Marie and Emil
Posted on UTC 2025-02-02 08:00
1st December 1841
Gracious providence has made everything turn out for the best. My Alexo has praise God fully recovered and to add to this blessing the good Father sent me a lovely healthy daughter. I enjoy the good fortune to be able to breast feed her myself. Up to now she is progressing very well, however, one can only judge a little from a month.
den 1. Dezember [1841]
Die gütige Vorsehung hat alles zum besten geleitet. Mein Alexo ist gottlob ganz genesen und zu diesem Segen sandte mir der gütige Vater noch ein liebes gesundes Mädchen. Ich genieße das Glück es selbst zu stillen. Bis jetzt gedeiht es sehr gut, jedoch kann man noch wenig von einem Monat beurteilen.
[Daughter Marie]
The 8th November (22 October) 1841 at three o'clock in the morning I gave birth to my lovely child Marie. The birth was a very happy one, however I became severely ill with jaundice. I was afraid that it would damage my little one, however, thank god, it didn't affect her. It seems that this child will be stronger than her brother Alexo. My Marie was baptised on 11 November. Princess Marie Suzo [Princess Maria Soutzos?] was her godmother. This lady seems to take quite an interest in the child. May God preserve this sweet little being.
Den 8. November / 22 Oktober 1841 gebar ich um 3 Uhr mein liebes Kind Marie. Meine Geburt war eine ganz glückliche, jedoch erkrankte ich an der Gelbsucht sehr bedeutend. Ich fürchtete, es könnte meiner Kleinen schaden, jedoch gottlob litt sie gar nichts davon. Dies Kind scheint kräftiger als ihr Bruder Alexo werden zu wollen. Den 11. November wurde meine Marie getauft. Fürstin Marie Suzo [Princess Maria Soutzos?] war ihre Taufpatin. Diese Dame schein ziemlichen Anteil an dem Kinde zu nehmen. Gott erhalte mir dieses süße kleine Wesen.
'Fürstin Marie Suzo' appears to be Heloise's phonetic transcription (or the transcriber's misreading of Heloise's scribble) of the name of Princess Maria Soutzos (1822-1898), who married in 1838 Constantin Zographos (1796-1856) and who is often referred to as Maria Zographos. She was the daughter of Michael Soutsos (1784-1864) and Roxana Caradja (1793-1868, m. 1812). Michael, based in Jassy, was the ruler of Wallachia and Moldavia during the period of Greek hegemony (1819-1821). He had the title Prince of Moldavia. After his overthrow Romanian rule was restored by Ioniță Sandu Sturdza.
Our suggestion that Marie Suzo is an error for Maria Soutzos throws up the question of why Heloise and Alexander Costinescu should choose a Greek princess from a failed government. Perhaps the suggestion is incorrect.

Louis Dupré, Michael Soutsos, 1825 (in Voyage à Athènes et à Constantinople). Image: National Historical Museum, Athens
15th February 1842
My children are healthy. Our joy, our happiness. My admirable husband and I know no other distraction than those which they make for us in such plenty. We live for them. I wish nothing from the Creator but their happiness, their virtue. May God mercifully prevent, that I ever have reason to complain about them. Their first evil step would certainly be the ill-fortune of my life, since so dear, so very much always my honour was dear to me, so is that of my children even more in my heart. Thou good God, keep them clean, innocent and virtuous for me.
den 15. Febr. 1842
Meine Kinder sind gesund. Unsere Freude, unser Glück. Mein vortrefflicher Mann und ich kennen keine andere Zerstreuung als die die sie uns in so reichem Maße verschaffen. Wir leben nur für sie, ich erflehe nichts von dem Schöpfer als ihr Glück, ihre Tugend, Gott verhüte gnädigst, daß ich je Ursache habe mich über sie zu beklagen. Ihr erster böser Schritt wäre sicher das Unglück meines ganzen Lebens, denn so teuer, so sehr mir immer über alles meine Ehre war, so ist mir die meiner Kinder noch mehr am Herzen. Du guter Gott erhalte sie mir rein unschuldig und tugendhaft.
