Figure 1.--The Volga Germans settled along the Volga River in the region of southern European Russia around Saratov and to the south. This Volga German family was photographed just before World War I in 1912.

Catherine the Great (herself a German princess) invited German farmers to settle in Russia and they have been there ever since. Catharine invited German farmers to settle lands that were empty after the Seven Years War (1763). They were not only offered the land, but also a whole list of privileges. They could continue living as Germans in their own communities, being Lutherans, Mennonites or Catholics in an Orthodox country. They also were exempt from military service and did not have to pay taxes. No wonder that thousands of poor German farmers went to Russia. They established colonies along the Volga, but also near Odessa, on the Crimea, in Wolhynia and even in the Caucasus mountains. They were loosing their privileges under Czar Alexander II in the 1860s and many emigrated to Canada and the United States, especially the Mennonites. But about 2 million stayed in Russia, also when it became the Soviet Union. Many of the Russian Germans were Mennonites who started emigrating to Canada and the United States at the end of the 20th century when the Tsar wanted to draft them into his armies. (The Mennonites do not bear arms). Originally the Mennonites were a Dutch protestant sect, founded by Menno Simons in 1536. Many of them went to build dikes and polders in the Vistula Delta around Danzig (Gdansk) and became Germanized. From there they went to Poland and Russia. I do not yet have a great deal of information on the Volga Germans. They appear to have been prosperous, both because of their industriouness and the rich land they farmed. Many were deeply religious ( Mennonites). I do not know how they fared after the Revolution. There land does not seem to have been colletivizd. They do not appear to have been heavily politicized. Unlike some Volksesdeutsche like the Seudeten Germans, there does not seem to have been any significant support for the NAZIs, in part because of their strong religious believes. A reader writes, "The Volga Germans actually had more contact with relatives and friends in Canada and Kansas than in Germany. They were not interested in going to Germany, because they were prosperous and had no use for the NAZIs." [Stueck] Stalin doubted their loyalty, on both ethnic and religious grounds. After NAZI Germany invaded the Soviet Union in 1941, Stalin deported the Volsdeutsche to Siberia and Kasakhstan, where about 1 million ethnic Germans still live. They lost their once prosperous villages and farms were confiscated and divided into kolchozes. It is estimated that about 1 Million Volga Germans now are living in Kazakhstan where the soil is not nearly as good as along the Volga. Every month thousands of Russian Germans are moving to Germany where they are granted citizenship immediately on account of their heritage. Some of them don't speak German anymore and they have to prove that they are of German descent.

Origins

Catherine the Great (herself a German princess) invited German farmers to settle in Russia and they have been there ever since. At the time, mang European monarchs and nobles encouraged German settlement. They generally increased the value of the noble's holdings. Catharine invited German farmers to settle lands that were empty after the Seven Years War (1763). They were not only offered the land, but also a whole list of privileges. They could continue living as Germans in their own communities, being Lutherans, Mennonites or Catholics in an Orthodox country. They also were exempt from military service and did not have to pay taxes. No wonder that thousands of poor German farmers went to Russia.

Location

The first Germans to settle in Russia occurred in during the reign of Vasili III, Grand Prince of Moscow (1505-33). Vasili allowed a small number of German and Dutch craftsmen and traders establish a German Quarter (Немецкая слобода, or Nemetskaya sloboda) in Moscow. This evolved into a foreign quarter, but the Germans were the dominant freign elrment. At the time, Russia was a kind of terra incognita in Europe. And the Russians werre very suspious of foreigners, perhaps in part because oo the long history of Mongul/Tartar dominance. he Germans and Dutch brought a range of important skills which were developing in Europe since the Renaissance--an historical experience that Russia never shared. Interestingly, early technological change in Europe was trongly related to adopting Chinese innovations. While Eussiaas clser to China, it proved less amenable to technological change. Several other cities in Russia followed suit establishing foreign quarters. These foreign quarters became very important both for technology, trade, and banking. Moscow had a population of some 200,000 people and 18,000 of that were Nemtsy--meaning variously German or western foreigner. that was nearly 10 percent of the urban population. That was only the beginning of the German presence in the Tsarist Empire which would eventually nount to nearly 3 million people. This included both Germns who settled in Tsarist lands and Germans who had settled in Eastern European areas that were conquered by the Tsarist armies (Poland and the Baltic principlities). This includes both Urban Germans (the Baltics) and communities that included both cradftsmen and farmers in other areas. We note German communities throughout the Tsarist Empire. This includes the Baltics, Vistula, Volga, Clack Sea, Crimea, Causasus, and Ukraine. These communities for several centuries pursued a separate existence, rather like the Amish in America. Here a mix of ethnicity, language, and religion was involved. With the advent of the 20th century the situation changed fundamentally. Those who left Tsarist Russia/Soviet Union survived. Many who did not leave did not survive.

Life in Russia

We do not yet have a great deal of information on the Volga Germans.They appear to have been prosperous, both because of their industriouness and the rich land they farmed. Many were deeply religious ( Mennonites). I do not know how they fared after the Revolution. There land does not seem to have been colletivizd. They do not appear to have been heavily politicized.

Influence

The Germans had a substantial influence on Russia. Here it is a little difficult to descriminate between the German and Vokdeutsche influence. Germany was a source of quite a number of brides for Russian Tsars andc Tsarevitches. The Tsarina Elizabeth was about to destroy Federick the Great of Prussia in the Seven Years War. At her death, Tsar Peter wasso impressed with Prussia that he pulled Russia out of the War, saving Frederick. Elizabeth had chosen Catheine to marry Peter. The young German princess went on to become theTsaerina Catherine--one of Russia's greatest tsars. A reader tells us, "I have an Almanach de Gotha of 1866 and it is surprising how many German (Baltic) names are listed in the Russian section, many of them were "vons" ( barons). They served the czar as administrators, officers and officials. I am actually amazed that the Russians are using the old German name for St, Petersburg again. They even pronounce it in German, Sankt Petersburg. Peter the Great named this city after himself. The seaport was Kronstadt, a name that never changed, not even during World War II. Fortresses were Oranienbaum, Schlüßelburg (Shlisselburg) and Peterstadt, while many of the palaces around St. Petersburg got names like Peterhof, Annenhof and Katherinenhof. All these places got their original German name back."

Russification

The status of the ethnic Germans began to change after the Napoleonic Wars. The French had helped stimulate the growing conciousness of ethnicity. And as a result, ethnic groups such as the Poles began to demand nationality rights, even independemce. The Germans being a small minority were not as drawn up in ethnic politics, The Tsae\rist state, however, ruling over a vast empire of many nationalities becgan to be less tolerant of the various ethnic groups making up the countries. Finally under Alexander III, an aggressive orogeam of Russificatiin was adopted.

Emigration

The ethnic Germans were loosing their privileges under Czar Alexander II in the 1860s and many began emigrating. The fear that they might be subjected to conscription was their major concern. We do not yet have details as to just how life changed fir tge ethnic Germans. Many webt to Canada and the United States, especially the Mennonites. Others went to South America, especially Argentina. There was two other waves of emigration, one after the Russian Revolution and the other after World War II.

Menonites

Many of the Russian Germans were Mennonites who started emigrating to Canada and the United States at the end of the 19th century when the Tsar wanted to draft them into his armies. (The Mennonites do not bear arms). Originally the Mennonites were a Dutch protestant sect, founded by Menno Simons in 1536. Many of them went to build dikes and polders in the Vistula Delta around Danzig (Gdansk) and became Germanized. From there they went to Poland and Russia. There they lived peacefully for several centuries. Then Russian policies caused three waves of immigration, mostly to America and Canada. The first wave began with Tsarist Russification prrograms (Late-19th century). This was followed by a wave of immogration following the Russian Revolutioin and World War II. Many of the Mennonites who did not emigrate, perished when Stalist deported the Volga Germans just before cthe German invasion (1941).

World War II

About 2 million ethnic Germans stayed in the Soviet Uniom and lived there after the Revolution when it became the Soviet Union. Some Mennotites managed to get out in the 1920s before Stalin seized control. Unlike some Volksesdeutsche like the Seudeten Germans, there does not seem to have been any significant support for the NAZIs. Religion does not seem to gave ben an issue because of the Soviet Atheism campaign. The Sovirts also controlled the media. There was stoll some personal contact. A reader writes, "The Volga Germans actually had more contact with relatives and friends in Canada and Kansas than in Germany after the NAZI takeover. One source says that they were not interested in going to Germany, because they were prosperous and had no use for the NAZIs." [Stueck] We are not sure that was the case. The Mennonites were severely affected by Stlins oppression (Atheism camnpign, collectivization, famine, and the Great Terror). Stalin doubted their loyalty, on both ethnic and religious grounds. After NAZI Germany invaded the Soviet Union in 1941, Stalin deported the Volsdeutsche to Siberia and Kasakhstan, where about 1 million ethnic Germans still live. Most of the Mennoites were not evacuated and eventually escaped west with the German Army (1943-45).

Current Situation

They lost their once prosperous villages and farms were confiscated and divided into kolchozes. It is estimated that about 1 Million Volga Germans now are living in Kazakhstan where the soil is not nearly as good as along the Volga. Every month thousands of Russian Germans are moving to Germany where they are granted citizenship immediately on account of their heritage. Some of them don't speak German anymore and they have to prove that they are of German descent.

Sources

Stueck, Rudi. E-mail message, April 15, 2004.

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Created: 1:22 AM 1/29/2008
Last updated: 5:38 AM 9/19/2017