the Japanese war broke out, my brother was one of the first to rush body and soul into this turmoil ... He immediately found himself in the most advanced positions. His calmness and courage at the most critical moments on the battlefield were an example. Yevgeny Sergeevich bandaged the wounded on the battlefield, personally evacuated them during the retreat, one of the last doctors left Vafangou left by our troops. His official list says that he was in the battles near Wafanggou, in the Liaoyang battles and on the Shahe River.

He wrote many letters from the front, which were published shortly after the war. a separate book- "Light and Shadows of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905." This book testifies that in the difficult conditions of wartime, Evgeny Sergeevich not only did not lose his love for God, but, on the contrary, strengthened his trust in Him. Here is just one such piece of evidence.

In one of the battles, Evgeny Sergeevich was bandaging a wounded orderly. He suffered not so much from wounds, but from the fact that in the midst of the battle he left an artillery battery without a medic. Dr. Botkin took his bag and went to the positions himself, where he came under heavy shelling from the Japanese. The doctor himself describes this difficult day as follows:

“It was the finger of God that decided my day.

Go quietly, I told him, I remain behind you.

I took his sanitary bag and went further up the mountain, where on the slope of it and sat down near the stretcher. The shells continued to whistle above me, torn to shreds, and others, in addition, threw out a lot of bullets, mostly far behind us.<...>I was not afraid for myself: never in my life had I felt the power of my faith to such an extent. I was quite convinced that, however great the risk to which I was exposed, I would not be killed unless God wanted it; and if he wishes, then it is His holy will ... I did not tease fate, I did not stand near the guns so as not to interfere with the shooters and not to do unnecessary things, but I realized that I was needed, and this consciousness made my situation pleasant.

When the call was heard from above: "Stretcher!" - I ran upstairs with a medical assistant's bag and two orderlies carrying a stretcher; I ran to see if there was any bleeding that required an immediate stop, but we did the dressing lower, on our slope.

During urgent evacuations, Dr. Botkin did not leave with everyone, but remained to wait for the late wounded. He met them, taken out by comrades from close combat, and sent them on wheeled stretchers for the retreating troops. When one day a wounded soldier, to whom the doctor was bandaging, was worried that he might fall into the hands of the Japanese, Evgeny Sergeevich said that in this case he would remain with him. The soldier instantly calmed down: with Botkin it’s not scary anywhere.

With deep respect for military doctors, the doctor gives a story about the Evgenievsky hospital, which had to be urgently evacuated from Liaoyang. Almost all of the wounded had already been taken to a safe place, the doctors hastily packed medicines, not even having time to collect personal belongings. At this tense moment, the Chief Plenipotentiary of the Executive Commission in Manchuria, Chamberlain Aleksandrovsky, came to the doctors and ordered them to urgently leave, and take out only the most valuable thing for them, what they could take with them. A few minutes later, doctors appeared, carrying in their arms the coffin with the body of an officer who had died in their hospital.

With no less, and perhaps more reverence, the doctor speaks in his letters about ordinary soldiers, who for him were his favorite "soldiers", "holy wounded." Yevgeny Sergeevich admired the peaceful spirit and patience with which ordinary soldiers endured terrible suffering and met death. “No one, none of them complains, no one asks: “For what, for what am I suffering?” - how people of our circle grumble when God sends them trials, ”he wrote to his wife with emotion. Heartily loving Russian soldiers, Botkin admitted that at first it was difficult for him to provide medical assistance to captured enemies, he had to overcome himself: “I confess, the sight of a wounded Japanese in his cap among all these torments was unpleasant for me, and I forced myself to approach him. This, of course, is stupid: how is he to blame for the suffering of our soldiers, with whom he shares them! - but the soul is already turning over for its own, dear. However, Christian compassion gradually won out: subsequently, Evgeny Sergeevich treated not only “his own”, but also “strangers” wounded with sincere tenderness and love.

Defeats of the Russian army in Japanese war Evgeny Sergeevich suffered hard, but at the same time he looked at things spiritually: “A whole mass of our troubles is only the result of people’s lack of spirituality, a sense of duty, that petty personal calculations are placed above the concept of the fatherland, above God.”

In general, from a spiritual point of view, the doctor looked at any, even seemingly insignificant events. How amazingly, for example, he describes a thunderstorm that suddenly broke out on the battlefield! “The clouds thicker and denser clouded the sky until it burst out on you with majestic anger. It was God's wrath, but human anger did not stop from this, and, Lord! — what a sharp difference there was between them!.. No matter how similar the rumble of guns to the thunder of a thunderstorm, it seemed petty and insignificant before the peals of thunder: one seemed rude, dissolute human swearing, the other - the noble anger of the greatest soul. Evil sparks of heated eyes were the bright lights of firing guns next to clear lightning, pain tearing apart the Divine soul.

Stop, people! God's wrath seemed to be saying: "Wake up!" Is this what I am teaching you, wretched ones! How dare you, unworthy, to destroy what you cannot create?! Stop, fools!

But, stunned by mutual hatred, His enraged people did not listen and continued their criminal, inexorable mutual destruction.

In one of his letters to his wife, Yevgeny Sergeevich tells how, having just put all the wounded on the train, he discovered that one of the passengers had already died - before reaching the hospital, but immediately arriving "at the most important station." He ends this story with words that clearly reveal the mood of his heart: “What bliss must human soul, moving from his dark, cramped carriage to You, O Lord, to Your immeasurable, cloudless, dazzling heights!

In May 1905, Dr. Botkin, while still in the army, was awarded the title of Honorary Life Physician of the Imperial Court. This rank was assigned not only to doctors in the court service, but also to doctors who successfully proved themselves in various fields of medical science and practice. Persons awarded the title of honorary life doctor could also apply for the position of life doctor of the Supreme Court.

In the autumn of the same year, Evgeny Sergeevich returned to St. Petersburg to the place of his permanent ministry. For courage and dedication in the war, he was awarded with orders St. Vladimir IV and III degree with swords and promoted to the rank of State Councilor. However, the most valuable award for the doctor was not orders, but the sincere love and appreciation of both his patients and his employees. Among the numerous insignia and memorable souvenirs brought by Dr. Botkin from the war was a modest address folder, presented as a farewell gift by his subordinates - nurses who were with him at the front. They wrote: “Dear Evgeny Sergeevich! During the short but difficult time that you spent with us, we saw so much kindness and goodness from you that when we part from you, we want to express our deep, sincere feelings. We saw in you not a harsh, dry boss, but a deeply dedicated, sincere, sympathetic, sensitive person, rather, a father, ready to help and take part in a difficult moment, sympathy, which are so dear here, away from relatives, especially for women, often inexperienced, impractical and young. Please accept, dear Evgeny Sergeevich, our deep, sincere gratitude. May the Lord bless you in all your deeds and undertakings and send you health for many, many years. Believe that our grateful feelings will never be blotted out of our hearts.”

Life medic

In St. Petersburg, Evgeny Sergeevich again began teaching at the Military Medical Academy. His name became more and more famous in metropolitan circles. The book "Light and Shadows of the Russo-Japanese War" opened up new aspects of Dr. Botkin's personality for many. If earlier he was known as a highly professional physician, then the letters revealed to everyone his Christian, loving, infinitely compassionate heart and unshakable faith in God. Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, having read Light and Shadows of the Russo-Japanese War, wished that Yevgeny Sergeevich became the Emperor's personal doctor.

On Easter Sunday, April 13, 1908, Emperor Nicholas II signed a decree appointing Dr. Botkin as his life physician. In connection with this appointment, Evgeny Sergeevich was dismissed from the post of doctor for business trips of the VII category at the Clinical Military Hospital. In the Community of St. George, the doctor remained an Honorary Consultant Member and Honorary Benefactor.

In the fall of 1908, the Botkin family moved to Tsarskoye Selo and settled in cozy home with a small front garden on Sadovaya Street. The eldest sons Dmitry and Yuri began to study at the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum, the younger Tatyana and Gleb studied at home with tutors. On Sundays and holidays all the children went to the temple. Tatyana Botkina recalled: “On Sundays, the boys helped the priest during the service in the lyceum church. They arrived long before the start of the service. Yuri sang in the choir, and the deeply religious Dmitry loved to immerse himself in long prayers. Evgeny Sergeevich himself liked to visit the Tsarskoye Selo Catherine's Cathedral. Here was the image of the holy great martyr and healer Panteleimon, revered by him, with a particle of his relics, and the ark, in which were placed the great finger of the holy great martyr George, part of the Tree of the Lord, the Robe of the Most Holy Theotokos and the relics of various saints.

Now, after the new appointment, Evgeny Sergeevich had to constantly be with the Emperor and members of his family, his service at the royal court proceeded without days off and holidays. Usually, a medical officer was dismissed on vacation only for some good reason, for example, due to illness, and only by the Highest Command. The court doctors, in addition to performing their direct duties, were also allowed to practice medicine in various medical institutions and conduct a private reception.

The royal family was served by a large staff of doctors, among whom were a variety of specialists: surgeons, ophthalmologists, obstetricians, dentists. So, in 1910 there were forty-two of them: five life doctors, twenty-three honorary life doctors, three life surgeons, seven honorary life surgeons, a life obstetrician, a life ophthalmologist, a life pediatrician and a life otiatrist. Many professionals have more high ranks than a modest assistant professor, but Dr. Botkin was distinguished by a special talent as a diagnostician and a feeling of sincere love for his patients.

As a specialist in internal medicine, Dr. Botkin had to monitor the health of the most august patients daily. In the morning and evening, he examined the sovereign and the empress, their children, gave medical advice, prescribed treatment if necessary. Emperor Nicholas II treated his life physician with great sympathy and trust and patiently withstood all medical and diagnostic procedures. It is known that the emperor was distinguished by physical strength and good health and did not need constant medical supervision. Therefore, the Empress became the main patient of the doctor, whose treatment required special attention and delicacy due to her pain. Every day a doctor examined the Empress in her bedroom. At the same time, she almost always asked the doctor about the health of her children or gave some instructions for charity, since Botkin participated in those charitable undertakings that were overseen by the imperial family. So, in Tsarskoe Selo there were hospitals of the Red Cross, where Empress Alexandra Feodorovna and Grand Duchesses Olga and Tatiana subsequently trained for the title of sister of mercy, and where an officer infirmary was subsequently opened.

Based on research and observations, Evgeny Sergeevich made a medical conclusion that the queen suffered from "heart neurosis with weakening of the heart muscles." This diagnosis was also confirmed by other professors whom he invited for a consultation. The empress, in addition to heart disease, was constantly worried about swelling and pain in her legs and bouts of rheumatism.

Since neuroses of the heart develop rapidly, Dr. Botkin advised the Empress to avoid excessive stress and rest more. Alexandra Feodorovna, listening to these recommendations, somewhat moved away from official palace life. The number of endless official meetings at court was reduced, and the courtiers, bored without daily entertainment, criticized the new doctor. So, the palace commandant V.N. Voeikov recalled that "thanks to the blooming appearance of the empress, no one wanted to believe in her heart disease, and they joked about this diagnosis over the life physician E. S. Botkin."

Despite these witticisms, Evgeny Sergeevich acted according to his conscience. Six months after taking up a new position, he wrote to his brother: “My responsibility is great not only to the Family, where they treat me with great care, but also to the country and its history. Newspapers, fortunately, do not know the truth at all.<...>I deeply hope for the full restoration of the empress, but before I achieve this, I will have to go through difficult trials. I am between many fires: some express dissatisfaction with the fact that I care too much about the patient; others find that I neglect it and my regimen is not effective enough. As for the patient herself, it seems to me that she thinks that I carry out my duties too conscientiously.

I will bear with firmness the weight of all accusations and calmly fulfill my duty, guided by my conscience and doing my best to calm the different currents of thought.

The special position of life doctors was the cause of envy and ill will among the courtiers. Apparently, Evgeny Sergeevich did not escape slander either. This is evident from his letter to his brother: “There are so many petty people, their machinations are so low and unheard of, their thoughts so dirty everything that is simple and holy, that there are no means to reason with them.<...>I am ready to answer with courage for my actions, if they are really mine, and not fictitious from the outside.<...>But, by the way, this does not mean anything, since the people I am next to are so far from this dirt and so infinitely kind to me.

Especially close and friendly relations developed between Dr. Botkin and Tsarevich Alexei, who told him: "I love you with all my little heart." The boy often refused breakfast in the morning due to loss of appetite. In such cases, Botkin sat next to him and told him various funny stories from his past or from everyday life. The Tsarevich laughed and drank his chocolate while talking and ate a toast with honey or a sandwich with fresh caviar.

