Gorelovka: Episodes from the Life of a Disappearing Community

Overview

The village of Gorelovka is located in Southern Georgia. It was founded in the mid 19th century by Doukhobors (“spirit-wrestlers”), members a group of Russian religious dissidents banished from Russia by Tsar Nicholas I for their anarchist and pacifist beliefs. The Doukhobors managed to keep their identity and traditions throughout the Soviet period. However, under political and economical pressure, many of them have now left Georgia and their heritage is disappearing with the last inhabitants. Leo Tolstoy was interested in their non-violent outlook and supported them in several occasions.