[Difficult times]
17th April 1842
I would be very happy, if only my dear sister Susanna had not been ill for a rather long time! This worries me inordinately. I cannot bear the thought of having to lose one of my loved ones. If only this good sister will get better. Until I have some good news from her, I can't think of being happy. The vision of her is continually in front of me, she is a quite admirable person.
den 17. April [1842]
Ich wäre jetzt sehr glücklich, wenn nicht meine teuere Schwester Susanna schon seit ziemlich langer Zeit krank wäre! Dies ängstigt mich ungemein. Ich kann den Gedanken kaum ertragen, je eines meiner Geliebten verlieren zu müssen. Wenn nur diese gute Schwester bald besser würde. Bis ich gute Nachrichten von ihr habe, ist kein Glück mehr für mich zu denken. Immer schwebt sie mir vor, sie ist gar eine vortreffliche Person.
My children are healthy, my Alexo is completely recovered and my Marie is flourishing. I inoculated her on 9th April, however it did not take, so I have to inoculate her a second time. Also my Alexo for a second time, since smallpox is raging and I am afraid for my angel. May God protect both of them, for I live only in them and for them.
Meine Kinder sind gesund, mein Alexo ist ganz hergestellt und meine Marie gedeiht vorzüglich gut. Ich impfte sie den 9. April, jedoch hat es nicht angegriffen, ich mußte es ein zweites mal impfen lassen. Auch meinen Alexo noch einmal, denn die Blattern wüten sehr und ich fürchte für meine Engel. Gott behüte sie mir beide, denn ich lebe nur in ihnen und für sie.
The inoculation was against one of the curses of the age, smallpox (Blattern).
13th October 1842
This year we have had much suffering. After nameless unpleasantnesses and annoyances which my good husband, which my good husband has had in his profession, he fell seriously ill and suffered greatly during the entire summer, for a long time even in acute mortal danger! The good God took pity on me and the poor children. He is now better, but extremely weak. His sort of illness is one of those that requires continually the greatest care. From my side there will always be loving care and the greatest attentiveness will never be lacking. May God grant that in the future his children never give him cause for heartache, that they sweeten the life of the best of all fathers as much as in their power. He, who is only love and sacrifice for us all, can never be loved and respected enough from us and always surrounded with care and love. May our loving God save our good father, whom he has now rescued from such great danger.
den 13 Okt. 1842
Sehr viel Leiden sind, dieses Jahr über uns gekommen. Nach namenlosen Unannehmlichkeiten und Verdruß die mein guter Mann, die mein guter Mann in seinem Beruf hatte, erkrankte er sehr bedeutend und war den ganzen Sommer sehr leidend, ja durch geraume Zeit in hoher Lebensgefahr! Der gütige Gott erbarmte sich meiner und der armen Kinder, er ist nun besser, jedoch von unendlicher Schwäche. Seine Art Kränklichkeit ist der Art, daß er immerfort der größten Schonung bedarf. Ich werde es von meiner Seite ganz gewiß an liebevoller Pflege, an der größten Achtsamkeit nie fehlen lassen. Gott gebe, daß auch einstens seine Kinder ihm nie Kummer bereiten, daß sie den besten, dem liebensten aller Väter, was in ihren Kräften steht das Leben zu versüßen. Er der nur Liebe, nur Aufopferung für uns alle ist, kann nie genug von uns geliebt, geachtet und von je der Sorge und Liebe von uns umgeben werden. Unser lieber Gott erhalte uns den guten Vater, den er uns jetzt aus so großer Gefahr gerettet hat.
When Heloise writes of the 'nameless unpleasantnesses and annoyances which my good husband' … 'has had in his profession' she is probably referring to the architectural projects which Alexander was undertaking from about this time. The first of these was the erection of an arched bridge across a road to connect the two buildings of the Academy. The proposal to erect a bridge was first raised in December 1839, a year after Alexander's marriage. We can imagine the wrangling that went on before this project was approved in January 1843. It was clearly an honour for Alexander to be entrusted with this commission, which, although not a building in itself, was in an important and very visible position in Jassy and which ultimately tooks its place as a well-known feature of the town. The foundation stone of the arch was laid in October 1842 in the presence of the Ruler of Moldova, Mihail Sturza. The construction of the bridge was under the direction of the engineer Ivan Costacov. Under Costacov's management, however, there were serious delays and Alexander had to take over from him in October 1843 – which would certainly have been another source of 'unpleasantnesses and annoyances'. The building was finally finished in 1845. Out of the utilitarian road crossing Alexander created a triumphal arch with two pairs of Ionic columns, the image of which would persist in the minds of the citzens of Jassy even after it was demolished in 1890. There were also to be bas-reliefs and inscriptions, but these features were abandoned at some point.

