Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois Russian Cemetery
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Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois Russian Cemetery (french: Cimetière russe de Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois) is part of the ''Cimetière de Liers'' and is called the
Russian Orthodox Russian Orthodoxy (russian: Русское православие) is the body of several churches within the larger communion of Eastern Orthodox Christianity, whose liturgy is or was traditionally conducted in Church Slavonic language. Most ...
cemetery A cemetery, burial ground, gravesite or graveyard is a place where the remains of dead people are buried or otherwise interred. The word ''cemetery'' (from Greek , "sleeping place") implies that the land is specifically designated as a buri ...
, in Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois, Paris, France.


History

The ''Cimetière de Liers'' was created as the second communal cemetery on February 8, 1879 in the city of Sainte Geneviève des Bois in France, 25 km south from Paris. To house the burials of the White Russians who arrived in Moscow after the Bolshevik revolution in Russia, some of the land was granted in 1927 to an English benefactress, Dorothy Paget who had set up with Elena Orlov and her sister Princess Vera Meshchersky a still active retirement home for Russian émigrés nearby in the Château de la Cossonnerie. This part of the cemetery is since known as ''the Russian Cemetery''. In 1938–39 Albert Benois designed the
Dormition The Dormition of the Mother of God is a Great Feast of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Eastern Catholic Churches (except the East Syriac churches). It celebrates the "falling asleep" (death) of Mary the ''Theotokos'' ("Mother of ...
Church (Église de la Dormition-de-la-Mère-de-Dieu) which serves the cemetery. The church is regarded as an important historic monument and is built in the style of Novgorod Churches of the 15th and 16th century.


Future

Since the 1960s, the municipal authorities have periodically attempted to close the cemetery, claiming that the grounds are needed for public services. Part of the area surrounding the cemetery has recently been developed as housing estates. There have been reports that some of the graves will be opened and the exhumed remains cremated. The cemetery is not officially considered a landmark and has no legal protection, although the French Ministry of Culture and Communication recognises the cemetery as an important historical monument (the most important necropolis of Russian emigrants in the world) and it has an entry in the
Base Mérimée The ''Base Mérimée'' is the database of French monumental and architectural heritage, created and maintained by the French Ministry of Culture. It was created in 1978, and placed online in 1995. The database is periodically updated, and contains ...
. As its future remains precarious, several notable Russians – including
Ivan Ilyin Ivan Alexandrovich Ilyin or Il'in (Ива́н Алекса́ндрович Ильи́н, – 21 December 1954) was a Russian jurist, a dogmatic religious and political philosopher, an orator and conservative monarchist. He perceived the Febru ...
and
Ivan Shmelev Ivan Sergeyevich Shmelyov (russian: Иван Сергеевич Шмелёв, also spelled ''Shmelev'' and ''Chmelov'') ( – 24 June 1950) was a Russian writer best known for his full-blooded idyllic recreations of the pre-revolutionary past ...
– were exhumed and reburied in Moscow. The cemetery is closed to new burials. It was only after pressure from the central government that the burial of
Rudolf Nureyev Rudolf Khametovich Nureyev ( ; Tatar/ Bashkir: Рудольф Хәмит улы Нуриев; rus, Рудо́льф Хаме́тович Нуре́ев, p=rʊˈdolʲf xɐˈmʲetəvʲɪtɕ nʊˈrʲejɪf; 17 March 19386 January 1993) was a Soviet ...
was sanctioned there. His tomb is covered with a mosaic decoration to represent a traditional
kilim A kilim ( az, Kilim کیلیم; tr, Kilim; tm, Kilim; fa, گلیم ''Gilīm'') is a flat tapestry- woven carpet or rug traditionally produced in countries of the former Persian Empire, including Iran, the Balkans and the Turkic countries. Ki ...
blanket. In November 2000 Russian president
Vladimir Putin Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin; (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who holds the office of president of Russia. Putin has served continuously as president or prime minister since 1999: as prime min ...
visited the cemetery to pay homage to those buried there.


Description

Many trees have been planted to create an authentic Russian feel to the cemetery. It is estimated that there are more than 5,000 graves. There is one mausoleum.


