V. I. Lenin

Source: ru:PSS/v55;es:MT
Translated: machine translation (DeepSeek) from the Russian; AI-translated.

To Moscow. To Maria Alexandrovna Ulyanova.

Bakhmetyevskaya Street, Sharonov's House.

Russland. Moskau
26/XII. 00.

Dear Mummy,

You will probably receive this letter shortly before the holidays. I congratulate you and wish you a merrier time: perhaps Mitya will come for this period and you will gather together – at least those who are in Russia. Anya and I had thought of getting together too, but it didn't work out. It is already Weihnachten* here – Christbaume** everywhere, and the streets have been unusually lively these days. I went to Vienna the other day and enjoyed the trip after several weeks of sitting still. But the winter is unpleasant – without snow. In fact, there is no real winter at all, just a kind of wretched autumn, with slush. It's good that it's not cold, and I manage perfectly without a winter coat, but it's unpleasant without snow. The slush gets tiresome, and I recall with pleasure a real Russian winter, the sleigh roads, the frosty clean air. I am spending my first winter abroad, the first winter that is not at all like winter, and I cannot say I am very pleased, although occasionally there are magnificent days like those of a good late autumn at home.

I live as before, rather solitary and..., unfortunately, rather muddled. I keep hoping to organise my studies more systematically, but somehow it doesn't work out. In the spring it will certainly be different, and I will get "into the groove". After rushing about Russia and Europe following my Shushenskoye confinement, I have now grown weary again for peaceful book work, and only the unfamiliarity of the foreign surroundings prevents me from settling down to it properly.

Are you quite well, my dear? Do you not miss Anyuta too much? What is the state of Manya's affair? By the way, I forgot to tell her that I received Pushkin – many thanks, and I also received her letter of 6. XII. I haven't replied until now because the trip got in the way, and then I was very busy.

I embrace you tightly, my dear, and send warm greetings to all our family.

Yours, V. U.