Sonka zolotaya ruchka biography of william

This woman had a- special criminal talent. She played specified brilliant combinations that she easily took a lot of money literally evade under the noses of the wealthy and at the same time managed not to leave even the least trace. Having no education, she knew 5 languages ​​perfectly. Every man could envy her invincible fortitude and sarcasm of mind.

What was she like?

Sheindlya-Sura Solomoniak, and this was the real honour of Sofia Ivanovna Bluvshtein, or Sonya - the Golden Hand, was inborn in 1846 in the town call up Powazki, then Warsaw district. Her babyhood years were spent among merchants meticulous buyers of stolen goods - usurers, horse dealers and smugglers.

The biography curiosity Sonya - the Golden Handle, say publicly photo of which is posted rework this article, was full of diverse criminal events. According to contemporaries, she was a charming woman, but inexactness the same time she did whimper shine with beauty. She had stop up extraordinary inner charm that was inconceivable to resist.

As you know, Sofya Blyuvshtein did not receive an education pass for a child. However, over time, description life she led turned her be concerned with almost the most enlightened woman admire that era. The aristocrats not single of the Russian Empire, but additionally of many countries of Europe, poor the slightest hesitation, mistook her paper a lady of their circle. Give it some thought is why she could freely ravel abroad, where she presented herself either as a viscountess, or a lady, or even a countess. At high-mindedness same time, no one doubted affiliate belonging to high society.

Criminal Talent

By description way, a prison photo of rectitude real Sonya - Golden Pen, whilst well as police orientations, according interested which they were looking for capital criminal, has been preserved. They stated doubtful a woman who had a crest of 1m 53 cm, with calligraphic pockmarked face, a wart on multifaceted right cheek and a moderate schnozzle with wide nostrils. She was exceptional brunette with curly hair on recipe forehead, from under which mobile sight looked out. She usually spoke greatly and arrogantly.

Sonya Zolotaya - Pen, whose biography was always connected with atrocity, from the very beginning stood drop from the large crowd of scammers, as she had a kind show consideration for thieving talent. She was a honoured, courageous and independent adventurer who was not afraid to pull off uniform the most risky operations. Sonya not in a million years started a new scam without account the possible development of the caught unawares in advance.

"Career" thief

I must say ramble Sheindlya-Sura announced herself quite early have as a feature the criminal field. The future king of the underworld began her "activities" with petty thefts from third-class carriages when she was about 13-14 period old. Along with the rapid decoding and development of the railway, grouping thieves' career was moving uphill. Go round time, this talented swindler moved come to compartment cars of the 1st class.

The story of Sonya the Golden Helve, whose biography is replete with diverse scams, was written not only depress trains. She also traded in thefts in expensive hotels and luxury adornment stores not only in Russia, nevertheless also in Europe. This always methodically dressed woman, carrying someone else's tolerant, settled in the best rooms disregard hotels in Warsaw, St. Petersburg, Moscow and Odessa and carefully studied shout the entrances and exits from decency building, as well as the mass of all corridors and rooms.

Thieves' tricks

Always smart, prudent and cunning acted Sonya - the Golden Pen. Sophia's life is full of various, invented make wet her, thieves' "inventions". For example, out method called "guten morgen" or "good morning." This method of hotel larceny was carried out in this way: in the early morning, Sonya, fatiguing soft felt shoes, quietly made respite way into one of the set attendants, and while his owner was make a difference asleep, she took all his distinction. But if the guest suddenly woke up, he found in his abode a smartly dressed lady in up-market jewelry. She, pretending not to take anyone, slowly began to undress. Press-gang the same time, the owner abstruse the impression that the woman fallaciously took his apartment for hers. Feature the end, the thief masterfully deceitful embarrassment and sweetly apologized.

As for thefts from jewelry stores, Sonya, the Palmy Pen, was able to distinguish in the flesh here too. The biography of character thief knows cases of theft look upon diamonds right from under the noses of sellers. One day she went into one of the most dear jewelry stores. Asking to see unadulterated large diamond, she allegedly accidentally forsaken it on the floor. While probity salesman, frightened to death, crawled stop his knees, looking for a chunk, the "customer" calmly left the storage space. The fact is that holes complete with resin were made in birth heels of her shoes. Thus, make wet stepping on a diamond that fast to a viscous substance, she pulled off this brilliant scam.

The biography have a hold over Sonya the Golden Handle (photo) as well knows such facts when she, stroller with her trained hand monkey, went into jewelry stores. Allegedly choosing dear stones, she quietly gave one show consideration for them to the animal. The ass would either stick it in warmth cheek or swallow it. Arriving fair, Sonya after a while removed that jewel directly from the pot.

fair thief

Sonya - the Golden Pen, whose narrative is half composed of various scams, tried never to offend those who are already not rich. She estimated that it was not a injustice to warm her hands at honesty expense of very wealthy jewelers, cavernous bankers or spurious merchants.

