Nikolai Konstantinovich von Zarnekau (1885 - abt. 1976)

Born 7 May 1885 in Kutaisi, Georgia

Ancestors

Husband of Marianne Erikovna (von Pistohlkors) von Zarnekau — married 30 Oct 1917 (to 1930) in Tsarskoe Selo, St. Petersburg, Russia

Husband of Adrienne Haristoy — married 8 Jun 1935 in Bellevue, Aisne, Picardie, France

Died about 1976 at about age 90 in Belgian Congo

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Count Nikolai von Zarnekau was a member of the aristocracy in Russia.

Biography

Nikolai Konstantinovich von Zarnekau, Count von Zarnekau was born on 7 May 1885 at Kutaisi, Georgia. He was the son of Konstantin Friedrich Peter von Holstein-Gottorp, Duke of Oldenburg and Agrippina Djaparidze.

He married, firstly, Marianne von Pistohlkors, daughter of Maj.-Gen. Erich von Pistohlkors and Olga Valerianovna Karnovich, on 30 October 1917 at Tsarskoie Selo, Russia. He and Marianne von Pistohlkors were divorced in 1930.

Marianne's mother, Olga Valerianovna Karnovich, had caused a great scandal in Petersburg society when she divorced Gen. Pistohlkors and married in 1902 to Grand Duke Paul Alexandrovich of Russia, the sixth son of Tsar Alexander II of Russia.

Marianne thus became the daughter to a Russian Grand Duke, and her mother gained the title "Princess Paley." Marianne was a step-sister to the Grand Duke Paul's children: Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna and Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich Romanov.

When Nicholas married to Marianne in 1917, he thus became step-son-in-law to the Grand Duke Paul, son-in-law to the Princess Paley, and brother-in-law to Marianne's youngest siblings: Vladimir, Irina and Natalia Romanov.

Both the Princess Paley and her step-daughter, Grand Duchess Marie Pavlovna, wrote vivid memoirs of their lives during the reign of the Last Tsar. These memoirs may be read online at the links below. They mention Count Nicholas and Marianne in several places.

Notably Marianne von Zarnekau played a role in the murder of Rasputin. See her biography for more details.

Count Nicholas also played a role in helping the Princess Paley and Grand Duchess Marie Pavlovna to escape the Russian Revolution. He made arrangements for them to travel safely to Paris, London and New York.

Not much is known about the military career of Count Nicholas von Zarnekau during World War I.

Count Nicholas married, secondly, Adrienne Haristay, daughter of Jean Baptist Haristay, on 8 June 1935 at Bellevue, France.

He died in 1976.

Sources

Ferrand, Jacques. Noblesse Russe: Portraits (Montreuil, France : J. Ferrand, 1985). See Vol. 4, p. 41, Plate 78. "Nicholas Zarnekau". See also: Vol. 2, p. 161, Gardes-a Cheval 1912 group photo.

McNaughton, C. Arnold. The Book of Kings: A Royal Genealogy, in 3 Volumes (London, U.K.: Garnstone Press, 1973), Vol. 1, page 217.

Ruvigny et Raineval, Melville Henry Massue, Marquis de. The Titled Nobility of Europe: An international Peerage or Who's Who of the Sovereigns, Princes, and Nobles of Europe (London: Harrison & Sons, 1914). See Zarnekau, p. 1583.