Many have probably at least briefly seen the Soviet film "The Hussar Ballad," 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 remarkable and tragic. From childhood, Nadezhda was immersed in the military romance 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, passing herself off as a young volunteer. She chose the Uhlan regiment because light cavalry did not require wearing a beard, unlike 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 Geysberg. Soon, rumors of the hussar maiden reached Alexander I. Durova was summoned to St. Petersburg, where she was received by the emperor. Admiring her desire to serve her homeland, the sovereign personally awarded her the soldier's Order of St. George for saving an injured officer and promoted her to cornet. Durova continued to serve in the Uhlan regiment disguised as a man. Ultimately, she traveled from Borodino to Germany and retired at her father's request in 1816. Interestingly, although she married and had children, she never felt like a woman and wore men's clothing for the rest of her life.