Nikolay von Meck
With his wife Anna
Nephew of the composer by marriage (b. 16/28 April 1863; d. 23 May 1929), born Nikolay Karlovich von Meck (Николай Карлович фон Мекк).
Nikolay was the sixth child of Karl von Meck (1821–1876), and his wife Nadezhda (b. Frolovskaya, 1831–1894), who was Tchaikovsky's benefactress. He became president of the board of the Moscow-Kazan Railway, and from 1919 he worked for the People's Commissariat of Communications.
On 11/23 January 1884 he married Tchaikovsky's niece Anna Davydova (1864–1942) and they had five children: Kira (1885–1969); Mark (1890–1918); Galina (1891–1985); Attal (1894–1916); and Lyutsella (1896–1933). In 1903 they adopted another daughter: Yelena (b. Moyseyeva, 1897–1926).
On 5 September 1928 Nikolay von Meck was arrested by the State Secret Police (OGPU) on false charges of sabotage, in connection with the so-called “Shakhty affair”, and was executed on 23 May 1929, aged 66.
Correspondence with Tchaikovsky
One letter from Tchaikovsky to Nikolay von Meck has survived, dating from 1882:
- Letter 2146 – late October/early November 1882, from Kamenka
18 letters from Nikolay von Meck to the composer, dating from 1882 to 1889, are preserved in the Klin House-Museum Archive.