After dinner, Evgeny Sergeevich usually went to St. Petersburg: he continued to help the community of St. George in the treatment of patients. The doctor had almost no free time, slept three or four hours a day, but never complained.

“The most valuable thing on earth is the human soul…”

The high position and closeness to the Royal family did not change the character of Dr. Botkin. He remained as kind and considerate to others as he had been before. One of his contemporaries recalled: “Leib doctor Evgeny Sergeevich Botkin could serve as a model of boundless, almost evangelical kindness and kindness; a very educated and developed person, as well as an excellent doctor: he did not limit his attitude towards patients (whoever they were) to purely professional attention, but supplemented it with an affectionate, almost loving attitude. Unfortunately, his ugly appearance, due to a somewhat exaggerated, perhaps gentle manner, did not make a good impression on everyone from the very beginning, at the first meeting, casting doubt on his sincerity. However, this feeling disappeared with more frequent meetings with him.

By virtue of his position, Dr. Botkin was a witness to the daily life of the Royal Family, hidden from prying eyes. He saw their experiences, suffering during illnesses, for him they were people with their joys and sorrows, with their virtues and shortcomings. As a doctor and as a delicate person, Evgeny Sergeevich never touched upon the health issues of his eminent patients in private conversations. Contemporaries noted with respect that "none of the retinue managed to find out from him what the empress was sick with and what treatment the queen and heir followed." Not only the courtiers did not know about this - even the people closest to the doctor did not know.

The Romanov family traveled a lot. As a life doctor, Evgeny Sergeevich had to always be ready for all kinds of moving and moving. Information about the upcoming trip was secret, so the departure often became known before the departure. From his travels, the doctor regularly sent letters to his wife and children: he talked about walks with the emperor, about games with the prince, shared his travel impressions, reported unusual purchases. Once in Hesse, he saw an old Russian fold, in the middle of which was the image of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, and on the sides - the Kazan and Vladimir icons of the Mother of God. Botkin liked this fold so much that he bought it. He told his relatives about this: “It brought me double joy: both the acquisition of the fold itself, and the removal of it from an inappropriate place with a return to my homeland.”

Correspondence replaced Evgeny Sergeevich and his children with personal communication: “There is so much I want and need to tell you, my precious boys ... even with daily letters when you cannot come [to you] for “gatherings” and “chats”. In letters, they told each other about how they spend their time, shared their observations, experiences, sorrows, discussed the books they read.

Evgeny Sergeevich's attitude towards children was truly paternal and truly Christian - the basis of this attitude was love, which, according to the apostle, "never ceases." So, in one of the letters he addressed the children: “You are my angels! May God keep you, may He bless you and may He always be with you, just as I am always with you, always near you, wherever I am. Feel it, my beloved ones, and don't forget it. And this is forever! And in this and in another life, I can no longer tear myself away from you. The soul that is so soldered with your pure souls, so accustomed to sound with them in the same tone, will always, and freed from the earthly case, sound in the same tone and should find an echo in your souls.

In letters to close people, the soul of a person is revealed especially clearly and fully, and Dr. Botkin's letters to children perfectly describe his spiritual portrait. They speak for themselves and require no comment. Here, for example, is a letter from Livadia to his son Yuri: “The most valuable thing on earth is the human soul. …This is that particle of God that is embedded in every person and which makes it possible to feel Him, believe in Him and be comforted by prayer to Him. ... If it is kind and pure, it sounds so wonderful, so wonderful, like no most magnificent music. And here is one of the greatest pleasures that medicine gives - few people, except doctors, have to hear so much this wondrous music of a good human soul.

And here is another letter to his son: “Your hope for the mercy and goodness of God is just. Pray, pray to Him, and repent, and ask for help, for our flesh is weak, and His Spirit is great, and He sends Him to those who sincerely and ardently ask Him for Him. When you lie down in bed, say your prayers to Him, do until you fall asleep with them on your lips, and you will fall asleep clean and tender.

Congratulating his son on his birthday, Yevgeny Sergeevich wrote to him: “With all my heart, with all my soul I wish you that you forever preserve your kindness, your cordiality, your concern for your neighbor, so that fate gives you the opportunity to widely use these precious qualities of nature, called in one word love for one's neighbor, which was one of your grandfather's mottos. Tests and disappointments in the exercise of these properties are inevitable, but they, like any other failures, should not discourage a person with a will and knock him out of his once accepted and corresponding to nature mode of action.

Arguing in one of his letters to his son about the disappearance of chastity in society, he noted: “In order for humanity to improve in this respect, in which it is lower than animals using their abilities solely to continue their kind, as nature intended, each person must to work and try to subjugate his flesh to himself, and not be in its slavery (as is too often the case), and his work will never be in vain; he will not only protect his body and his soul, but will also pass on his conquests by inheritance to his children.<...>We must not forget that everything that is won from the flesh is attached to the spirit, and in this way a person becomes higher, more spiritual, really approaches the image and likeness of God.

In one of the letters to his son, the doctor reflects on the fate of Anna Karenina from the novel by Leo Tolstoy: “No matter how hard it would be for her to fulfill her duty regarding her husband and son, given the relationship that developed with the first of them, it would still be easier than that. what she experienced in the pursuit of selfish happiness. Her merit before these people connected with her by her own will, and especially before God, would be enormous. It would be a feat of selflessness. ... But, bowing to those who nevertheless accomplish a feat, people are obliged to be indulgent towards those who do not have enough strength for it, and cannot but feel sorry for those who atone for their weakness with severe suffering. So it was with Anna Karenina, and that is why I say that she was still good and that she is infinitely sorry. I am sorry, of course, for her unfortunate husband, even Vronsky, but more than all of them I feel sorry for the innocent son of the Karenins.

Soon Yevgeny Sergeevich himself had to bear the feat of self-denial and forgiveness. In 1910, his wife left him, carried away by a young student at the Riga Polytechnic College, Friedrich Lichinger. The doctor did not reproach his beloved wife with a word, taking all the blame for what happened on himself. He wrote to his son: “I am punished for my pride. As before, when we were so happy with Mommy, and we had such very especially good mutual relations, we looked around and observed others, self-confidently and smugly saying that it was good with us, that there was nothing like that with us, what always happens to others, is not and cannot be, and then ended all our exceptional marital happiness with the most banal divorce. Even his ex-wife, in a letter to a friend, noted: “Out of good faith, I must say that Evgeny Sergeevich tried his best to help me, and this is also very difficult for him, although he puts on gaiety.”

By permission of the Holy Synod and the ruling of the St. Petersburg District Court, the marriage of the Botkins was annulled. Children had to choose which parent they would live with. All four decided to stay with their father, even ten-year-old Gleb. The boy's decision in this case was not childishly wise. "Mom left you?" he asked his father. "Yes," replied Evgeny Sergeevich. “Then I will stay with you,” Gleb said. - If you left her, then I would stay with my mother. But since she leaves you, I stay with you!” Thus, all his children remained in the care of Dr. Botkin.

Evgeny Sergeevich perceived this difficult family situation as a tragedy in which he himself was to blame. Considering that he, who was unable to save his family, could not occupy the high position of the emperor's life physician, the doctor was thinking about resigning. However, the royal family did not want to part with their beloved doctor. “Your divorce does not change anything in our trust in you,” said the Empress. And indeed, the whole Family continued to treat him with the same respect and touching care. In the autumn of 1911, when Yevgeny Sergeevich broke his knee and was forced to lie in his cabin on the Shtandart yacht, he was constantly visited by the Empress, the princesses, Tsarevich Alexei, and the Sovereign came to visit the patient. By permission of the Empress, his younger children Tatyana and Gleb visited him. Tatyana later recalled: "I was very moved when I saw how trusting the Tsar's children were towards our father." The doctor himself, touched to the depths of his soul by the caring attitude of the imperial family towards him, said: “They made me Their servant until the end of my days with their kindness.”

One day, when the sick Evgeny Sergeevich was visiting his children, an amusing incident occurred. He was noticed by the observant Tatyana Botkina. “Before each consultation, my father always washed his hands, but since he did not get up, he asked his valet to give him a basin. The valet did not understand what they wanted from him, and brought a crystal fruit bowl. My father was satisfied with this and asked me to help him. The Grand Duchesses were right there, and I saw how their attentive eyes followed me, while I took a vase, filled it with water, and with the other hand took soap and threw a towel over my shoulder. I gave it all to my father. Anastasia laughed: “Evgeny Sergeevich, why are you washing your hands in a fruit bowl?” Her father explained the valet's mistake to her, and she began to laugh even more. This incident, together with a good-natured smile, causes respect for the amazing inner nobility of Dr. Botkin. With what delicacy and love he treated everyone, including the servants!

While on the Shtandart yacht, Tatyana and Gleb met the prince, who recently turned seven years old. Alexei immediately began to examine them on the design of the yacht and was very surprised that Tatiana and Gleb were so poorly versed in navigation. Fortunately, Dr. Botkin came to the rescue: he explained to the Tsarevich that his children had never been to the sea. But soon Alexei's attention switched to something else: he suddenly saw the doctor's crutches, which were standing by the bed. He took one crutch and poked his head into it, then closed his eyes and yelled, "Can you still see me"? He was firmly convinced that he had become invisible, and his face took on such a serious and significant expression that everyone present could not help laughing out loud. The Tsarevich thanked the guests with a charming smile, solemnly shook hands with everyone and left, accompanied by the sailor Derevenko.

The children of Yevgeny Sergeevich became friends with the Imperial children, on vacation in the Crimea they often played together, and corresponded during the school year.

Treatment of the Tsarevich

In addition to the empress, the crown prince needed special attention from the doctors. Alexei was treated by the best doctors in Russia, among whom were the life surgeon Professor S. P. Fedorov, the life pediatrician K. A. Raukhfus, Professor S. A. Ostrogorsky, Dr. S. F. Dmitriev and others. Since the winter of 1912, the honorary life surgeon Vladimir Nikolaevich Derevenko became the chief attending physician of the Tsarevich. Doctor Botkin also helped them.

The prince's hereditary disease, hemophilia, was incurable. With careless movements, blows, internal hemorrhages occurred, causing unbearable pain to the child. Often the blood, accumulating in the joint of the ankle, knee or elbow, pressed on the nerve and caused great suffering. In such cases, morphine would have helped, but the prince was not given it: the drug was extremely dangerous for the young organism. By the best means in such a situation, constant exercise and massage were recognized, but there was a danger of re-bleeding. To straighten the limbs of Alexei, special orthopedic devices were designed. In addition, he took hot mud baths.

Dr. Botkin realized what a huge responsibility lies with the court physicians. “We still have such an all-Russian, domestic concern: the health of the Heir ... that you don’t dare and don’t even want to think about your affairs,” he wrote to his son. Alexei's illness kept Yevgeny Sergeevich in constant intense attention: any accidental bruise could be dangerous not only for health, but also for the life of the Tsarevich.

In the autumn of 1912, during the stay of the royal family on vacation in Eastern Poland, an accident occurred with the prince. Jumping into the boat, the boy hit the oarlock, he started bleeding internally, a tumor formed. However, he soon got better and was transferred to Spala. There, the child made a mistake and fell again, resulting in a new extensive hemorrhage. Doctors recognized Alexei's condition as extremely dangerous. The child suffered greatly, painful spasms were repeated almost every quarter of an hour, he was delirious from high temperature day and night. He almost could not sleep, cry too, he only groaned and said, "Lord, have mercy."

The situation was very serious. Doctors were constantly near Alexei, his parents and sisters were on duty. In all the churches of Russia, prayers were served for the recovery of the Tsarevich. Since there was no temple in Spala, a tent with a small camp church was set up in the park, where divine services were performed in the morning and evening. On October 10, the prince received communion. This medicine turned out to be the most effective of all: Alexei immediately felt better, the temperature subsided, the pain almost disappeared.

Dr. Botkin was constantly next to the prince, took care of him, and during life-threatening attacks he did not leave the patient’s bed for days. In the letters that he wrote from Spala to his children at that time, he constantly speaks of Alexei Nikolaevich:

October 9, 1912. I am unable to convey to you what I am experiencing ... I am not able to do anything but walk around Him ... I am not able to think about anything but Him, about His Parents ... Pray, my children ... Pray daily, fervently for our precious Heir...

October 14. He is better, our priceless patient. God heard the fervent prayers offered to him by so many, and the Heir positively felt better, glory to Thee, Lord. But what days those were! Like years, they fell on the soul ...

19 October. Our precious patient, thank God, is much better. But I still don’t have time to write: I’ve been around him all day. We are also on duty at night...

22 of October. True, and undoubtedly much better for our precious heir, but he still requires a lot of care, and I have been around him all day, with very few exceptions (meals, etc.), and every night I was on duty - one half or the other. Now I was chilly, as always, and was completely unable to write, and, fortunately, our golden patient was sleeping, he sat down in an armchair and took a nap ... ".

