' 25.03.2000. I many time the girl was on cemeteries with parents in Harbin. There all was in another way. The cemetery was not such cold, as at us here. There there was a greens and warm people with soul... Has overlooked to write - for my surprise and unexpectedness when I was in Sydney, Lord Ilarion saw my memorable book, it has approved her and has blessed its release. I congratulate on coming day of St.. Easter! '

A picture of 33-rd year:
Sisters Masha and Lida
Upskie on a tomb of the brother.
After two years Lida
Has left for the USSR - more
No data on it are present.

It is impossible to read these letters of the Russian woman deserted by destiny to far Australia without excitement. She between times writes about native: about son Jure, helped to impose on a computer the book of memory; about 77-years mum whom all is more difficult to stand in church on long services; that for the first time in a life it was necessary to it to bakee easter cakes by Easter - earlier mum was engaged in it. Writes, how before it celebrated Christmas. ' If we want to look a snow in the winter it is necessary to go far in mountains that it to see '.

She has shared and doubts. Once there has come to it the letter from Russia from one woman. ' She for the first time has seen mogilku father when has received from me a photograph. From Harbin she has left home in 1954, and its father has died in Harbin in 1955. In the letter writes, that has cried couple of days. I do not know, whether well I do, collecting my memorable book. Much I open to people their wounds and the last memoirs. But as throw out papiny a film I could not. With mogilkami already once have severely acted and have leveled from with the ground '.

And here absolutely recent letter: ' 14.02.2001. Days have again departed quickly. I again had to fly to Sydney - owing to my finished long-awaited book. In Sydney have tried to collect last harbintsev down to archbishop, Lord Ilariona, in Russian club. Was unexpected to meet such warm meeting, a huge bouquet of colors which should be carried with honour back by the plane to Melbourne... Soon at you the zimushka-winter will end, and there will come charming spring. Birdies for pleasure start singing also trees will type a life in leaves. And I from a window shall look, how we berezka loses the leaves... At us in fact autumn '.A the letter Tatyana Vitalevna has enclosed a picture of the house in Melbourne: under his windows near to accurately cut strange bushes has grown huge, roofs, a branchy Russian birch are higher.

' All life of people living in Harbin, has been impregnated tserkovnostju, - Tatyana Vitalevna recollects. - Numerous temples have been overflown, built new... ' It is surprising: in ' the big Russia ' with might and main there are persecutions on Church, and here, at a corner of Through and Water streets, harbintsy build a wonderful temple. In 32-nd year it was consecrated in the name of Sofia, with Knowledges Bozhiej. His arrival had the charitable establishment ' Sofia prihodskoe a funeral bureau ' due to which bezrodnyh or deprived died buried adequately, with observance of orthodox customs.
Long time the prior of this temple was prot. John Storozhev. In a picture it is embodied with suprugoj before acceptance of a dignity. The priest became in 1912, having surprised many: in fact Storozhev was then well-known in Urals Mountains vysokooplachivaevym the lawyer. But the path of his wordly defender has disappointed. In 27-th year one harbinskaja the grammar-school girl has written to day of his funeral in the composition: ' It was inspired orator, propovednik uchenja the Christ: it znal Nikolay Imperator, ubiennyj enemies of the Cross... ' It is known, that before execution of Imperial Family about. John served for it last liturgy.
     The spouse about. John, m. Maria, - in the past the talented artist, the pianist accompanying Shalyapin, - also is buried on Uspenskom a cemetery in 41-st year.

Ours in China

- Leonid Pavlovich, - has asked I Markizova when it has gone to us to edition, - all the same is not clear, what for Chinese needed to destroy Russian cemeteries? It seems, in the East always validly concerned to died. And here such izuverstvo...

- In Japan, yes, there is a cult of ancestors. In China differently. I think, it from us goes, we have learned them. In 70th years, I remember, there was I in Vladivostok and have gone on an old city cemetery where there should be ancestors by my mum. So, present, him enter it is impossible - all was over with a tall weeds, completely deserted place. It we such. In Georgia you will come on a cemetery - chistenko, as in Aleksandro-Neva laurels. And at us on the same place can bury ten times. Such here the Soviet attitude to deceased.

Now we abuse Mao Tsze Donne, Chinese 'cultural revolution', hunvejbinov. And for some reason we forget, what in fact we him have brought this ideology, that we are responsible for it. In the USSR destroyed temples, on country churchyards filled with asphalt arranged dance pavilions - for that to us to wait from Chinese, if such?

Certainly, in China not at once it began. I shall result an example with one tomb. In 20-th year in Harbin the well-known general Kappel, the nearest associate Kolchaka has been buried...

... In russko-turkish war Kappel was ordinartsem at Skobelev and already then showed unprecedented bravery. And during civil made simply miracles: with group of volunteers destroyed five times surpassing groups red. Captured, Russian, it did not shoot, and liberated unarmed. Because of his glory and victories Trotsky has declared even, that ' revolution in danger '. But during tragical Ice campaign Kappel was lost, his body from Chita have transported to Harbin (in a picture on the right). His tomb I well remember - a cross with a thorny wreath. Such background.

There comes 1945. The Soviet armies enter into China. Also what? On a tomb of ' the knight of white dream ' there come 'red' soldiers, marshals Meretskov, Malinovsky, Vasilevsky and remove before it caps, speak: ' Kappel - here where it '. So was, to it testify harbintsy. To anybody and to a head has not come to demolish this monument. But in 55-th year there has arrived here any employee of the Soviet consulate and has ordered: 'To clean'. Chinese have broken a monument, the rests his any time rolled under a fencing. And soon, learned, Chinese have demolished also all Russian cemetery.

Is was during Soviet time...

- And you think, we have learned something for last 10 years? Still recently at us discussed: whether it is necessary to equip cemeteries German the soldier on our ground, in fact they aggressors were, enemies. Well, enemies, what from it? Dead men it is necessary to respect all, differently what we cultural people?

I remember, in the summer of 1938 after termination Harbinskogo of polytechnical institute I have gone to have a rest to Yellow sea to city Distant (Dalian). Just at this time there were fights at lake Hasan, and there has come a message, that we have crushed there Japanese. Has gathered us much, Russian young men and girls, and there was an idea: all together to visit the memorable places of Port Arthur connected to the russko-Japanese war of 1904-1905. We have sat down on a suburbain train, and here already there.

I shall remind, all Manchuria together with Harbin and Port Arthur was then under the Japanese sovereignty. But anybody from Japanese did not interfere with us. On the contrary. We look, at station sell the Japanese cards, and on them... Stages of heroism Russian at defense of Port Arthur. In Russian fortress on a place of destruction of general Kondratenko there is an obelisk with a respectful inscription on - japonski. On a cemetery - well-groomed tombs of 18873 victims here Russian the soldier, orthodox church. It appears, Japanese pay the salary both to our priest, and the personnel of a cemetery. In the same place two orthodox chapels - one of them is constructed by Japanese. We come into a museum: the first hall - military glory of Russia, a picture of the Poltava battle, the Borodino fight, defense of Sevastopol and so on. The second hall is devoted to defense of Port Arthur. Among exhibits an overcoat of admiral Makarova, a helmet of artist Vereschagin. Japanese have lifted from a bottom exhausting a battleship on which they were lost, bodies with honour have buried, and personal things - in a museum. So, respecting the opponent, Japanese have ennobled also the victory. Though it is known, that the victory has got to them not absolutely deservedly. The fortress still could defend, Kondratenko would not hand over her. And general Stessel has handed over, then it for it judged a court-martial.

- Before Nikolay's canonization II opponents accused of her Reign, that it has conceived this war. A pier, what for to us any Port Arthur?

- As it what for?! This unique was Russian nonfreezing port.

- So in fact on Black sea we had ports.

One of last God
Courses on Uspenskom a cemetery.
In the foreground - about. Grigory,
The Chinese. Has died in Harbin in 2000
To year. Behind him about. Foty,
Also the Chinese. Has died in Beijing.
Now radical
Orthodox priests in
China did not remain.

- they under the control of Turkey, it is necessary to Turks to block a passage Bosporus, and need for these ports at once disappears. Not casually Russia, trying to take hold of a key to Black sea, an output to Mediterranean sea, was at war with Turks so much. How many forces have been spent. And on the Far East all was solved peacefully. Chinese have given us to long-term rent and Port Arthur, and territory around of the railway which connected this port to Chita and freezing port Vladivostok. To Chinese it was more favourable, than, for example, feedback of Hong Kong to Englishmen: we built road through all Manchuria, gave work in huge territory, enriched edge. In turn, with an output to Port Arthur all Russian Far East economically developed. His capital also became constructed Russian Harbin - junction KVZHD. It was our state territory and when Japanese have attacked, it was necessary to protect her.

Formally this ground until now belongs to Russia, in fact the imperial government has concluded the contract for the term of till 2003...

Leonid Pavlovich has told about a life in Harbin during a time of his youth. Surprisingly! Imagine, that in imperial Russia there was no revolution, any shocks - naturally she continued to live and freely to develop after 17-th year down to... 60. Harbin with his churches, grammar schools, institutes, newspapers, magazines, football and hockey commands, etc. was such. This experience of Russian life till now is not demanded yet.

 

One of few Russian,
The rest in Harbin, -
Michael Mihajlovich Mjatov.
It frequently came on the empty cemetery
And all it bypassed.
When got tired, had always a rest at it miracle of the kept monument...
* * *
     And here, in steppes behind city, Russian have allocated a plot of land under a new country churchyard.

 

Has written down M.SIZOV
Photo V.A.MIROSHNICHENKO and N.N.ZAIKI