Photographs

Russian refugees in Cyprus and Turkey

This collection, containing 51 black and white photographs some of them printed on postcard paper, documents the daily life of Russian refugees, children in particular, while interred at refugee camps in both Cyprus and Turkey (Proti island) during 1920 - 1921 as a result of the Russian Revolution of 1917.

In 1920, about 1,546 Russians arrived in Cyprus at Famagusta, and were put up in the ex-WWI camp at Caraolos. Some died within a few months. Others chose to leave for Serbia and Bulgaria where they had relatives. The rest stayed in Cyprus despite the eagerness of the British Government to move them out. Smaller groups followed those already here. Some came from the island of Proti, near Constantinople where they first arrived while escaping from Russia.

The photos focus mainly on organized lessons for children, including reading, writing, crafts, exercise, as well as, recreational activities like playing games in the garden or trips to the beach. Adults are shown either caring for children, participating in crafts or engaged in other skilled activities such as sewing, carpentry and shoe repair. A number of photos depict large groups of both girl and boy scouts, in uniform, along with their scout leaders.

The images that comprise the online collection were reproduced from the original black and white prints. The titles were taken from inscriptions in the album when available. Where no inscriptions were available the titles were generated by the cataloguer describing the depicted subject.

CVAR holds digital reproductions of the originals and manages the copyright(s) of this digital collection.

  • Classification
  • Subject
  • Medium
  • Places
  • Object Type
  • Collection
  • 21th Century
  • 20th Century
  • 19th Century

Row of boys in scouting uniform
1920 – 1921

Outdoor childrens' classes
1920 – 1921

Weaving class
1920 – 1921

Physical education class
1920 – 1921

Physical education class
1920 – 1921

Children by the sea
1920 – 1921

The school of U.R.T. on the isle of Cyprus, “a group of cadets (orphans) near their barrack”
1920 – 1921

Group portrait of Russian refugees
1920 – 1921

Group portrait of Russian refugees
1920 – 1921

Woman sewing
1920 – 1921

Children under tent
1920 – 1921

Men from boot workshop
1920 – 1921

Regugee camp
1920 – 1921

Priests at refugee camp
1920 – 1921

The children school of U.R.T. On the isle of Cyprus, “The singing lesson”
1920 – 1921

Children playing in garden
1920 – 1921

Children on lawn
1920 – 1921

Children on lawn
1920 – 1921

Boy and girl scouts
1920 – 1921

The children school on the isle of Cyprus, “The drawing lesson”
1920 – 1921

The children school of U.R.T. On the isle of Cyprus, “The pedagogs of the school”
1920 – 1921

Children eating
1920 – 1921

Priest
1920 – 1921

Boys in scout uniforms
1920 – 1921

Russian Refugees In Cyprus And Turkey