How Russians live in Tunisia. Diaspora history. Residence permit for spouses

At the end of December, the sorceress fate (yes, to whom the villainess, and to whom the sorceress :)) threw me to Tunisia, to a town called Bizerte. No, for the first time she threw me to Tunisia in the summer of 2010 and to a slightly different place, but there I met my, as it turned out, future husband (then it was impossible to believe it), and after that everything was a foregone conclusion.

I have been living in Tunisia for almost 2 months, but there are already things that I love and dislike. Perhaps this is only a period of acclimatization, and in a year everything will change, but so far the situation is as follows:

1. Three things I like about Tunisia

A huge amount of hair oil, which costs just a penny with our Russian money. I remember that I had an epic with the search for almond oil for hair - I had read everything about it and I wildly wanted to try. I scoured pharmacies for 2 weeks - the result is the same everywhere: in the database, not in stock. As a result, I still found a bottle (200 grams, I don't remember exactly) for 120 rubles. Here, in all not just shops - in shops it stands in rows: almond, peach, avocado, grape, and I'm not talking about olive. With our money - 20 rubles. Have my hair spa at home every day!
- French. Whatever one may say, it will be simpler than Arabic, and at school I studied it for 4 years. Therefore, there is a hope that I will nevertheless quickly speak with the natives. If only Arabic was in use here (speech in Arabic, signs in Arabic, and so on), I would have had a hard time.
- Weather. Well, this is with reservations and not every day. Now, for example, in Bizerte there is cold weather and rain and snow, although I hoped that I would not see snow for a long time. It didn’t come true. But as soon as the sun comes out, you immediately forget that it's winter on the calendar. Yes, not May, yes, only 15 degrees, but if you wrap yourself in a blanket, you can sit perfectly on the terrace with a cup of coffee and a laptop. And very soon the mountain-a-a-azdo will become warmer :).

2. Three things I don't like about Tunisia

- "Inshallah". Yes, there is such an unpleasant thing. In our opinion, it can be translated as "God willing." All inshallah. All tomorrow and with God's help. Well, they didn’t make the Internet today, well, the light ran out, well, they didn’t find gas - tomorrow, inshallah. That is, because of this "tomorrowinshall" people in some places are not too worried. It would be possible to turn around and be in time today, but why, if, inshallah, everything will be tomorrow.
- Riding without rules. Here I want to make a reservation right away: Tunisia, despite its modest size, is very, very different. In Bizerte, where I live, the rules of the road are very tense. That is, they are, and everyone knows them, but no one observes. I remember when I was staying with my then-future husband, I went exclusively clutching the door handle. Now it's calmer, but from time to time I still close my eyes and press myself into the seat. He is driving along the oncoming lane and feels very confident. And the funniest thing is that people who are driving along their lane silently give way to him, as if it should be. And every time I think: well, how will I get behind the wheel, and I will come across such a meeting ...
- Food on the streets. If they told me in Russia that I would eat lasagna and pasta every day, I would not believe my happiness. But in fact, it turned out that everything is not at all so rosy, and the pasta begins to climb back after 3 days. Alas, there is no such gastronomic variety as in any of our most shabby cafes. No salads, no ten kinds of chops ... Rolls with cheese and pasta with meat. I haven't eaten so many buns in my entire previous life.

3. Three things from home that I miss
(I will only talk about what I cannot find here, because there are things that I simply could not take from home for objective reasons, but here I just did not have time to buy)

Nori for rolls. Spinning rolls at home is easier than steaming turnips, and I have everything for that except nori seaweed. And them in Tunisia, as it turned out, in the afternoon with fire. Like Japanese restaurants, in principle. So for now, I’ll ask my friend to buy 10 packs and send them on an occasion, and then ... well, maybe they’ll bring them all the same. The funny thing is that I found rice for rolls, although any rice can be used. But nori ... eh.
- Good shopping centers. I was tempted by sales (in Tunisia, February is the month of nationwide discounts), but the trouble is that there is nothing to buy at all. Of course, I had not seen everything yet, but according to my husband's assurances, they took me to a "very good shopping center", in which I never managed to find anything worthwhile. If this is very good, then what will happen next.
- Plastic teapot. Here I have such a quirk. Here ceramic and metal - the former are all deliberately boring and dreary, the latter ... that's all I don't like. I want a simple pot-bellied - a glass ball with a plastic lid and a plastic bottom, and inside - a plastic mesh. Again, in Rush, their carriage in each shop is 2 rubles a bucket. Here I have already been tortured to explain what I need. I showed it to my husband in the picture - he said he had never seen such. Here ... also ordered. Damn, it's a pity you can't order a good shopping center :).

