A handwritten note of Emperor Nicholas II, addressed to the Governor-General of St. Petersburg Dmitry Fedorovich Trepov in 1906 will go under the hammer next month at a Moscow auction. The auction will be held at the Litfond Auction House on 6th February, the list price is 75,000 Rubles [$760.00 USD].

Description: In a personalized envelope with a written signature “Nikolai”, the addressee is written in pencil on the envelope: “To D.F. Trepov”. The note is written on a sheet of 18×11.1 cm. writing paper with the stamp “Ца́рское Село́ / Tsarskoye Selo” in the upper lefthand corner.

A rough translation of the Tsar’s note to Trepov reads:

“I ask you, Dmitry Fyodorovich, to familiarize yourself with the enclosed files of the Council of Ministers and come to see me tonight at 10 1/2 o’clock, to discuss what you have managed to read of the report. Jan. 10. 06 g. N”.

PHOTO: Dmitry Fedorovich Trepov (1855-1906)

Major-General Dmitry Fedorovich Trepov (1855-1906) enjoyed a short, but impressive career – he was only 50 when he died. He served as Head of the Moscow police (from 1896). Then, taking advantage of the favour of Emperor Nicholas II: was a Major General (1900), Major General of the Retinue (1903), Governor-General of St. Petersburg (from 1905), as well as Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs. By the personal order of the Emperor he was settled on the first floor of the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg. He strongly believed that autocracy was the only way for Russia.

© Paul Gilbert. 24 January 2025