The disease of the Tsarevich opened the doors to the palace to those people who were recommended to the Royal Family as healers and prayer books. Among them appeared in the palace and the Siberian peasant Grigory Rasputin. Exhausted by constant anxiety for Alexei, the Empress saw in Rasputin her last hope and unconditionally believed in his prayers. So, Alexandra Feodorovna was sure that her son, after an injury in Spala, began to recover through the prayers of Grigory Rasputin. The sovereign, as can be seen from his diary entries, in this case attached more importance to the Church Sacraments. In his diary, he noted that the prince felt better after communion: “October 10, 1912. Today, thank God, there has been an improvement in health dear Alexey, the temperature dropped to 38.2. After mass served by the children's cleric, Fr. Vasiliev, he brought the Holy Gifts to Alexei and communed him. It was such a consolation for us. After that, Alexei spent the day quite calmly and cheerfully.

The teacher of Alexei Nikolaevich, Pierre Gilliard, was surprised at the humility with which doctors Botkin and Derevenko carried out their ministry, not expecting either gratitude or recognition of their merits. When the Tsarevich, thanks to their selfless labors, recovered, this healing was often attributed solely to Rasputin's prayers. Gilliard saw that these amazing doctors "abandoned all self-esteem, they found support in a feeling of deep pity, which they experienced at the sight of the mortal anxiety of the parents and the torments of this child." In Tobolsk exile, when Rasputin was no longer around, doctors Botkin and Derevenko, as usual, worked with selflessness, and they still managed to alleviate the suffering of the prince with hemorrhages, even without all the necessary medicines.

Evgeny Sergeevich treated Rasputin with undisguised antipathy. When the doctor first met him, he impressed him as "a rude man who plays the role of an old man rather falsely." Once Alexandra Feodorovna personally asked Dr. Botkin to take Rasputin at home as a patient. Botkin replied that he could not refuse medical assistance, but did not want to see him at home, so he would go to him himself. But, not feeling a special favor for Rasputin, Evgeny Sergeevich at the same time did not blame him, as some did, for all the troubles of the Royal Family. He realized that the revolutionary-minded part of society simply uses the name of Rasputin to compromise the Royal Family: “If there were no Rasputin, then the opponents of the Royal Family and the revolution’s preparers would have created him with their conversations from Vyrubova, if not for Vyrubova, from me, from anyone you want. ".

Botkin himself never raised this topic in conversations with others and stopped the spread of gossip. Under him, they were afraid to start conversations that could in any way offend the Royal family. “I don’t understand how people who consider themselves monarchists and talk about the adoration of His Majesty can so easily believe all the gossip spread,” Evgeny Sergeyevich was indignant, “how they can spread it themselves, raising all sorts of fables against the Empress, and do not understand that By insulting her, they thereby insult her august husband, whom they supposedly adore.

The last years of peaceful life

The royal family felt the love and devotion of their life physician and treated him with deep respect. Such a case is indicative. Once, while caring for the Grand Duchess Tatiana, who was ill with typhus, Yevgeny Sergeevich himself contracted this disease. To this was added physical and nervous strain, and the doctor took to his bed. His brother Peter urgently arrived in Russia from Lisbon, summoned by a telegram, and immediately met with the Emperor. Nicholas II, seriously concerned about the health of his life physician, said to Peter: “Your brother works too hard, he works for ten! He needs to go somewhere to rest. Peter objected that Evgeny Sergeevich himself would never leave his ministry. “That’s true,” the emperor agreed, “but I myself will order him to go on vacation.” Shortly after this conversation, Evgeny Sergeevich went on vacation to Portugal with his children.

Such care of His Majesty for Dr. Botkin was dictated not by simple politeness, but by the most sincere disposition. “Your brother is more than a friend to me,” Nicholas II told Peter, and this recognition was worth a lot.

In 1912, the royal family went on vacation to Livadia: a new palace was built and consecrated there a year ago. The Crimean climate contributed to the recovery of Tsarevich Alexei after an injury in Spala. In order to finally cure the paralysis of his left leg, Evgeny Sergeevich recommended that he use mud baths. Twice a week, healing mud was delivered to Livadia from the resort town of Saki in special barrels aboard a destroyer, and it had to be used on the same day. Doctors Botkin and Derevenko, in the presence of the empress, applied an application to the leg of a small patient. Treatment benefited the heir. He began to walk normally and became a cheerful child again.

Especially long, about four months, was the stay in Livadia of the Imperial family and courtiers, including Dr. Botkin, in 1913, after the celebration of the 300th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty. The following year, 1914, Evgeny Sergeevich again lived in Livadia for some time. In letters to children, he talked about his relationship with the Tsarevich, games with him, classes, and various incidents. For example, he described such an incident on the train: “Today Alexei Nikolaevich walked around the cars with a basket of small puffed eggs, which he sold for the benefit of poor children on behalf of the Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna, who boarded our train in Moscow. When I saw that he had more and more three rubles in his basket, I hurried to put in 10 rubles, and thus forced the other gentlemen of the retinue to fork out. In just half an hour, Alexei Nikolayevich already had over 150 rubles.

During the Great Lent of 1914, Evgeny Sergeevich also spent in Livadia. He strictly fasted, attended divine services in the Exaltation of the Cross Palace Church. From Livadia, he wrote to the children: “Long services, thanks to the marvelous service of Father Alexander, stand idle easily, make a strong impression and create a special mood for a long time. On Thursday, we all communed, and I could not hold back the tears of tenderness when the Tsar and Tsarina bowed to the ground, bowed to us sinners, and the entire Imperial family communed.<...>A mood is created in which you will really feel the Bright Resurrection of Christ as a Feast of Feasts.

The doctor also met Easter in the Crimea. Being away from his children, he, nevertheless, tried to warm and comfort everyone with his love: by Easter, each of the children received a gift from their father. The children who remained in Tsarskoye Selo, in turn, sent gifts to him. Tatyana recalled: “The boys received several gold five-ruble notes, and I received a small decoration - a Ural gem, in the shape of a small testicle.<...>For our part, we sent various sweets to the pope with a special courier of the court office. Dmitry and Yury outdid themselves, and after the church service on Holy Thursday they painted eggs with different miniatures all evening ... Father received our parcel on Easter night and was very touched.

The royal family and retinue returned from Livadia on July 5, 1914, and a few weeks later the First World War. Evgeny Sergeevich asked the sovereign to send him to the front to reorganize the sanitary service. However, the emperor instructed him to stay with the empress and the children in Tsarskoe Selo, where infirmaries began to open through their efforts.

Dr. Botkin at that time continued to actively participate in the activities of the Red Cross: he inspected the Crimean hospitals, at the request of the Empress, he helped to arrange a sanatorium in the Crimea, organize an ambulance train to transport the wounded to the Crimea. Even in peacetime, Alexandra Feodorovna wanted to build a shelter for tuberculosis patients in Massandra, but the war changed plans. Instead of a shelter, a new sanatorium was built - "a home for the convalescent and overworked." Evgeny Sergeevich was included in the commission for the reception of the building and soon telegraphed to the empress: “Your Majesty’s house in Massandra was extremely successful, quite habitable,<...>From March 15, the wounded and sick can be admitted.” At his home in Tsarskoye Selo, Evgeny Sergeevich also set up an infirmary for the lightly wounded, which the Empress and her daughters visited. Once the doctor brought the crown prince there, who wanted to visit the wounded soldiers.

At this time, every Russian soul felt a special need for prayer. Both the royal family and Evgeny Sergeevich with their children often prayed at liturgies in the Feodorovsky Sovereign Cathedral. Tatyana recalled: “I will never forget the impression that gripped me under the vaults of the church: the silent, orderly ranks of soldiers, the dark faces of saints on blackened icons, the faint flickering of a few lamps and the pure, delicate profiles of the Grand Duchesses in white scarves filled my soul with tenderness, and hot Words of prayer without words for this Family, the humblest and greatest Russian people, who silently prayed among the people they loved, were torn from their hearts.

The First World War demanded from Russia the mobilization of all forces, and above all the military. Yevgeny Sergeevich, who loved his young sons very much, nevertheless, did not interfere with their desire to go to war. They did not hear a word of doubt or regret from their father, who knew from personal experience how inseparable war and death are, and death is often painful. Only the Lord knows what inner suffering Yevgeny Sergeevich endured, who well remembered the pain he experienced due to the death of his infant son and, nevertheless, sacrificed two other sons for the good of the motherland.

In the very first year of the war, Dmitry Botkin, a graduate of the Page Corps, a cornet of the Life Guards of the Cossack regiment, died heroically, covering the retreat of the Cossack reconnaissance patrol. The death of a son posthumously awarded for heroism George Cross IV degree, caused Evgeny Sergeevich severe mental suffering. However, he accepted this without grumbling and despair, moreover, with pride for his son: “I cannot be considered as unfortunate, despite the fact that I lost my son and many friends who were especially dear to me,” he wrote. - No, I am decidedly happy that on this earth that I had such a son as my beloved Mitya. I am happy, because I was filled with sacred admiration for this boy, who, without hesitation, with a wonderful impulse, gave his very young life in the name of the honor of his regiment, army, his Fatherland.

Arrest

In February 1917, a revolution took place in Russia; on March 2, the sovereign signed the Manifesto on abdication. At the insistence of the Petrograd Soviet and the decree of the Provisional Government, on March 7, 1917, the Empress with her children were arrested and taken into custody in the Alexander Palace. The emperor was not in Tsarskoye Selo at that time. The already difficult situation was further complicated by the illness of the children: Alexey Nikolaevich contracted measles from one of his comrades in children's games, and soon his sisters also fell ill. The temperature of the children was high all the time, they were tormented by a strong cough. Dr. Botkin was on duty at the beds of the sick, almost without leaving them until they recovered.

Soon the Emperor arrived in Tsarskoye Selo and joined the arrested. Evgeny Sergeevich, as promised, did not leave his royal patients: he remained with them, despite the fact that his position was abolished and his salary was stopped. At a time when many tried to hide their involvement in the imperial court, Evgeny Sergeevich did not even think of hiding.

The life of Dr. Botkin during this period was not much different from life before the arrest of the Royal Family: he made morning and afternoon rounds of the sick, treated them, wrote letters to children or talked to them on the phone. In the afternoon, the Tsarevich often invited Botkin to play something with him, and at six o'clock in the evening, Evgeny Sergeevich invariably dined with his little patient. After recovery, the prince had to continue to study. However, since the teachers were forbidden to visit the palace, the members of the "medical-pedagogical triumvirate" - Mr. Gilliard, Dr. Derevenko and Botkin - began to study with Alexei Nikolaevich themselves. “We all distributed his items among ourselves, who is what much. I got the Russian language in the amount of four hours a week, ”wrote Evgeny Sergeevich to his son Yuri.

In these troubled days, the doctor read a lot, especially newspapers, including foreign ones. As he himself wrote, “never in my life have I read so many of them, in such quantity, so thoroughly and with such greed and interest” - obviously, looking for information about how the Russian and world public relate to everything that happens. In one of the German republican newspapers, he found the following opinion about the abdication of the Russian Emperor: “The manifesto, by which the tsar resigns his supreme power, is a nobility and lofty thought worthy of admiration. It contains no trace of bitterness, no reproach, no regret. He shows complete self-sacrifice. He wishes Russia, in the most ardent terms, to carry out her main assignments. By the way in which he descends from the throne, Nicholas II renders his country the last service - the greatest one that he could render in these critical circumstances. It is a pity that the Sovereign, endowed with such a noble soul, made it impossible for him to continue to rule. The doctor commented on this article as follows: “These golden words were spoken in the republican newspaper of a free country. If our newspapers wrote like this, they would serve the cause they want to help much more than with slander and libels.

The days of the prisoners passed measuredly - in joint meals, walks, reading and communication with loved ones, in regular church services. Archpriest Afanasy Belyaev, rector of the Tsarskoye Selo Feodorovsky Cathedral, was invited to the palace to perform divine services, confession and communion. The diary of this priest is a clear evidence of how deep the spiritual life was at that time by both the royal prisoners and their faithful servants.

March 27th. He served the Liturgy, read the Gospel of John every hour, read three chapters. At the Liturgy they were and fervently prayed: b. and. Nikolai Alexandrovich, Alexandra Feodorovna, Olga Nikolaevna and Tatyana Nikolaevna and all the living people close to them: Naryshkina, Dolgorukova, Gendrikova, Buksgevden, Dolgorukov, Botkin, Derevenko and Benckendorff, who stood separately and deepened in the prayer book, there were many employees who were fasting.

