Heritage preservation in the Russian emigration in Belgium during the interwar period

The present PhD dissertation studies the preservation of Russian culture within the Russian diaspora in Belgium during the interwar period. It explores what constituted 'cultural heritage' for Russian émigrés in Belgium, what was considered worth preserving, and how this was practically achieved. The research addresses the following questions: How did the experiences of revolution, civil war, and exile influence the process of heritage preservation? What principles of heritage preservation did Russian émigrés inherit from pre-revolutionary society, and which ones did they develop themselves, or transform? What are the key elements of cultural heritage preservation within the Russian émigré community in Belgium? In order to answer these questions, the study reconstructs the micro portrait of an average Russian émigré in Belgium which allows for the recreation of various aspects of cultural and everyday life of Russian émigrés in Belgium. For this purpose, a database of the «Russkii ezhenedel'nik v Bel'gii» (Russian Weekly in Belgium, 1926-1940), which catered for the whole of the Russian colony, was created. This database facilitated the identification of major cultural trends within the Russian émigré community, key participants in cultural life, directions and forms of culture, and key principles of cultural heritage preservation. The outcome of this research is a detailed system for describing the preservation of cultural heritage, applied to the Russian emigration in Belgium and building on materials from the Russkii ezhenedel'nik v Bel'gii. The study aims to analyze the cultural activities of Russian émigrés during the interwar period through the framework of constructing a cultural heritage preservation system, as documented in the journal. For a comprehensive analysis of cultural heritage preservation initiatives in Belgium, an interdisciplinary approach is proposed: Museology Theory of object functionality. Approaches to the concept of 'cultural heritage'. Anthropology Theory of cultural shock. Acculturation theory. Adaptation strategies in a new culture. Psychology Theory of stress and post-traumatic syndrome. Strategies for stress relief. Psychology of social groups. Sociology Method of social trends (megatrends, metatrends). Theory of social groups. Diaporization. Theory of social networking. History Method of historical reconstruction. The activities of Russian émigrés, conducted under extreme historical, cultural, and social conditions, differ significantly from those in normal circumstances. These activities are deeply connected to the émigrés' personalities, social and cultural experiences, motivations, and psychological responses to stress and adaptation (such as altered consciousness, emergence of new orientations, and myth-making). This study applies theories of stress and cultural shock, which influence perceptions of reality, approaches, and values. Previous applications of stress theory in emigrant studies by scholars like J. Altounian, M. V. Kovalev, S. S. Ippolitova, and R. Cohen have demonstrated its impact on understanding how cultural heritage is reshaped and transmitted within diasporic communities.