Gadenko, A.P.: Africa. Algeria. Timgad. El Kantara. Sahara. Oases. Constantine. Tunisia. Travel Impressions

Title

Afrika. Alzhir. Timgad. El’kantara. Sakhara. Oazisy. Konstantin. Tunis. Putevye vpechatleniia, Moskva 1915

Africa. Algeria. Timgad. El Kantara. Sahara. Oases. Constantine. Tunisia. Travel Impressions

Keywords

Summary

The book contains Gadenko’s travel notes about his journey from Nice to North Africa in 1913. The opening chapter illustrates the author’s first impressions of Algiers and its surroundings, which are overall positive and intriguing. During the author’s stay, a Russian party in honour of the 300th anniversary of the Romanov house is held in the city. The second chapter contains a recollection of a trip to Batna, including a visit to Ancient Roman sites like Timgad and Lambese. The third chapter describes a visit to Oasis El Kantara, with remarks about local agriculture, education, and climate. Chapter four is dedicated to Biskra, Saharam and the oasis Sidi-Okba. Here the author provides recollections about a local party with belly dancers, descriptions of dunes, and some remarks about the conditions of married and unmarried women in this area. Chapter five covers Constantine, while chapter six is devoted to Tunisia, including a visit to the local market, the old city, the bey’s palace, the remains of Carthage, and the museum. The closing chapter sums up the money spent during the journey: the author states that it was overall cheap, despite staying at the best hotels, and expresses a positive impression of the journey as interesting and pleasant. The journey took a total of three weeks.

Bio

Anton Gadenko was a Russian landowner, writer and pedagogue from the Tula governorate, who became State councillor in 1913. He was employed by Lieutenant General Nikolai Litvinov (1833-1891) as an educator to his children. After Litvinov’s death, Gadenko, who had married Litvinov’s daughter, Lidiia Litvinova, in 1889, became the keeper and publisher of Litvinov’s diaries about his service as assistant tutor to the Grand Dukes Aleksandr Aleksandrovich and Vladimir Aleksandrovich. Having acquired an apartment in Nice, Gadenko lived there with his wife for several years, becoming involved in the construction of the Russian Orthodox Cathedral. While no information has been found on his later years, he is still registered in service as of 1916. He also authored other books, like The Heir Tsesarevich and Grand Duke Nikolai Aleksandrovich (1911).

Sources

Metricheskie knigi Moskva Prechistenskii sorok Tserkov’ sv. Borisa i Gleba u Arbatskikh vorot (ch. I-III), TSGA Moskvy, f. 203, op. 776, d. 105, p. 430;

S. Golitsyn, Opisanie postroeniia pravoslavnogo sobora v g. Nitstse, Moskva, 1912, available online: https://sobor.fr/index.php?content=article&category=library&id=2015-11-13-1&lang=ru;

N. Litvinov, Iz dnevnika N.P. Litvinova, 1861-1862, ed. by S. Atapin, M. Lupanovam, in Velikii kniaz’ Aleksandr Aleksandrovich. Sbornik dokumentov, Moskva 2002, p. 445-447;

S. Volkov, Vysshee chinovnichestvo Rossiiskoi imperii. Kratkii slovar’, Moskva 2016, p. 149.

A.F., M.E.

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