In another sign of the deep split, the once-packed family reunions that Vladimir Tolstoy used to organise every two years at Leo Tolstoy's Yasnaya Polyana estate are now ancient history.

The Behrs family had three daughters who were close acquaintances of Tolstoy. Though the family wanted him to marry the eldest, Liza, Tolstoy was more attracted to the middle daughter Sofia.

“My mother’s family is Swedish ... managing director of Crossword Bookstores. Leo Tolstoy and other renowned authors such as Anton Chekhov and Alexander Pushkin have maintained their stature ...