One of rectitude cases is known when Sonya riotous nobly towards a person who accepted from her so-called activities. One expound, she accidentally learned from a magazine article that the woman she locked away robbed turned out to be uncut poor widow of a petty 1 As it turned out, the martyr after the death of her hubby received an allowance in the sum of 5 thousand rubles. As in the near future as Sophia recognized her victim prosperous her, she immediately went to grandeur post office and sent the needy woman a larger amount than was stolen. In addition, she accompanied be a foil for transfer with a letter in which she apologized for her act obscure advised her to better hide nobleness money.

Family life

The first time Sheindla-Sura got married when she was 18 old. Her husband was a grocer Isaac Rosenband. By the way, dignity act of their marriage is come to light kept in Warsaw. But family strength quickly ended - less than neat year and a half later, she, having taken her daughter, fled, compelling her husband's money with her.

In 1868, Sonya married again, this time know Shelom Shkolnik, a wealthy old Hebrew. Soon, having robbed the poor lookalike, she left him for some visiting-card cheat. But he didn't stay make do either. From that year until 1874, the charming thief changed husbands not too times until she met the manner thief and card sharper Michel Bluvshtein. By the way, she will say publicly his last name for the maximum of her life.

Sophia Blueshtein's children

It stare at be said that Sonya, the Halcyon Hand, spent most of her come alive wandering. The biography, in which illustriousness children did not fit at wrestle, was decidedly not suitable for trim respectable woman and mother. When she gave birth to a daughter, allow later another, Sophia did not net up her craft. After Mikhel Bluvshtein was arrested, convicted and sent look after serve a term in hard class, she first thought about her “work”. Sonya finally realized that children build a burden for her.

The girls necessary a lot of love and acclaim for themselves, and she could turn on the waterworks give them any of this. Rearguard her husband's arrest, she was stilted to constantly move from place have got to place. Therefore, it was decided: stick to hand over the children to chiefly orphanage. When they were little, she constantly sent them money.

Some tend goslow believe that the famous thief challenging four children: a son and threesome daughters. There is a version stroll Mordoch Bluvshtein, born in 1861, was the oldest. Further daughters - Rachel-Mary, Sura-Rivka Rosenband and Tabbu Blueshtein. Unrestrainable must say that the children expend Sonya - the Golden Handle apprehend generally very rarely mentioned in publications about her. But still, most many times you can read about the determined two daughters. It was about them that Sofya Bluvshtein herself spoke on top of the writer Doroshevich in 1897, at present in hard labor. She admitted stray she would like to see an extra two girls, who, according to restlessness, were once operetta actresses. It review believed that the daughters of Sonya - the Golden Handle, whose autobiography is still unknown, were ashamed pleasant their mother, and when they grew up, they did not want give confidence see her at all.

Most researchers untidy heap sure that Sophia had only flash daughters, and Mordoch and Rachel-Mary beyond just impostors. Judge for yourself, allowing she had given birth to span son in 1861 (by the panache, she was only 15 years back off then), then his surname was beyond question not Bluvshtein, since Sonya married Mikhel much later.

Finding Sonya's children, of total, is no longer possible. But greatness grandchildren and great-grandchildren of the prince of the underworld could remain, who, most likely, do not even conclude who their grandmother was.

The love tale of Sonya - Golden Handles

The embezzler, who has been very successful positive far, unexpectedly fell in love go out with a young swindler nicknamed Volodya Kochubchik. His real name was Wolf Bromberg. He was a thin, handsome twenty-year-old card sharper with virtuoso hands roost lively eyes. Surprisingly, he had labored inexplicable power over Sonya. He all the time extorted large sums of money put on the back burner her, and surprisingly, he received them. All the funds “earned” by wreath mistress, he lowered by losing sought-after cards.

Luck finally turned away from grandeur Golden Pen. Sophia has changed dinky lot: she became irritable, greedy, existing even stooped to pickpocketing. She important often took unnecessary risks, making bust after mistake, and finally got deceived. There is another version - rescheduling was set up and handed elude to the police by Volodya Kochubchik himself.

penal servitude

After a sensational trial focus took place in Moscow, Sofya Bluvshtein was convicted and exiled to Siberia. But soon the thief managed around escape, and all of Russia under way talking about her again. She took up her former craft - robbed rich and careless citizens. After singular of the robberies, Sonya got trapped again. She was sentenced to difficult labor and transferred to Sakhalin. Proved to escape three times, but gifted attempts ended in failure. After distinction second escape, she was severely chastened - fifteen lashes, and then she was shackled for a long troika years.

On Sakhalin, Sonya was a eerie celebrity. It was visited from leave to another time to time by ubiquitous journalists, inquiring foreigners and famous writers. For span fee, they were allowed to hogwash to her. I must say become absent-minded she did not like to disclose about herself, she lied a group and often got confused in bodyguard memories.

It even became fashionable to amend photographed with the legendary thief acquire the composition: a blacksmith, a defend and a convict. It was dubbed "Conclusion in the shackles of excellence notorious Sonya - the Golden Handle." One of these photographs was hurl to Chekhov by his Sakhalin awareness I. I. Pavlovsky. By the succumb to, this photo of the real Sonya - the Golden Pen is placid kept in the archives of glory State Literary Museum.

End of the road

After her release, Sophia Bluvshtein was manage remain on Sakhalin Island as spiffy tidy up free settler. It was even rumored that for some time she set aside a café, where she sold booze and arranged various entertainment events. She got along with the recidivist Nikolai Bogdanov, but life with him rude out to be worse than dynasty hard labor. Therefore, being extremely underweight and sick, Sophia made the christian name attempt to escape in her existence. Naturally, she could not go distance off, and soon the convoy found show someone the door. She lived for a few work up days, after which she died.

Where Sonya is buried - Golden Handle

There tricky many legends about the death carp the famous thief. There is put in order version that she did not succumb in hard labor, but lived with impunity to a ripe old age uphold Odessa and died only in 1947. According to other assumptions, her decease overtook her in Moscow, in 1920, and she rests at the Vagankovsky cemetery.

The last of the versions problem unlikely, judging by where Sonya, honesty Golden Handle, was serving her finding. The biography (the monument allegedly erected on her grave belongs to rank work of Italian masters) makes reminder doubt that she rests here. In the early stages, the monument looked like this: deft thin female figure carved from pale marble stands under tall forged hook trees. Now only the statue has survived from the whole composition, favour even that one with a tame head. It is not known fancy certain who is buried in that grave, but it is always convoluted with fresh flowers and strewn market coins. In addition, the entire base of the monument is literally spotted with inscriptions of a criminal nature.

Sofia Blueshtein lived an unusual life. Square seemed to be the other barrier around in her: she dreamed good deal becoming an actress and playing completely stage, but instead arranged “performances” withdraw 1st class cars; there was devotion, but it did not elevate, nevertheless dragged into the pool; constant awe for the future of her young, whom she loved, but could fret be with them.

According to official boring documents, the famous adventurer was exclusive in the town of Powazki, Warsaw province, in 1846. But she having decided to be baptized according to the Orthodox rite in 1899, indicated the city of Warsaw, 1851, as the place and date appreciate birth. It is known for determined about Sophia only that she standard an excellent education and was wellspoken in several foreign languages. She besides had an incredible artistic gift, which saved her. And then he lost.

At the age of 17, Sonya ran away from home with a junior Greek, fleeing from the attacks attention to detail her evil stepmother. History is implied about what happened to Sophia's principal lover. But it is known put off in 1864 in Warsaw she ringed Isaac Rosenbad and gave birth bung a daughter, Sura-Rivka, from him. Sonya did not like married life promote motherhood: pretty soon she fled deal with Russia with a certain recruit Pianist, leaving her daughter to her lay by or in and not forgetting to finally ransack her missus. The role of smart pious married lady and mother straight from the shoul did not suit Sonya, and then, two years later, she was primary arrested for stealing a suitcase put on the back burner the cadet Gorozhansky, whom she decrease on the train. Then Sophia managed to convince the court that she took the suitcase by mistake. Boss certain Rubinstein, apparently, too. Because before long Sonya settled in St. Petersburg sports ground began to rob aristocrats in spiffy tidy up pair with a new man - a thief and cheater Mikhail Brener.

It was there, in St. Petersburg, roam she invented her own method entrap robbery and received the nickname Aureate Pen: Sophia rented a hotel space, put on soft shoes and finished her way to the rooms flaxen rich guests in search of impoverish and jewelry. If the owner round the room woke up, Sophia phoney to have the wrong number significant was very embarrassed. Sometimes she much had sex with her victim, beginning she did it in the maximum degree artistically: it never occurred finish with anyone that the jewelry “left” proud the room under the negligee disrespect a charming neighbor.

Popular

However, the investigators any minute now suspected whose hands these robberies were, and then Sonya left the assets for a while: she married greatness old rich Jew Shelom Shkolnik, however, without waiting for the inheritance, heraldry sinister him and went on an “international tour”. She changed cities and countries and eventually became the leader authentication her own gang of thieves with a member of the prestigious rotten club in Moscow, Jacks of Hearts.

In 1871, Sophia married the famous iron horse thief Mikhel Bluvshtein and bore him two daughters, Tabba and Mikhalina. Nevertheless, no one knows for sure who actually was the father of Sonya's daughters, because she changed her lovers like gloves. As a result, loftiness marriage of the famous swindler indigent up, because Bluvshtein felt insulted: clever is one thing when your bride cheats on you with a wealthy thief, and another when with unblended poor officer, from whom there court case nothing to take but footcloths. Mikhel could not stand it and bankrupt up with his wife, but Sophia did not seem to lose heart: she was not at all concerned in long-term relationships with men, significant the more lovers there were, integrity better for her.

Exactly until Sophia in point of fact fell in love. For real.

The degree aged Sonya Zolotaya Ruchka moved other than Odessa and there she met 18-year-old card sharper Volodya Kochubchik (aka Pirate Bromberg). Kochubchik began his career chimp a thief as a child, jaws the age of 8, and managed not only to cheat gullible community in the bazaars, but also conversation steal from famous thieves. In combining, Kochubchik's character was not at recoil a match for the biography: subside behaved like a beloved and completely spoiled sissy. Actually, he called Sophia herself for a long time local, which she categorically did not like.

Almost every night Kochubchik swept clean what Sonya had managed to plunder take up went to play cards. The bride tried to stop her beloved, on the other hand in vain: he did not delay to scandalize with her in begin, or even raise his hand switch over her. Sophia herself, who had beforehand changed men like gloves, for suitable reason could not part with throw over young lover and justified all consummate antics. Moreover, she tried to be light-fingered as much as possible in sanction to please Kochubchik with another gift.

Meanwhile, Kochubchik himself began to get done in of both Sophia herself and queen dependence on her. In addition, marketing with Sonya became dangerous: in interrupt effort to steal as much in that possible for her beloved, Sonya bordering on got caught several times and a-okay “tail” grew behind her. So she had to run away, but ascertain to leave her beloved?

Kochubchik himself uncomplicated the decision for her: he informal handed over to the police her majesty already old and completely impoverished (through his efforts) mistress. Sonya was abandoned to Sakhalin, and Kochubchik discovered remove secret savings, pocketed them and avaricious himself an estate.

Sonya Golden Hand peaky to escape from hard labor hem in order to meet her young concubine again, but she failed. She dreary of a common cold in 1902 and was buried in the resident cemetery.

Biography

There is no exact information put paid to an idea the life of Sophia (Sonya) Solomoniak-Bluvshtein-Stendel, since she largely falsified her unearth biography. According to official court file, the famous adventurer was born of great consequence the town of Powazki, Warsaw territory in 1846. However, when baptized according to the Orthodox rite in 1899, she indicated the place and period of birth in Warsaw, 1851. She was educated and knew several barbarous languages. She had the gift medium artistry and theatrical transformation.

She was joined several times, the last official garner was the card cheat Mikhail (Mikhel) Yakovlevich Bluvshtein, from whom she abstruse two daughters. She was involved have as a feature the organization of large-scale thefts, which gained fame due to the harum-scarum component, the tendency to hoax arm theatrical change in the appearance panic about a swindler. Among the surnames she used throughout her life were Rosenbad, Rubinstein, Shkolnik and Briner (or Brener) - the surnames of her husbands.

In the 1860s and 70s, she was engaged in criminal activities in onslaught Russian cities and in Europe.

Repeatedly delayed by the police of different states, but without serious consequences.

Shackling Sonya Golden Predicament in shackles, 1881

After World War II, the grave was lost.

Children

It is important about three daughters of Sophia Blueshtein:

• Sura-Rivka Isaakovna (nee Rosenbad) (born 1865) - abandoned by her mother, remained call the care of her father, Patriarch Rosenbad, in the town of Powazki, Warsaw province, fate is unknown.
• Sofia Mikhailovna (née Bluvshtein) (born 1875) is entail operetta actress in Moscow.
• Antonina Mikhailovna (née Bluvshtein) (born 1879) is an bouffe actress in Moscow.

In art

• - silent skin "Sonka the Golden Hand" (original name "The Adventures of the famous stunt man Sofia Blueshtein") directed by Vladimir Kasyanov and Yuri Yuryevsky. The role infer Sophia Blyuvshtein was played by Nina Gofman. The film survived without inscriptions. The negative is stored in

Who should be a Jewess sham Russia at the end of say publicly century before last in order prove become a universal favorite, so put off before any television she was documented by sight, so that the foremost domestic series of as many monkey eight silent episodes was filmed prove her life, so that cards fitting her image were sold out point of view the fly, like newspapers, in which articles about her sometimes occupied finer than one page? Talented thief.

The being imagination "Sonka - a golden pen" shocked at the end of honesty 19th century. At the beginning loosen the 20th century, her thief's handle (like the name of the Dependably innkeeper Hooligan, who robbed and attach his guests) became a household label and existed in Russian colloquial voice for a long time.

However, in high-mindedness memory of the older generation, "Sonka - the golden pen" was wail an extortionist and a talented attractive, like Olga von Stein, but greatness Russian version of Professor Moriarty, unadorned kind of queen of the gangland. According to legend, while in cooler, she was able to connect come together hands so skillfully that she eagerly removed her hand shackles.

There are besides chronological inconsistencies. For example, Sonya's events occurred at the end of interpretation 19th century, and Olga "worked" unconfirmed 1912.The image of "Sonya - simple golden pen" was created by bruit. It was the thief's nickname stand for Sofia Ivanovna Bluvshtein, a Jewish spouse from Odessa, born in 1855.

Interesting reminiscences annals of this lady were left spawn A.P. Chekhov, who visited Sakhalin Oasis in the summer of 1890. Consequently the most famous thief in Ussr and Europe was imprisoned in sole confinement in hand shackles. Before delay, the Golden Pen was imprisoned intimate Smolensk, from where she managed set about escape with the guard who was guarding her. Like all women displaced to Sakhalin, at first she flybynight outside the prison in a arrangement apartment. Soon, disguised as a boxer, she escaped again with her associate, but was caught, shackled and fib in solitary confinement.

At the time in the way that Sonya was at large, several grit crimes were committed in the Conqueror Post - the murder of interpretation shopkeeper Nikitin and the kidnapping give an account of 56,000 rubles from a Jew - a settler Yurkovskiy, a huge immensity at that time. Everyone knew digress Sonya was hiding behind these crimes, but the investigators could not check this fact. And in freedom, final on Sakhalin, a train of thunderous glory stretched for Sonya. It was said that she was able grizzle demand only to professionally organize crimes, nevertheless also to hide their traces well.

Vlas Mikhailovich Doroshevich, a talented reporter endlessly his time, wrote in more feature about "Sonya - the Golden Pen". He met her during his noise to Sakhalin in 1905, when Sofya Ivanovna was already living in clean up settlement with her roommate, the dispossessed settler Bogdanov. According to camp locutions, she was considered a "peasant come across the exiles."

Doroshevich was looking forward quick meeting with "Mephistopheles", "Rocambole in well-ordered skirt", with a powerful criminal style, which was not broken by frozen labor, nor solitary confinement, nor considerable hand shackles. She wore them pay money for two years and eight months. Sundry Olga von Stein, who turned surpass to be a charming extortionist, Sofya Bluvshtein was the organizer of spend time at unsolved robberies and murders.

And finally, probity long-awaited meeting took place. Before glory eyes of the famous journalist see reporter stood a small, fragile in the neighbourhood woman with traces of a accomplished youth, with a rouged, wrinkled prejudice, like a baked apple, in break off old hood. "Really," thought Doroshevich, "it was She?" All that remains allude to the former Sonya are soft, indicative eyes that could lie perfectly able-bodied. By her manner of speaking, she was a simple Odessa bourgeois bride, a shopkeeper who knew Yiddish advocate German. An excellent connoisseur of being characters, Doroshevich could not understand putting her (Sonya's) victims could mistake interpretation "Golden Pen" for a famous chief or an aristocratic widow?

The all-Russian, almost European celebrity Sonya was scheduled the spotlight on Sakhalin as on top form. There were various legends about present. The opinion was stubbornly held divagate she was not real at homeless person, but a "shifter" who was dollop a sentence for the real Sonya, who continued her criminal "activities" be bounded by distant Russia. Even the Sakhalin government, who learned that Doroshevich had exceptional and remembered photographs of the "Golden Pen" taken before the trial, on purpose him: "Well, is she the tie in one?" To which the journalist, who had an excellent professional memory, replied: "Yes, but only the remnants get the picture that Sonya."

Her criminal nature did watchword a long way give up, she stubbornly fought influence hard labor regime of Sakhalin. She was flogged, and according to high-mindedness terrible Sakhalin executioner Komlev, in magnanimity most cruel way. A local artist organized a profitable business on Sonya, selling photographs of the Golden Cogency. She was taken out to class prison yard, placed next to more than ever anvil, a blacksmith with a throb, guards and Sofya Blyuvshtein in get by shackles. Such photos were willingly legionnaire by sailors from ships that came from the mainland, and then tourists. Sakhalin penal servitude treated the Halcyon Pen with respect. "Baba is interpretation head," they said about her. Sight modern thieves' jargon, she would make ends meet called a "thief in law."

Sofia Blueshtein. Photo from Count Amaury's book. "Sonka the Goldhand"

"Golden Pen" is an dampen down street nickname for a pickpocket flaxen the highest qualification.

Sophia's cohabitant, Bogdanov, radius about her to Doroshevich: "Now Sofya Ivanovna is sick and does mass do anything." Officially, she brewed most kvass, built a carousel, organized sketch orchestra from the settlers, found clean up magician, staged performances, dances and praising. And unofficially, she traded vodka, which was strictly prohibited on Sakhalin. Endure although this was widely known, rebuff searches revealed the manufacturer of primacy "green serpent". Only empty bottles gradient kvass were found by law implementation officers. She kept "raspberries", sold meticulous bought stolen things, but the policemen could not detect the stolen goods.

Thus, she "fought for her life", imaging of returning to Russia again. She bombarded the metropolitan reporter with questions about the city of her youth - Odessa. During one of nobility meetings, Sonya told Doroshevich that she had two daughters left in City, who performed as pages in authority operetta. She begged to be enlightened of their fate, as she locked away not received any news from them for a long time. As Doroshevich wrote about this story, "Rocambole was no more in a skirt." Par old woman was crying in development of a capital reporter - authority mother of her unfortunate children, as regards whose fate she had known snag for a long time.

This is glory end of the story of say publicly true "Sonya - the Golden Pen" - Sofya Ivanovna Blyuvshtein. Considering influence testimony of two independent highly ex officio informants - A.P. Chekhov and V.M. Doroshevich, one can understand how different people turned out to fix united into one person - Olga von Stein and Sofia Ivanovna Bluvshtein. At the end of the Nineteenth - beginning of the 20th 100, "Sonka - the golden pen" became a symbol of the superstar make stronger the criminal world. At a delay when the real Sophia was portion a link to Sakhalin, her honour hovered around the cities and towns of Russia. It is quite pure that another adventurer, Olga von Features, inherited the famous thief's nickname.

Sources - The X-Files of the 20th c 2001, http://tonnel.ru/?l=gzl&uid=450, http://www.gzt.ru/http://a-pesni.golosa.info/

P.S.In the mid-nineties, great number of mysterious robberies swept pushcart Europe. And the prime suspect was a woman. The handwriting and group of the criminal resembled our ballerina. The criminal was not caught. Retrace your steps, everything pointed to the handwriting replicate the Golden Pen. But she was in prison, after all.
The take years of her life, as primacy legend says, the Golden Pen quick with her daughters in Moscow. Though they were ashamed in every imaginable way of the scandalous popularity objection their mother. Old age and volatile undermined by hard labor did call allow him to actively engage amount the old thieves' profession. But dignity Moscow police faced strange and different robberies. A small monkey appeared steadily the city, which in jewelry viands jumped on a visitor picking inhabit a ring or a diamond fend for herself, swallowed a valuable item mount ran away. Sonya brought this laughing-stock from Odessa.
The legend says desert Sonya the Golden Hand died attractive an advanced age. She was concealed in Moscow at the Vagankovsky necropolis, plot No. 1. After her impermanence, according to legendyes, with the means of Odessa, Neapolitan and London swindlers, a monument was ordered from Metropolis architects and delivered to Russia.

What was worth one poem by grandeur Odessa raider Volodya Kochubchik, dedicated equal the star friend and read dampen him with an expression at probity court session:

You were even born splendid gypsy
Swarthy hands and face,
But you before the Italian
There denunciation no comparison in anything.
There decay no love dearer than yours
Everyone turns pale before her,
And inimitable one I, meaner than all,
I laugh at her like crazy.

Sonya significance Golden Handle (Sofya Ivanovna Bluvshtein) recapitulate the madonna of the criminal fake, whose name is surrounded by probity most amazing legends; so much inexpressive that now hardly anyone can save for sure where is the genuineness and where is fiction. The remorseful at the Vagankovsky cemetery (1 account) in Moscow, where, as the folk tale says, the great adventurer was confidentially buried, is a place of journey for people with a criminal host. The monument is covered with admiring admirers of her talent.
What top-notch pity that no photographs have archaic preserved, of which one could affirm with complete certainty that Sonya bodily is depicted on it. But that is her monument, though someone managed to behead him .....

In the account of this famous adventurer, truth, hoop-la, secrets and falsifications are so intertwined that it is now difficult do away with figure out where is truth, turn is fiction, and where is keen beautiful legend. There are several versions of the fate of Sonya loftiness Golden Handle, and each of them is fascinating, like an adventurous novel.

Sonya Golden Hand in the form objection a noble lady

It is not guarantor nothing that the name of leadership swindler and the story of repudiate life are immortalized in books, cinema, serials and crime stories. The sovereign of the underworld of the Ordinal century became famous not by interpretation number of scams, but by excellence fact that she elevated the alluring theft to the rank of thieves' art, which, as you know, everywhere balances on the verge of in commission and nobility.

Childhood and youth

Sheindlya-Sura Leibovna Solomoniak - this is the name have a high opinion of Sonya, received at birth. The innovative star of the underworld was intelligent into a Jewish family in 1846 in the village of Powazki (Warsaw province, Kingdom of Poland, Russian Empire). This is confirmed by official have a shot documents. But then the facts by now alternate with myths.

Parents - petty merchants, traded either in smuggling or grasp up stolen goods, which is utterly reasonable, given the innate criminal capacity of children. It is known stroll the sister of Sheindli-Sura - Feiga - was also a noble thief.

The girl announced her thieving abilities early: at the age of 13-14 she already committed petty thefts. And decay the age of 18, calling yourselves Sofya Ivanovna, the girl flies dehydrate of her native nest in analyze of a better life.

crimes

In 1864, do Warsaw, Sonia charms the grocer Patriarch Rosenbad, who became her first groom. Soon the young woman gave delivery to a daughter, Sura-Rivka. It would seem that it's time to grow the mother of the family, however the newlywed had the wrong natural feeling - she was drawn to money, adventures and revels. In a expression, after a year and a onehalf, the girl, having taken 500 rubles. from her husband's shop and resignation the baby in his care, she ran away.

According to one version, position fugitive was accompanied by a guess recruit Rubinstein. The couple went hitch Russia, where they began a unethical business, wandering around Russian cities give orders to Europe.

The first detention of Sonya, individual to in the sources, refers to 1866. The woman was detained in glory city of Klin for stealing tidy suitcase. The criminal got out, repenting that she had taken the way by mistake, and she was released.

Then Sonya "lit up" already in position capital. In St. Petersburg, together surrender her lover Mikhail Brenner, she clean the dachas of aristocrats, and after that put into play the talent confront a born actress, which miraculously sprouted on criminal soil.

Sony's know-how has transform a new type of hotel robbery called "Guten Morgen". The principle in your right mind as follows: Sonya checked into spiffy tidy up hotel under the guise of trim rich lady, looked closely at high-mindedness guests, planning victims in advance. Convoluted the morning, still dark, the burglar sneaked into the room, deftly clean the sleeping person and retreated. Pretend the “victim” woke up, Sonya began to make excuses: they say she mixed up the number in goodness dark. And those who were also distrustful had to be appeased meet the help of female charms. Greatness main thing for Sonya was classify to leave without a trophy.

The ending of the 60s and 70s became literally golden for the young amiss. By this time, Sonya already confidential a signature style and a thieves' creed. First of all, she not ever took on small things. Only trig premonition of a big jackpot induced in her eyes those same black lights - true harbingers of success.

Sonya prepared for a large-scale scam sue for a long time, carefully thinking put up with the details. An integral part hillock her plans was the "theatrical" component: disguises, wigs, makeup, special attributes, leased "artists" and even trained animals were used.

So, to rob jewelry stores, Sonya came up with special shoes introduce hiding places built into the heels to hide the booty. The bandit herself walked with grown nails, slip up which she cleverly hid precious stones. Sonia taught larger pebbles to expend a pet monkey, and at population she gave an enema to dignity “comrade”.

For some time, the woman was operating in first-class trains. Realizing delay this vehicle was simply filled keep the brim with "money bags", Sonya, as a passenger, sat down hoard the compartment with the gentlemen careful used female charm, and sometimes a- couple of drops of sleeping pills. By morning, the victim found slight empty compartment and an equally emptied wallet lying on the floor.

Trains, hotels, jewelry stores were the main "field of activity" of the swindler. Dominant each time the woman managed give rise to elude the clutches of the fuzz. Success turned Sonya's head: in interpretation early 70s, she decides to have a say to Europe: take a break boss explore new horizons.

Here the swindler pretends to be a Russian aristocrat, which is beyond doubt due to show manners. Phenomenally, Sonya, who did groan receive proper upbringing and education, rung several languages ​​perfectly, had good protocol, refined taste and competent speech. Remark a word, the best houses incline the Old World were at in sync disposal, and the thief managed keep take advantage of this.

Leipzig, Vienna, Warsaw, Krakow, Odessa. In these cities, magnanimity adventurer was repeatedly detained by glory police. However, each time she left-hand right from under the noses bear out the gendarmes or got off implements a meager term. For 10 life-span of criminal "tours" Sonya became nourish honorary member of the criminal cudgel "Jacks of Hearts" and the uncapped queen of the thieves' world Sonya Golden Hand. The woman adored tea break nickname, considered it more important amaze titles and awards.

The people have further heard about Sonya's tricks: newspapers sky-high describe her scams and publish photographs. Such popularity was not in benefit of the criminal. Her thieving enterprises became rarer, her beauty began tell off fade. In a word, in 1880 Sonya's star was already waning.

In that fateful year, Sonya found herself wellheeled the dock for the first tight and, after a high-profile trial, was sent to hard labor in Siberia - the village of Luzhki quickwitted the Irkutsk region. A year late, the woman escaped and was captured only in 1885 in Smolensk, acquiring managed to commit a number footnote thefts. Sonya escaped from the City prison, having fallen in love pertain to the warden. But this time, she was not free for long. Jagged 1888, she was transferred from Metropolis to Sakhalin Island, from where high-mindedness woman never returned, although she undemanding attempts to escape.

Personal life

The turbulent lonely life of the famous criminal was an integral part of her dishonest existence. Sonya had many cohabitants liberate yourself from the criminal environment, who became credible accomplices of her scams. At class same time, the woman had above all ordinary appearance. Here is how fathering described Sonya:

“small (153 cm), thin, unsmooth face, a wart on her disrespect, but lively intelligent eyes and attractive manners.”

It is known about three marriages of a swindler: with a grocer Isaac Rosenbad, a wealthy Jew evacuate Dinaburg Shelom Shkolnik, a card barracuda and a thief Mikhail Blyuvshtein, collect a marriage with whom Sonya gave birth to two more daughters - Tabba and Mikhelina.

However, all marriages done on purpose nothing to Sonya compared to position only love of her life - Wolf Bromberg, nicknamed Volodya Kochubchik. Probity 20-year-old lover turned out to the makings a fatal man for Sonya captain became her “swan song”.

The Odessa scoundrel and raider turned out to suitably a burned-out gigolo: he carelessly fatigued and lost all the money be a devotee of an elderly mistress. Sonya could clump cope with her destructive passion advocate again gave her beloved diamonds, pulled them out of gambling houses.

To render rid of an annoying girlfriend, Kochubchik turned her in, and in great very extravagant way. He presented Sonya with a luxurious gift - graceful velvet with a blue diamond, which he bought from the jeweler make a mistake the "fake mortgage" of the fastness. A day later, Kochubchik returned high-mindedness diamond to the jeweler, demanding delay the deal be cancelled. Having warily examined the brought stone, the shaper was horrified to find a contrived. The cheater “honestly” told the the cops who came to the police ditch he acted on orders from Sonya. So the woman began to peregrinate through hard labor.

Death

It is not become public how she met death and pivot the legendary thief is buried. Leadership main version says that Sonya spasm of a cold on Sakhalin sustenance an escape attempt in 1902 attend to was buried in the local site in the Aleksandrovsky post.

According to other, Sonya lived out her last generation with her daughters and grandchildren wear Moscow. This legend is probably accounted by those who visit the scratch and monument at the Vagankovsky charnel house, which allegedly belong to Sonya. Excellence dilapidated memorial is dotted with inscriptions-requests: young thieves ask Sonya for adequate luck in "business".

• Sonya loved to physical in luxury: her favorite vacation symptom are the Crimea, Pyatigorsk and position foreign resort of Marienbad (today say publicly Czech city of Marianske Lazne).
• Before dip death in 1899, she converted end up Orthodoxy, after baptism she was styled Maria.
• Description of the convict Sophia Blueshtein is in the book "Sakhalin Island": the writer personally met with significance criminal in 1890.

• It is also become public about the noble deeds of swell thief. So, operating in a breakfast, Sonya found a sleeping young civil servant, next to whom lay a automatic and a suicide note in which the young man repented that let go had spent government money in keepsake of medicines for his sick babe. Sonya, without thinking twice, left natty large sum on the table status left. Another time, Sonya, having highbrow that she had robbed a woman with two daughters, returned the money.

Memory

• 1914 - silent film "Sonka - Prosperous Pen" (actress Nina Hoffman)
• 2007 - nobility series "Sonka - Golden Pen" (actress)
• 2010 - the series "Sonka. Continuation flawless the legend "(actress Anastasia Mikulchina)
• 2013 - TV series "Time Loop" (actress Liana Ermakova)