The black-and-white group photograph, taken on October 29, 1911, shows Emperor Nicholas II surrounded by officers of the 52nd Vilensky Infantry Regiment at the front entrance of the Livadia Palace. Judging by the inscription at the bottom of the mat, the photo was taken in honor of the 100th anniversary of the 52nd Vilensky Infantry Regiment.
In the center of the photo is the Emperor Nicholas II, together with the heir to the throne, Tsarevich Alexei: both in military uniform without a cap and with the sash of Andrew the Apostle (St. Andrew the First-Called in Orthodox tradition) over their shoulder. To the left-hand side of the Emperor is the Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich also in military uniform with the sash. Behind the emperor and the Grand Duke stands the commander of the Vilensky Infantry Regiment, Colonel Yevgeny Yakovlevich Kotyuzhinsky, with the officers of his regiment in full dress uniform. Interestingly, on the very day the photo was taken, October 29, 1911, Colonel Kotyuzhinsky was promoted to the rank of Major General for his military merit and in honor of the anniversary of the unit entrusted to him.
The Vilensky Infantry Regiment was created in 1811, in 1856 it became an infantry regiment, and from 1865 it was called the 52nd Vilensky Infantry Regiment. From 1873, the regiment was stationed in rifle barracks in the Crimean city of Feodosia, and took part in the Russo–Turkish War of 1877–1878, where they guarded the Crimean coast from Feodosia to Sudak against possible landings of enemy troops. From 1876 to 1905 and from April 1909, the chief of the regiment was Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich, who took part in the celebration of his unit’s anniversary. It is important to emphasize that while on vacation, the Imperial family was always accompanied by a unit of the Russian Imperial Army, whose duty was to guard and protect the Imperial family in the Livadia Palace. Oftentimes this duty was carried out by units of the 52nd Vilensky Infantry Regiment, the Crimean Cavalry Regiment, the 13th Erivan Infantry and 80th Kabardian Regiment and other regiments of the Russian Imperial army. Such service was, on the one hand, very prestigious and on the other — imposed higher demands on each individual troop to uphold the honor of the regiment in the eyes of the Imperial family and, if possible, earn recognition that could lead to promotion.
In the center of the photo is the Emperor Nicholas II, together with the heir to the throne, Tsarevich Alexei: both in military uniform without a cap and with the sash of Andrew the Apostle (St. Andrew the First-Called in Orthodox tradition) over their shoulder. To the left-hand side of the Emperor is the Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich also in military uniform with the sash. Behind the emperor and the Grand Duke stands the commander of the Vilensky Infantry Regiment, Colonel Yevgeny Yakovlevich Kotyuzhinsky, with the officers of his regiment in full dress uniform. Interestingly, on the very day the photo was taken, October 29, 1911, Colonel Kotyuzhinsky was promoted to the rank of Major General for his military merit and in honor of the anniversary of the unit entrusted to him.
The Vilensky Infantry Regiment was created in 1811, in 1856 it became an infantry regiment, and from 1865 it was called the 52nd Vilensky Infantry Regiment. From 1873, the regiment was stationed in rifle barracks in the Crimean city of Feodosia, and took part in the Russo–Turkish War of 1877–1878, where they guarded the Crimean coast from Feodosia to Sudak against possible landings of enemy troops. From 1876 to 1905 and from April 1909, the chief of the regiment was Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich, who took part in the celebration of his unit’s anniversary. It is important to emphasize that while on vacation, the Imperial family was always accompanied by a unit of the Russian Imperial Army, whose duty was to guard and protect the Imperial family in the Livadia Palace. Oftentimes this duty was carried out by units of the 52nd Vilensky Infantry Regiment, the Crimean Cavalry Regiment, the 13th Erivan Infantry and 80th Kabardian Regiment and other regiments of the Russian Imperial army. Such service was, on the one hand, very prestigious and on the other — imposed higher demands on each individual troop to uphold the honor of the regiment in the eyes of the Imperial family and, if possible, earn recognition that could lead to promotion.
