German Genealogy: Russia Page 1 of 6

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GERMANS IN RUSSIA and other C.I.S. States

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Contents:

z General Information
z Societies
z Genealogical and Historical Records
z Gazetteers and Maps
z Bibliography and Literature
z Archives and Libraries
z Miscellaneous
z Other Internet Resources

General Information

This page covers most of the vast region of the former Soviet Union. It specifically excludes the Baltic
States (Eastonia, Latvia, and Lithuania). Everything to the east of Poland and the Baltic States is
included. One small region of Romania (BESSARABIA) is also included.

Specific regions included in this scope are:

- Bessarabia
- Black Sea Colonies
- Caucasus
- Crimea
- Kazakhstan
- Siberia
- Ukraine
- Volga Region
- Volhynia

You may see references to Polish Volhynia, Russian Volhynia, or Ukrainian Volhynia. Such references
only apply to the time period between World Wars I and II.

Description of the research area:

Hundreds of thousands of Germans have lived in the vast Russian regions for hundreds of years. The
largest concentrations were in the Volga River Region, the Black Sea region, Bessarabia, and Volhynia.
Smaller settlements existed in the Baltic area near St. Petersburg and the Caucaus. Later, many of these
same Germans were exiled to the east and thus have connections to Kazakhstan and Siberia.

Most of these Germans were LUTHERAN and MENNONITE. Other religions represented included
JEWS, ROMAN CATHOLICS, BAPTISTS, REFORMED, and MORAVIAN. They had origins in

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German Genealogy: Russia Page 2 of 6

many different German states. Some came from other east European countries like Poland and Hungary.

History:

Because of the extensive size of the Russian nation, the history of the Germans within it is varied and
complex. Germans had lived in various parts of the Russian empire for centuries so perhaps the best way
to describe their history is through a description of the migration waves that occurred.

In 1763, Catherine II (Catherine the Great, German born empress of Russia) sent agents into the German
states for the purpose of recruiting settlers. These colonists were to develop the fertile, uncultivated
agricultural lands southeast of Moscow, specifically along the VOLGA River. There were several
promises that made this offer attractive to the Germans: freedom from various forms of taxes and
customs duties, self government for the towns, freedom of religion, and freedom from military service,
to name a few. It is easy to see how attractive this would be to Germans who were suffering from
widespread poverty, malnutrition, and unemployment brought on by feudal infighting, wars, religious
persecution, and the general politics of the day. The extent of this migration was so great (4000 families
in 1767 alone) that further migration was forbidden by the German Emperor Joseph II. Migration to the
VOLGA effectively ended at this time. During these 4 years it is estimated that over 25,000 Germans
migrated primarily from Hesse and the southwest states but nominally from other areas as well.

In the next few years, Catherine the Great expanded Russian territory dramatically by conquering
Turkish controlled land to the south and Polish land to the west. Catherine again wanted Germans to
help in developing her new territories, especially around the north side of the BLACK SEA. This time
she turned to the Mennonites of West Prussia. Mennonites are a pacifist denomination. Frederick
William II was demanding payment of heavy fines in lieu of military service and forced the Mennonites
to pay tithes to the established Lutheran Church on earlier land purchases from Lutherans. They were
particularly attracted to Russia by the offer of freedom from military service. In 1789, 228 Mennonite
families arrived at Chortitza on the Dnieper River. They had been preceeded to the general region by a
smaller group of Lutherans. The Mennonite migration continued into the area for another 80 years with
thousands more families answering the call. Thousands of other Germans followed the Mennonites.
Lutherans and Catholics began flooding into the area, starting particular after the Napoleonic wars (1803
through 1810). They not only came from the southwest German states but also from West Prussia,
Hungary, and Poland. Hundreds of German colonies sprang up in a semi circle around Odessa, now in
the UKRAINE.

Another war with Turkey brought Russia more territory, the region of BESSARABIA on the west side
of the Black Sea. By 1816, over 1500 German families moved into this area, most of them from Poland.
Migration continued with population increases coming from Baden, Wuerttemberg, Hesse, and Alsace.
Further colonization took place north of the Sea of Azov, in the CRIMEA, and the CAUCASUS.

In VOLHYNIA, early German settlement was sporadic. One of the first colonies was at Koretz in 1783.
A few Mennonite agricultural villages were established prior to 1793 but most of them moved on to the
Black Sea region within a few decades. The first permanent settlement came in 1816 but significant
migration into Volhynia did not occur until the 1830s. The migration to Volhynia occurred under vastly
different circumstances than that to other parts of the Russian empire. Polish landlords who had retained
land after the Russian occupation were looking for qualified farmers to develop and farm their land. No
special priviliges were extended to these immigrants except for that which could be provided by the
local nobility. It was the shortage of land in their old homes that drove most of the Germans into this
region. By 1860, there were only about 5000 in 35 small villages. Then, with the abolition of serfdom in
1861 and the failed Polish Insurrection of 1863, Germans began to flood into this area. By 1871, there
were over 28,000 and by the turn of the century, over 200,000 lived in Volhynia. Most of them had

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German Genealogy: Russia Page 3 of 6

come from Poland with a minority from Wuerttemberg, Pomerania, East Prussia, Silesia, and Galicia.

Russian politics changed dramatically over these 100 years and it wasn't long before the Germans
starting loosing the freedoms and privileges extended to them. The Mennonites were first to leave in
large numbers. They were being forced to provide military service to the Russians so in the 1870s,
thousands of them moved on to both North and South America. Persecution continued with Germans
losing their right to language and property ownership so many more soon followed them. Animosity
towards the Germans peaked during World War I with most being expelled eastward to
KAZAKHSTAN and SIBERIA. Some made it back to their homelands after the war. Others stayed in
these new areas, hoping to establish a new life. Still others escaped eastward through China and on to
Australia and the Americas. After World War II, the Germans were no longer allowed back to their
homelands. They were forced to stay in the east or in some cases were expelled back to Germany.

[Primary historical source: From Catherine to Kruschev, The Story of Russia's Germans; by Adam
Giesinger; Published by the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia]

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Genealogical Societies

z AHSGR the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia demonstrates expertise in the
VOLGA, SIBERIA, and KAZAKHSTAN regions but also serves all the other areas including
the BLACK SEA region, BESSARABIA, and VOLHYNIA. They have a TOPICAL INDEX
available on the Odessa Pixel Library.

z GRHS the Germans from Russia Heritage Society focuses on the BLACK SEA and
BESSARABIAN Germans but also helps those from the CAUCASUS, CRIMEA, and
VOLHYNIA. Their TOPICAL INDEX is also on the Odessa Pixel Library.

z WANDERING VOLHYNIANS is not yet a society but offers a magazine which serves the
Germans from VOLHYNIA and Congress Poland. Because it is an English language magazine,
its readership is primarily North American but it is gaining significant recognition in Germany
and other parts of the world as a primary resource. The Odessa Pixel Library maintains a
TOPICAL INDEX for them too.

z A good place to start MENNONITE research is with the MENNONITE INDEX. Another good
site in Winnipeg, Manitoba is MENNONITE HERITAGE CENTRE.

z Research for German JEWS in Russia is supported by the general Jewish genealogy groups. A
good place to start is the JEWISH GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF ROCHESTER, NY.

z LANDSMANNSCHAFT DER DEUTSCHEN AUS RUSSLAND, an organization that supports

Germans with both Volga and Black Sea region origins.

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German Genealogy: Russia Page 4 of 6

Genealogical and Historical Records

z Church Records
Lutheran Germans who were expelled from BESSARABIA during World War II brought their
church records with them. These have been microfilmed and are readily available through the
Family History Centers of the LDS church. If information is missing there, it may appear in a
duplicate set contained in the St. Petersburg Consistory microfilm series.

Only the duplicate set of St. Petersburg Consistory records is available for Lutherans of the
BLACK SEA region. The Odessa Pixel Library holds the results of an on-going Extraction
Program for this area.

Church records for the eastern VOLGA, KAZAKHSTAN, and SIBERIA regions are not readily
available.