Notable burials

It is estimated that between 10,000 and 15,000 Russian emigrants or French people of Russian origin have been buried here. Among those are *
Nobel Prize The Nobel Prizes ( ; sv, Nobelpriset ; no, Nobelprisen ) are five separate prizes that, according to Alfred Nobel's will of 1895, are awarded to "those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind." Alfr ...
winner author
Ivan Bunin Ivan Alekseyevich Bunin ( or ; rus, Ива́н Алексе́евич Бу́нин, p=ɪˈvan ɐlʲɪˈksʲejɪvʲɪtɕ ˈbunʲɪn, a=Ivan Alyeksyeyevich Bunin.ru.vorb.oga;  – 8 November 1953) was the first Russian writer awarded the ...
(with his wife) * authors including Andrei Amalrik, Gaito Gazdanov,
Zinaida Gippius Zinaida Nikolayevna Gippius (Hippius) (; – 9 September 1945) was a Russian poet, playwright, novelist, editor and religious thinker, one of the major figures in Russian symbolism. The story of her marriage to Dmitry Merezhkovsky, which laste ...
,
Dmitry Merezhkovsky Dmitry Sergeyevich Merezhkovsky ( rus, Дми́трий Серге́евич Мережко́вский, p=ˈdmʲitrʲɪj sʲɪrˈɡʲejɪvʲɪtɕ mʲɪrʲɪˈʂkofskʲɪj; – December 9, 1941) was a Russian novelist, poet, religious thinker, ...
, Viktor Nekrasov,
Aleksey Remizov Aleksey Mikhailovich Remizov (russian: Алексе́й Миха́йлович Ре́мизов; in Moscow – 26 November 1957 in Paris) was a Russian modernist writer whose creative imagination veered to the fantastic and bizarre. Apart fro ...
, Ivan Shmelyov, Nadezhda Teffi and Boris Zaytsev; * ballerina
Olga Preobrajenska Olga Iosifovna Preobrajenska (russian: О́льга Ио́сифовна Преображе́нская; born Preobrazhenskaya; – 27 December 1962) was a Russian ballerina of the Russian Imperial Ballet and a ballet instructor. Biogra ...
; * chemist Aleksei Chichibabin; * composers Nikolay Kedrov Sr. and
Nikolai Tcherepnin Nikolai Nikolayevich Tcherepnin ( Russian: Николай Николаевич Черепнин; – 26 June 1945) was a Russian composer, pianist, and conductor. He was born in Saint Petersburg and studied under Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov at ...
; * dancers
Serge Lifar Serge Lifar ( ua, Сергій Михайлович Лифар, ''Serhіy Mуkhailovуch Lуfar'') ( 15 December 1986) was a Ukrainian ballet dancer and choreographer, famous as one of the greatest male ballet dancers of the 20th century. No ...
and
Rudolf Nureyev Rudolf Khametovich Nureyev ( ; Tatar/ Bashkir: Рудольф Хәмит улы Нуриев; rus, Рудо́льф Хаме́тович Нуре́ев, p=rʊˈdolʲf xɐˈmʲetəvʲɪtɕ nʊˈrʲejɪf; 17 March 19386 January 1993) was a Soviet ...
; * journalist Anton Kartashev; * painters
Konstantin Korovin Konstantin Alekseyevich Korovin (russian: Константи́н Алексе́евич Коро́вин, first name often spelled Constantin; 11 September 1939) was a leading Russian Impressionist painter. Biography Youth and education Konstan ...
, André Lanskoy, Serge Poliakoff, Sergey Solomko,
Konstantin Somov Konstantin Andreyevich Somov (russian: Константин Андреевич Сомов; November 30, 1869 – May 6, 1939) was a Russian artist associated with the '' Mir iskusstva''. Biography Early life Konstantin Somov was born on ...
,
Mstislav Dobuzhinsky Mstislav Valerianovich Dobuzhinsky or Dobujinsky ( lt, Mstislavas Dobužinskis, August 14, 1875, Novgorod – November 20, 1957, New York City) was a Russian and Lithuanian artist noted for his cityscapes conveying the explosive growth and decay ...
and
Zinaida Serebriakova Zinaida Yevgenyevna Serebriakova (russian: Зинаида Евгеньевна Серебрякова; – 20 September 1967) was a Russian and later French painter. Family Zinaida Serebryakova was born on the estate of Neskuchnoye near Kh ...
; * philosopher
