View source for Zhelihovsky, Vera Petrovna de

(nee Hahn) (1835-1896). Younger sister of Helena P. BLAVATSKY.  She was born at Odessa, southern Russia on April 29, 1835. Her first marriage was to Nikkolay Nikolayevich de Yahontov (1827-58) who died when he was only about 31 years old and later she married Vladimir Ivanovich de Zhelihovsky.  She had two sons by her first marriage and one son and three daughters by the second.

Zhelihovsky became well-known as a writer of children’s stories and contributor to various Russian journals.  She published a series of articles about the life of Blavatsky which appeared in 1883 in the periodical Rebus under the title, “''Pravda ö Yelena Petrovne Blavatskoy''” (“The Truth about Helena Petrovna Blavatsky”).  It appears that editorial liberties were taken with these articles and Zhelihovsky subsequently corrected them.  Blavatsky translated these articles into English and the manuscript in her handwriting is preserved in the Archives of the TS at Adyar.  Another article dealing with Blavatsky’s life and character was written by her sister for the ''Russian Review'' (''Russkoye Obozreniye'') under the title of ''H. P. Blavatsky'': a ''Biographical Sketch'' (November and December 1891).
Blavatsky and her sister were very close in their affections and the latter defended Blavatsky most vehemently whenever she was attacked.  She died May 18, 1896.

[[Contributors|P.S.H.]]



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