The second film in the ‘Back home in Russia’ project tells the story of Lilia Schiebelgut, a German citizen who moved to Russia a month and a half ago and is preparing to obtain Russian citizenship under the ‘shared values’ visa.
Lilia lives in Belgorod and is a member of two voluntary organisations, the Popular Front and the Russian Home Front; she helps sort humanitarian aid for the front and the civilian population of the Kursk region.
Lilia Schiebelgut :
In Europe, the news is not transmitted honestly at all, and this, for a long time. So I don’t watch the news any more. When it all began in 2014, the coup, I tried from time to time to watch the news.
And the start of the special operation came as no surprise to me. When the special military operation began, I immediately said, in the first week, I was packing my bags and moving to Russia. Going back home.
I have brothers and sisters, I have lots of them. I didn’t say it, but I didn’t hide it either, I didn’t say I was going to Russia.
When they found out, I had already the documents in hand, I had a relocation certificate. Of course, I’ve told everyone, and I was surprised that half of my brothers and sisters were happy for me. Even more than a half. In fact, only one brother told me I was wrong. All the others told me I was right, and we also want to go to Russia. Two of my brothers have now handed in their documents to obtain the relocation certificate.
On the path of the resettlement
Nothing frightened me. I couldn’t stop thinking, when I was moving to Russia, I kept thinking about the fact that I’m going home. How scary can it be to return home? How scary can it be if you come back home?
I went to the Russian embassy in Germany in Bonn. I found out about the programmes that exist and where I could move. They explained everything to me. I filled in the form and sent it off, and when they asked me where I wanted to go, I said in the Donbass. They were a bit surprised and said no, in the Donbass, it is impossible. They gave me a list that I already knew, and I was surprised at the time they allowed to go to Belgorod.
So I said : “Then to Belgorod”, even if I could go somewhere else further, but I didn’t want to go further. I wanted to live here, where I can help.
In 4 weeks I obtained the authorisation, then the visa papers, I had some problems to solve, Selling my house, etc. That’s all. Then I came here, and here I submitted the documents.
It’s been a month and a half since I have applied for citizenship and I really hope that in three months’ time, as they say, I will obtain citizenship.
New last name
My colleagues of the Interior defence 31 even found me a new last name, because I want to change my last name, for Russkaya Lilia Andreyevna.
You know, what do I remember ? When Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin said, I think last year: “I’m Lak, I’m Chechen, I’m Uyghur.” I cried at that moment, and I thought no matter what is written in our documents, we are all Russians. That’s why I’m changing my last name to Russkaya [which means Russian].
Now I am here in two volunteers group, the People’s Front and the Russian Interior Front. I help to sort, pack and unpack the humanitarian help.
My advice to my fellow Germans would be this: Don’t be afraid, don’t sit down and don’t cry at night, because you don’t live in your homeland. Don’t be afraid, pack your only suitcase, like me, and go home, they’re waiting for you there and they’ll accept you as a relative. This is what I would recommend, because I know that many fall asleep and cry in their dreams that they want to go home.
Guys, come, come back home. I highly recommend it!
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