The Mihaileana arch.

A photograph taken in 1936. The arch had been demolished in 1890.

This is not Costinescu's arch, which was demolished in 1890 to allow the street to be widened. It is a small-scale approximation which was constructed for the Luna Iașilor exhibition in the spring of 1936 in the Parcul Expoziției, Exhibition Park in Jassy. It left off numerous details, the most important being Costinescu's Doric columns. In which case, why bother? Image: ©Cezar Suceveanu, 2009.
My two children are ill. My Marie has measles and is already better. My good son has been suffering for a long time from all the symptoms of this disease but it has not broken out yet. In addition he is very grumpy and suffers even more, in that four molars are coming through. He is over two years old and has eight front teeth. Every time he is teething he is quite ill. My Maria, almost one year old, has not a single tooth yet. It is strange how difficult teething is for these children.
Meine beiden Kinder sind krank. Meine Marie hat Masern und ist nun schon besser. Mein guter Knabe leidet schon lange an allen Symptomen eben dieser Krankheit und es will nicht zum Ausbruch kommen, dabei ist er sehr grämlich und leidend um so mehr, da er 4 Stück-Zähne (oder Stock-Zähne [recte Stockzähne]) macht. Schon ist er über zwei Jahre alt und hat noch erst die 8 vorderen Zähne. Jedesmal wenn er zahnt ist er recht krank. Meine Marie, beinahe ein Jahr alt, hat noch keinen einzigen Zahn. Es ist doch sonderbar wie diese Kinder schwer zahnen.
I am, thank God, very healthy, as is little Marie, for every child has to survive what she has now. I am still breast feeding her, she is a really good, lovely child.
Ich bin gottlob recht gesund, wie auch Mariechen, denn was sie jetzt traf muß jedes Kind überstehen. Ich stille sie noch immer, es ist ein gar gutes, liebes Kind.
[Son Emil]
On the 12th March [1844] (old date), the 28th February (new date) I gave birth to my beloved son Emil. On 19th March my loyal friend Ermiona Asachi baptised him. All the conditions surrounding his birth were so favourable that I am led to hope that this child will have good fortune. He is the strongest of them all. Up to now he has given me little trouble and no cause to worry.
Den 12. März altes Datum, den 28. Febr. 1844 neuen Kalenders, gebar ich meinen lieben Sohn Emil. Den 19. März taufte ihn meine treue Freundin Hermione Arsaty (?) Alle Umstände bei seiner Geburt waren so glücklich, daß ich verleitet bin zu hoffen, daß das Kind Glück haben wird. Es ist das kräftigste von allen. Es machte mir bis jetzt wenig Mühe, wenig Kummer.
Emil was born on Tuesday 12th March 1844 and baptised on Tuesday 19th March 1844 [he died 11th June 1921 in Bucharest]. During this period the Julian calendar was replaced by the Gregorian calendar. The modern Gregorian date was Monday 28th February, the old Julian date was Monday 11th March (not 12th, as given by Heloise). The change was not universal: the Gregorian calendar was taken up sporadically in different countries and by different religions. The Austrian Empire adopted the Gregorian calendar in the 16th century, so it is difficult to understand why Heloise suddenly begins giving the Julian equvalents ['altes Datum'] alongside the Gregorian dates ['neuen Kalenders']. That said, Jassy was in a Greek Orthodox territory and that church had its own local calendar transitions. The transition in the Greek Orthodox world came finally in the early 20th century. At the time Heloise was writing the difference would be eleven or twelve days.
The transcriber's guess at 'Hermione Arsaty' was close but not correct. The 'loyal friend' referred to here is in fact Ermiona Asachi, née Teyber. She was a remarkable and talented woman, so much so that I have discussed her and her friendship with Heloise in a separate section.