In late autumn 1920, when the resistance of the Volunteer Army in southern Russia was broken, tens of thousands of people boarded 132 ships of the Black Sea Fleet and sailed from Sevastopol, Kerch, Feodosia and Yalta. The commander was Vice Admiral Mikhail Aleksandrovich Kedrov. The battleship George the Victorious became the flagship of the squadron. According to some reports, the ships took on board up to 140 thousand people. However, unlike those who fled from Novorossiysk, there was more certainty in the lives of these people. The fact is that Tunisia in those years was under the protectorate of France, so the evacuation was planned in advance and agreed with the French government.

Evacuation from Crimea

Before the squadron left the Crimean ports, Commander-in-Chief Pyotr Nikolayevich Wrangel issued an order containing such life-affirming words: “Glorious Black Sea Fleet! After three years of valiant struggle, the Russian army and navy are forced to leave their native land. ... The fleet leaves for Bizerte - the northern coast of Africa ... Russian soldiers and sailors, who fought together for the happiness of the Motherland, are temporarily separated. Seeing you off, eagles of the Russian fleet, I send you my heartfelt greetings. I firmly believe that the red fog that has covered our Motherland will dissipate, and the Lord will grant us to serve even Mother Russia ... ”.

"The red fog that has covered our homeland will dissipate" - Wrangel

At the port of Bizerte, General Henri Philippe Pétain greeted the arrivals on behalf of the French government. Local residents were skeptical about such an influx of refugees from the distant northern country. This is evidenced by press reports. Thus, the newspaper French Tunis at the end of 1920 wrote: “With what naivete [the French] government threw out billions of francs, supplying [Russian] generals and their so-called counter-revolutionary troops with everything they needed, and these generals and these troops practically did not resist anywhere red armies ".

Tunisians were skeptical of refugees from Russia

At first, the fleet was a real support for emigrants: in medical, educational and spiritual terms. There was a church on "George the Victorious". A school was also organized here, in which about 60 children studied, and a Marine Corps. During its existence, the corps had five issues. Students and graduates were maintaining the ships of the squadron. The teachers were mainly naval officers who had a fairly high level of education.

The squadron also had its own periodical, Morskoy Sbornik, which was published in a printing house that also had seamen. As for medicine, then, as in Egypt, the services of Russian doctors were in demand not only among the emigrants themselves, but also among local residents. Medics worked in the military infirmary in Karuba and in the hospital organized by the Red Cross in the Rumi camp.

Command of the squadron on the submarine "Seal" in the port of Bizerte in 1921

However, the team of the fleet gradually eroded: people left inland. The All-Slavic calendar, published in Prague in 1926, spoke of several dozen Russian settlements in Tunisia. Here the settlers acquired a subsidiary farm: they were mainly engaged in poultry farming. A resident of one of these villages left an idyllic description of the surroundings: “Under the slope of the mountain ... Russian dialect, Russian song. There is the village "Sfayatskaya". A dozen white huts with tiled roofs. Fat geese wander around the yards, ducks splash at the trough, colorful chickens drive yellow chickens, golden roosters with a red beard call out the clock in the sun. " It is hard to say what explains this, but the Russians also very quickly occupied the niche of surveying and topography, working for French farmers. Few educated and energetic Russian emigrants managed to move to France, Belgium and Czechoslovakia.

Several dozen Russian settlements were formed in Tunisia

At the end of 1924, France recognized the USSR, and the Soviet authorities demanded that the squadron be returned to its homeland. A Commission was established to prepare for the return of ships to the Black Sea. Soon, a group of Soviet specialists arrived in Bizerte, headed by the famous shipbuilder A. N. Krylov and the USSR naval attaché in Great Britain, E. A. Behrens (brother of M. A. Behrens, commander of the Russian squadron in Bizerte since 1921). After the inspection and accounting, a list of ships was drawn up that were to return to the USSR. But because of the international scandal that arose, France did not fulfill the agreement on the fleet in full: some ships, including St. George the Victorious, remained to rot in the port of Bizerte.

For 10 years, almost the entire squadron was sold for scrap. The last sold vessel of the Russian squadron was the General Alekseev dreadnought, the guns of which, by the way, still managed to serve on the coastal fortifications of France in World War II.

The flagship of the Russian squadron, the battleship George the Victorious, which never returned to its homeland, turned into a heap of scrap metal in the port of Bizerte

The guns of "General Alekseev" served on the fortifications of France

After the descent of the Andreevsky flag from the squadron, the fate of the Russian Bizertites took shape in different ways. So, warrant officer Ivan Dmitrievich Bogdanov, being a driver in Paris, tried to remain loyal to the Russian fleet, heading the Association of midshipmen, cadets and hunters of the fleet. Vice-Admiral Mikhail Aleksandrovich Kedrov was the head of the Naval Union and taught at the Higher Technical Institute in Paris. Admiral Alexei Mikhailovich Gerasimov remained in Tunisia and took the initiative to build a monument to the Russian squadron in Bizerte.

It was under the command of Vice Admiral Mikhail Aleksandrovich Kedrov that the squadron got from Crimea to Tunisia

For many years Anastasia Aleksandrovna Shirinskaya-Manstein, a woman with a unique destiny, was the elder of the Russian community in Tunisia. Arriving in Bizerte at the age of 8, she devoted her whole life to preserving the memory of the Russian squadron and its sailors. For 70 years, Shirinskaya-Manstein lived with a Nansen passport, and only in 1997 the Russian president granted her citizenship.

Church and cemetery remind of white emigration in Tunisia

“I was waiting for Russian citizenship. The Soviet did not want it. Then I waited for the passport to be with a double-headed eagle - the embassy offered with the coat of arms of the International, I waited with an eagle. I am such a stubborn old woman, ”she said. In 2009, at the 98th year of her life, Anastasia Aleksandrovna Shirinskaya died.

Anastasia Shirinskaya: “I was waiting for Russian citizenship. Soviet did not want "

Today, a church built in 1937-1938 in Bizerte in memory of the Russian squadron, which is still in place, reminds of the Russian emigration. It is located at: Eglise Russe, rue d'Espagne prolongee, Bizerte, Tunisie, N-Afrique. There is an interesting testimony from tourists that on the streets of Bizerte they met soldiers singing a Russian song. It turned out that once this detachment was commanded by a former tsarist officer, it was he who taught them the drill song. In addition, there is a Christian cemetery with more than 400 graves of our compatriots. And although the crosses on many graves are askew, the memory of that part of the Russian nation is alive.

The Orthodox Church in memory of the Russian squadron in the center of Bizerte stands out sharply from the surrounding architecture

No wonder they say that people learn from mistakes. Ideally, of course, to observe such errors from the outside, but this happens, unfortunately, very rarely. Not so long ago, I also failed to avoid the "rake", which, by the way, were very professionally disguised under the golden sand of foreign beaches, warm (and not so) sea and once-friendly Tunisians.

I want to immediately make a small note: in no case do I impose my opinion on you, dear readers, everyone has the right to independently decide how and where to rest, therefore, if your idea of \u200b\u200bthe problem I described below, let's say, does not coincide with mine, please respectfully and, if possible, with understanding to treat the stated. I am sharing my observations with all of you absolutely sincerely and as openly as possible.

As many already know, for most of May I was not only online, but also in Russia. My family really wanted to spend a long-awaited vacation at sea in a country that, to be honest, in 2014 made a positive impression on me too - in the Republic of Tunisia. But before proceeding directly to the story about “what the Tunisians have there”, I would like to say a few words about the flight itself.

I flew by Rossiya Airlines for the first time and, I must admit, was pleasantly surprised by the excellent condition of the plane itself: 10 points out of 10 for the external and internal “world” of the aircraft. But this is so, say, a small "lyrical digression", because further, after landing, the vacation gradually ceased to be as wonderful as all the vacationers were waiting for with me.

It all started with the fact that in the hotel the whole family was “marked” with blue bracelets, but no one immediately attached any importance to this. Only a few days later it dawned on us that ONLY RUSSIANS were awarded with such "hotel souvenirs". Someone might say that this whole story smacks of paranoia, if not for a few "but":

1. The Tunisians did it on purpose, it was thought that for general convenience, but no - only for their own. Noticing such a blue bracelet, absolutely all the staff began to treat you in a boorish way, showing no respect. We could stand in the queue for water for a huge amount of time, while "our" staff served out of the accumulated queue of, of course, Russians. They considered “theirs” those who had pink and yellow bracelets - Europeans. No, no, under the conditions of, let's say, the hotel itself, such tourists did not have any privileges (officially!). But in fact, as it turned out, there were. Perhaps a trifle, but the sediment remains.

True, at the end of the vacation, it was decided to break the system - my family and I turned our bracelets upside down and even tried to speak a language other than Russian. But the accent can not be put anywhere, and everyone in the hotel has already remembered everyone - only the merchants on the streets who were in a real panic were able to deceive, not knowing how to contact us and in what language.

2. The way the local animators allowed themselves to behave with Russian tourists does not fit into any gate. They looked at the girls as if they were pieces of meat, was it possible to pick up the children that were resting with their parents in the hotel, they did not ask - they just took it and did it, only after another scandal, which the mothers immediately arranged, apologized and seemed to understand of this kind cannot be encouraged in any way. There was one very annoying animator who, I beg your pardon for such details, talked with incredible pride and a certain grandeur about his "nighttime love affairs". Interesting? No. Moreover, it is unpleasant to the point of madness. To understand that we no longer intend to listen to all this, he refused, so his company had to simply be avoided in the future.

In general, there were many nuances of this kind, it makes no sense to describe them all, because the idea is clear and understandable. It is also unpleasant that the guides who accompanied us from the airport to the hotel tried to convince the whole bus that Tunisians are friendly people, affable, loving Russians. During all the time of this "transportation" the lady-attendant repeated several times that Russia and Tunisia are almost fraternal countries. Hmm, perhaps there is something in this, but rather we should not be called brothers, but simply economic or political partners, nothing more.

The day of departure became a real holiday for me and the whole family - I really wanted to go home. When it came to planning the next vacation, everyone agreed that there was no way out of Russia.

What? The sea is warm everywhere, the beaches are sandy everywhere, the sun, roughly speaking, is the same everywhere. And it is much more pleasant to feel the home environment than the eternal tension hanging in the air and catching the hungry glances of those very "brothers". And, you know, you really had to make this mistake in order to make sure once again that "visiting is good, but at home it's better."

No, there was never any doubt about it, but it was necessary to see all this with my own eyes, to feel it on my own skin. So thank you Tunisian Republic, but there won't be a third time. Of course, I do not exclude the possibility that someday something in the minds of Tunisians will "click", that there will be fundamental changes in tourism ... but ... it is hard to believe in this, of course, given that the Russians will continue to be relax on the beaches of Tunisia (maybe not in such quantities, but still). They come back, so everything suits them. But taking into account the current state of Tunisian tourism, at least the locals themselves should make them think - a huge number of hotels are empty, and, moreover, not the first year. It is strange, of course, that the existing hotels do not grab hold of vacationers, do not strive to do everything, if not “excellent”, then at least “good”.

But for Russia, I think this is a wonderful opportunity to reorient its citizens to domestic tourism. The Tunisian Republic is, if you think more globally, just an example of how people abroad treat Russian tourists. Of course, I'm not talking about the fact that such behavior is ubiquitous, let's say, but there really is something to think about.

Ilya Azovsky

Bizerte is the northernmost city not only in Tunisia, but throughout Africa. This is felt, first of all, in the landscape, which changes dramatically outside the car window.

If you go to Bizerte from the capital of Tunisia - the city of the same name - to the north, then stunted olive trees and modest palms will soon replace cypresses.

All I knew about Bizerte before arriving was that it was a city that grew out of a small seaport on the shores of the Mediterranean. It attracts with its history, intertwined with the events of the early 20th century in Russia.

Then the Russian sailors, being in the port of Bizerte, in 1918, having learned that a revolution had taken place in Russia, chose not to return to the country with the Bolshevik regime, but settled on the shores of Tunisia. However, historians will better tell about this aspect. I, a simple tourist, was amazed at the atmosphere of modern Bizerte. The first impression is of a quiet - either dormant or frozen city. But having felt it, you understand that this calmness is not at all an indicator of some dying city, but a manifestation of the intelligence of the Muslim-Arab Bizerta.

There are a lot of educational institutions in our understanding - both schools and colleges. Young people are very open and friendly. A picture unusual for the eye of a Russian tourist: happy, cheerful and sober young people overwhelm the streets of the city. By the way, unlike many Islamic cities, girls and boys study at school at the same desk.

On the other hand, in Bizerte, the restraint, if not the severity of the morals of its inhabitants, is striking. Perhaps, in no other city of Tunisia (and I have visited about six of them) you will not meet so many women dressed in burqa. Men are not smiling. But this is not negativity or anger, but the same Maghreb national character. You can check your attitude towards yourself in the old tourist way. If passers-by smile in response to your discreet smile, then the hospitality is normal. If, in response to a smile, the face of the locals remains stone, a walk in this area can end with a shitty adventure.

Of all the districts of Tunisia, I was interested in Bizerte - the city where Russian sailors settled almost a hundred years ago. Finding it is not easy. It should be understood that in Tunisia, which is a former French colony, English is almost not spoken. There are more "silvuple" and "merci" here.

But now I manage to meet a local resident who speaks English. It turned out Ali is a former sailor. However, for a long time he could not understand which part of the city we want to get to. As a result, it turned out that the locals consider the "Russian city" not to be the Bizerte district at all, but a separate city.

The difficulty of translation was in particular the pronunciation of ordinary English words by the inhabitants of the Maghreb: for example, they pronounce the word "chech" (church) as "joj". Accordingly, the name of the Russian part of Bizerte sounds like "Joj-town". But in the end we understood each other ...

We follow the sailor. Bustling streets of an Islamic city, signs in Arabic rarely diluted with French letters, numerous majestic mosques with a crescent moon with slender minarets ... And Ali points to a modest house in white tones behind the fence. What is it?

It turned out to be the same historical school where the children of Russian sailors once studied. And after another block, we saw a tiny and very touching church. And in the middle of the Arab city there is an inscription in Russian - my heart ached a little: "The Moscow Patriarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church ...", "Built in 1937-1939" ...

The Church of Alexander Nevsky, founded by Russian sailors, was presented somehow differently. If I were asked to describe her appearance in one word, I would say: looks courteous. Yes exactly. Without pathos, pomp, lordly ...

This can be explained in different ways. It can be assumed that the Russian sailors were untenable to rebuild a catchy church, traditional in Orthodoxy. One can speculate over the fashionable word nowadays - political correctness. But fact is fact: the Orthodox Church quietly coexists in the center of the Islamic world.

I remember how a few years ago in Arkhangelsk the local population resented the construction of a mosque. How many screams / screams there were. They say that the image of the city's morality will suffer, and there will be no peace from the song of the muezzin ... But the Arabs are not embarrassed by the ringing of the bells of the Orthodox Church. A completely different world, completely different people!

Having already returned from Bizerte, I met with the professor of the Pomor State University, historian Vladislav Goldin. We talked, and it turned out that the topic of Russian emigration in Tunisia was also not alien to him. A word about Bizerte - to the doctor of historical sciences Vladislav Goldin.
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Goldin V.I., Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor of NArFU,
honored Scientist of the Russian Federation
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For many years studying the history of the Russian Diaspora and, first of all, the Russian military emigration and having published 7 books on this topic, I remember very well and more than once wrote that the French naval base in Bizerte became the last anchorage of the ships of the Black Sea Fleet (squadron), which left refugees on board, including with servicemen of the Russian army of General P.N. Wrangel, from the Crimea in November 1920. This was already the second drama of the Black Sea Fleet in the history of the Civil War in Russia. Recall that in June 1918, in accordance with the directive of the Soviet government, 12 ships of this fleet, which were at the disposal of Soviet Russia, were destroyed (so as not to transfer to Germany).

For three November days in 1920, in accordance with the order of the commander-in-chief of the Russian Army, General P.N. Wrangel, about the evacuation of Crimea, about 150 thousand refugees, including more than 100 thousand military ranks, left it on 126 ships. Among the ships that left were 66 pennants of the Black Sea Fleet (18 combat ships, 26 transport ships and 22 small ships). All ships (except for the Zhivoi, whose crew decided to return to Russia) embarked in mid-November at Mod's raid in Constantinople. In the context of the unfolding demobilization, the Black Sea Fleet on November 21, 1921, by order of Wrangel, was reorganized into the Black Sea Squadron. Vice-Admiral M.A.Kedrov was appointed its commander.

According to the agreement between the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army Wrangel and the High Commissioner of France in the South of Russia, Martel, all Crimean refugees entered under the patronage of France, and in return she took Russian tonnage as collateral. A promise was made that the Russian warships would be handed over to the future legitimate Russian government, which would be recognized by France.

On December 1, 1920, the French government decided to send a Russian squadron to the Tunisian port of Bizerte / Bizerte. Why exactly here? The fact is that Tunisia was at that time under the French protectorate, and the French, wanting to get the Russian squadron, were afraid at the same time to send so many ships and warships with people on board directly to France, especially since at that time it was still difficult process of settling relations after the First World War. The Black Sea squadron was redeployed to Bizerte in two stages: the first four divisions arrived in Tunisia at the end of December, and the rest in January-February. So 33 ships of the squadron and 5,800 Russian refugees on board, including cadets of the Marine Corps, ended up in Bizerte in February 1921. On behalf of the government of France, the Russian squadron was met here by Marshal AF Petain, the commander-in-chief of the country's armed forces.

Note that, having received Russian ships and state property, France soon refused to provide support to Russian refugees from the Crimea, referring to the fact that the funds had been exhausted, and they were moved from Turkey, where they initially settled, mainly in the Balkan countries.

The historian N. N. Knorring, who arrived in Bizerte on December 21, 1921 on the first Russian ship - the packet boat “Grand Duke Constantine”, later recalled this: “Early in the morning we arrived in Bizerte. Passed through a channel that connects a large inland lake with the sea. On the right, a palm alley unfolded in front of the beach. Low, thick, dense palms are planted like in tubs and appear to be artificial. Train station with a tower in the Moorish style. In the distance there are barracks, also oriental in appearance. A clean, picturesque town was unfolding before us. ... Every city, every locality on earth has its own smell, its own difference that hangs in the air. It rushed towards us, along with the white cloaks of Arabs in red fez with huge tassels, the red shesha of workers with bronze bare feet, the shouts of donkeys and the ringing of the bells of cab drivers. Together with curiosity, the question arose: what will happen to us? "

Russian emigrants were greeted with caution in Tunisia. On December 23, 1920, one of the largest metropolitan newspapers in Tunisia, "Tunisie Francaise", published an article entitled "The Russians of Wrangel in Bizerte." It stated that the inhabitants of the city did not feel any enthusiasm at the sight of the Russian fleet in the roadstead. “We do not know who these people are. Among them, perhaps, there are elements that are especially dangerous in that they are able to provoke clashes with our troops ... ”- stated, in particular, in the article. “We recommend that all traders in Bizerte treat Russians with caution - with what currency are they going to pay for their purchases?

We ought to send them straight from here to Algeria. It is a pity that Tunisia does not have a strong enough voice to declare its unwillingness to be the country on which this unexpected trouble fell. "

Meanwhile, upon arrival, bright yellow flags flew over the ships of the squadron: they, along with the military and civilians on board, were quarantined, which lasted about a month. At this time, some of the people who arrived in Tunisia expressed a desire to return to their homeland, and as a result, the Grand Duke Constantine packet boat delivered them to Soviet Russia.

At the same time, preparations for camps for Russian refugees began. 7 such points were established, including in Bizerte, Tunisia and Monastir. About 1,000 people were housed in refugee camps. The wounded sailors (about 500 people) were sent to a French naval hospital. The families of the squadron members and the Naval Cadet Corps were accommodated in special camps, where training sessions soon began.

Naval officers and sailors (with their family members) remained on the ships of the squadron, which were gradually transferred to a state of long-term storage, and personnel reduction began. Already in 1921, more than 3 thousand people left for France, who arrived with the squadron from the Crimea. In early 1922, the sale of the ships of the squadron to France began to support the existence of her and their crews. In 1924, the French government authorized all Russian refugees in Tunisia to travel free of charge towards France. In 1924, no more than 700 Russians remained in Tunisia. In 1925, the Marine Corps was liquidated.

On October 28, 1924, diplomatic relations were established between France and the USSR, which posed a fundamentally new question about the squadron in Bizerte, the fate of its ships and their crews. The former chief of staff of the Russian squadron in Bizerte, Rear Admiral A. I. Tikhmenev, recalled: “In distant Bizerte, in North Africa, where the remnants of the Russian Imperial Fleet found shelter, not only the sailors, but all the Russian people, heart shook when at 17 hours 25 minutes. On October 29, 1924, the last command was heard: "To the Flag and Guys", and one minute later - "To lower the Flag and Guys." The flags with the image of the cross of St. Andrew the First-Called, the symbol of the Navy, no - the symbol of the past, almost 250-year-old glory and greatness of Russia, were quietly lowered.

In December 1924, a Soviet-French commission arrived in Tunisia to inspect the ships and resolve the issue of them. At this time, about half of the squadron remained in Bizerte. On the Soviet side, the delegation was headed by Academician A. N. Krylov and Naval Attaché in Great Britain and France E. A. Behrens. And here we are faced with the personal drama of close relatives, separated by the Russian Civil War. The fact is that if one of the leaders of the Soviet part of the delegation was the already mentioned Yevgeny Andreevich Berens, who in 1917, being a captain of the 1st rank, took Soviet power and from November 1917 to April 1919 headed the Naval General Staff, and from April 1919 to February In 1920, he was the commander of the naval forces of the Soviet Republic, then the commander of the Bizerte squadron at that time was his younger brother - counter-admiral Mikhail Andreevich Berens, who had gone through the Civil War in the White forces. To avoid meeting with his older brother, the latter left Bizerte for another city at this time.

In the meantime, in the course of negotiations on the fate of the Russian warships, an agreement was initially reached here on the transfer of them to the Soviet Union. But later on, there were difficulties of a political, military and economic nature. As a result, France refused to transfer the ships to the USSR, and they continued to be in Bizerte.

The position of the Russian citizens who stayed here was extremely difficult. By order of the French authorities, a prerequisite for the employment of Russians was the adoption of French citizenship. Those who did not do this, since October 1924, moved to the position of stateless persons (stateless persons), which deprived them of civil rights and social guarantees, and they were forced to subsist on odd jobs. The Russians who remained in Tunisia for the most part settled in Bizerte and in the capital of the country - the city of Tunisia. The Russians in Bizerte first settled in the Little Sicily quarter alongside the Italians and Maltese. In 1937, a Russian Orthodox Church was built in this city at the expense of emigrants.

Anastasia Manstein-Shirinskaya got to Bizerte as an eight-year-old girl and lived here all her life. She worked as a mathematics teacher, but she always retained her love for her homeland. Everything in her house - furniture, objects, books - was Russian. She became the last representative of the post-revolutionary Russian emigration in Tunisia, her chronicler and spiritual leader of the modern Russian emigre colony here. Anastasia Alexandrovna died two years ago, leaving a fond memory of herself. According to our Tunisian guide, one of her students - today's mayor of Paris - recalled that it was she who instilled in him a love for Russia and a deep respect for Russian history and culture.

As for the ships of the Russian squadron in Bizerte, their fate turned out to be sad. They stood here for about 6 years, and then they began to be sold, mostly for scrap. In 1930, the cruiser General Kornilov was sent to the French port of Brest and turned into a pile of metal, and in 1934 the last of the large ships, the battleship General Alekseev (formerly Emperor Alexander III), was sold. This event ended the tragic epic of the Russian Black Sea squadron in Tunisia.

Note, by the way, that according to some information, the icebreaker "Kozma Minin" ended its existence in Bizerte, aboard which the northern government and the headquarters of the Northern Front headed by General E.K. Miller left Arkhangelsk on February 19, 1920, as well as civilian refugees ... The vessel was subsequently acquired by the French from the British, rebuilt into a battleship and sunk at Bizerte in 1943.

There is considerable literature on the Russian emigration in Bizerte. The last detailed study of the Russian naval post-revolutionary emigration was the work of the Moscow historian N. A. Kuznetsov "Russian fleet in a foreign land", published in the capital in 2009. Currently, preparations are underway to create a special museum in Bizerte dedicated to the life and work of the Russian emigration here.

Life in Tunisia is very versatile. Our compatriots come here to relax, study, work and just live. Pleasant climate, favorable economic environment, promising development prospects. However, radical changes can only be made by those who are at least a little familiar with Arab traditions. Despite the fact that Tunisia is the most secular country of the entire Maghreb, it is not very easy for non-Muslim guests there at first.

Fortress in Tunisia on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea

A small but actively developing country, it is attracting more and more Russians. They look at it no longer as an affordable and abundant resort, but as a second home. Life in Tunisia is very comfortable for our compatriots.

Despite the fact that 99% of the population is Muslim, adaptation takes place quite quickly. Whether it is obtaining citizenship upon marriage, or running your own business in this country. The main thing is respect for local culture.

Tunisia tourist

The tourist areas of Tunisia differ significantly from the real non-guest areas. On the territory of hotels, souvenir quarters, sandy beaches, vacationers have a special attitude. Tourism is the second most important source of replenishment of the state budget, therefore, every vacationer is dear here.
The Arab hospitality is also affected.

They love all tourists, and especially Russians. Maybe it's the generosity of tips, maybe in relation to many things to which the same Europeans are more exacting and careful. On a special account are Russian women.

However, Tunisia is a more civilized country in comparison with such promoted resorts as or, therefore, apart from increased attention and mute adoration, there is nothing to be afraid of. Obsessive courtship and unambiguous compliments of a man can only be done if the lady herself does not mind.

Tunisia ordinary

The situation is somewhat different in the non-tourist zone. Even those who come here on vacation are constantly reminded that this is an Islamic state, and hence all the features of behavior. Women need to be more selective about their wardrobe, and men need to be careful with cigarettes and alcohol.

Away from the central cities and hotel areas, Muslim conservatism becomes more noticeable. Despite the fact that Tunisia is the most liberated Arab country, the pressure of age-old traditions is still felt here.

And if, despite the strangeness and wariness that shines behind the welcoming and friendly smiles, you still decide to leave to live in Tunisia, you can become a part of this people and immerse yourself in the traditions of Islam, as they say, with your head.

Visa-free visit to Tunisia

Since December 2014, amendments to Tunisian legislation have come into force, which allow Russians to have a rest on the territory of the republic without any paperwork. That is, you do not need a visa to cross the border. However, the purpose of the visit is tourism, and the period cannot exceed 3 months.

For a longer stay in the country, as well as engaging in any activity that does not fall under the definition of rest, in 2019 you need to apply for a visa.

Russians can do this in advance at the consular section of the Tunisian embassy, \u200b\u200bwhich is located in Moscow.

View and location of the Tunisian Embassy in Moscow

What to do in Tunisia

It all depends on the level of your security and long-term plans for life. In this country you can:

• relax;
• study;
• doing business;
• investing;
• work;
• spend all the time with your family.

It is important to determine your place in the sun of this country in advance, since the ways of obtaining a residence permit, permanent residence and Tunisian citizenship depend on this issue.

