Our Compatriots

20 12, 2024

Émile Verhaeren and Russian Literature: Vladimir Ronin’s Lecture at the Russian House in Brussels

2025-01-21T11:59:51+01:00December 20th, 2024|Categories: History & Memory, History Club, Library, Meet Russia, Our Compatriots, With Russian Roots|Tags: , , , , , , , , |

On December 15, 2024, the Russian House in Brussels hosted a lecture by Professor Vladimir Ronin titled "Émile Verhaeren and the Russians: Que reste-t-il de nos amours?" The event attracted a diverse audience, including literature enthusiasts, students, and members of the Russian-speaking community in Belgium.Professor Ronin, a renowned expert in Franco-Russian literary relations, explored the profound impact of Belgian poet Émile Verhaeren on Russian literature. He discussed how Verhaeren's symbolist works resonated with Russian poets such as Alexander Blok and Valery Bryusov, influencing their creative paths.The lecture also highlighted the reciprocal nature of this cultural exchange, noting how Russian literature left [...]

20 12, 2024

“From Russia with Love: From Yasnaya Polyana to the Hermitage” — A Triumph of Music and Art in Brussels

2024-12-20T12:45:50+01:00December 20th, 2024|Categories: Exhibitions, History & Memory, Russian House News, With Russian Roots|Tags: , , , |

On December 12, the Russian House in Brussels hosted an evening that combined classical music and visual arts, leaving unforgettable impressions on the audience. The final highlight of the event was a musical program performed by the soloists of the State Academic Capella Orchestra of St. Petersburg — Ilya Chirskov (piano) and Evgenia Klevtsova (violin). The event was not only a celebration of music but also the grand closing of the exhibition “Landscapes of Yasnaya Polyana in the World of Leo Tolstoy.” The audience was particularly captivated by the unique musical pieces. As a special gift, Ilya Chirskov performed a [...]

17 12, 2024

At the Russian House Cinema Club in Brussels was presented a docu-drama about Peter the Great

2024-12-17T10:44:39+01:00December 17th, 2024|Categories: Cinema Club, History & Memory, Russian House News, With Russian Roots|

The Russian House Cinema Club in Brussels hosted a premiere screening dedicated to National Unity Day. Belgian viewers had the opportunity to watch "Peter I: The Last Tsar and the First Emperor," a docu-drama directed by Andrei Kravchuk, about one of Russia's most prominent rulers — Peter the Great, the first Emperor of Russia. The screening attracted both history enthusiasts and those interested in Russian cultural heritage. The figure of Peter I, along with the era of his rise and reign, continues to captivate minds around the world. The filmmakers recreated the most significant events from Peter the Great’s life [...]

29 11, 2024

Premiere Screening of the Film “A Russian Youth” at the Russian House Cinema Club in Brussels

2024-12-02T10:47:47+01:00November 29th, 2024|Categories: Cinema Club, History & Memory, Russian House News, With Russian Roots|Tags: , , |

On November 27, the Russian House Cinema Club in Brussels hosted the premiere screening of Alexander Zolotukhin’s debut film "A Russian Youth" — a poignant motion picture that immersed viewers in the tragic events of World War I. The film tells the story of a simple Russian boy who, driven by youthful dreams of glory, heads to the frontlines. His path changes dramatically when he loses his sight in his very first battle. The protagonist remains in service in a new role — a listener, tasked with detecting enemy aircraft through massive metal funnels. Sergei Rachmaninoff’s music seamlessly weaves into [...]

25 11, 2024

Solemn Memorial Service in Brussels in Honor of Russian Participants of World War I

2024-12-02T10:47:47+01:00November 25th, 2024|Categories: History & Memory, History Club, Our Compatriots, Russian House News, With Russian Roots|Tags: , , |

On November 23, a solemn memorial service was held at the Saint Nicholas Cathedral in Brussels to honor Russian participants of World War I. The event was attended by the Russian Ambassador to Belgium, Alexander Avrelevich Tokovinin, descendants of the "first wave" émigrés, compatriots, and staff of the Russian House in Brussels. The ceremony was part of a series of events dedicated to commemorating Russian soldiers who fell on the fronts of the Great War. The service was conducted in an atmosphere of deep respect and gratitude toward those who gave their lives for their homeland. The event was highlighted [...]