Nikolai Lossky Nikolay Onufriyevich Lossky. (; – 24 January 1965), also known as N. O. Lossky, was a Russian philosopher, representative of Russian idealism, intuitionist epistemology, personalism, libertarianism, ethics and axiology (value theory). He gave ...
; * poets
Georgy Ivanov Georgy Vladimirovich Ivanov (russian: Гео́ргий Влади́мирович Ива́нов; in Puki Estate, Seda Volost, Kovno Governorate – 26 August 1958 in Hyères, Var, France) was a leading poet and essayist of the Russian emigrati ...
and Alexander Galich; * politicians
Vladimir Kokovtsov Count Vladimir Nikolayevich Kokovtsov (russian: Влади́мир Никола́евич Коко́вцов; – 29 January 1943) was a Russian politician who served as the Prime Minister of Russia from 1911 to 1914, during the reign of Empe ...
, Georgy Lvov and Petr Struve; * sculptor
Antoine Pevsner Antoine Pevsner (12 April 1962) was a Russian-born sculptor and the older brother of Alexii Pevsner and Naum Gabo. Both Antoine and Naum are considered pioneers of twentieth-century sculpture. Biography Pevsner was born as Natan Borisovich P ...
; * filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky; * actresses Natalya Lisenko and
Odile Versois Odile Versois (born Étiennette de Poliakoff-Baydaroff; 15 June 1930 – 23 June 1980) was a French actress who appeared in 47 film and television productions between 1948 and 1980. Versois was the sister of actresses Marina Vlady, Hélène ...
; * film actors Pierre Batcheff and Ivan Mozzhukhin; * photographer
Sergey Prokudin-Gorsky Sergey Mikhaylovich Prokudin-Gorsky ( rus, Сергей Михайлович Прокудин-Горский, p=sʲɪrˈɡʲej mʲɪxəjɫəvʲɪtɕ prəkudʲin ˈɡorskʲɪj, a=ru-Prokudin-Gorskii.ogg;  – September 27, 1944) was a Ru ...
; * theologians
Vladimir Lossky Vladimir Nikolaievich Lossky (russian: Влади́мир Никола́евич Ло́сский; 1903–1958) was a Russian Eastern Orthodox theologian exiled in Paris. He emphasized '' theosis'' as the main principle of Eastern Orthodox Christi ...
and Sergius Bulgakov; * generals Afrikan P. Bogaewsky,
Abram Dragomirov Abram Mikhailovich Dragomirov (russian: Абра́м Миха́йлович Драгоми́ров, tr. ; 9 December 1955) was a General in the Imperial Russian Army. Following the Russian Revolution he joined Anton Denikin in the Volunteer Arm ...
,
Alexander Kaulbars Alexander Wilhelm Andreas Freiherr von Kaulbars (russian: Александр Васильевич Каульбарс, translit=Aleksandr Vasil'evič Kaul'bars; 25 January 1925) was a Baltic German military leader who served in the Imperial Russ ...
,
Nikolai Stogov Nikolai Nikolayevich Stogov (10 September 1873 – 7 December 1959) was a Russian general who fought in the First World War and Russian Civil War. Biography He graduated from Nicholas Cadet Corps, Konstantinovskoe Artillery School and joined the ...
,
Sergei Ulagay Sergei Ulagay (1875/1877 – April 29, 1944?) was a White Army general in the Russian Civil War of 1917–1922. He was a veteran of the Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905) and of World War I (1914–1917). He was a recipient (1917) of the Order of St. ...
,
Nikolai Pavlovich Sablin Nikolai Pavlovich Sablin (russian: Николай Павлович Саблин) (16 April 1880 – 21 August 1937) was an officer in the Imperial Russian Navy Sablin was born into a naval family in Mykolaiv. His father was Vice Admiral Pavel Sa ...
,
Nikolai Baratov Nikolai Nikolaevich Baratov (russian: Николай Николаевич Баратов) (February 1, 1865 – March 22, 1932) was an Imperial Russian Army general during World War I and the Russian Civil War. Early career Baratov was born i ...
