The author explores the history, formation and successful development of the only French-speaking foreign colony on the territory of the Russian Empire in the first half of the nineteenth century, established by the Swiss from the canton of Vaud near Ackerman and Odessa. While there is considerable historiography on the history of the Shabo (Shabagh) colony, this study, based on documents from the Russian State Historical Archive (RGIA) that are being introduced into the academic circuit for the first time, demonstrates concrete examples of interaction between the Russian authorities and the colonists. Founded in 1822, the Swiss colony had managed to establish effective self-government and become a successful wine-making enterprise in the south of the Russian Empire by the mid-nineteenth century. It was made possible by the support given to the colonists by Russian authorities at all levels. Louis-Vencent Tardent's project is an excellent example of such support, as it received approval despite the fact that it was submitted after the introduction of a new ban on the resettlement of foreign colonists. The authorities made an exception due to the intervention of influential Swiss, namely Louis de Saloz, a physician, and Frédéric-César de La Harpe, Alexander I's tutor. The author shows convincingly that during the reign of Nicholas I, as in the preceding period, the Russian government cooperated with the colonists, helping them to solve everyday problems while taking into account the interests of the local population. These favourable conditions contributed to the progressive economic growth of Shabo, which by the mid-nineteenth century had become a thriving community.
The article reviews decisions of the city government regarding foreigners: consideration of petitions to be ascribed to burgers or merchants (of those who had already taken citizenship of the Russian Empire); evaluation of urban real estate; collection of taxes. The study is based on documents of the fond of the Smolensk City Duma from the State Archive of the Smolensk Region. Despite some losses (materials prior 1812 are not preserved in the fond), the archival documents highlight various issues of provincial city life. The author gives instances of the former prisoners of 1812 war or the so-called “immigrants from abroad” (those who had taken citizenship of the Russian Empire) being ascribed to Smolensk burgers. The law exempted former prisoners of war from all burger taxes and duties for 10 years and “immigrants from abroad” for 6 years. Materials of the Smolensk City Duma name foreigners among Smolensk artisans and merchants, doctors and pharmacists of gubernia level. They had property in the city and paid taxes. Some were well respected and were elected to city Duma or administration. Documents of the archival fond allow the researcher to learn family circumstances that influenced the fates of foreigners living in Smolensk in the first half of the 19th century. The number of foreigners in the provincial city was insignificant and tended to decrease. However, the author points out that statistics included only those who retained citizenship of their native country, not taking into account foreigners who accepted Russian citizenship. Documents of the Smolensk City Duma show that they were quite numerous. However, presence of foreign-born individuals in the daily life of the gubernia city became commonplace.
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