15 11, 2024

A commemorative ceremony was held at the war memorial in Brussels

2024-12-02T10:47:49+01:00November 15th, 2024|Categories: History & Memory, History Club, Meet Russia, Our Compatriots, Russian House News|Tags: , , |

On 11 November at 11:11 at the Ixelles Memorial in Brussels, a flower-laying ceremony was held at the graves of Russian and Belgian soldiers and officers who took part in the First World War. The event was organised with the support of the Russian House in Brussels and the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Belgium. Among the participants of the event were the Russian Ambassador to Belgium A.A. Tokovinin, Rector of the Gnesin Russian Academy of Music A.S. Ryzhinsky, Director of the Russian House V.G. Bunina, as well as descendants of Russian emigrants of the ‘first wave’, representatives of [...]

1 11, 2024

“With Russian Roots: Vernissage of the Exhibition “Landscapes of Yasnaya Polyana in the World of Leo Tolstoy,” and Concert of Young Talents Held at the Russian House in Brussels

2024-11-02T17:05:49+01:00November 1st, 2024|Categories: Exhibitions, History & Memory, Russian House News, With Russian Roots|Tags: , , , , |

On October 31 in Brussels, as part of the With Russian Roots project by the Russian House, an evening was dedicated to one of Russia’s most renowned families—the Tolstoy family. Attendees included members of various branches of the Tolstoy lineage living in Europe, including descendants of the writer himself: his great-grandson Dimitry Tolstoï , president of the Friends of Leo Tolstoy Society, and great-granddaughter Sonia Tolstoï, artist (France), as well as Marina Tolstoy, former president of the Foundation for the Preservation of the Russian Heritage in the European Union, and journalist Gregory Tolstoï (Belgium). According to Russian House director V. Bunina, [...]

26 09, 2024

“… With Russian Roots.” The Tchaikovskys and the von Mecks: The Legacy of Dynasties

2024-09-26T12:35:37+02:00September 26th, 2024|Categories: History & Memory, History Club, Russian House News, With Russian Roots|Tags: , , |

On September 17, the virtual platform of the Russian House in Brussels hosted an event of the project “With Russian Roots,” organized by the Russian House in Brussels and the Institute of Heritage’s project “Living Memory Heritage,” dedicated to the Tchaikovsky and von Meck dynasties. A representative of the Tchaikovsky and von Meck dynasties, collector, and founder of the von Meck Foundation, Denis Andreevich von Meck, addressed the participants. Welcome speeches were delivered by the Deputy Director for Research at the Institute of Heritage, Alexander Vasilyevich Okorokov, the Head of the Russian House in Brussels, Vera Georgievna Bunina, the Advisor [...]

23 05, 2024

With Russian Roots: The Pushkin Family in Russia and Belgium

2024-05-23T15:15:35+02:00May 23rd, 2024|Categories: History & Memory, Poushkin, Russian House News, With Russian Roots|Tags: , , |

We continue to present the history of famous Russian families in Belgium - and this time one of the most famous families in Russia, the family of Alexander Pushkin, the greatest of Russian poets. His direct descendants - the poet's great-grandson and the last bearer of the Pushkin family name Alexander Alexandrovich Pushkin and his wife Maria Alexandrovna Pushkin-Durnovo, who is also a direct descendant of Nikolai Gogol, now live in the quiet metropolitan municipality of Uccle. Those gathered at the evening in the Russian House heard a unique story of Alexander Alexandrovich and Maria Alexandrovna about their great ancestor [...]

17 05, 2024

A memorial flower laying ceremony was held at the Brussels Memorial Cemetery in Ixelles, Brussels

2024-05-17T12:48:42+02:00May 17th, 2024|Categories: History & Memory, Our Compatriots, Russian House News|Tags: |

A memorial flower laying ceremony was held at the Brussels Memorial Cemetery in Ixelles, Brussels, Belgium on May 8, 2024. There are graves of Russian participants of the resistance movement of Belgium. Among them is the grave of "Belgian Joan of Arc" Marina Alexandrovna Shafrova-Marutayeva. On December 8, 1941 Marina in the center of Brussels killed the deputy German military commandant Major Kruge and escaped. The Germans, infuriated by such audacity, took hostages and demanded that the killer surrender. Upon learning of this, Marina confessed to her husband and decided to surrender, but on the way she killed another German [...]