, Vladimir A. Lekhovich, Nicholas Lokhvitsky, Viktor Taranovsky and Zinovy Peshkov; * admirals Nikolai Kolomeitsev, vice-admiral
Mikhail Alexandrovich Kedrov Mikhail Aleksandrovich Kedrov (russian: Михаи́л Алекса́ндрович Ке́дров) (13 September 1878 – 29 October 1945) was a Russian naval officer who served in the Imperial Russian Navy during the Russo-Japanese War, World W ...
, rear-admiral Dmitry Verderevsky * aristocrats
Grand Duke Andrei Vladimirovich of Russia Grand Duke Andrei Vladimirovich of Russia (russian: Андрей Владимирович; (14 May 1879 – 30 October 1956) was a son of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich of Russia, a grandson of Emperor Alexander II and a first cousin of Nichol ...
and his wife
Mathilde Kschessinska Mathilde-Marie Feliksovna Kschessinska ( pl, Matylda Maria Krzesińska, russian: Матильда Феликсовна Кшесинская; 6 December 1971; also known as Princess Romanovskaya-Krasinskaya after her marriage) was a Polish ...
,
Prince Gabriel Constantinovich of Russia Prince Gabriel Constantinovich of Russia (russian: Гавриил Константинович; 15 July 1887 – 28 February 1955) was the second son of Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich of Russia and his wife, Grand Duchess Elizabeth Mavr ...
, Prince
Felix Yusupov Prince Felix Felixovich Yusupov, Count Sumarokov-Elston (russian: Князь Фе́ликс Фе́ликсович Юсу́пов, Граф Сумаро́ков-Эльстон, Knyaz' Féliks Féliksovich Yusúpov, Graf Sumarókov-El'ston; – ...
and his wife
Princess Irina of Russia Princess Irina Alexandrovna of Russia (russian: Ирина Александровна;  – 26 February 1970) was the only daughter and eldest child of Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich of Russia and Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna of Rus ...
, Princess Vera Meshchersky. Selected others: Alexander Makinsky, Tatiana Botkina, Patrick Topaloff and
Eugene Znosko-Borovsky Eugene Znosko-Borovsky (russian: Евге́ний Алекса́ндрович Зноско-Боро́вский, Yevgeny Alexandrovich Znosko-Borovsky; 16 August 1884 – 31 December 1954) was a Russian chess player, music and drama critic, teache ...
. There are memorials for Alexander Kutepov and for Russians who died in the War effort (among whom Princess Véra "Vicky" Obolensky (1911-the–1944), member of the OCM, daughter of Apollon Apollonovich Makarov and wife of Prince Nicolas Alexandrovich Obolensky). There are military divisions (on the map indicated with CM, which is an abbreviation of ''carrés militaires'') such as for * the Alekseyev Division (a division of the
White Army The White Army (russian: Белая армия, Belaya armiya) or White Guard (russian: Бѣлая гвардія/Белая гвардия, Belaya gvardiya, label=none), also referred to as the Whites or White Guardsmen (russian: Бѣлогв ...
founded by
Mikhail Alekseyev Mikhail Vasilyevich Alekseyev (russian: Михаил Васильевич Алексеев) ( – ) was an Imperial Russian Army general during World War I and the Russian Civil War. Between 1915 and 1917 he served as Tsar Nicholas II's Chi ...
), * the Drozdovsky Division (another division of the White Army founded by
Mikhail Drozdovsky Mikhail Gordeevich Drozdovsky (russian: Михаил Гордеевич Дроздовский; October 7, 1881 – January 1, 1919) was a Russian army officer and one of the military leaders of the anti-Bolshevik White movement during the R ...
), * the Don Cossacks, * the
Cadet Corps A corps of cadets, also called cadet corps, was originally a kind of military school for boys. Initially such schools admitted only sons of the nobility or gentry, but in time many of the schools were opened also to members of other social classes ...
.


