Tchaikovsky
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Andrei Assier (1778–1835) |
Andrei Assier
Maternal grandfather of the composer (b. 26 December 1778 at Meissen, Saxony; d. 23 June/5 July 1835 in Saint Petersburg), born Michael Heinrich Maximilian Acier, but known in Russia as Andrei Mikhailovich Assier (Андрей Михайлович Ассиер, Andrej Mihaijovč Assier, Andrey Mikhaylovich Assier)
He was the son of Michel Victor Acier and his wife Maria Christina Eleonora (b. Wittig), and was brought to Russia in 1795 as a teacher of German and French for the Saint Petersburg Military School by the Russian general Petr Melissino. In 1800, by an oath of allegiance, Heinrich officially became a subject of the Imperial Crown and adopted the Russian name "Andrei Mikhailovich Assier". He later served as a Customs and Ministry of Finances official, and was awarded the Order of Saint Vladimir (4th Class) and the Order of Saint Anne (2nd Class).
In 1800 he married for the first time to Ekaterina Popova (1778–1816), and they had five children—Mikhail (b. 1802); Ekaterina (1805–1882); Nikolai (b. 1809); Andrei (b. 1811); and Aleksandra (1812–1854), mother of the composer.After his first wife's death in 1816 he married Amalia Grigor'evna Gogel', by whom he had two more children—Elizaveta (b. 1823), and Pavel (b. 1824).