I grew up with a vague notion that 'Volga Germans' existed, my parents mentioned them at times but I never knew anything definite. So, when I looked up Saratov on a map to see where I might be headed I made the connection of Saratov being located on the 'Volga' and 'Volga Germans' only because another place close by with the name of 'Engels' made me wonder. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that Saratov was once the heartland of the quite numerous Volga Germans that called Russia their home.
While musing about the fate of those people who were mostly employed in agriculture and husbandry and who came upon the bidding of Katherine II from southwestern Germany (Pfalz, Elsass and Lothringen) at the end of the 18. century, I stumbled upon the maps shown below which were all published by the Center for Volga German Studies at Concordia University (who knew?).
The first map shows German settlements in general and the Volga German settlements (called colonies) in particular. German settlements followed a logical pattern from the west to the east and it appears that the Volga formed a natural obstacle because Germans didn't move much further east when looking at these maps. The Caucasus mountains and the Caspian Sea were natural borders as well. Maybe that explains the relatively large settlement in Saratov. According to my friend Natalia the soil is not very fertile around Saratov so it is amazing that these people were able to eke out a living (they were initially required to work in agriculture). Later some of them became very successful merchants and entrepreneurs; some of the architecture of the city of Saratov still pays tribute to that (see photo below map).
Overall, these Germans founded about 100 colonies to the left and right of the Volga River--Grimm, Blumenfeld, Katharinenstadt and Untere and Obere Dobrinka.
According to a pamphlet published by the museum covering the local history and geography of the Saratov region (Saratov, 1994) Aus der Geschichte der Wolgadeutschen the housewives were proud of their down bedding and numerous pillows--some things just never, ever change. Natalia also pointed out that there was a longish tool hanging next to the bed that was used to keep the sheets neat and tidy. Wow, how German is that?
Below please check out the map which I consider my greatest find. Areas marked in black denote German settlements before 1939 but became extinct; areas marked with white boxes show population numbers of 1926; and areas with red boxes show the numbers of settlers between 1986 and 1999.
I can only speculate on the basis of this map but I assume that Germans in Siberia and Kazakhstan might be the descendants of Germans that were deported from Saratov and surrounding areas after Hitler's unlawful invasion into Russia in 1941. From 1924 up to 1941, roughly 600,000 Germans in the Saratov region enjoyed living in an autonomous republic, making up about 66% of the entire population. The common language was German.
While musing about the fate of those people who were mostly employed in agriculture and husbandry and who came upon the bidding of Katherine II from southwestern Germany (Pfalz, Elsass and Lothringen) at the end of the 18. century, I stumbled upon the maps shown below which were all published by the Center for Volga German Studies at Concordia University (who knew?).
The first map shows German settlements in general and the Volga German settlements (called colonies) in particular. German settlements followed a logical pattern from the west to the east and it appears that the Volga formed a natural obstacle because Germans didn't move much further east when looking at these maps. The Caucasus mountains and the Caspian Sea were natural borders as well. Maybe that explains the relatively large settlement in Saratov. According to my friend Natalia the soil is not very fertile around Saratov so it is amazing that these people were able to eke out a living (they were initially required to work in agriculture). Later some of them became very successful merchants and entrepreneurs; some of the architecture of the city of Saratov still pays tribute to that (see photo below map).
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| These maps are published by the Center for Volga German Studies at http://cvgs.cu-portland.edu/archives/maps/russia.cfm |
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| This building is the house of a German merchant who left the area in the 1940s. His son, a professor in Heidelberg, came to Saratov to look for traces of his family and was apparently totally surprised to not only find their family's former house but also find it in such great condition. It is used as a clinic now. |
Overall, these Germans founded about 100 colonies to the left and right of the Volga River--Grimm, Blumenfeld, Katharinenstadt and Untere and Obere Dobrinka.
According to a pamphlet published by the museum covering the local history and geography of the Saratov region (Saratov, 1994) Aus der Geschichte der Wolgadeutschen the housewives were proud of their down bedding and numerous pillows--some things just never, ever change. Natalia also pointed out that there was a longish tool hanging next to the bed that was used to keep the sheets neat and tidy. Wow, how German is that?
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| Photo taken at the Museum for local history and geography. Flat linen and many, many pillows. All white and clean. |
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| Photo taken at the Museum for local history and geography. The long board in the back was used to flatten linens. |
Below please check out the map which I consider my greatest find. Areas marked in black denote German settlements before 1939 but became extinct; areas marked with white boxes show population numbers of 1926; and areas with red boxes show the numbers of settlers between 1986 and 1999.
I can only speculate on the basis of this map but I assume that Germans in Siberia and Kazakhstan might be the descendants of Germans that were deported from Saratov and surrounding areas after Hitler's unlawful invasion into Russia in 1941. From 1924 up to 1941, roughly 600,000 Germans in the Saratov region enjoyed living in an autonomous republic, making up about 66% of the entire population. The common language was German.
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