Map of the volga german autonomous soviet republic germany russia map. They have always considered themselves to be german and have kept their language and traditions, as promised them, along with being exempt from military service, when they settled this part of russia. Unlike the black sea germans, volga germans did not own farmland. The volga german minourity was given the newlyestablished volga german autonomous soviet socialist republic assr shortly before lenins death in 1924. Welcome to the concordia university librarys center for volga german studies.
The center seeks knowledge and understanding of the relevance of volga germans yesterday, today and tomorrow. Their chief crops were winter rye, wheat, sunflowers from which oil was produced, potatoes, and millet. Laing, german russian settlements in ellis county, kansas, khc, v. The volga germans is the second volume in sigrid weidenwebers trilogy the volga flows forever. Follows the history of the traditional iron cemetery grave marker as the folk art. Chronology of german russian history frankkolb russia database. I also am immersed in the history and personal stories of the volga germans. Volga german autonomous soviet socialist republic wikipedia. Butterball soup kansas families preserve volga german traditions in recipes. See more ideas about volga germans, food recipes and cooking recipes. Pisarevskii, iz istorii inostrannoi kalonizatsii v rossii v.
Volga german traditions booksoft by lawrence weigel the volgagermans of michigans thumb booksoft by bill picklehaupt the volga germans in old russia and in western north america. The republic was created following the russian revolution, by october 29 some claim 19th decree of the soviet government, volga german workers commune, giving soviet germans a special status among the nonrussians in the ussr. Advertisements for a german language choir for young people of german descent, the wolgaheimat volga homeland choir, are on the wall. At the time, her identity made no sense to me as germany, the volga river, and uzbekistan are thousands of miles apart. The re cipes have retained rna ny original ingredients because. The volga germans tried to rebuild the volga, but were treated horribly by the russians. The first two census revisions were conducted before the volga german colonies were settled. All the nonreligious songs that were available at the time were carried to this country by oral tradition. Joanne krieger, 3215 ne 5th avenue, portland, or 97230. Prices for the books are listed next to each surname. The center for volga german studies cvgs at concordia university in portland, oregon, provides numerous resources to support genealogical research on the volga germans and their descendants.
In 1763 catherine the great of russia issued the second of her manifestos encouraging immigration to her country from germany in order to colonize underdeveloped land on the black sea and on the banks of the volga river. The volga german people who settled in ellis and rush county kansas brought with them many of their traditional recipes that have been handed down for generations. German settlers in kansas kansapedia kansas historical. Germans were the largest european group who settled in kansas. Wolgadeutsche or russlanddeutsche a more generic term for all russian germans, russian. When germany invaded russia stalin ordered the dispossession of the 440,000 volga germans. Institute for research of expelled germans 10,000,000. English language literature center for volga german studies. Jan 14, 2020 the colorful customs and traditions of the volga germans have their roots in the german speaking lands of western europe. Volga german republic softcover 1964 homeland book of germans from russia pages 6476 by dr matthias hagin volga german traditions booksoft by lawrence weigel the volga germans of michigans thumb booksoft by bill picklehaupt the volga germans in old russia and in western north america. By 1924, it became the first autonomous ethnic region of the soviet union. Center for volga german studies concordia university. Catherine, the first volume, brings to life the fascinating historical character of catherine the great who invited her native countrymen to settle the russian frontier.
Recipes from theres always room for one more are traditional volga german stylea mix of russian, german and. Center for volga german studies at concordia university. Norka, russia was founded on august 15, 1767 by colonists who predominantly originated from the area now comprised of the current state and cultural region of hessen, germany. The cvgs is an lds family history center affiliate library and microfilmfiche can be sent there. The purpose of this website is to document and preserve the heritage, history, traditions, and accomplishments of the german colonists who settled in norka as well as their descendants. A century ago population pressure forced many volga germans westward to the americas, or eastward to turkestan and siberia somewhat later. Some pieces survived and have been found in the russian archives. October 25, 1917 by oldstyle russian calendar june 29, 1918. Many of these immigrants share a common history that dates back to germany in 1762. Religion central to the independent volga german identity was abolished entirely, and the traditions of the volga german minourity were effectively demolished. On september 20, 2003, a ceremony was held during the midwest deutsche oktoberfest that proclaimed ellis county as the official german capital of kansas. Although lenin established a volga german autonomous republic, stalin abolished it in 1941 during the nazi invasion and deported its population to siberia and central asia.
Ellis county has always had a strong german heritage and a history of german traditions that dates back to 1876. The volga germans were granted considerable autonomy in matters of language, law, religion, and social customs by the russian government. Political turmoil in russia and changes to their autonomy at the end of the nineteenth century motivated thousands of volga germans to immigrate to the united states, where they settled on the plains of. New cookbook preserves volga german history, culture. Click link below to join the american historical society of germans from russia. The migration of the russiangermans to kansas kansas. By 1920 more than 300,000 volga germans were counted in the u. See more ideas about volga germans, volga, ancestor. Igor pleve states that of the 400 people who emigrated in 187475, 89 were from norka. The hidden history of colorados germans from russia. Povolzhskiye nemtsy are ethnic germans who colonized and historically lived along the volga river in the region of southeastern european russia around saratov and to the south. Buy books online, new and used online bookstore from alibris. A workers commune of the region of the volga germans was established in 1918 and was home to half a million germans two thirds of the total population of the volga republic were german. Welcome to the center for volga german studies center for.
When i was a college student in russia, one of my classmates was a volga german from tashkent, the capital of uzbekistan. Welcome to the center for volga german studies center for volga. There was a complete census not a revision of the russian empire conducted in 1897, but most of it was destroyed in a fire during the early soviet years. Hellebusch printed in 1858 contained many of the religious songs that were sung in ellis county. This is a subject, which is not in the history books. Manual order form for multiple books at bottom of this page. The emigration from germany to russia in the years 1763 to 1862 tubingen, published by the author, c1972. The volga germans the volga flows forever book 2 kindle. I wrote this book for my mother, and i wrote this book for my volga german.
The meiningers had set out for russia seeking to improve their liv. Check out the new look and enjoy easier access to your favorite features. The people of the german russian diaspora are one of the largest ethnic groups in northern colorado. Wedding rings germans wear wedding rings on the right hand the groom and the bride have normally identical rings wedding bands no diamonds.
See more ideas about german, volga germans and russia. The center for volga german studies supports research into and preservation of the heritage, history, traditions and accomplishments of the volga germans. Other crops grown in the volga german colonies included oats and barley for animal fodder. As a research center, it seeks to answer the following questions. I liked learning about the family cohesiveness and the practicality of the german people. The chief sources on the volga german settlement in kansas are. Catherine the great imported millions of germans to russia to farm the land and teach farming to the russians.
Bolshevik revolution in russia led by vladimir lenin. Grebbel is a traditional volga german morning treat that might be compared to a toast stick or long doughnut. Jan 02, 2020 the center for volga german studies supports research into and preservation of the heritage, history, traditions and accomplishments of the volga germans. The bukovina society of the americas also provided letters of support and certificates endorsing the ceremony that proclaimed ellis county as the german capital of kansas.
The authors collected numerous examples of modern volga german folk traditions in russia, and many of these are described in thunder on the steppe folksongs, folk medicine, proverbs, nicknames, poetry, dialect stories, drinking toasts, and food ways including recipes for volga style vegetable soup, gatletta meat patties, grebbel, trockne. In some cases, genealogical charts are also included in some books. Recipes in munjor krebel and other villages include powdered sugar to be sprinkled over this golden brown delight. The germans thrived for many generations, successfully farming the fertile steppes. Not unlike the black sea german settlers in the great plains, the volga river immigrants relied upon homeland prototypes in the development of a distinctive architectural heritage. I want them to be proud of who they are and what they survived. Published by the sunflower chapter, american historical society of germans from russia, hays, kansas, 20, softcover. There are only about 1200 volga germans in germany today. Meanwhile, the number of german derived residents of the soviet union exceeded two millionthe original evangelical and roman catholic settlers having flourished, despite adversity, and. These detailed lists of the first settlers who responded to the manifesto of catherine the great include information about their ages, occupations, families, and place of origin in the german states.
German migration to the russian volga 17641767 origins and destinations by brent alan mai and dona reevesmarquardt this book is the culmination of several years work by the authors locating, translating, and transcribing manuscripts to verify the previously published compilations and to look for additional clues about the origins and. These books address the earliest period of german settlement in the volga region of russia for which information is available. Book 1, volga germans, books to read, my books, forever book, heart and. More than 30,000 germans moved to colonies in the volga region. The tragic saga of the volga germans languages of the world. Support independent booksellers on our marketplace.
Stumpp has also compiled an exhaustive list of volga german immigrants to russia. Community members continue to engage their history at concordia universitys center for volga german studies cvgs, which supports research into and preserves the heritage, history, traditions, and accomplishments of the volga germans. Mar 08, 2020 primary volga german church records the registers for many of the churches founded in portland by the volga germans have been translated to english. The colorful customs and traditions of the volga germans have their roots in the german speaking lands of western europe. The volga germans are a unique ethnic group that settled in the lower volga river region from 1764 to 1767 under a russian colonization program promoted by catherine the greats government. The germans in russia frequently lived in ethnic german communities, where they maintained germanlanguage schools and german churches.
Germans from russia in fort collins pictured above is a german russian family working in sugar beet fields at the preston farm in south fort collins, 1910s. Family historymy ancestorsimperial russiamy heritagefamily traditions. Germans from russia in north dakota german americans. The russian language was instated as compulsory in instruction, trade, and work, and the use of german was greatly discouraged, although it retained a superficial coequal official. Germans from russia in south america, and many other articles. Between the years of 1764 1766 many german immigrants settled the steppes of the russian volga area. Only their house and personal property could be sold. This ethnic republic lived under strict marxist political, social, and ideological administration and regulation. Germans are persecuted and many are moved to siberia and the central asian republics. Germans from russia recipe database ndsu libraries. Many of these traditions were influenced over time by their experiences in russia.
Music of the volga germans perhaps the greatest cultural interest of our forefathers in russia, was the singing and playing of their music. Finished a wonderful, first novel, volga german by colin sloan. White library, the cvgs contains a collection of over two thousand books and. Germans from russia heritage collection ndsu libraries. There is always room for one more and millions of other books are available for. The most complete treatment of the move to russia is g.
Welcome to the center for volga german studies center. Primary volga german church records the registers for many of the churches founded in portland by the volga germans have been translated to english. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new. Lenin established autonomous volga german workers commune. Encyclopedia of the great plains volga german architecture.
Aug 08, 2011 this week in chef chat, we take a bit of a detour to explore the culinary and cultural traditions of volga germans with rebecca nab young, the phoenixbased author of a new cookbook, there is. In russia and the americas, from 1763 to the present fred c. This order was never carried out because of internal troubles in russia. It was upgraded to the status of autonomous soviet socialist republic on february 20, 1924 claims of december 19. Although lenin established a volga german autonomous republic, stalin abolished it in 1941 during the nazi invasion and. Some 100 years later, german settlers along the volga river elected five men to act as scouts to investigate land in nebraska. A brief history of the volga germans andrea downing. Wedding shoes another tradition is to collect pennies for years and buy wedding shoes for the bride with this money. This publication is a series of articles written by lawrence a.
I wrote this book for my mother, and i wrote this book for my volga german people, says young. Recruited as immigrants to russia in the 18th century, they were. A relatively small percentage of volga germans emigrated in the first wave between 1875 and the mid1880s, but many more would follow. Rebecca nab young shares volga german recipes and stories. Volga river, russiagerman ancestors came to america from the volga region. Its narrow range of foodstuffs demanded an intuitive cook. Mar 06, 2014 finished a wonderful, first novel, volga german by colin sloan. These colonists retained their native language, religious beliefs, customs and traditions while at the same time being influenced by the land and their. Germans from russia history genealogy familysearch wiki.
Sister mary eloise johannes, a study of the russian german settlements in ellis county, kansas, the catholic university of america studies in sociology, v. I believe michener touched on the volga germans in. We wholeheartedly endorse this activity for the continued promotion of our german traditions, music, food and language for future generations to be proud of. For german peasants yearning to own their own land and escape the misery of the recently ended seven years war, it was an attractive offer.
Ingenious, imaginative and exceptionally wellwritten, it is the story of andreas mensche, one of those ethnic germans living in the ussr in the river volga region since the 18th century preserving their german culture and traditions. So are photographs of octogenarian german villagers from the region, beady eyed and headscarved, every inch the russian babushka, but with their own story to tell. From crimea to eastern ukraine, issues of ethnic identity and resettlement continue to shake the former soviet union, but the story of the volga germans seems destined to remain forgotten. This germanic heritage can be seen in many town names across kansas, such as humboldt in allen county, bremen in marshall county, stuttgart in phillips county, marienthal in wichita county, windthorst in ford county, olmitz in barton county, olpe in lyon county, bern in nemaha county, and many others. Education and tradition 170 recreation 173 government. They were primarily volga germans from the lower volga river valley, black sea germans from the crimean peninsula. Whether it be church music, folksongs or dance music this has been a popular tradition which was brought over from germany into russia, to the united states and canada and especially in south america. Volga germans seek lost homeland ethnic germans on the volga are pushing for greater autonomy, but local leaders say redressing past abuses now could be explosive.
Yet in august 2011, the opening of a memorial to the exiled volga germans across the volga in their former capital of engels was met with a mixed reception. Upon their arrival in albina in 1881, these traditions were again adapted to a new way of life in america. What we have to offer center for volga german studies. A manifesto by the empress of russia, catherine the great, prompted thousands of germans to immigrate to russia.
1507 277 1433 89 785 1167 1315 741 1089 268 528 184 1047 783 110 101 373 174 595 1481 1338 396 306 1331 1116 660 612 1494