March 31. At 12 noon I went to church to confess those preparing for Communion. There were 42 confessors in all, including two doctors: Botkin and Derevenko.

March 31. At 7 1/2 o’clock Saturday morning began, after which I read the so-called lament over the shroud and made a procession with the carrying of the shroud through the altar around the throne, entering the altar through the northern doors and leaving the southern ones, going around the rooms near the walls of the round hall and returning again to the church to the Royal Doors and back, to the middle of the temple. The shroud was carried by Prince Dolgorukov, Benkendorf and doctors Botkin and Derevenko, followed by Nikolai Alexandrovich, Alexandra Feodorovna, Tatyana and Olga Nikolaevna, retinue and servants with lighted candles.

At this time, the brother of Evgeny Sergeevich Botkin, Pyotr Sergeevich, who was the ambassador to Portugal, became an intercessor for help and salvation of the Royal Family. He was distinguished by monarchical views, was an experienced and authoritative diplomat. During 1917, he sent several letters to representatives of the French government with appeals to help the imprisoned Imperial family. Thus, he wrote to the French ambassador: “The Emperor must be freed from that dangerous and humiliating position in which he has been since his arrest. From France, I expect this beautiful and noble gesture, which will be duly appreciated by history. In another letter, he said: “Mr. Ambassador, I allow myself to return again to the issue that lies on my soul with such a weight: the release of His Majesty the Emperor from prison. I hope Your Excellency will forgive my persistence. I am driven to this by the quite natural feelings of devotion of a subject to his former Monarch, and at the same time it seems to me that I express the point of view of a sincere friend of France, who cares about maintaining the inviolability of the ties that bind our two countries. There were no replies to letters.

In April 1917, the Minister of Justice A.F. Kerensky visited the Alexander Palace. Dr. Botkin, having met with him, asked to allow the Imperial family to go to Livadia: the children who had just suffered severe measles were extremely weak and sickly, and besides, Tsarevich Alexei had aggravated hemophilia. However, Kerensky decided to send the imperial family to Tobolsk. He later explained the reason for the refusal as follows: “The Tsar really wanted to go to the Crimea ... His relatives, first of all, the Dowager Empress, went there one by one. As a matter of fact, the congress in the Crimea of representatives of the overthrown dynasty was already beginning to cause concern.<...>I chose Tobolsk solely because it was really isolated, especially in winter.<...>In addition, I knew about the wonderful climate there and the quite suitable governor's house, where the imperial family could settle down with some comfort.

On July 30, the birthday of Tsarevich Alexei, the last Divine Liturgy took place in the Alexander Palace. Everyone prayed fervently, with tears and on their knees, asking the Lord for help and intercession from troubles and misfortunes. After the Liturgy, a moleben was served before the miraculous icon of the Mother of God "The Sign". On the night of August 1, the Romanov family with close servants went by train to Tyumen. They were accompanied by a specially formed detachment of special forces from the guards under the command of Colonel E. S. Kobylinsky. Last words Before leaving, the sovereign was: “I feel sorry not for myself, but for those people who have suffered and will suffer because of me. It is a pity for the Motherland and the people!

The emperor's associates were once again offered a choice: either to stay with the prisoners and share their imprisonment with them, or to leave them. And this choice was truly terrible. Everyone understood that to remain in this situation with the Sovereign meant dooming oneself to various severe hardships and sorrows, to imprisonment, and perhaps to death. Belonging to the court became dangerous. Many then refused to accompany the Sovereign. Some even, in order to deflect any suspicion of involvement in the court, cut off the imperial initials from their epaulettes. Others, who had previously flaunted their monarchical convictions, now “assured everyone of their loyalty to the revolution and showered insults on the Emperor and Empress, and in conversations called His Majesty none other than Colonel Romanov or simply Nikolai.”

General P. K. Kondzerovsky, in his memoirs, relates a conversation on this subject with the life physician of the imperial court, Professor S. P. Fedorov: “I must say that at that time we were all sure that the Sovereign and his family would go abroad. And so, Fedorov said several such phrases, which, I must say frankly, cut me painfully to the heart. For some reason, speaking of the Sovereign, he did not call him either "The Sovereign" or "His Majesty", but said "he". And this “he” was terrible!... He began to say that he did not know at all which of the doctors would accompany the Sovereign abroad, because before it was simple: “he” wished that such and such a person would go, so he goes; now it's a different matter. Botkin has a big family, Derevenka too, and he too. Throwing your family, all your affairs and going abroad with “him” is not so easy.”

However, these two doctors, Botkin and Derevenko, were among the few who voluntarily followed the Sovereign, going with him not abroad, but to Tobolsk exile - despite the fact that they really had large families. When the emperor asked Yevgeny Sergeevich how he would leave the children, the doctor firmly replied that for him there was nothing higher than caring for Their Majesties. By the way, Colonel Kobylinsky was greatly impressed by Dr. Botkin's loyalty to the Royal Family: he said with amazement and respect that Botkin even called the Sovereign and Empress behind their backs only Their Majesties.

Tobolsk

So, two tsarist trains under the banner of the Japanese Red Cross Mission with curtained windows were traveling in early August to Tyumen, stopping only at small stations to replenish supplies of coal and water. Sometimes stops were made in deserted places where passengers could get out of the cars to take a short walk. In Tyumen, they boarded a steamer. During this long journey, Alexei and Maria caught a cold; the prince, in addition, had a severe pain in his arm, and he often cried at night. Their teacher, Pierre Gilliard, also fell ill: he developed ulcers on his arms and legs, and he needed complex daily dressings. Yevgeny Sergeevich was constantly on duty near them, so that by the evening he could hardly stand on his feet from exhaustion.

By the time the Imperial family arrived, the former house of the Tobolsk governor-general was not yet ready, since the local Soviet of Deputies had left it only the day before, leaving the premises of the house uncleaned: there was garbage, dirt everywhere, and the sewage system did not work. Therefore, while the repairs were going on, all the passengers, along with the guards, had to live on the ship for a week. On August 13, the royal family moved to the governor's house, and the retinue, including Dr. Botkin, settled opposite, in the house of the fishmonger Kornilov. It was very dirty and there was absolutely no furniture. It is noteworthy that the street on which this house was located was called Tsarskaya not so long ago. Now, by order of the authorities, it has been renamed Svoboda Street. Evgeny Sergeevich was given two rooms in the house, which he was very happy about, since after his arrival in Tobolsk, his children could be accommodated in them.

The living conditions of the Royal Family in Tobolsk exile were at first quite tolerable. Under Colonel Kobylinsky, who at first was the head of security, “the regime was the same as in Tsarskoye, even freer. Nobody interfered in inner life families. Not a single soldier dared to enter the chambers. All the faces of the retinue and all the servants freely went out wherever they wanted. However, on September 1, Commissar of the Provisional Government V.S. arrived in Tobolsk. Pankratov, under which the life of the prisoners became much more cramped. The soldiers were getting rougher every day. There were constant disputes with the commissioner about walks. Negotiations were usually conducted through Dr. Botkin, who, seeing the opposition of the commissar, was forced to turn to Kerensky with a request to allow the walks. Even the always restrained sovereign noted indignantly in his diary: “The other day, E. S. Botkin received a paper from Kerensky, from which we learned that we were allowed to walk outside the city. When asked by Botkin when they might start, Pankratov, the scoundrel, replied that now they were out of the question because of some incomprehensible fear for our safety. Everyone was extremely outraged by this answer.

Yevgeny Sergeevich also turned to Pankratov with requests from the Empress, and they also often remained unfulfilled. In a word, Commissar Pankratov was a source of constant anxiety, grief and trouble for both the Royal Family and Dr. Botkin. All the more surprising was Yevgeny Sergeevich's mildness towards the commissar. Being in the position of a prisoner, he even shared with his overseer the necessary things. So, once in the city, Dr. Botkin managed to buy a very good double birch bed, as well as a good mattress for it. He said with humor that he dearly fell in love with this bed, and she "at a certain moment attracts him irresistibly." In several letters, he shared his joy over a successful purchase with his children, thinking about who it would be better to offer it to Tatyana or Gleb when they arrived. However, when he found out that Commissar Pankratov had nothing to sleep on because of his unexpected arrival, he gave this bed to him without hesitation.

Dr. Botkin's letters during this period are striking in their truly Christian mood: not a word of grumbling, condemnation, discontent or resentment, but complacency and even joy. He wrote that he likes Tobolsk, which he calls "a God-fearing city", because "for 2,200 inhabitants there are 27 churches here, and all of them are so old and beautiful." “And what a nice room I have, if you could only see, and how good it is in it! Some furniture is still missing, ”he wrote to his son. And he described the landscapes of Tobolsk with childish delight: “The sky can be amazingly beautiful here. Now, for example, we have 7 ½ hours. in the evenings ... and in front of my western windows ... such beauty that it is difficult to tear oneself away: on the left, the edge of the city garden is green, rustling in the evening shadows, behind which it looks at me comfortably, covered with trees only from one edge, an appetizing simple two-story white house. What was the reason for such peace of mind? Undoubtedly, in complete devotion to the will of God and in perfect hope in His good providence. Dr. Botkin says this about it: “Only prayer and ardent boundless hope in the mercy of God, invariably poured out on us by our Heavenly Father, support us.”

A great consolation for the prisoners was the opportunity to attend divine services. At first, church services were held in the governor's house, in a large hall on the top floor. The priest of the Church of the Annunciation with a deacon and the nuns of the Ioannovsky Monastery came to perform them. Commissar Pankratov described these services as follows: “A retinue gathered in the hall, settled down according to ranks in a certain order, servants lined up on the side, also according to ranks.<...>The whole family was devoutly baptized, the retinue and servants followed the movements of their former overlords. I remember that for the first time this whole situation made a strong impression on me. In the absence of an antimension, it was impossible to serve the liturgy, which was a huge deprivation for everyone. Finally, on September 8, on the day of the feast of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, the prisoners were allowed for the first time to go to the Church of the Annunciation for an early liturgy. Soon, however, I again had to serve in the governor's house in a portable church.

On September 14, daughter Tatyana and son Gleb arrived in Tobolsk to Evgeny Sergeevich. They settled in the rooms assigned to the father. Joint life with children filled the soul of Evgeny Sergeevich with happiness and joy. With all his busyness, he tried to find time to communicate with them. He, as before, shared with them all his experiences and thoughts.

It can be seen from the surviving letters that during this period, Dr. Botkin was especially keenly worried about his children: because of him, they were forced to live in exile, endure various inconveniences, and it seemed to him that he was a burden to them. In addition, he had problems communicating with his seventeen-year-old son Gleb, for whom his father's opinions "lost all value" and who often upset Evgeny Sergeevich with his peremptory judgments. The father wrote about this to his son Yuri: “This incontinence of the manifestation of his mood, which he [Gleb] has always been distinguished for, he calls being “without a mask”; he believes he has a right to be like this at home. But it always seemed to me terribly unfair on the part of family people who restrain themselves in front of strangers and kindly smile at them, and then vent the accumulated discontent and irritation on their families. It is not right to dismiss yourself in relation to innocent people.<...>You yourself know that I do not wear any mask before you, I did not hide and do not hide my anxieties and sorrows acquired outside the home, if this is not required by medical or official secrecy, but I have always tried and try to give an example of a cheerful attitude towards them. and not allow them to disturb the comfort of home.”

In Tobolsk, Evgeny Sergeevich continued to fulfill his duties. He usually spent mornings and evenings with the Royal Family, and during the day he received and visited the sick, including ordinary citizens. A scientist who for many years communicated with the scientific, medical, administrative elite of Russia, he humbly served, like a zemstvo or city doctor, ordinary peasants, soldiers, workers and petty bourgeois. At the same time, he was not at all burdened by such patients, on the contrary, he very warmly described trips to them: I remember with joy that this poor guy, taken on bail by his parents (they are peasants) on my advice, behaved decently for the rest of my stay ... I did not refuse anyone. As he himself later wrote, “in Tobolsk I tried in every possible way to take care of“ the Lord’s things, how to please the Lord ”... And God blessed my labors, and until the end of my days I will keep this bright memory of my swan song. I worked with all my last strength, which suddenly grew there, thanks to the great happiness of living together with Tanyusha and Glebushka, thanks to the good, invigorating climate and the comparative mildness of winter, and thanks to the touching attitude of the townspeople and villagers towards me.

