Many have probably seen the Soviet film "The Hussar Ballad" at least briefly, but not everyone knows that the main character Shurochka Azarova was entirely based on a real person, the hussar maiden Nadezhda Durova. Her fate is both astonishing and tragic. From childhood, Nadezhda Durova was immersed in the military romance of the turbulent era of the early 19th century. The adult Durova recalled: "The saddle was my first cradle; the horse, weapons, and regimental music were my first toys and amusements." Later, she joined the Lithuanian Uhlan Regiment, disguising herself as a young volunteer. She chose the Uhlan Regiment because the light cavalry did not require wearing a beard, unlike the Cossacks or sappers. Thus, Nadezhda Durova became part of one of the most elite units of the Russian Imperial Army and participated in the battles of Friedland and Geysbierg. Soon, rumors of the hussar maiden reached Alexander I. Durova was sent to St. Petersburg, where she was received by the emperor. Struck by her selfless desire to serve her country, he personally awarded her the soldier's Order of St. George for saving a wounded officer and promoted her to cornet. Durova continued to serve in the Uhlan Regiment, hiding under the guise of a man. Ultimately, Nadezhda Durova traveled from Borodino to Germany and retired at her father's request only in 1816. Interestingly, she married, had children, but never felt like a woman, wearing men's clothing for the rest of her life.