We are continuing our series of interviews with the participants of the Third Assembly of the Russian World, which is devoted this year to the idea of reconciliation. Perhaps first of all the issue is one of restoring unity, albeit symbolic, between the current residents of Russia and the descendants of the first wave of Russian emigration. Right now these descendants are a relatively small but tight-knit community linked by a network of Russian Orthodox parishes and emigre organizations, many of which have been active for decades. Alexander Trubetskoy is one of the prominent representatives of this particular branch of the Russian world. He heads the Association in Memory of the Imperial Guard, which was established in France in the 1920s by guard officers. He is also a member of the movement “For Local Orthodoxy in Western Europe” (OLTR).
– As it appears from Russia, the first wave of Russian emigration in Europe is now a world that has almost disappeared and dissolved into the local culture, represented by only a handful of enthusiasts. You do not have such feelings?
– Of course, much of that wave of emigration has dissolved because there is no longer the mass of people who established the schools, clubs, newspapers, Russian parishes, various other Russian organizations, etc., but these organizations still exist. For example, when Vladimir Putin arrived in Paris last year, I arranged for him to meet with representatives of thirty Russian organizations, all of which came from that first wave of emigration. The membership levels in these organizations are small, but each of them is still living and doing something. On the guardsmen holiday, which is held by the Association in Memory of the Imperial Guard, about 150 people gather in Paris, which for us is good. There are organizations that have stronger numbers: the Noble Assembly and the St. Petersburg Club (an association for descendants of St. Petersburg residents). These also hold meetings. And then there are the many Russian Orthodox parishes in France, as well as the Russian Orthodox seminary that has finally opened. Russian emigration, I would say, has planted the seed, and the fruit is the influence of the Russian language, Russian culture and the establishment of a local Russian Orthodox Church.
– How can we see the influence of the Russian language?
– In the fact that it’s being taught. Paris has the Institute of Slavic Languages where, naturally Russian is the primary language. Descendants of Russian emigres teach there.
– How did the descendants of the first wave of emigration in France react to the reunification between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia?
– In various ways. Some have been waiting for this for a long time, while others were skeptical. Some of those who were initially skeptical, however, have begun to realize that this is a good undertaking. For example, on November 26 we are organizing a roundtable on the topic of the reunification where we’ve invited two bishops - Archbishop Mark of Berlin and All Germany from the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia and Archbishop Innokenty of Korsun (who heads the Russian Orthodox parishes in France - Editor’s note).
– In an interview published on our site, Archbishop Mark said that, in his view, the assimilation of Russians in Europe, despite the mass numbers coming during the 1990s, is something that is inescapable. It’s something that will take place after a generation or two. Do you agree with this view? Can we say the same thing about the first wave of emigration, or was that a special situation?
– Of course we have room for two cultures, and the fact that we live in the West and have studied here has a huge influence on our worldview. Nevertheless, there are organizations that exist like mine, for example, which bring together the grandchildren and great grandchildren of the original organizers. There is a very interesting phenomenon whereby families in which Russian has been lost have children and grandchildren beginning to feel attracted to Russian culture. They start learning the language themselves. So, in a way, it’s a return of sorts.
– With these young people that you’re talking about, is there a desire, perhaps, to come to Russia to study?
– They travel and even end up staying there. There are those who don’t go back to France. I know several such cases. It’s difficult for them to explain why they stay. Something drew them there, they liked it, and now they want to do something here - find some kind of work connected with Russia. Some of them are able to make this happen.
– In the 1990s, a huge reassessment of our national history took place in Russia, especially when it comes to the Soviet period. It’s not a coincidence that now there are frequent calls for reconciliation - this is one of the main tasks of today’s Assembly of the Russian World. Is it possible to talk about a change in views among the descendants of that old wave of emigration, particularly with respect to October 1917 and the ensuing Civil War?
– On the whole, of course, our views are quite conservative. In my speech to the Assembly, I said that “While not forgetting the past, we need to look to the future.” And we won’t forget the past.
We can’t say that everything was bad in the Soviet Union or, on the contrary, that everything was good. The Soviet system, after all, promoted the loss of national identity. True, this attempt failed in the end, and when the Soviet Union fell apart, national ideas, national spirituality and culture underwent a revival. On the whole, my feelings about the Soviet Union are quite negative. In the early 20th century, economists were saying that Russia should be the leading economic power after another twenty years. The Civil War brought a lot of sacrifices. Had there not been a revolution, Russia would have been among the victorious countries and perhaps there wouldn’t have been fascism. Twentieth century history might have turned out much, much differently.
– Is there an awareness among emigres that a part of the responsibility for what happened lies with them, or, more precisely, with their parents and grandparents, insofar as a socialist revolution took place because for many people life in old Russia was unjust?
– Of course there is. There were shortcomings in the Russian order, although these negative aspects are too often over-exaggerated. If you look at the social order in France, Germany and not to mention Italy - all of Europe was in roughly the same situation. There were outside forces that wanted Russia to fall apart and not be counted among the victors.
– But how do you reach any consensus when, to simplify things, the majority of those living in Russia are the descendants of the Reds, and those living in the West are the descendants of the White emigres?
– The movement to meet halfway is already taking place. At one time we were enemies who had nothing to say to one another.