Gallery


Cemetery

Image:Иван Бунин.jpg,
Ivan Bunin Ivan Alekseyevich Bunin ( or ; rus, Ива́н Алексе́евич Бу́нин, p=ɪˈvan ɐlʲɪˈksʲejɪvʲɪtɕ ˈbunʲɪn, a=Ivan Alyeksyeyevich Bunin.ru.vorb.oga;  – 8 November 1953) was the first Russian writer awarded the ...
's grave Image:Alekseevtsy SGdB.jpg, The graves of
white émigré White Russian émigrés were Russians who emigrated from the territory of the former Russian Empire in the wake of the Russian Revolution (1917) and Russian Civil War (1917–1923), and who were in opposition to the revolutionary Bolshevik commun ...
s. Image:Tombeau de Noureev.jpg,
Rudolf Nureyev Rudolf Khametovich Nureyev ( ; Tatar/ Bashkir: Рудольф Хәмит улы Нуриев; rus, Рудо́льф Хаме́тович Нуре́ев, p=rʊˈdolʲf xɐˈmʲetəvʲɪtɕ nʊˈrʲejɪf; 17 March 19386 January 1993) was a Soviet ...
's grave Image:To cossacks .jpg, The division for the Don Cossacks Image:Drozdovtsy SGdB.JPG, The Drozdovsky Division Image:To kadets of Russia.jpg, The Cadet Corps section Image:Генералу Кутепову и его сподвижникам.jpg, Cenotaph memorial for Alexander Kutepov Image:Vladimir Putin in France 29 October-1 November 2000-21.jpg,
Vladimir Putin Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin; (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who holds the office of president of Russia. Putin has served continuously as president or prime minister since 1999: as prime min ...
in the Memorial for fallen Russians Image:Cimetière Russe en SGdB-Vue.JPG, View of the cemetery Image:Cimetière Russe en SGdB-Plan.JPG, Plan of the cemetery Image:Cimetière Russe en SGdB-Entrée.JPG, Cemetery gate Image:Cimetière de Liers-Plaquette.JPG, Sign for Cimetière de Liers


Église de la Dormition-de-la-Mère-de-Dieu

Image:Eglise notre dame de l assomption 7.jpg, View of the cemetery and church Image:Dormition Church in SGdB.JPG, The Church and gate Image:Cimetière Russe en SGdB-Piétons.JPG, Description for pedestrians


Location

The cemetery is located on Rue Léo Lagrange in Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois. There are two entrances both on Rue Léo Lagrange.


Public transport

There is a bus station (Piscine) opposite the intersection with Rue Léo Lagrange leading to the cemetery. The nearest train stations are at Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois and
Saint-Michel-sur-Orge Saint-Michel-sur-Orge (, literally ''Saint-Michel on Orge'') is a commune in the Essonne ''département'' of France. It is in the southern suburbs of Paris, from the center of Paris. Inhabitants of Saint-Michel-sur-Orge are known as ''Saint-M ...
.


Further reading

* 241 records of the 5220 graves in the cemetery, in 2 volumes / 2 languages, French: Amis de Ste Geneviève des Bois et ses environs, ''La Nécropole russe de Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois'', Vulcano Communication, Evry 2009 and translate in Russian by Anastasia de Seauve, Общество друзей истории Сент-Женевьев-де-Буа и его окрестностей, пер. с франц. Анастасия де Сов, ''Русский некрополь Сент-Женевьев-де-Буа'', Vulcano Communication, Evry 2009


References


External links

*
The cemetery at russie.net
* *
Guide to finding Andrei Tarkovsky's grave at the cemetery

Guide to finding Rudolf Nureyev's grave at the cemetery
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois Russian Cemetery Cemeteries in Île-de-France Eastern Orthodoxy in France Eastern Orthodox cemeteries White Russian emigration Buildings and structures in Essonne 1926 establishments in France Tourist attractions in Essonne Religion in Essonne Russian cemeteries Russian diaspora in France Burial sites of the House of Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov