The Greeks in Russia are considered one of the most ancient diasporas, since the Black Sea regions were colonized by them back in the ancient period. In the early Middle Ages, Russian lands most often came into contact with the Greek population, who settled on the southern coast of Crimea, which is under the rule of Byzantium. It was from there that Christian traditions were borrowed by the Russians. In this article we will talk about the history of the people in the Russian Federation, their numbers, and prominent representatives.
Number
The first statistical information to estimate the number of Greeks in Russia dates back to 1889. At that time, about 60 thousand representatives of this people lived in the Russian Empire. That's how many Greeks in Russia settled shortly before the fall of the empire.
In the future, their number has steadily increased. According to the 1989 census of the USSR, more than 350 thousand Greeks lived on the territory of the Soviet Union, more than 90 thousand of them remained directly in Russia.
Assessing the results of the 2002 census, it can be argued that by that time there were almost one hundred thousand representatives of this people in the Russian Federation. About 70% of them were registered in the Southern Federal District. The largest number of Greeks in Russia in the Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories is over 30 thousand people.
In 2010, during the census, only 85 thousand Greeks were recorded in Russia. The settlements in which there are most of them are still preserved. Here are how many Greeks in Russia currently live. In some settlements they make up a significant part of the total number of inhabitants. Among the places where Greeks live in Russia, the Stavropol Territory should be noted first of all. For example, the Piedmont region of the Stavropol Territory stands out, where there are more than 15% of the population, the city of Essentuki, more than 5% of Greeks live in it. Here are the most popular places where they live in the Greeks in Russia.
The appearance of the Greeks
One of the key areas of the pan-Greek colonization movement of the VIII – VI centuries. BC e. became the settlement of the Northern Black Sea coast. This process took place in several stages and in different directions. In particular, in the east and west.
As a result of large-scale colonization and resettlement of the ancient Greeks to the territory of Russia, several dozen villages and policies were founded. The largest at that time were Olbia, the Bosporus of Cimmeria, Phanagoria, Tauride, Hermonass, Nymphaeum.
Turkish Constantinople
The mass migration of the Greeks to the territory of Russia began in 1453 after the capture of Constantinople by the Turks. After that, immigrants arrived in large groups on the territory of Russia.
At that time, our country was not a particularly attractive place for immigrants, even despite a common faith. The principality of Moscow was nevertheless considered unfavorable due to economic backwardness and a poor climate. There were very few Greeks at that time; mentions of them in the annals of the 15th – 16th centuries are insignificant. Only after the marriage of Ivan III and Sophia Paleolog in 1472, the influx of Greeks increased dramatically. Mostly they moved from Italy. And basically it was the intellectual elite - monks, nobles, merchants and scientists.
A century later, in Russia, the patriarchate was proclaimed, intellectual immigration reached a fundamentally different level. It is this period in the history of the Greeks in Russia that is considered the heyday of cultural and religious ties. It was then that Mikhail Trivolis, better known as Maxim Grek, Jerome II, Arseny Elassonsky, began to play a large role in the life of the state. No less important role was played by numerous scribes, clergy, Greek teachers and artists, who determined the entire cultural development of the Grand Duchy, its orientation towards the Orthodox Church.
Association of Christian Peoples
Relations between ordinary representatives of the Russian and Greek peoples intensified at the turn of the XVII – XVIII centuries, when Peter the Great and his heirs sought to unite all the Christian peoples of the Caucasus and southeastern Europe. Then among the population of Greeks in Russia the number of sailors and soldiers increased. Especially a lot of them began to come during the time of Catherine II. Even the opportunity arose to form separate Greek units.
Giving a general characterization of the policies of Peter I and his followers, it can be noted that in relation to the Greek population, it mainly coincided with the way the authorities behaved with other Orthodox peoples. For example, they also supported the relocation of Ukrainians, Armenians, Russians themselves, Bulgarians and Greeks to the border regions. Especially in troubled regions where Muslims used to live mainly.
The purpose of this policy, which influenced the history of the Greeks in Russia, was to assert its dominance in the new territories, as well as the economic, demographic and social development of these areas. Foreigners in return received privileges and favorable conditions for economic development. For example, a similar preferential regime was established in Mariupol. Moreover, it was accompanied by the provision of a certain self-government, the ability to have their own police officers, courts, and the education system.
The policy of the Russian authorities towards the Greeks living in Russia was associated with a significant expansion of territories, starting from the reign of Peter I. Territorial acquisitions were ensured as a result of three divisions of Poland, successful Russian-Turkish wars.
In 1792, Kherson Oblast, Nikolaev, Odessa became Russian possessions. As a result of administrative reforms, the Novorossiysk province was formed. It was in the southern regions of Russia that an unprecedented program was implemented to settle new areas by foreigners who were loyal to the St. Petersburg authorities. The Greek contribution to the development of these areas mainly occurred due to resettlement in the Sea of Azov from the Crimea. The new influx of Greeks in these places was due to the tightening of the policy of the Ottoman Empire towards the Gentiles, the involuntary participation of the Greek population in supporting the uprisings against Turkey. Basically, during the clashes in the framework of the Russian-Turkish wars. This was facilitated by the positive attitude towards resettlement by Catherine II, it fit into the ideological justification of her famous "Greek project".
The situation in the XIX century
In the XIX century, the mass migration of the Greeks continues. Their presence in Transcaucasia is especially increasing after the official accession of Georgia in 1801. The invitation of the Greeks to these lands begins to appear one after another. Even the fact that the Turks, taking advantage of the temporary weakening of Russia due to the Patriotic War with the French, did not temporarily take part of these territories under their control.
An even more active outflow of Greeks from the territory of the Ottoman Empire in the 1820s was observed. Due to the liberation revolution of 1821, the attitude towards them is noticeably worsening.
The next stage is the arrival of the Christian population in Russia after the Russian army in 1828, when Turkey was defeated again. Together with the Greeks, this time the Armenians are massively resettling, which the Turks also forced into this.
In the second half of the XIX century, the resettlement of Christians from the banks of Pontus occurs with varying degrees of intensity, but almost continuously. A certain role in this was played by the newly-launched program to attract immigrants to these territories. When crossing the borders of the empire, each received five rubles lifting silver, regardless of gender and age.
Another surge in migration activity was observed in 1863, when Russian diplomats succeeded in forcing Porto to sign a decree on the free resettlement of Greeks from their original places of residence in Russia. Contributed to this conquest of the mountainous regions of the Caucasus by Russian troops and the discriminatory policies of the Turks against Christians. The highlanders of the Caucasus, who were defeated in the war with the Russian army, predominantly professed Islam, so they began to move to their co-religionists in Turkey.
The last waves of Greek immigration
The last wave of mass immigration from Turkey to Russia occurred in 1922–1923. Then the Greeks sought through Batumi to get from Trabzon to their homeland, but the civil war prevented these plans. Some families found themselves scattered in different places.
During the years of Stalin's repressions, a wave of prison sentences and arrests of the Greeks begins, which are accused of anti-government activities and treason. In total, four waves of mass persecution took place from October 1937 to February 1939. Thousands of Greeks at that time condemned as enemies of the people, and exiled to Siberia.
In the next decade, the migration of the Greeks towards Central Asia continues. From Kuban, Eastern Crimea and Kerch, they end up in Kazakhstan; at the end of World War II, Greeks are resettled from Crimea to Siberia and Uzbekistan. In 1949, Greeks of Pontic origin were exiled to Central Asia from the Caucasus. Two weeks later, the Greeks who had Soviet citizenship set off on the same route. According to various estimates, from 40 to 70 thousand people were resettled at this time.
In the same period, the last Greeks from the vicinity of Krasnodar are also resettled. According to researchers who deal with Greeks who became victims of Stalinist repressions, from 23 to 25 thousand people were arrested at this time. About 90% were shot.
Among the main reasons for the deportation of Greeks by the Soviet authorities, the Soviet historian of Greek origin Nikolaos Ioannidis calls the ruling party in Georgia adhered to nationalist views. In addition, the Soviet government suspected the Greeks of having links with spies after the defeat of the Democratic Army in Greece itself. Finally, they were considered an alien element, and the industry of Central Asia, which was developing intensively, urgently needed labor.
Forced resettlement of the Greeks during the time of Stalin's repressions was the last test for this people. Already during these persecutions, they proved to the Soviet authorities how much they were mistaken, since it was among the Greeks during the Great Patriotic War that there were especially many heroes at the front.
Ivan Varvatsi
In the history of our country there were many famous Greeks of Russia who played an important role in its formation. One of them is a Russian nobleman of Greek origin Ivan Andreevich Varvatsi. He was born in the North Aegean in 1745.
By the age of 35, he became famous as a famous pirate, behind whose head the Turkish Sultan promised a thousand piastres. In 1770, Varvatsi, like many of his fellow countrymen at that time, voluntarily joined his ship with the Russian squadron of the First Archipelago Expedition, commanded by Count Alexei Orlov. It happened during the Russian-Turkish war. The task was set for the Baltic Fleet: to go around Europe as quietly as possible, intensifying the struggle of the Balkan peoples. The goal was fulfilled to the surprise of many. The Turkish fleet was almost completely destroyed in the Chesme battle of 1770. It is with this battle that history connects the beginning of Varvatsi’s service with the Russian Empire.
After the conclusion of the peace treaty, his situation was not easy. On the one hand, he was a Turkish citizen, but at the same time he fought on the side of the Russian Empire. He decided to continue serving Russia in the Black Sea. In Astrakhan, he bases the sale and harvesting of caviar, from there he begins to regularly leave on his ship to Persia.
In 1780 he received an assignment from Prince Potemkin to go to the Persian expedition of Count Voynich. In 1789, after successfully completing another mission, he received Russian citizenship. He directs his energy and outstanding abilities to commerce, soon becoming one of the richest Greeks in Russia. At the same time, he allocates a lot of money through the patronage line.
Historians claim that at the same time he constantly maintained ties with the Greek diaspora, especially with those that settled in Taganrog and Kerch. Since 1809, he negotiated the construction of the Alexander Nevsky Church in the Greek Jerusalem Monastery, and four years later he finally moved to Taganrog.
At the end of his life, Varvatsi again went to his homeland to fight for its independence. He was a member of the secret society Filiki Eteria, whose goal was to create an independent Greek state. Its members were young Greeks who lived at that time in the Ottoman Empire, and merchants of Greek origin who moved to the Russian Empire. Varvatsi financially supports the leader of the secret society, Alexander Ipsilanti, who is raising an uprising in Iasi, which became the impetus of the Greek revolution. Varvatsi bought a large batch of weapons, which he supplied with the rebels. Together with them took part in the siege of the Modena fortress. He died in 1825 at the age of 79.
Dmitry Benardaki
Among the famous Greeks of Russia, one should also recall the industrialist and wine farmer, the gold producer and the creator of the Sormovsk plant Dmitry Benardaki. He was born in Taganrog in 1799. His father was the commander of the cruiser Phoenix, which participated in the Russian-Turkish war of 1787–1791.
Since 1819 he served in the Akhtyrsky Hussars. He became a cornet, in 1823 he was dismissed from service with the rank of lieutenant for domestic reasons. Since the late 1830s. begins to acquire the plants and factories from which it builds its empire.
In 1860, he bought shares in a machine factory in Krasnoye Sormovo. Delivers lathes, steam engines, a crane to enterprises. All this allows ten years to build the country's first open-hearth furnace for steelmaking. The Sormovsky plant also fulfills state orders: it builds military vessels for the Caspian fleet, the first iron ships.
Together with the merchant Rukavishnikov involved in the creation of the Amur company. The first to practice gold mining in the Amur region.
He does a lot of charity work. He establishes funds for the needy, takes care of minors convicted of petty crimes, and creates craft shelters and agricultural colonies.
In St. Petersburg, Benardaki built the Greek Embassy Church, which he completely took on his dependency. Benardaki helped Gogol with money, who described him in the second volume of Dead Souls under the name of the capitalist Kostanjoglo, who provides everyone with any help.
He died in Wiesbaden in 1870 at the age of 71.
Ivan Savvidi
If we talk about the modern rich Greeks of Russia, the first who comes to mind is the Russian businessman of Greek origin Ivan Ignatievich Savvidi.
He was born in the village of Santa in the Georgian SSR in 1959. He graduated from the school in the Rostov region, then served in the Soviet army. He graduated from the Faculty of Logistics of the Institute of National Economy in Rostov-on-Don. He defended his thesis in economics.
In 1980, he got a job at the Don State Factory. He began his career as a transporter. At the age of 23, he already became the foreman of the locksmith's workshop, over time he was promoted to deputy director. In 1993, he headed the Donskoy Tobacco company as general director.
In 2000, Savvidi established his own charitable foundation, which is engaged in supporting projects in the field of science, education and sports. From 2002 to 2005 was president of the football club "Rostov". But then he left the financing of Russian football. Currently, he owns a controlling stake in the Greek club PAOK. Since then, the team has won silver medals three times in the championship and twice won the Greek Cup.
Maxim Grek
By looking into the history of our country, one can discover the great Greeks of Russia. These certainly include the religious journalist Mikhail Trivolis, better known as Maxim the Greek. The ethnic Greek, who lived in the XV – XVI centuries, was canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church.
Maxim Grek was born in the village of Arta in an aristocratic family in 1470. Parents provided him with first-class education. After graduating from school on the island of Corfu, at the age of 20 he ran for local government, but lost.
After this failure, he left for Italy, studying philosophy. Closely communicated with prominent humanists of his time. The Dominican monk Girolamo Savonarola had a great influence on the hero of our article. After his execution, he went to Mount Athos, where he was tonsured a monk. Presumably this happened in 1505.
Ten years later, the Russian prince Vasily III asked me to send him a monk to translate spiritual books. The choice fell on Maxim the Greek. His first major work was the translation of the Explanatory Psalter. He was approved by the Grand Duke and the entire clergy. After this, the monk wanted to return back to Athos, but Basil III rejected his request. Then he remained to translate, creating a rich princely library.
Noticing the social injustice in his life, the Greek began to criticize the authorities. In particular, he sided with non-possessors led by Neil Sorsky, who advocated that monasteries do not own land. This made him an enemy of their Josephites. In addition, Maxim Grek and his followers criticized the lifestyle of a certain part of the clergy, the foreign and domestic policies of secular authorities, and usury in the church.
In 1525, at the Local Council, he was accused of heresy, imprisoned in a monastery. He died in 1556 in the Trinity-Sergius Monastery.