Véra Nabokov

Véra Nabokov (; ; 5 January 1902 – 7 April 1991) was a Russian literary editor, translator, and typist. She was married to the Russian writer Vladimir Nabokov and was instrumental to his career as a creative partner and a source of inspiration for many of his works.

Early life and immigration Born Vera Yevseyevna Slonim in Saint Petersburg into a Jewish family, the second of three daughters born to Slava Borisovna (née Feigin) and Yevsey Lazarevich Slonim. Yevsey was a lawyer, and successful in the tile and timber businesses, among others. With the turmoil of World War I and the Russian Revolution, the family moved to Moscow, and after fleeing through Kiev , Odessa, Istanbul, and Sofia, arrived in Berlin, where they joined the large Russian émigré population. and Véra worked in the office. Vladimir Nabokov, who was considering translating Dostoevsky into English, met Véra's father at the office and they played chess. At the time, he was using the pen name "Vladimir Sirin" . During his lectures, she would sit at stage right while he spoke from a lectern at stage left. She was his inspiration, editor, and first reader; all his works are dedicated to her. Lolita was saved by her from the flames more than once.

Return to Europe and death

Upon the couple's return to Europe in 1960, she resided with her husband at the Montreux Palace Hotel where she continued to manage his affairs, and after his death in 1977, his estate. Upon his death, Vladimir had requested his final work, The Original of Laura, be burned, but neither Véra nor Dmitri could bring themselves to destroy the manuscript, and eventually it was published in 2009. In her late 80s, she translated Pale Fire into Russian.

She stayed at the Palace until 1990, and died the following year at Vevey. She was buried alongside her husband at the cemetery in Clarens. Dmitri, who died in 2012, is also buried there.