16 05, 2024

The Victory Dictation

2024-05-16T15:52:50+02:00May 16th, 2024|Categories: History & Memory, Library, literary blog, Literary Blogs, Meet Russia, Our Compatriots|

From April 26 to 28, 2024, the international historical event "Victory Dictation" dedicated to the events of the Great Patriotic War took place. Brief historical note. The Victory Dictation was first held on May 7, 2019, and was dedicated to the 74th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. The event took place in 24 countries, including Russia. The number of participants exceeded 150,000 people. Subsequently, it was decided to hold the Victory Dictation annually. Participants were offered 25 rather challenging questions. Some questions related to the depiction of events from 1941-1945 in literature and cinema. [...]

10 05, 2024

Laying flowers at a cemetery in Evere, Belgium.

2024-05-24T10:57:44+02:00May 10th, 2024|Categories: History & Memory, Our Compatriots|Tags: |

On May 9, Victory Day, solemn ceremonies of laying flowers at the graves of citizens who died during the Second World War were held in all corners of the world. The central event in Belgium was the laying of wreaths at the monuments of Soviet citizens who died in Belgium and participants of the Belgian Resistance The ceremony, held at the cemetery of the municipality of Evere, was attended by members of the Russian diplomatic missions, representatives of the Brussels and Belgian diocese and compatriots.

19 02, 2024

Medicine, Belgian Resistance, Russian Philology… The History of the Blankoffs in Belgium

2024-03-07T10:50:13+01:00February 19th, 2024|Categories: History & Memory, Russian House News, With Russian Roots|

On February 15, 2024 at the Russian House in Brussels, in the framework of the project "With Russian roots", an event (evening of memory) was held dedicated to the Russian-Belgian family Blankov, who made a great contribution to the Russian-speaking community in Belgium. Boris Osipovich Blankov was a famous surgeon and president of the Belgian Orthopedic Society, and before that, during World War I, a volunteer of the Russian Expeditionary Corps, fighting in the fields of Champagne. During World War II, he fought in the armed resistance fighting fascism in Belgium. He was called "the last Chekhov doctor", he treated [...]

24 11, 2023

The history of the Tolstoy and Bezobrazov families was told at an evening in the Russian House

2024-01-15T21:53:50+01:00November 24th, 2023|Categories: History & Memory, Our Compatriots, Russian House News, With Russian Roots|Tags: , |

On November 21, at the Russian House in Brussels, as part of the “With Russian Roots” program, an evening was held dedicated to the famous compatriot in Belgium, a representative of the post-revolutionary emigration - the commander of the Cavalry Guard and the Russian Imperial Guard, General Vladimir Mikhailovich Bezobrazov and his family. The evening was hosted by his granddaughter Alexandra Vladimirovna Bezobrazova and the Belgian writer and journalist Gregoire Tolstoy. They talked about the history of the noble Bezobrazov family, dating back to the 14th century, about the life path of its most famous representative - the great patriot [...]

21 11, 2023

«Russia, the coronation of the phoenix?» Paysage sonore by Dominique Kopp

2024-01-15T22:00:24+01:00November 21st, 2023|Categories: History & Memory, Innovation, Meet Russia, Our Compatriots, performance, Russian House News, With Russian Roots|

On November 10th, the Russian House in Brussels hosted a uniquely formatted event. Our guests were immersed in the ambiance of Russia through Dominique Kopp's soundscape, titled 'Russia - Coronation of the Phoenix?' In a dimly lit auditorium, attendees enjoyed a compilation of audio excerpts, music, sound bites, and recordings of speeches by key figures in Russian history. The soundscape had a profound impact on the audience, enabling them to experience the atmosphere of Russia, sense the chill of harsh winters, and relive crucial historical moments that shaped the country's destiny. After the soundscape concluded, the guests lingered for an [...]

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