Dr. Botkin's brother, Pyotr Sergeevich, was still busy with the release of the royal prisoners. Having learned about the exile of the Imperial family and his brother to Tobolsk, he sent another letter to the French ambassador: “So, the Monarch, who always thought only about the good of his country and who, even abdicating the throne, acted in the highest interest of the country, was detained, then deprived of liberty and finally sent into exile. I will not dwell on the fact of the obvious injustice of such a course of action in relation to the Monarch, who resigned his power. History will pronounce its just and inexorable verdict in due time, but we, conscious witnesses of events, have an inevitable duty to improve the humiliating and plight His Majesty the Emperor and combine all our efforts to put an end to this. The answer from the allied power was, in the words of Peter Sergeevich, "official silence": France did not take any action to save the Emperor.

The relatively calm life of the Imperial family in Tobolsk did not last long. After the seizure of power by the Bolsheviks, the position of the prisoners became more difficult both morally and materially, the Romanov family was transferred to a soldier's ration - 600 rubles per person per month. In the words of Prince Dolgorukov, for the prisoners there came a sad and Time of Troubles, and Pierre Gilliard put it this way: "The Bolsheviks took away the well-being of the Royal Family, as well as of all of Russia."

Consolation to the prisoners was brought by mutual communication and deep spiritual life. In the evenings they usually gathered at the governor's house and read together. During Great Lent, all the prisoners strictly fasted, confessed and took communion. The sovereign read the Gospel aloud every day.

In order for the royal children not to get bored on winter evenings, the teachers decided to arrange small performances. Everyone took part in this, except for the empress. Dr. Botkin refused to play, citing the need to visit his city patients. “Besides, someone has to be a spectator, too?” he smiled. One evening Alexey Nikolaevich approached him. “Evgeny Sergeevich,” he said seriously, “I have a big request to you. There is an elderly doctor in one of our future performances, and you should definitely take part in it. Please do this for me." Yevgeny Sergeevich did not have the courage to refuse. But the circumstances were such that he could not deliver this last pleasure to his little patient.

On April 22, 1918, the Extraordinary Commissar of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee V.V. Yakovlev arrived in Tobolsk, who announced that he was to take the Tsar's family away. But since shortly before this, the prince fell and he began to bleed internally, he could not go. Alexandra Feodorovna had to choose - to go with her husband or stay near her sick son. After agonizing reflection, she decided to accompany the Emperor: “[I] can be more necessary for [He], and it’s too risky not to know where and where (we imagined Moscow).” Dr. Botkin went with them. On April 26, together with the Emperor, the Empress, Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna and several servants, he went to Yekaterinburg, entrusting the fate of his children into the hands of God: “I did not hesitate to leave my children as orphans in order to fulfill my medical duty to the end, just as Abraham did not hesitate at the request of God to sacrifice his only son to Him. And I firmly believe that just as God saved Isaac then, He will now save my children and He Himself will be their Father.<…>But Job endured more, and my late Mitya always reminded me of him when he was afraid that I, having lost them, my children, could not stand it. No, apparently, I can endure everything that the Lord God will please me to send down.

At the same time, the doctor, long before his departure, did everything that depended on him for his children: he wrote a letter to lieutenant Konstantin Melnik, whom he treated in the Tsarskoye Selo hospital, and asked him to come to the city of Tobolsk in order to save his daughter and son. And he blessed Tatyana to marry Konstantin. Melnik crossed all of Russia, from Ukraine to Siberia, hiding his officer's shoulder straps in his pocket in order to keep his word to Dr. Botkin. In the late spring of 1918, he reached Tobolsk, after a while his wedding with Tatyana took place. The Melnik-Botkin family kept for a long time the letters of Yevgeny Sergeevich, which he wrote to Konstantin even before his arrest, for three years. The granddaughter of Tatyana Botkina, Katerina Melnik-Duhamel, later spoke about their content: “Never in my life have I heard such touching and such sublime letters. In them, along with simple life principles, there were reflections on sin, on Divine compassion, on how hard it is to live decent life when God's eyes are on you. They contained all the teachings about a life dedicated to selflessness and courage. Unfortunately, Tatyana burned these letters, as their content, according to her, was too personal. Katerina Melnik-Duhamel said: “Not a day goes by that I don’t regret the irretrievable loss of these precious pages filled with thoughts of the wise and endlessly good man for whom love for people was the only mission of his life on earth, entrusted to him by God.

Yekaterinburg

On April 30, 1918, the prisoners arrived in Yekaterinburg, where they were placed in the house of engineer Ipatiev, which became their last earthly refuge. In Yekaterinburg, the Bolsheviks again invited the servants to leave the arrested, but everyone refused. Chekist I. Rodzinsky recalled: “In general, at one time after the transfer to Yekaterinburg, there was an idea to separate them all from them, in particular, even the daughters were offered to leave. But everyone refused. Botkin was offered. He stated that he wanted to share the fate of the family. And he refused."

Yevgeny Sergeevich had to live in the same regime that the Regional Council established for the Royal Family. The instructions to the commandant and guards said: “Nikolai Romanov and his family are Soviet prisoners, therefore, an appropriate regime is established in the place of his detention. This regime is subjected to b. the king and his family and those persons who express their desire to share his position with him. However, these hardships did not break the spirit of Evgeny Sergeevich. He wrote from Yekaterinburg on May 15, 1918: “While we are still in our temporary, as we were told, premises, which I do not regret at all, as because it is quite good ... True, the garden here is very small, but until the weather made it particularly regrettable. However, I must make a reservation that this is purely my personal opinion, because with our general obedience to fate and the people to whom she handed us over, we do not even ask ourselves the question of “what the coming day is preparing for us”, because we know that “ his wickedness prevails for the day”... and we only dream that this self-sufficing malice of the day would not be really evil.

And we had to see a lot of new people here: and the commandants change, or rather, are often replaced, and some kind of commission came to inspect our premises, and they came to interrogate us about money, with an offer in excess (which, by the way, I have, as usual , and it didn’t turn out) to transfer for storage, etc. In a word, we cause them a lot of trouble, but, really, we didn’t impose on anyone and didn’t ask for it anywhere. I wanted to add that we weren’t asking for anything, but I remembered that it would be wrong, because we are constantly forced to disturb our poor commandants and ask for something: then the denatured alcohol has come out, and there is nothing to warm the food or cook rice for vegetarians, then we ask for boiling water, then the water supply is clogged, then the linen needs to be washed, then we need to get newspapers, etc., etc. It’s just ashamed, but it’s impossible otherwise, and that’s why any kind smile. And now I went to ask permission to take a walk a little in the morning: although it’s fresh, the sun shines affably, and for the first time an attempt was made to take a walk in the morning ... And she was just as amiably allowed.

In fact, the duty that the doctor took upon himself during his imprisonment - to communicate with representatives of the new government, to convey to them requests from those arrested - was very unpleasant. As a rule, the petitions with which he addressed the guards were not fulfilled. Shortly after his arrival in Yekaterinburg, the doctor wrote a letter to the Regional Executive Committee with "the most zealous petition to allow Messrs. Gilliard and Gibbs to continue their selfless service under Alexei Nikolaevich Romanov, in view of the fact that the boy is just now in one of the most acute attacks of his suffering." The commandant Avdeev imposed the following resolution on this petition: “Having looked at the real request of Dr. Botkin, I think that one of these servants is superfluous, because the children are all adults and can take care of the sick, therefore I suggest that the Chairman of the Region immediately put this presumptuous gentlemen their position. The prisoners had to come to terms with this answer.

In one of his letters to his brother, Evgeny Sergeevich wrote about what inner labors it cost him to meekly endure the rudeness of the jailers: “The soul has experienced so many blows that sometimes it stops responding. Nothing surprises us more, nothing can upset us more. We have the appearance of beaten dogs, subordinate, obedient, ready for anything. They will say that this is apathy, a form of neurasthenia, which has brought us to such a state of decline, contemplative indifference. Indifference! .. Do you understand what this apparent indifference costs me? What a training, what an effort of patience, composure, self-control, firmness and humility, which should be shown here, adding to this our forgiveness.

The surviving “Book of Recording the Duty of Members of the Special Purpose Detachment for the Protection of Nicholas II” contains information confirming the constant concern of Yevgeny Sergeevich for the Royal Family. So, in the entry dated May 31, 1918, it is reported about the request of "citizen Botkin on behalf of the family of the former Tsar Nikolai Romanov for permission to invite a priest to serve Mass every week." On June 15, it was written: “Botkin asked permission to write a letter to the chairman of the regional council on several issues, namely: to extend the walking time to 2 hours, open the sashes at the windows, remove the winter frames and open the passage from the kitchen to the bathroom, where post No. 2 stands. It was allowed to write and the letter was sent to the regional council. G. P. Nikulin, an employee of the Ural Regional Extraordinary Commission, spoke about the same: “Botkin, then ... always interceded for them. He asked me to do something for them: call a priest, take him out for a walk, or, there, fix the watch, or something else, some little things.

He also tells how he once checked one of Dr. Botkin's letters: “[The doctor] writes something like this:“ Here, my dear / I forgot, there, what was his name - Serge; or not Serge - no matter how / here I am there. Moreover, I must inform you that when the tsar-sovereign was in glory, I was with him. And now, when he is in misfortune, I also consider it my duty to be with him! We live this way and this way / he “so” - this is covertly writing /. Moreover, I don’t dwell on the details, because I don’t want to bother the people whose duties are to read [and] check our letters.”<…>He wrote no more. The letter, of course, was not sent anywhere.” This mocking retelling of Yevgeny Sergeevich's letter only emphasizes the doctor's nobility and his loyalty to the Royal Family more sharply.

The extraordinary devotion of Yevgeny Sergeevich to the royal prisoners was noted even by the commandant Ya.M. Yurovsky: “Doctor Botkin,” he wrote, “was a true friend of the Family. In all cases, for various needs of the family, he acted as an intercessor. He was soul and body devoted to the Family and experienced the hardship of their life together with the Romanov family. The commandant spoke about his attitude towards the prisoners and their requests as follows: “Alexandra Feodorovna was very unhappy with the morning check, which I established as mandatory, because she was usually still in bed at that time. Dr. Botkin acted as intercessor on all sorts of issues. So in this case, he appeared and asked if it was possible to time the morning check to coincide with her getting up. I, of course, offered to tell her that either she would have to put up with the set time, whether she was in bed or not, or get up on time. And besides, tell her that they, as prisoners, can be checked at any time of the day or night.

Alexandra Feodorovna caused particular displeasure when an iron grate was inserted into one of the windows overlooking Voznesensky Prospekt (they did not have time to prepare or insert bars into other windows, I don’t remember exactly, but it was already with me) and on this occasion to me Dr. Botkin came.

Selflessly caring for others, Yevgeny Sergeevich himself suffered greatly at that time: he had such severe renal colic that Grand Duchess Tatyana gave him morphine injections to relieve some of the pain.

From the emperor's diary, you can also learn some details about the life of Yevgeny Sergeevich in prison. The prisoners tried to brighten up the oppressive situation by mutual communication, reading, feasible work and prayer. So, on Great Thursday on May 2, 1918, the emperor wrote in his diary: “At the sound of the bells, it became sad at the thought that now it is Passionate, and we are deprived of the opportunity to be at these wonderful services and, moreover, we cannot even fast.<...>In the evening, all of us, the tenants of the four rooms, gathered in the hall, where Botkin and I read the twelve Gospels in turn, after which we lay down.

On behalf of the members of the August family, Dr. Botkin appealed to commandant Avdeev with a request that divine services be held in the Ipatiev house on all holidays and Sundays, but only five services were granted permission for all the time. On the evening of Holy Saturday, May 4, 1918, we served a bright matins. Nicholas II noted in his diary: “At the request of Botkin, a priest and a deacon were let in at 8 o’clock. They celebrated matins quickly and well; It was a great consolation to pray at least in such an environment and hear “Christ is risen.” On May 19, it was allowed to serve a prayer service in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Sovereign, in the following days - two masses and, finally, a liturgy on the feast of the Most Holy Trinity.

Archpriest John Storozhev, who was invited to conduct divine services, also recalled the presence of Dr. Botkin at the services: They explained that they were Dr. Botkin and a girl belonging to Alexandra Feodorovna).<...>Then Dr. Botkin and the named officials approached the cross.

Last days

Evgeny Sergeevich endured all trials with firmness and courage, without any grumbling or confusion. In a letter to his brother Alexander, begun a week before the execution, he wrote: “My dear, good friend Sasha, I am making the last attempt to write this letter, at least from here, although this reservation, in my opinion, is completely unnecessary: not I think that I was destined someday to write from somewhere else - my voluntary imprisonment here is as unlimited in time as my earthly existence is limited. In essence, I died - I died for my children, for friends, for a cause ... I died, but not yet buried, or buried alive - as you wish: the consequences are almost identical.<…>... My children may still have hope that we will meet with them someday in this life ... but I personally do not indulge myself with this hope, I do not lull myself into illusions and look unvarnished reality straight in the eye.<…>You see, my dear, that I am cheerful in spirit, despite the sufferings I have just described to you, and cheerful enough that I prepared to endure them for many years. As can be seen from this letter, Dr. Botkin, seeing the painful uncertainty of the situation of the prisoners, was ready for both death and the hardships of a long prison term, strengthening and supporting himself with faith in God. Evgeny Sergeevich strengthened his spiritual strength with the words of the Lord that the salvation of the soul is acquired only by patience: “I am supported by the conviction that“ he who endures to the end will be saved, ”and the consciousness that I remain true to the principles of graduation in 1889” - that is ideals of selfless service to people and the Fatherland.

The denouement was already close. On the night of July 16-17, 1918, Dr. Botkin, together with the Royal Family, died as a martyr in the basement of the Ipatiev house. His death was not instantaneous: after a long firing in the basement, commandant Yurovsky saw that Yevgeny Sergeevich was reclining, leaning on his arm - he was still alive. Yurovsky shot him, and this shot cut short the earthly life of Dr. Botkin, opening for him the gates to another life.

... To die for the Tsar and the Fatherland. What does this mean? In Orthodox Russia, this meant dying for Christ: “According to the nature of the Eastern Orthodox confession, the idea of fidelity to God and the Tsar is united in a Russian,” wrote St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov). “Russians, not only warriors, but also bishops, and boyars, and princes, voluntarily accepted a violent death in order to remain faithful to the Tsar.” Christ accepts such a death as martyrdom for Himself: those who offer "their life as a sacrifice to the Fatherland, offer it as a sacrifice to God and are numbered among the holy host of the martyrs of Christ." So Dr. Botkin - the martyr Eugene - entered this bright host, having acquired the crown of martyrdom through unshakable loyalty to the Tsar and the Fatherland.

A river in Northeast China, in the Liaohe River basin. A battle took place on Shahe between the Russian Manchurian army (under the command of General A.N. Kuropatkin) and three Japanese armies (under the command of Marshal I. Oyama), in which neither side was able to achieve victory.

Evgeny Sergeevich Botkin was born on May 27, 1865 in Tsarskoye Selo, St. Petersburg province. He was the fourth child born from his father Sergei Petrovich's first marriage to Anastasia Alexandrovna Krylova. (Dr. S.P. Botkin was a world-famous luminary of the Russian therapeutic school.)

Both the spiritual and everyday atmosphere in this family was unique. And the financial well-being of the Botkin family, laid down by the entrepreneurial activities of his grandfather Pyotr Kononovich Botkin, a well-known tea supplier in Russia, allowed all his heirs to lead a comfortable existence on a percentage of that. And, perhaps, that is why there were so many creative personalities in this family - doctors, artists and writers. But along with this, the Botkins were also related to such famous figures of Russian culture as the poet A.A. Fet and philanthropist P.M. Tretyakov. Yevgeny Botkin himself from early childhood was a passionate admirer of music, calling such classes a “refreshing bath”.

The Botkin family played a lot of music. Sergey Petrovich himself played the cello to the accompaniment of his wife, taking private lessons from the professor of the St. Petersburg Conservatory I.I. Seifert. Thus, from early childhood, E.S. Botkin received a thorough musical education and acquired a keen ear for music.

In addition to making music, the Botkin family also lived a rich life. social life. The capital's beau monde gathered for the famous "Botkin Saturdays": professors of the IMPERIAL Military Medical Academy, writers and musicians, collectors and artists, among whom were such outstanding personalities as I.M. Sechenov, M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin, A.P. Borodin, V.V. Stasov and others.

Already from childhood, E.S. Botkin began to show such character traits as modesty, a kind attitude towards others and rejection of violence.

So in his book "My Brother" Pyotr Sergeevich Botkin wrote: “From the tenderest age, his beautiful and noble nature was full of perfection. He was never like other children. Always sensitive, out of delicacy, inwardly kind, with an extraordinary soul, he was terrified of any fight or fight. We other boys used to fight furiously. He, as usual, did not participate in our fights, but when the fist fight took on a dangerous character, he, at the risk of injury, stopped the fight. He was very diligent and smart in his studies.

Primary home education allowed E.S. Botkin in 1878 to immediately enter the 5th grade of the 2nd St. Petersburg Classical Gymnasium, where his brilliant abilities in the field of natural sciences were almost immediately manifested. So after the end of this educational institution in 1882 he entered the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of the IMPERIAL St. Petersburg University. However, the example of his father, a doctor, and love for medicine turned out to be stronger, and the very next year (having passed the exams for the first year of the university) he enters the junior department of the opened Preparatory Course of the IMPERIAL Military Medical Academy.

In 1889, Yevgeny Sergeevich's father dies and almost at the same time he successfully graduated from the IVMA third in graduation, having received the title of Physician with honors and the personalized Paltsev Prize, which was awarded "to the third highest score in his course ..."

His own way of practicing Aesculapius E.S. Botkin begins in January 1890 as Assistant Doctor at the Mariinsky Hospital for the Poor, and in December of the same year he is sent to Germany, where he practices with leading doctors and gets acquainted with the arrangement of hospitals and hospital business.

At the end of medical practice in May 1892, Evgeny Sergeevich began to work as a Doctor of the IMPERIAL Court Singing Chapel, and from January 1894 he returned to work at the Mariinsky Hospital as a supernumerary Resident.

Simultaneously with clinical practice, E.S. Botkin is engaged in scientific research, the main areas of which were work in the field of immunology, the essence of the process of leukocytosis, the protective properties of blood cells, etc.

In 1893 E.S. Botkin marries Olga Vladimirovna Manuylova, and the following year, their first-born son, Dmitry, is born in their family. / Looking ahead a little, it must be said that there were four children in the family of Evgeny Sergeevich: sons - Dmitry (1894-1914), Yuri (1896-1941), Gleb (1900-1969) and daughter - Tatyana (1899-1986) /

May 8, 1893 E.S. Botkin brilliantly defends his dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Medicine on the topic "On the Effect of Albumose and Peptones on Certain Functions of the Animal Organism", which he dedicates to his father. And his official opponent in this defense was our outstanding compatriot and physiologist I.P. Pavlov.

In 1895 E.S. Botkin is again sent to Germany, where for two years he improves his qualifications, practicing in medical institutions in Heidelberg and Berlin, and also attends lectures by German professors G. Munch, B. Frenkel, P. Ernst and others.

In May 1897 E.S. Botkin is elected Privatdozent of IVMA.

On October 18, 1897, he reads his introductory lecture to students, which is very remarkable in that it very clearly shows his attitude towards the sick:

“Once the trust of the patients you have acquired turns into sincere affection for you, when they are convinced of your invariably cordial attitude towards them. When you enter the room, you are greeted with a joyful and friendly mood - a precious and powerful medicine, which you will often help much more than potions and powders. (...) Only the heart is needed for this, only sincere heartfelt concern for a sick person. So do not be stingy, learn to give it with a wide hand to those who need it. So, let's go with love to a sick person, so that we can learn together how to be useful to him.

With the beginning of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904 - 1905, E.S. Botkin volunteers for the Active Army, where he is appointed Head of the Medical Unit of the Russian Red Cross Society (ROKK) in the Manchurian Army.

However, while occupying this rather high administrative position, he nevertheless prefers to be at the forefront most of the time.

They say that once a wounded Company Paramedic was brought to the Field Infirmary. Having rendered him first aid, E.S. Botkin took his medical bag and went to the front line instead.

His attitude to participation in this war, Dr. E.S. Botkin describes in some detail in his book Light and Shadows of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-5. (From letters to his wife)”, published in St. Petersburg in 1908, some excerpts from which are given below:

“I was not afraid for myself: never before have I felt the power of my Faith to such an extent. I was completely convinced that no matter how great the risk to which I was exposed, I would not be killed if God did not want it, I did not tease fate, did not stand at the guns so as not to interfere with the shooters, but I realized that I was needed, and this consciousness made my position pleasant.”

“I am becoming more and more depressed by the course of our war, and therefore it hurts that we are losing so much and losing so much, but almost more because the whole mass of our troubles is only the result of people’s lack of spirituality, a sense of duty, that petty calculations become beyond concepts about the Fatherland, above God. (Laoyang, May 16, 1904),

“I have now read all the latest telegrams about the fall of Mukden and about our terrible retreat to Telnik. I can't convey my feelings to you. (…) Despair and hopelessness seizes the soul. Will we have something in Russia? Poor, poor country." (Chita, March 1, 1905).

Military work of Dr. E.S. Botkin in his post did not go unnoticed by his immediate superiors and at the end of this war "For the difference shown in cases against the Japanese", he was awarded the Order of St. Vladimir II and III degree with swords and a bow.

But outwardly calm, strong-willed and always benevolent Dr. E.S. Botkin was actually a very sentimental person, as P.S. directly points out to us. Botkin in the already mentioned book "My Brother":

“.... I came to my father’s grave and suddenly I heard sobs in a deserted cemetery. Coming closer, I saw my brother (Eugene) lying in the snow. “Oh, it’s you, Petya, you came to talk with dad,” and again sobs. And an hour later, during the reception of patients, it could not have occurred to anyone that this calm, self-confident and domineering person could sob like a child.

May 6, 1905 Dr. E.S. Botkin is appointed Honorary Physician of the Imperial Family, which he learns about while still in the Army.

In the autumn of 1905, he returned to St. Petersburg and began teaching at IVMA, and in 1907 he was appointed Chief Physician of the St. George Community of the Sisters of Mercy of the Red Cross, the medical part of which since 1870 was headed by his late father.

After the death of the Life Medic Gustav Ivanovich Hirsch, which followed in 1907, the Royal Family was left without one of those, the vacant position of which required urgent replenishment. The candidacy of the new court physician was named by the Empress herself, who, when asked who she would like to see in his place, answered: “Botkin”. And when asked which of them exactly (at that time there were two Botkins in St. Petersburg), she said: “The one who fought.” (Although the brother of E.S. Botkin, Sergei Sergeevich, was also a participant in the past Russo-Japanese War.)

Thus, starting from April 13, 1908, Evgeny Sergeevich Botkin became the Honorary Physician of the Sovereign Emperor Nicholas II Alexandrovich and His Family, exactly repeating the career path of his father, who was the Physician of the two previous Emperors - Alexander II and Alexander III.

It must be said that by that time all the Medical Officers (as the doctors at the Highest Court were officially called) serving the Royal Family were on the staff of the Ministry of the IMPERIAL COURT and Destinies, representing a fairly significant group of the best titled specialists in many areas. medical specialties: therapist, surgeon, ophthalmologist, obstetrician, pediatrician, dentist, etc.

His love for the sick, E.S. Botkin also transferred to the August patients, since his immediate duties included medical supervision and treatment of all members of the Royal Family: from the terminally ill Heir to the Tsarevich to the Sovereign.

The Sovereign himself directly related to E.S. Botkin with undisguised sympathy and trust, patiently enduring all medical and diagnostic procedures.

But if the health of the Sovereign was, one might say, excellent (except for poor dental heredity and periodic pains of a hemorrhoidal nature), then the most difficult patients for Dr. E.S. Botkin were the Empress and the Heir.

Also in early childhood, Princess Alice of Hesse-Darmstadt suffered from diphtheria, complications after which, over the years, affected quite frequent bouts of rheumatism, periodic pain and swelling in the legs, as well as in violation of cardiac activity and arrhythmias. And, besides, the five transferred births, which finally undermined Her already weak organism, contributed to the development of those to a large extent.

Because of these constant illnesses, eternal fears for the life of Her infinitely sick Son and other internal experiences, the outwardly majestic, but in fact very sick and aged early Empress, was forced to refuse long walks, soon after his birth. In addition, due to constant swelling of her legs, She had to wear special shoes, over the size of which, sometimes, evil tongues made fun of. Pain in the legs was often accompanied by constant palpitations, and the attacks of headache that accompanied them deprived the Empress of rest and sleep for weeks, which is why she was forced to stay in bed for a long time, and if she went out into the air, then only in a special stroller .

But even more trouble for Dr. E.S. Botkin was delivered by the Heir Tsesarevich Alexei Nikolaevich, whose congenital and fatal illness required his increased medical attention. And it happened that he spent days and nights at his bedside, providing him not only with medical care, but also treating him with medicine no less important for any patient - human participation in the grief of the patient, giving this unfortunate creature all the warmth of his heart.

And such participation could not fail to find a mutual response in the soul of his little patient, who one day would write to his beloved doctor: "I love you with all my little heart."

In turn, Evgeny Sergeevich also attached himself with all his heart to the Heir and all the other members of the Royal Family, more than once telling his household that: “They made me a slave until the end of my days with their kindness.”

However, the relationship of the Life Physician E.S. Botkin and the Royal Family were not always so cloudless. And the reason for this is his attitude towards G.E. Rasputin, which served as the very “black cat” that ran between him and the Empress. Like the majority of loyal subjects who knew about Elder Gregory only from the words of people who had never communicated with him, and therefore, due to their thoughtlessness, in every possible way exaggerate and fan the most dirty rumors about him, the beginning of which was laid by the personal enemies of the Empress in the person of the so-called "blacks". (So the Empress called her enemies, united around the Court of the Montenegrin Princesses - Stana Nikolaevna and Milica Nikolaevna, who became the wives of the Grand Dukes Nikolai Nikolaevich Jr. and his brother Peter Nikolaevich.) And oddly enough, not only people who were far from the Highest believed in them Dvor, but also persons close to him, like E.S. Botkin. For he, having fallen under the influence of these rumors and gossip on a universal scale, sincerely believed in them, and therefore, like many, he considered G.E. Rasputin "evil genius" of the Royal Family.

But as a man of exceptional honesty, who never betrayed his principles and never compromised, if such was contrary to his personal conviction, E.S. Botkin somehow even refused the Empress her request to host G.E. Rasputin. “It is my duty to provide medical assistance to anyone,” said Evgeny Sergeevich. But I won’t accept such a person at home.”

In turn, this statement could not but cool for some time the relationship between the Empress and Her beloved Life Medic. Therefore, after one of the crises of illness that happened to the Heir to the Tsesarevich in the autumn of 1912, when Professor E.S. Botkin and S.P. Fedorov, as well as the Honorary Life Surgeon V.N. Derevenko pleaded powerless before such, the Empress began to trust G.E. Rasputin. For the latter, possessing God's Gift of healing, is not known to the mentioned luminaries. And therefore, by the power of prayer and conspiracies, he managed in time to stop the internal bleeding that had opened in the Heir, which with a high degree of probability could have ended in death for him.

As a doctor and a man of exceptional morality, E.S. Botkin never spoke on the side about the health of his August patients. So, the Head of the Chancellery of the Ministry of the IMPERIAL Court, Lieutenant-General A.A. Mosolov in his memoirs "At the Court of the last Russian Emperor" mentioned that: “Botkin was known for his restraint. None of the retinue managed to find out from him what the Empress was sick with and what treatment the Queen and the Heir followed. He was certainly a devoted servant to Their Majesties."

Occupying such a high position and being a person very close to the Sovereign, E.S. Botkin, however, was very far from any "intervention in the Russian public policy". However, as a citizen, he simply could not help but see the perniciousness of public sentiment, which he considered the main reasons for the defeat in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905. He also well understood that the hatred for the Royal Family and the entire House of Romanov, kindled by the enemies of the Throne and the Fatherland, is beneficial only to the enemies of Russia - the Russia that his ancestors served for many years and for which he fought on the battlefields.

Having subsequently revised his attitude towards G.E. Rasputin, he began to despise those people who composed or repeated various fables about the Royal Family and Her personal life. And about such people he spoke as follows: “If there were no Rasputin, then the opponents of the Royal Family and the preparers of the revolution would have created him with their conversations from Vyrubova, from me, from anyone you want.”

And further: “I don’t understand how people who consider themselves monarchists and talk about the adoration of His Majesty can so easily believe all the gossip spread, can spread them themselves, raising all sorts of fables against the Empress, and do not understand that by insulting Her, they are thereby insulting Her August Consort, who is allegedly adored."

By this time, not everything was going well and Evgeny Sergeevich's personal life.

In 1910, leaving the children in his care, his wife left him, carried away by the revolutionary ideas that were fashionable at that time, and with them a young student of the Riga Polytechnic Institute, who was fit for her sons, who was younger than her by as much as 20 years. After her departure, E.S. Botkin was left with three younger children - Yuri, Tatyana and Gleb, since his eldest son, Dmitry, had already lived on his own by that time. Inwardly greatly experiencing the departure of his wife, Evgeny Sergeevich with even greater energy began to give the warmth of his soul to the children left in his care. And, it must be said, those who adored their father paid him in full reciprocity, always waiting for him from work and worrying whenever he was delayed.

Using the undoubted influence and authority at the Highest Court, E.S. Botkin, however, never used one for personal purposes. So, for example, his inner convictions did not allow him to put in a word to get a “warm place” even for his own son Dmitry, the Cornet of the Life Guards of the Cossack Regiment, who went to the front with the outbreak of World War I and died on December 3, 1914. (The bitterness of this loss became an unhealed bleeding wound in his father's heart, the pain from which remained in him until the very last days of his life.)

And a few years later, new times began in Russia, which turned into a political catastrophe for her. At the end of February 1917, a great turmoil began, started by a bunch of traitors, which already in early March led to the abdication of the Sovereign from the Throne.

Subjected to house arrest and held in custody in the Tsarskoye Selo Alexander Palace, the Sovereign and His Family, in fact, turned out to be hostages of future events. Limited by freedom and isolated from the outside world, they stayed in it only with the closest people, including E.S. Botkin, who did not want to leave the Royal Family, which became even more dear to him with the beginning of the trials that fell to her lot. (Only for a very short time, he leaves the August Family to help the typhoid widow of his deceased son Dmitry, and when her condition no longer aroused his fears, Evgeny Sergeevich, without any requests or coercion, returned back to the August Prisoners.)

At the end of July 1917, Minister-Chairman of the Provisional Government A.F. Kerensky announced to the Sovereign and His Family that instead of going to the Crimea, all of them would be sent to one of the Siberian cities.

True to his duty, E.S. Botkin, without a moment's hesitation, decides to share their fate and go to this Siberian exile with his children. And to the question of the Sovereign, to whom he would leave his youngest children Tatyana and Gleb, he replied that for him there was nothing higher than caring for Their Majesties.

Arriving in Tobolsk, E.S. Botkin, along with all the servants of the former. Tsar, lived in the house of the fisherman Kornilov, located near the Governor's house, where the Tsar's Family was settled.

In the house of Kornilov E.S. Botkin occupied two rooms, where, in accordance with the permission received, he could receive soldiers of the Consolidated Guards Detachment for the protection of the former tsar and the local population, and where on September 14, 1917, his children Tatyana and Gleb arrived.

About these last days of medical practice in his life, about the attitude of soldiers, Tobolsk residents and just the local population who came to him from afar, E.S. Botkin wrote in his last letter addressed to "friend Sasha": “Their trust especially touched me, and I was pleased with their confidence, which never deceived them, that I would receive them with the same attention and affection as any other patient, and not only as an equal to myself, but also as a patient who has all the rights for all my cares and services.

Family life of Dr. E.S. Botkin in Tobolsk is described in detail in the book of memoirs of his daughter Tatiana "Memoirs of the Royal Family and Her life before and after the revolution." So, in particular, she mentions that, despite the fact that her father’s personal correspondence was subjected to censorship, he himself, unlike other prisoners, could move freely around the city, his apartment was never subjected to inspection, but to sign up with him Anyone who wished could attend.

But the relatively serene life in Tobolsk ended with the arrival of the Extraordinary Commissar of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee V.V. on April 20, 1918. Yakovlev with a detachment of militants, who announced to the Royal Family that, by order Soviet power in the very near future he will have to take her out of the city, according to the route known only to him.

And again, even in this situation, full of anxiety and uncertainty, Leib-Medic E.S. Botkin, true to his medical and moral duty, sets off together with the Sovereign, Empress, Their Daughter Maria and others to meet their death.

On the night of April 25-26, 1918, they leave Tobolsk and follow in carts towards Tyumen. But what is characteristic! Suffering along the way from endless road shaking, cold and renal colic, Dr. E.S. Botkin remains a doctor even in this unbearably painful situation for him, having given his fur coat to the Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna, who, having gone on this long journey, did not take really warm clothes with her.

On April 27, the Most August Prisoners and those accompanying Them reached Tyumen, and on April 30, after several days of ordeals and adventures on the road, they were taken to Yekaterinburg, where E.S. Botkin as a prisoner was placed under arrest in the DON.

While in the Ipatiev house, E.S. Botkin, faithful to his medical duty, did everything in order to somehow alleviate the fate of his crowned patients.

Remembering this years later, the former Commandant of the House of Special Purpose Ya.M. Yurovsky wrote:

“Doctor Botkin was a true friend of the family. In all cases, for various needs of the family, he acted as an intercessor. He was soul and body devoted to the family and experienced the hardship of their life together with the Romanov family.

Almost the same thing, more than forty years later, his former assistant G.P. Nikulin:

“As a rule, we always intercede for all kinds of things, which means that there have always been cases, here, Dr. Botkin. He, therefore, addressed ... "

And in this they were both absolutely right, since all the requests of the arrested were transmitted either directly to the Commandants of the DON (A.D. Avdeev or Ya.M. Yurovsky, who replaced him), or to the duty members of the Ural Regional Council (these were appointed in the first month of the stay of the Royal Family in the DON, where they were on daily duty).

After arriving in Yekaterinburg and placing the August Children transported from Tobolsk in the Ipatiev house, Dr. E.S. Botkin understands that his "fading forces" to care for the sick Heir to the Tsarevich is clearly not enough.

Therefore, the very next day he writes to A.G. Beloborodov a note with the following content:

"Yekaterinburg.

To the [Yekaterinburg] Regional Executive Committee

Mr Chairman.

As a doctor who has been monitoring the health of the Romanov family for ten years,currently administered by the Regional Executive Committeein general, and Alexei Nikolaevich in particular, I turn to you, Mr. Chairman, with the following most zealous request. Alexey Nikolaevich, whose treatmentled by Dr. Vl.[adimir] Nick.[olayevich] Derevenko, is subject to joint suffering under the influence of bruises, completely inevitable in a boy of his age, accompanied by sweating of liquid in them and the most severe pain as a result. Day and night in suchcases, the boy suffers so inexpressibly that none of his closest relatives,speaking of his mother, chronically ill in heart, not sparing herself for him, unable to endure caring for him for a long time. My fading powers are also lacking. Klim Grigorievich Nagorny, who is with him, after several sleepless and full of torment nights, knocks himself off his feet and would not be able to stand at all if Alexei Nikolaevich's teachers, Mr. Gibbs, and especially his tutor, Mr. Gilliard. Calm and balanced, they, replacing one another, by reading and changing impressions, distract the patient from his suffering during the day, alleviating them and giving, in the meantime, his relatives and Nagorny the opportunity to sleep and gather strength to change them in turn. Mr. Gilliard, to whom Aleksey Nikolaevich has been especially accustomed and attached during the seven years that he has been with him inseparably, sometimes spends whole nights near him during his illness, letting the exhausted Nagorny sleep. Both teachers, especially, I repeat, Mr. Gilliard, are absolutely indispensable for Alexei Nikolaevich, and I, as a doctor, must admit that they often bring more relief to the patient than the medical supplies that are in stock for such cases, to self-treatment, is extremely limited.

In view of the foregoing, I decide, in addition to the request of the parents of the pain-to disturb the Regional Executive Committee with the most zealous petitionadmit y.g. Gilliard and Gibbs to continue their selfless service underAlexey Nikolaevich Romanov, and in view of the fact that the boy is just now in one of the most acute attacks of his sufferings, which he endures especially hard due to overwork from travel, do not refuse to let them - in the extreme case, even one Mr. Gilliard - to him tomorrow.

Dr. Ev.[genius] Botkin

Passing this note to the addressee, commandant A.D. Avdeev could not resist imposing his own resolution on it, which perfectly expressed his attitude, not only to the sick child and Dr. E.S. Botkin, but also to the entire Royal Family as a whole:

“Having looked at the real request of Dr. Botkin, I think that one of these servants is superfluous, i.e. the children are all royal and can take care of the sick, and therefore I suggest that the Chairman of the Regional Council immediately show these presumptuous gentlemen their position. Commandant Avdeev.

At present, among many researchers of the royal theme, who in their works make a certain bet on the so-called "memoirs of an eyewitness" by J. Meyer. (The former prisoner of war of the Austro-Hungarian army, Johann Ludwig Mayer, who published those in 1956 in the German magazine Seven Days under the title “How the Royal Family Died.”) So, according to this “source”, a version appeared that, after visiting DON political leadership of the Urals came up with the idea to talk with Dr. E.S. Botkin, calling him to the premises of the "Revolutionary Headquarters".

« (…) Mobius, Maklavansky and Dr. Milyutin were sitting in the room of the Revolutionary Headquarters when Dr. Botkin entered. This Botkin was a giant.(…)

Then Maklavansky began to speak:

“Listen, doctor,” he said in his pleasant, always sincere voice, “the Revolutionary Headquarters has decided to let you go free. You are a doctor and want to help suffering people. For this you have enough opportunities with us. You can take over the management of a hospital in Moscow or open own practice. We will even give you recommendations, so that no one can have anything against you.

Dr. Botkin was silent. He looked at the people sitting in front of him and seemed unable to overcome a certain distrust of them. It seemed that he sensed a trap. Maklavansky must have sensed this, for he continued convincingly:

- Understand us, please, correctly. The future of the Romanovs looks somewhat bleak.

The doctor seemed to slowly understand. His gaze shifted from one to the other. Slowly, almost stammering, he decided to answer:

- I think I understood you correctly, gentlemen. But, you see, I gave the king my word of honor to stay with him as long as he lives. For a man of my position, it is impossible not to keep such a word. I also cannot leave an heir alone. How can I reconcile this with my conscience? You still need to understand this...

Maklavansky cast a brief glance at his comrades. After this, he turned again to the doctor:

- Of course, we understand this, doctor, but you see, the son is incurable, you know this better than we do. Why would you sacrifice yourself for... well, shall we say, for a lost cause... For what, doctor?

- Lost business? Botkin asked slowly. His eyes faded.

- Well, if Russia dies, I can die too. But in no case will I leave the king!

- Russia will not perish! Mobius said sharply.

- We'll take care of it. Big people will not die...

- Do you want to separate me by force from the king? - asked Botkin with a cold expression on his face.

“I still don’t believe this, gentlemen!

Mobius looked intently at the doctor. But now Dr. Milyutin has entered.

"You bear no responsibility for a lost war, doctor," he said in a sugary voice.

- We can’t reproach you with anything, we only consider it our duty to warn you about your personal death ...

Dr. Botkin sat for several minutes in silence. His gaze was fixed on the floor. The commissioners already believed that he would change his mind. But suddenly the face of the doctor changed. He got up and said:

- I am glad that there are still people who are concerned about my personal fate. I thank you for coming forward to meet me... But help this unfortunate family! You will do a good job. There, in the house, the great souls of Russia bloom, which are covered with mud by politicians. I thank you, gentlemen, but I will stay with the king! - said Botkin and stood up. His height exceeded all.

"We're sorry, Doctor," Mobius said.

- In that case, go back again. You can think more."

Of course, this conversation clean water fiction, as well as the personalities of Maklavansky and Dr. Milyutin.

And, nevertheless, not everything in the "memoirs" of J. Meyer turned out to be the fruit of his unbridled imagination. So, the "Revolutionary Headquarters" he mentioned actually existed. (Until May 1918 it was called the Headquarters of the Revolutionary Western Front in the fight against counter-revolution, after which his employees were enrolled in the staff of the Central Siberian District Commissariat for Military Affairs in which J. Meyer began to occupy a very modest position as a copyist of the Agitation Department).

Like all prisoners of the Ipatiev House, Dr. E.S. Botkin wrote letters and received answers to them from distant Tobolsk, where his daughter Tatyana and his youngest son Gleb remained. (Currently, the RF GA has several letters from T.E. Botkina, which she wrote to her father in Yekaterinburg.)

Here is an excerpt from one of them dated May 4 (April 23), 1918, in which she puts all her daughter love:

« (…) Precious, golden darling my daddy!

Yesterday we were terribly delighted by your first letter, which had been coming from Ekaterinburg for a whole week; nevertheless, this was the most recent news about you, because Matveev, who arrived yesterday with whom Gleb talked, could not tell us anything except that you had renal colic<неразб.>I was terribly afraid of this, but judging by the fact that you already<неразб.>wrote that he was healthy, I hope that this colic was not strong.(…)

I can't imagine when we'll see each other, because I have no hope for<неразб.>leave with everyone, but I will try to come closer to you. Sitting here without you<неразб.>very boring and pointless. Do you want something to do, but you don’t know what to do, and how long will you have to live here? During this time, there was only one letter from Yura, and even that was an old one dated March 17, but nothing more.

Until I finish, my dear. I don't know if my letter will reach you. And if it does, then when. And who will read before you(This phrase is inscribed between the lines in small handwriting. - Yu.Zh.)

I kiss you, my precious, many, many and hard - as I love.

Goodbye, my dear, my golden, my beloved. Hope to see you soon. I kiss you many more times.

Your Tanya".

« (…)I am writing to you already from our new rooms and I hope that this letter will reach you, because he is being driven by Commissar Khokhryakov. He also said that he could deliver you a chest of things, in which I put everything that we had from your things, i.e. several photographs, boots, underwear, a dress, cigarettes, a blanket and an autumn coat. I also handed over the pharmacies to the commissioner as family property, I don’t know if you will receive our letter. I hug you very, very tightly, my beloved, for your such good and affectionate letters.

Wrote letters from the Ipatiev house and Evgeny Sergeevich. He wrote to his younger children - Tatyana and Gleb in Tobolsk, to his son Yuri, and also to his younger brother Alexander Sergeevich Botkin. To date, at least four of his messages to the last two persons are known. The first three, dated April 25 (May 8), April 26 (May 9) and May 2 (15), were addressed to Yuri, and the fourth, written on June 26 (July 9), Alexander ...

Their content is also very interesting. So, for example, in his first letter he talked about the weather and extremely short walks:

“... Especially after being outdoors, in the garden, where I sit most of the time. Yes, and so far, due to the cold and unpleasant weather, it has been very short: only the first time they let us out, but yesterday we walked for 55 minutes, or even 30, 20 and even 15. After all, the third day we had another 5 degrees of frost, and this morning it was still snowing, now, however, it is already over 4 degrees of heat.

The second letter mentioned above was more lengthy. However, it is noteworthy that in it he not only does not complain about fate, but even in a Christian way pities his persecutors:

“... While we are still in our temporary, as we were told, room, which I do not regret at all, as because it is quite good, and because in the "permanent" withoutthe rest of the family and their escorts would probably be very empty if, hopefully, it was at least the same size as the house in Tobolsk. It's true, the garden here is very small, but so far the weather hasn't made us especially regret it. However, I must make a reservation that this is purely my personal opinion, because with our general obedience to fate and the people to whom she handed us over, we do not even ask ourselves the question of “what the coming day is preparing for us”, because we know that “ his wickedness prevails for the day ... and we only dream that this self-sufficing malice of the day would not be really evil.

... And we had to see a lot of new people here: the commandants change, or rather, they are often replaced, and some kind of commission came to inspect our premises, and they came to interrogate us about money, with an offer in excess (of which, by the way, I have , as usual, it didn’t turn out) to transfer for storage, etc. In a word, we cause them a lot of trouble, but, really, we didn’t impose on anyone and didn’t ask for it anywhere. I wanted to add that we weren’t asking for anything, but I remembered that it would be wrong, because we are constantly forced to disturb our poor commandants and ask for something: either denatured alcohol has come out and there is nothing to warm food or to cook rice for vegetarians, then we ask for boiling water, then the water supply is clogged, then the linen needs to be washed, then the newspapers need to be received, etc., etc. It’s just ashamed, but it’s impossible otherwise, and that’s why it is especially expensive and comforting every kind smile. And now I went to ask permission to take a walk a little in the morning: although it is fresh, the sun shines affably, and for the first time an attempt was made to take a walk in the morning ... And she was also amiably allowed.

... I end with a pencil, because. due to the holidays I could not yet get either a separate pen or ink, and I still use strangers, and even then more than anyone else.

In his third letter to E.S. Botkin also told his son about the new events that took place in the place of their new imprisonment:

“... Since yesterday, the weather has sharply turned to heat, a piece of the sky, visible from my window that has not yet been painted with lime, is exactly gray-blue, indicating cloudlessness, but from all the caresses of nature we are destined to see a little, because . we are allowed only an hour a day of walking in one or two steps ...

… Today I am updating my stationery, which was kindly delivered to me yesterday, and I am writing with my new pen and ink, which I updated yesterday in a letter to the children. taking possession of someone else's pen and inkwell, I constantly prevented someone from using them, and the gray paper, laid out for me by Tanyusha, I had long ago worn out and wrote on pieces of writing; He also took out all the small envelopes, except for one.

... Well, we walked for exactly an hour. The weather turned out to be very pleasant - better than one could have imagined behind the smeared windows. I like this innovation: I no longer see a wooden wall in front of me, but I sit as if in a comfortable winter apartment; you know, when the furniture is in covers, like we have now, and the windows are white. True, the light, of course, is much less and it turns out to be so scattered that it hurts weak eyes, but after all, things are moving towards summer, which can be very sunny here, and we, Petrograders, are not spoiled by the sun.

His last birthday in the life of E.S. Evgeny Sergeevich Botkin also met in Ipatiev's house: on May 27 (14) he turned 53 years old. But, despite such a relatively young age, Evgeny Sergeevich already felt the approach of death, which he wrote about in his last letter to his younger brother Alexander, in which he recalls the past days, pouring out all the pain of his soul ... (His rather voluminous text , it is hardly worth citing, since he has been published more than once in various publications. Tatyana Melnik (nee Botkina) " The life of the Royal Family before and after the revolution, M., Ankor firm, 1993; "Royal Life Medic" THOSE. Botkin, edited by K.K. Melnik and E.K. Miller. St. Petersburg, ANO "Publishing House" Tsarskoye Delo ", 2010, etc.)

This letter remained unsent (currently stored in the State Archives of the Russian Federation), which was later recalled by the already mentioned G.P. Nikulin:

“Botkin, then... So I repeat that he always interceded for them. He asked me to do something there for them: to call a priest, you understand, here ..., take them out for a walk or, there, fix the watch, or something else, there, some little things.

Well, once I, then, checked Botkin's letter. He wrote it, he addressed it to his son (younger brother. - Yu.Zh.) in the Caucasus. So he writes something like this:

“Here, my dear (I forgot, there, what his name was: Serge or not Serge, no matter how), here I am there. Moreover, I must tell you that when the tsar-sovereign was in glory, I was with him. And now, when he is in misfortune, I also consider it my duty to be with him. We live this way and that way (he “so” - he writes in a veiled way). Moreover, I don’t dwell on the details because I don’t want to bother ..., I don’t want to bother the people whose duties are to read [and] check our letters.”

Well, that was the only letter I had... He didn't write anymore. The letter [this], of course, was not sent anywhere.”

And his last hour E.S. Botkin met with the Royal Family.

July 17, 1918 at approximately 1 o'clock. 30 minutes. midnight Evgeny Sergeevich was awakened by Commandant Ya.M. Yurovsky, who informed him that in view of the alleged attack on the house by an anarchist detachment, all those arrested should go down to the basement, from where they might be transported to a safer place.

After Dr. E.S. Botkin woke everyone else, all the prisoners gathered in the dining room, from where they proceeded through the kitchen and the adjacent room to the landing of the upper floor. According to the stairs of 19 steps available there, they, accompanied by Ya.M. Yurovsky, G.P. Nikulina, M.A. Medvedev (Kudrina), P.Z. Ermakov and two Latvians with rifles from among the internal guards descended along it to the lower floor and through the door there they went out into the courtyard. Once on the street, they all walked a few meters around the yard, after which they again entered the house and, having passed through a suite of rooms on the lower floor, found themselves in the very one where they were martyred.

Describe the whole move further developments does not make sense, as this has been written many times. However, after Ya.M. Yurovsky announced to the prisoners that they were “forced to be shot”, Evgeny Sergeevich could only utter in a voice slightly hoarse with excitement: “So they won’t take us anywhere?”

After, through considerable efforts, Ya.M. Yurovsky finally stopped the shooting, which took on a careless character, many of the victims were still alive ...

But when at last I managed to stop(shooting. - Yu.Zh.), he later wrote in his memoirs, I saw that many were still alive. For example, Dr. Botkin was lying, leaning on his elbow right hand, as if in a resting position, with a revolver shot[I] done with him…”

That is, Ya.M. Yurovsky directly confesses that he personally shot the former Life Medic E.S. Botkin and is almost proud of it ...

Well, time put everything in its place. And now those who considered themselves "heroes of October" have moved into the category of ordinary and murderers and persecutors of the Russian people.

And the Christian feat of Evgeny Sergeevich Botkin, as the successor of the glorious medical dynasty and a man of duty and honor, did not go unnoticed even decades later. At the ROCOR Local Council held on November 1, 1981, he was canonized as the Holy New Martyrs of Russia who suffered from the power of the godless under the name of the Holy New Martyr Eugene Botkin.

On July 17, 1998, the remains of E.S. Botkin were solemnly buried along with the remains of the members of the Royal Family in the Catherine's chapel of the Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg.