Swiss Colony Shabo (Shabag): The Way to Economic Success

Abstract

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.