Heloise's impression of the robust character of their son Emil was not misplaced. He grew up to be an important figure in Romanian life. Largely self-educated, he began his career at eighteen in 1862 as a newspaper proofreader, becoming the editor of the paper in 1866. [NB his father Alexander died in 1872] Emil was elected to the Chamber of Deputies in 1876, in 1882 he was a co-founder of the National Bank of Romania and in 1897 he became the founding president of the General Bank of Bucharest. He was Finance Minister three times: 1902-1904, 1907-1910 and 1914-1916. Costinescu remained in the wartime government as Minister without portfolio from December 1916 to July 1917. After the war, he took part in the Romanian delegation to the Paris Peace Conference as a financial expert. He died on 11 June 1921, 77 years old.

Emil Costinescu

Emil Costinescu's grave
18th October 1845
My Emil is flourishing. He is one year seven months old and has ten teeth, which came easily. He has walked around for the last eight months and was, thank God, never ill. He is always cheerful, full of life and very well developed for his age. If it continues like this, with God's help the boy will give us much pleasure. May God preserve this lovely boy.
den 18. Okt. 1845
Mein Emil gedeiht vorzüglich wohl. Er ist ein Jahr 7 Monate und hat 10 Zähne, die er ganz leicht gemacht hat. Er läuft schon seit 8 Monaten herum, war gottlob noch nie krank, ist immer heiter, voll Leben und für sein Alter sehr entwickelt. Wenn es so fortgeht so wird der Knabe mit Gottes Hilfe uns viel Freude machen. Er spricht schon alles in einem Gemisch von drei Sprachen. Gott erhalte uns dieses ganz liebe Kind.
Alexo, the poor child, is growing very slowly. Already five years have passed and he is just starting his education. At the same time I have started Marie with him. May God give him his best blessings here. The children sind otherwise healthy, good and very cooperative. However I am troubled by the task of bringing them up well. My husband is quite well, however he is occasionally ill. He has a weak constitution. May God preserve the best of fathers, the most admirable of all husbands. May God give you the good fortune of good children in your marriages, that he has afforded me. This is my greatest wish. I am still healthy and strong, although I am still breastfeeding my Emil. My husband's affairs are going quite well, his uprightness, skill, his industriousness and his excellent reputation have defeated all the intrigues which have been aimed at him. May God grant that he continues to prosper.
'My husband's affairs are going quite well, his uprightness, skill, his industriousness and his excellent reputation have defeated all the intrigues which have been aimed at him'. Here Heloise is probably referring to Alexander's commission to design the National Theater in Jassy. The first performance took place on 22 December 1846. The architectural task was much greater than the bridge for the Academy. Alexander designed the ground floor as an amphitheatre, above that three rows of boxes and above that a gallery. The building burnt down in the night of 17-18 February 1888, meaning that both of Alexander's major works did not outlast him long: the Academy bridge was demolished in 1890. Alexander's career flourished: in October 1864 he became the first Director of the School of Bridges and Roads, Mines and Architecture in Bucharest. He died, 60 years old, in 1872. Heloise died in childbirth in 1848, 38 years old.]
Alexo der arme entwickelt sich gar langsam. Er ist schon 5 Jahre vorüber und fängt nun erst zu lernen an. Mit ihm zugleich lasse ich auch Mariechen anfangen. Gott gebe hierzu seinen besten Segen. Die Kinder sind im übrigen gesund, gut und sehr biegsam und dennoch bangt mir vor der Aufgabe sie gut zu erziehen. Es ist eine gar schwere Sache. Gott helfe mir sie zu gutem Ende zu leiten. Mein Mann ist ziemlich gesund; dennoch aber kränkelt er manchmal. Er ist von schwacher Konstitution. Gott halte den besten der Väter, den vorzüglichsten aller Gatten. Gott gebe Euch guten Kindern in Eueren Ehen das Glück, welches er mir in so reichem Maße verlieh. Dies ist mein bester Wunsch. Ich bin immer gesund und stark, obgleich ich noch meinen Emil stille. Meines Mannes Geschäfte gehen so ziemlich gut, seine Rechtlichkeit, Geschicklichkeit, sein Fleiß und sein vorzüglich guter Ruf haben bis jetzt immer alle Intrigen, die man gegen ihn sponn, besiegt. Gott gebe ferneres Gedeihen.-
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