Wandering Volhynians magazine offers lists of LDS microfilm numbers primarily applicable to
Lutherans from VOLHYNIA and Congress Poland. Except for a few years of original records
available for the Rozhischche parish, the only Volhynia information is from the St. Petersburg
Consistory microfilms.

z Civil Registration Records

Extraction of data from recently obtained census lists of the VOLGA region is an on-going project
of the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia.

Various individuals are making contact with local archives in Odessa, Zhitomir, Rowno, and other
locations with the revealation that there is much significant information to be found. However, the
data is not readily available due to poor cataloguing and maintenance systems in these archives.
This is slowly changing with the new freedoms and openness of the emerging east.

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Gazetteers and Maps

z Gazetteers
Gazetteers are not readily available for these areas but all the Societies have extensive village lists
and other resources for assisting in locating German settlements. One such is
Index to Place Names Found in From Catherine to Khrushchev by Adam Giesinger, compiled by
Robert and Margaret (Zimmerman) Freeman, 1986

z Atlases and Maps

Extensive and detailed maps covering German settlements in most of these regions have been
prepared by and are available through the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia.
The different Societies publish detailed village maps of certain locations if resources allow. Detail
maps of Volhynia and Congress Poland are also available through Wandering Volhynians.

A variety of East European maps are available on line from the FEEFHS MAP ROOM

In North America, there is at least one commercial resource for European historical and

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German Genealogy: Russia Page 5 of 6

genealogical maps including the following. Details can be found at Genealogy Unlimited.
1:200,000 As far east as Kiew / Odessa
1:300,000 East Prussia, Pomerania, Silesia, Upper Silesia
1:25,000 & 1:100,000 German Empire of 1871
1:300,000 to 1:4,000,000 Euro-Reisatlas Russland (modern road map book)

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Bibliography and Literature

z Bibliography - Historical and Genealogical

Many books are available for the general history of Germans in Russia as well as for detailed local
regions. They are often available through the various societies mentioned above. Primary
resources include the following:
{ Die Auswanderung aus Deutschland nach Russland in den Jahren 1763 bis 1862 (Also
available in English under the title: The Emigration From Germany to Russia in the Years
1763-1862), Karl Stumpp / American Historical Society of Germans From Russia - Lincoln,
Nebraska
{ From Catherine to Khruschev, The Story of Russia's Germans, Adam Giesinger / American
Historical Society of Germans From Russia - Lincoln, Nebraska 1981
{ Die neiderlaendisch-niederdeutschen Hintergruende der mennonitischen Ostwanderungen
im 16., 18. und 19 Jahrhundert, Benjamin H. Unruh / Karlsruhe, Deutschland: Im
Selbstverlag 1955
{ Bessarabien-Heimatbücher

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Archives and Libraries

z Archives
HEIMATMUSEUM DER DEUTSCHEN AUS BESSARABIEN is an archival repository for
Germans from BESSARABIA.

ODESSA DIGITAL LIBRARY contains extensive downloadable resource files for all of
German Russian research.

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Miscellaneous

z Calendar
Russia adopted the Gregorian Calendar in 1918, February 14 followed February 1.
z Customs
z Events

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{ AHSGR 1998 National Convention, June 14-21, Wichita, Kansas

z Publishers
z Professional Researchers

This section under construction.

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Other WWW Internet resources

z Mailing Lists:
{ GER-RUS2: This listserv offers on-line contact with other Germans from Russia. It
operates like a newsgroup through your email system. To subscribe at no cost, send regular
email to: listserv@listserv.nodak.edu. Leave the subject line blank. In the message area,
type:
subscribe ger-rus2 [first name][last name]
{ BESS-GR: Offers on-line contact with other Germans from Bessarabia. Send regular email
to: listserv@listserv.nodak.edu. Leave the subject line blank. In the message area, type:
subscribe BESS-GR [first name][last name]

z FEEFHS, the Federation of East European Family History Societies, is an umbrella organization
which includes data pages for other areas that your Germans from Russia may have migrated from
or to.

z E-MAIL Master Listing of Germans from Russia

z Kutschurgan Web Site

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Last update: 31-Aug-97 (rmh)

Please forward any comments and additions to this WWW-page to Jerry Frank, email:
jfrank@cadvision.com or to: WebMaster

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