To be a hero, it is not necessary to have a scattering of military orders and medals. Sometimes it’s enough to be faithful and honest, not to change your beliefs. Ivan Kharitonov is the cook of the royal family, who remained faithful to Nicholas II to the end.
Biography
Ivan Kharitonov was born in St. Petersburg in 1870. His father Mikhail Kharitonovich in early childhood was left completely alone, brought up in a shelter. But this did not stop him from achieving much - he devoted his whole life to the public service and was marked by numerous awards. Towards the end of the service, he even received the Personal Nobility and was promoted to Titular Counselor. This gave the right to receive a pension of 1, 600 rubles per year.
Mikhail Kharitonovich was able to identify all his children for education and service at the Highest Court. So Ivan Kharitonov at the age of 12 began his career.
At first, he served as a “cook apprentice of the II category” - that was his position at court. Until the first discharge, it will grow for eight years.
Ivan's training could be considered completed in 1890. It was at this time that he received the position of cook of the II category at court. But he did not work long, since it was time for military service. In December 1891, he was enlisted in the Imperial Navy, and served for four years.
Ivan Kharitonov, circa 1900.
After the service, Ivan returns to the Supreme Court, where he was restored to his former position. He had the opportunity to undergo an internship in Paris, where he underwent training in the specialty of the supreme expert. In France, Ivan Mikhailovich met with J.-P. Kyuba - a famous restaurateur and culinary specialist. He will keep friendship with him for many years.
A family
In 1896, Ivan Kharitonov married Yevgenia Andreyevna Tur. The wife was from the sort of Russified Germans and early left an orphan. The upbringing of the girl was done by the maternal grandfather P. Stepanov. After serving in the tsarist army for 25 years, he lived in his house and raised his grandchildren.
Ivan and Eugene in the marriage were very happy. They had six children: Antonina, Kapitolina, Peter, Catherine, Cyril, Michael. In the year of the birth of the eldest son (in 1901), the head of the family receives the position of Chef I rank.
Kharitonov with his daughter Antonina.
At first, the whole large family lived in an apartment of a departmental house. In summer, they rented a summer cottage in Peterhof or in the village of Znamenka. Later, Ivan Kharitonov will build his own house in Thais. Here, Emperor Nicholas II planned to build a palace for his heir.
In 1911, Kharitonov was appointed Senior Chef at Court. His profession was honorable, but not as simple as it seems at first glance. Contrary to popular belief, the table of the royal family was not decorated with dishes and pickles daily. They ate modestly enough for their position. The entire menu was thoroughly thought out and approved. But even in such conditions, Ivan Mikhailovich tried to add variety to the daily diet, naturally in an acceptable form.
The senior cook Kharitonov perfectly knew the whole Orthodox cuisine with its fasting days and festive meals. To this was added an extensive knowledge of the national cuisines of other nations. In preparation for the reception of numerous foreign guests, Kharitonov also studied the culinary culture of each country.
Kharitonov accompanied Nicholas II on almost all foreign trips. From any country he visited, he sent touching messages to his family. Choosing a postcard with the main attraction of the city, he always wrote a few kind words to each member of his family.
Awards
Ivan Kharitonov long and faithfully served the royal family. His loyalty is marked by numerous awards. In addition to those that were received from the emperor ("For zeal", "In memory of the 300th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty", etc.), there are awards of foreign states:
- Order of Merit - Bulgaria;
- gold medal - France;
- Honorary Cross - Prussia;
- gold medal - Italy and many more.
There were memorable gifts. Most often, documents mention, for example, gold cufflinks or gold watches. The latter were presented to Kharitonov personally by Nicholas II and were with him almost until his death. After the execution, they were not found at the site of the death of the cook. Most likely they were given away by Ivan Mikhailovich as payment for provisions.
Imprisonment with the Royal Family
Kharitonov did not doubt for a minute what to do when the family of Nicholas II was sent to Tsarskoye Selo. Having chosen for himself the position of the arrested person (as well as among the members of the royal family), he took on top of this a number of additional duties. Most of the servants and court staff were fired, and the most devoted remained near the Romanovs.
In 1918, now the former August persons were sent to Tobolsk. Kharitonov follows them again, but already with the whole family. The royal family did not have any livelihood at all. Ivan Kharitonov turned to wealthy citizens with a request for help, as he could provide them with normal food. The attitude to the former king and his family was no longer as respectful as before. Very often, Ivan Mikhailovich was refused, sometimes rude enough. If someone agreed to help, he usually demanded to make a record in order to demand a repayment of the debt in the future. Those who helped disinterestedly were ordinary people and monks - they carried what they could share to the Freedom House.
In May 1918, Ivan Kharitonov followed the Tsar to Yekaterinburg, a city that would become for him the place of death, as well as for the entire royal family. Eugene's wife remembered his farewell to his family on the pier forever and then told her grandchildren.
The servants and the doctor who were left with the royal family were repeatedly invited to leave them, thus preserving their life and freedom. However, Botkin, Kharitonov, Demidova and Troupe invariably replied that they had forever connected their fates with the Romanovs. On the night of July 17, 1918, they were all shot in the basement, where they were brought together by Nicholas II and his family.
Ivan Mikhailovich Kharitonov was canonized by the foreign branch of the Russian Orthodox Church, along with members of the royal family. The Moscow Patriarchate, considering this case in the year 2000, did not find grounds for such a step.
In 2009, the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Russian Federation rehabilitated 52 people who were close to the royal family. Among them was Ivan Kharitonov.
