RUSSIAN COLONY IN TUNIS. 1920 - 2000. Collection. Comp. by K. V. Makhrov, Moscow: Russian Way, 2008, 496 p., ill.

The study of the history of Russian emigration of the "first wave" in North Africa, particularly in Tunisia, has significantly advanced in the last decade. The author of the reviewed collection, Kirill Vasilyevich Makhrov, is not just a researcher, but a direct participant in the historical events described. His father V. S. Makhrov, a colonel of the General Staff and a veteran of the First World War, arrived in Bizerte with the Russian Squadron in 1920. In Tunisia, he worked in the civil service, and at the beginning of World War II, he was drafted into the French army. He died in Tunis in 1940. Kirill Vasilyevich was born in 1923, spent his childhood and youth in Tunis, became a French diplomat, worked at embassies in different countries, lives in Paris. K. V. Makhrov has quite a serious scientific experience, he is one of the authors of the bibliographic dictionary "Artists of the Russian Abroad" (St. Petersburg., 1999). The reviewed collection is on a par with such documents of the era as A. A. Shirinskaya's book " Bizerta. The Last Stand" (Moscow, 1999), documentary novels by V. Berg "The Last Midshipmen" and N. Knorring "Sfayat", published in the collection "Prisoners of Bizerte" (Moscow, 1999)., 1998) and in the Bizerta Marine Collection (Moscow, 2003).

With the aim of "saving from oblivion the names of Russians abandoned by fate on the African coast" (p.7), compiling a list of them, "memorial", K. V. Makhrov divided the collection into two parts. The first one includes articles, memoirs, documents and letters telling about the arrival of the Russian squadron in Bizerte and about the life of Russian refugees in Tunisia. The second one is actually a biographical reference book. The undoubted advantage of this form of presentation of the material is that the compiler managed to avoid general assessments and create the effect of polyphony. Many of the authors involved are not memoirists - they are those who responded to the call of a friend of youth to share their memories of the Tunisian period of life in the form of a short letter.

Already the first article of the collection (author - K. V. Makhrov) shows that the book's materials go far beyond the stated topic, are distinguished by a deep analysis of historical material, illuminate some facts in a new light, convey the emotional intensity of the era and deeply personal experiences of its heroes.

To recreate a reliable picture of the arrival of the Russian squadron in Bizerte in 1920 and the most difficult first years of life of our compatriots in Tunis, K. V. Makhrov turns to various, sometimes polar opposite sources. So, the order of Rear Admiral Behrens is adjacent to the document of the GPU, the memoirs of the squadron officers Ulyanin, Gutan, Monastyrev, the daughter of the captain of the 2nd rank G. V. Mess are supplemented by a chapter from the book of the French counter-Admiral Lepotye "Bizerte". All of them consider the disbanding of the squadron in 1924 to be the most tragic event for themselves after France recognized Soviet Russia, not only because their naval career ended and they had to start their lives anew, but also, most importantly, because "the year 1924 further alienated us from our homeland and, ultimately, forever"(p. 99).

K. V. Makhrov defines 1926 as the beginning of the formation of a Russian colony in Tunisia: Russians who have naturalized or remained with refugee status make up about a thousand people in the country this year. If at the initial stage the appearance of the Russians in the protectorate caused apprehension and a hostile reaction of public opinion (according to the memoirs of a French official in the administration of the protectorate of Cava), then after a few years the Russians, having overcome the resistance of the protectorate of Cava, were able to overcome the resistance of the protectorate of Cava.

poverty and hopelessness, proved that "Slavs are able to live and succeed in Tunisia" (p. 137)." Russians have established themselves as honestly working and far from politics"," good hard workers "(p. 131), who have" moderate demands for payment for their work " (p. 137). Due to their background, level of education and knowledge of the French language, they did not end up at the bottom of the social ladder, often occupying privileged positions of qualified personnel. This set them apart from the Russian emigrants in France, who only got the rough work of the service staff. The recollections of both members of the Russian colony of Tunis (Shadrin, Romanovsky, Kaminad) and outside observers (Kave, Vasiliev) indicate that "the Russians have settled down quite well" and "there are almost no poor people". Members of the Russian community noted that "life in Tunisia was easier than in France", and here they were "well protected" (p. 132).

A special section includes memories of "children" of the Russian colony who came to Tunisia at an early age or were born in the protectorate. According to Kave's memoirs, approximately half of the 54 children of the Russian community were already born in Tunisia. Although their adaptation was easier and faster than that of their parents, they also experienced challenges. As V. A. Messa recalls, "we were wild and closed up in our own group, our fellow students laughed at us" (p. 129). But after a couple of years, Russian students had no equal in their studies and sports. V. V. Romanovsky, who arrived there at the age of 9, calls his Tunisian childhood "The best period of his life". "Tunisia! You're my hometown... I love your people, your heat, dirt and dust, the sea, the abundance of fruits, sincerity and friendship, your amazing artisans and fishermen, the remains of distant centuries of Roman Christians...", - N. R. Shpolyansky left such a declaration of love in his memoirs (p. 225). And from the letter of O. Kaminad, you can learn that, " despite the penny earnings of my grandfather, he had a subscription every year for two seats in the theater of Tunis. We never missed an opera season " (p. 159). Makhrov recalls with pleasure the "joys of relaxing at the sea", "beautiful walks to archaeological sites", sports activities and trips across the Mediterranean to neighboring countries (p. 39).

Another significant topic of the collection is the Second World War and the Russian community of Tunis. According to the memoirs of O. Kaminad, S. V. Novikov, K. V. Makhrov, Yu. A. Anoev, the Russian emigration did not stay away from what was happening: the fathers of families were mobilized into the French army, women and children, having survived the German occupation and American bombing, experienced all the hardships of wartime. An important aspect is touched upon in the article of a modern Tunisian researcher H. Kazdagli - patriotic sentiments of the Russian community and sympathies towards the USSR and the Red Army, manifested for the first time after 20 years of alienation. In 1944, the Russian community collected donations worth 80,000 francs, which were sent to Moscow (p. 192).

Whatever the theme of the memoirs, each of the authors notes the special role that the church played in the life of the community as a whole and each of them individually. From the first day of the arrival of Russian refugees in Tunisia, they managed to organize regular Orthodox services. The construction of the Alexander Nevsky Church in Bizerte and the Church of the Resurrection of Christ in the capital is evidence of the successful entry of the Russian community into the European diaspora of Tunisia. The church has become a center that unites emigrants, supporting a sense of belonging to common roots, culture and traditions. "Russian exiles have never lost faith or hope. The efforts of the first Russians were not in vain: every Sunday in the Tunisian church there is a prayer of thanks to those who built the church at their own modest means," writes E. A. in his memoirs. Bortoli, granddaughter of the priest Father Konstantin (Mikhailovsky), who for 20 years directed the life of the Orthodox community (p. 171).

Of particular interest are a number of articles published under the heading "A look at Russians". Turning to the memories of Tunisian Frenchmen about living together in the protectorate for four decades allows you to see the life of the community in a new light. "Damn amazing Russians" struck the French with their appearance: "tall stature, very straight posture", "broad shoulders, gray eyes and blond hair" (p. 134, 182). The dignity, restraint, fortitude, generosity and hospitality of Russians, their manners, indicating nobility and aristocratic origin (especially local Europeans were embarrassed by bowing in greeting and kissing the hands of ladies), note all the French authors of the collection. "Their cultural knowledge was often superior to ours," recalls F. According to (p. 184). "Russians were distinguished by their nobility, we felt them equal to us on the social scale," writes M. Valentin, " they never were... rejection of the Russian colony by the French from Tunis" (p. 176).

The second part of the collection is a biographical directory of Russians in Tunisia, compiled by K. V. Makhrov. Such a detailed, thorough study, based on numerous and diverse sources, makes this handbook unique and unique in its kind. The main list contains 485 names: detailed articles scrupulously collect data on the background, education, professional activity, participation in the cultural and church life of each member of the Russian community of Tunis, his personal qualities and family ties. This information is supplemented by personal memoirs and newspaper notes, "perhaps breaking the unity of the reference book, but adding color to the description" (p. 229). Additional and short lists, such as those of Russians who left Tunisia in the first few years or who made donations to build an Orthodox church, help to highlight other aspects of the life of the Russian community.

The rich illustrative material used by the author - copies of refugee documents, wonderful poems about the exodus, newspaper clippings, programs of cultural events held by the Russian colony, photographs of different years-enlivens the narrative, conveys the image of that time, bringing its heroes closer to us.

Having brilliantly fulfilled the task of creating a "memorial" of Russian Tunisians, K. V. Makhrov was able not only to tell us about the phenomenon of the emigrant community, in the words of Archpriest A. Schmeman, "the past in the present", but also to express his love and great gratitude to the country that "allowed emigrants to find their place and vocation" (p. 50)..

Permanent link to this publication: