Moura Budberg
Encyclopedia
Moura Zakrevskaya, variously Countess Benckendorff and Baroness Budberg (ca. 1891 - Nov. 1974) was the daughter of Ignaty Platonovitch Zakrevsky (1841-1905), a Russian nobleman. She first married Count Johann von Benckendorff, a high-ranking Czarist diplomat, in 1911. They owned the mansion called Jendel in Jäneda
, in Estonia
where he was shot dead in 1919 (by a peasant).
After his assassination in 1919, she moved back to Petrograd, she was familiar with the British diplomat R. H. Bruce Lockhart
. She was the mistress of Sir R. H. Bruce Lockhart
, who mentions her, under her given name, in his book Memoirs of a Secret Agent.
She also had relationships with Russian writer Maxim Gorky
and historian and science fiction writer H.G. Wells.
After the expulsion of Lockhart's got a job in publishing "World Literature", she acquainted with Maxim Gorky. She became at first Gorky's secretary, and then - unofficial wife. Lived in Gorky's house with a few interruptions from 1920 to 1933 (when the writer lived in Italy before returning to the USSR). He bitterly dedicated to her his last major work - the novel "The Life of Klim Samgin".
In 1920 she met with British writer H. Wells and became his mistress. Relationship was renewed in 1933 in London, where she emigrated after parting with Gorky. A close relationship with Wells continued until his death, he asked to marry him, but Zakrevskaya strongly rejected this proposal.
In the Soviet Union after the emigration was twice, in 1936 came to the funeral of Gorky (later it has given rise to consider it an agent of the NKVD) and at the end of 1950 with her daughter Guchkov came to Moscow.
Later, she was briefly married to Baron Nikolai von Budberg-Bönningshausen.
Widely suspected of being a double-agent for both the Soviet Union and British intelligence, she has been called the "Mata Hari
of Russia".
Among her many activities, she wrote books, and was the script writer for at least two films: Three Sisters directed by Laurence Olivier
and John Sichel
(1970), and The Sea Gull
directed by Sidney Lumet
(1968).
An MI5
informant said of her, "she can drink an amazing quantity, mostly gin".
Moura Budberg's older half-sister, Alexandra ‘Alla’ Ignatievna Zakrevskaya (1884-1960), who married Baron Arthur von Engelhardt before 1909, was the great-grandmother of Nick Clegg
, leader of the British Liberal Democratic Party
since December 2007, and Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
from May 2010.
Jäneda
Jäneda is a small village in northern Estonia. It is located in Lääne-Viru County and is a part of Tapa Commune.The village hosts an old manor, called Yendel, now converted to a museum and conference center...
, in Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
where he was shot dead in 1919 (by a peasant).
After his assassination in 1919, she moved back to Petrograd, she was familiar with the British diplomat R. H. Bruce Lockhart
R. H. Bruce Lockhart
Sir Robert Hamilton Bruce Lockhart KCMG , was a journalist, author, secret agent, British diplomat in Moscow and Prague, and footballer...
. She was the mistress of Sir R. H. Bruce Lockhart
R. H. Bruce Lockhart
Sir Robert Hamilton Bruce Lockhart KCMG , was a journalist, author, secret agent, British diplomat in Moscow and Prague, and footballer...
, who mentions her, under her given name, in his book Memoirs of a Secret Agent.
She also had relationships with Russian writer Maxim Gorky
Maxim Gorky
Alexei Maximovich Peshkov , primarily known as Maxim Gorky , was a Russian and Soviet author, a founder of the Socialist Realism literary method and a political activist.-Early years:...
and historian and science fiction writer H.G. Wells.
After the expulsion of Lockhart's got a job in publishing "World Literature", she acquainted with Maxim Gorky. She became at first Gorky's secretary, and then - unofficial wife. Lived in Gorky's house with a few interruptions from 1920 to 1933 (when the writer lived in Italy before returning to the USSR). He bitterly dedicated to her his last major work - the novel "The Life of Klim Samgin".
In 1920 she met with British writer H. Wells and became his mistress. Relationship was renewed in 1933 in London, where she emigrated after parting with Gorky. A close relationship with Wells continued until his death, he asked to marry him, but Zakrevskaya strongly rejected this proposal.
In the Soviet Union after the emigration was twice, in 1936 came to the funeral of Gorky (later it has given rise to consider it an agent of the NKVD) and at the end of 1950 with her daughter Guchkov came to Moscow.
Later, she was briefly married to Baron Nikolai von Budberg-Bönningshausen.
Widely suspected of being a double-agent for both the Soviet Union and British intelligence, she has been called the "Mata Hari
Mata Hari
Mata Hari was the stage name of Margaretha Geertruida "M'greet" Zelle , a Dutch exotic dancer, courtesan, and accused spy who was executed by firing squad in France under charges of espionage for Germany during World War I.-Early life:Margaretha Geertruida Zelle was born in Leeuwarden, Friesland,...
of Russia".
Among her many activities, she wrote books, and was the script writer for at least two films: Three Sisters directed by Laurence Olivier
Laurence Olivier
Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier, OM was an English actor, director, and producer. He was one of the most famous and revered actors of the 20th century. He married three times, to fellow actors Jill Esmond, Vivien Leigh, and Joan Plowright...
and John Sichel
John Sichel
John Peter Sichel was a British director of film, stage and television, and, later in life, a film, television, and theatre trainer....
(1970), and The Sea Gull
The Sea Gull
The Sea Gull is a 1968 British-American-Greek drama film directed by Sidney Lumet. The screenplay by Moura Budberg is adapted from Anton Chekhov's classic 1896 play The Seagull....
directed by Sidney Lumet
Sidney Lumet
Sidney Lumet was an American director, producer and screenwriter with over 50 films to his credit. He was nominated for the Academy Award as Best Director for 12 Angry Men , Dog Day Afternoon , Network and The Verdict...
(1968).
An MI5
MI5
The Security Service, commonly known as MI5 , is the United Kingdom's internal counter-intelligence and security agency and is part of its core intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service focused on foreign threats, Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence...
informant said of her, "she can drink an amazing quantity, mostly gin".
Moura Budberg's older half-sister, Alexandra ‘Alla’ Ignatievna Zakrevskaya (1884-1960), who married Baron Arthur von Engelhardt before 1909, was the great-grandmother of Nick Clegg
Nick Clegg
Nicholas William Peter "Nick" Clegg is a British Liberal Democrat politician who is currently the Deputy Prime Minister, Lord President of the Council and Minister for Constitutional and Political Reform in the coalition government of which David Cameron is the Prime Minister...
, leader of the British Liberal Democratic Party
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
since December 2007, and Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a senior member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom. The office of the Deputy Prime Minister is not a permanent position, existing only at the discretion of the Prime Minister, who may appoint to other offices...
from May 2010.
External links
- The Murder of Maxim Gorky. A Secret Execution by Arkady Vaksberg. (Enigma Books: New York, 2007. ISBN 978-1-929631-62-9.)