The permit for a long-term stay in the country is closely connected in this country with the registration of a residence permit. Long-term visas in the consular departments of the Tunisian Embassy are very reluctant to issue, while staff personally determine the dates of entry into and exit from the country based on the justifications you provide.

If this time is not enough, then the visa can be extended once.The maximum renewal period cannot exceed the validity period of the visa itself. That is, if you have an entry document that is valid for 3 months, the maximum you can count on is another 90 days of being in the country. After this time, it is necessary to definitely obtain a residence permit.

It looks like a visa to Tunisia

Types of migration programs

The popularity and prosperity of Tunisia have been somewhat shaken, but they have resisted, and now they are again approaching pre-revolutionary indicators. The country's authorities are trying to do everything possible to quickly restore the economy, tourism services and the position in the world market. That is why they need qualified foreign specialists, as well as capital investments from outside.

Hence the lucrative offers for immigrants. To move to Tunisia for permanent residence, you must meet a number of minimum formal requirements.

Residence permit for investors

You can automatically obtain a residence permit when buying real estate in this country. An apartment, an apartment, a house, a villa - it can be almost any structure in terms of scale. The acquired property can be used for any purpose: you can live here yourself, rent it out or stay here during your vacation.

What you definitely can't do is buy land. The plot attached to the house will be assigned to you by a long-term lease agreement. But you cannot possess agricultural lands under any pretext. This is prohibited by law.

villa in Tunisia

To obtain a residence permit, you can invest not only in your own real estate, but also in the domestic economy of the country as a whole. This can be support for a local public or private project, investment in a ready-made and operating business, and other various options. Moreover, in order to obtain a residence permit under this program, it is not necessary to apply for a business visa.

You can enter the country using the visa-free regime for tourists, spy on real estate, make a deal and immediately submit documents to the Ministry of Internal Affairs office at the place of registration of your purchase for a residence permit.

Residence permit for businessmen

It is very comfortable to develop your own business in Tunisia, perhaps, the conditions are even better than in Russia. Less corrupt system, more transparent schemes of work, very loyal tax programs.

To all this, the government additionally provides support to entrepreneurs who are going to operate in the following niches:

Also, special support will be provided to those who are going to represent Tunisia and its interests in foreign markets.
All bonuses can be supplemented with a small start-up capital, as well as minimal red tape when registering a company. True, the term will still slightly increase if the owner of the business is only a foreign person or his participation in the project is more than half of the company's assets.

The current business support program will allow everyone who opens their business in Tunisia to automatically receive a residence permit for themselves and 4 more of their partners who do not reside permanently in the country.

Residence permit for specialists

There is work for foreigners in Tunisia. But the problem is that not every visitor of the required qualifications knows, apart from English, French and Arabic. Namely, the last two are the most popular in the country. But if the language barrier is not a problem for you, then you can get a very decent position and salary.

Especially appreciated:

Hotel staff, animators and guides are especially needed. However, there is also a demand for specialists from other fields. The level of wages is comparable to the Russian non-capital income.

The average salary in terms of our money is equal to 25-27 thousand rubles. Good specialists receive up to 40 thousand.

At the same time, the standard of living for Russians in Tunisia is much higher than at home. Food prices are mostly lower than in Moscow, for some items the difference is two to three times.

Officially employed foreigners are immediately issued a residence permit. To get it, you need to provide a copy of the employment contract. It is also not necessary to obtain a special visa to find a job and complete the necessary documents. All these procedures can be completed within 3 months of a visa-free visit to the country. And right in Tunisia, submit a package of documents for obtaining a residence permit.

Residence permit for spouses

This is the fastest way to apply for a residence permit and then obtain Tunisian citizenship. However, such a scheme is available only for our compatriots. If the marriage is between a Russian and a citizen of Tunisia, then completely different norms of the law will apply - more stringent.

There are no special restrictions for marriage with foreign girls. In order to make a wedding in Tunisia and register here, you need to collect a package of necessary documents at home.

Often, official institutions may require only a minimum of documents from this list to be provided. The simplification of the procedure depends, among other things, on the position of the future spouse in society. And also personal connections.

When registering a relationship, the procedure for issuing new documents is somewhat different from that generally accepted in Russia. In particular, the spouse's maiden name will be indicated in the marriage certificate, that is, the one that is registered in the birth certificate. The surname, which was changed as a result of previous marriages, is not used.

Also, our women may find their own status unusual even in documents. Here Muslim traditions and patriarchy are reflected. The spouses in the marriage certificate are not indicated as equal participants in the process - husband and wife. And there are property ties: full name - the wife of such and such a husband's full name.

After the official registration of the relationship, a woman can apply for permanent residence in order to be able to live with her husband.

Informative video about Tunisia.