Journal of the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia

Vol. 13, No. 2 Summer 1990 COVER PHOTO: Franz Ullrich and Marie Elisabeth Dinkelacker. The picture was taken in Neu-Messer, circa 1913. Depicted left to right are: unknown boy, Franz Ullrich, unknown child, Marie Elisabeth (Dinkelacker) Ullrich, unknown man and child. INDEX

THE TIES THAT BIND—THE DINKELACKER LETTERS...... ……………….…..... 1 William Seibel THE BEGINNING OF AN ODYSSEY Ella (Wasemiller) and Werner K. Wadewitz...... ………………………………………...... 12 ETHNIC WOMEN HOMESTEADING ON THE PLAINS OF NORTH DAKOTA H. Elaine Lindgren ...... ………………………………...…… 15 SUFFERINGS OF THE FIRST GERMAN COLONISTS DURING THE FIRST TWO DECADES, 1764 TO 1784 John Erbes ...... ………………………………………..…… 26 THE TREK OF 1921-1922 Glenn Mueller ...... ……………………………………………….………..... 29 VILLAGE LIFE Alex Bauer ...... …………………………………………………...... …...... 34 RESTING IN PEACE V. Krasnovsky ...... ……………………………………………………………...…...... 37 KUKKUS, ONCE . . . AND TODAY Reinhold Keil...... ……………………………………………………………..….. 38 DONATIONS TO AHSGR LIBRARY ...... ……………………………………....… 39 A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE CREATION OF THE GERMAN COLONIES ON THE VOLGA Arthur E. Flegel...... ……………………………………………………………...... 40 EIGHTY-SEVEN YEARS AGO . . . Dakota Freie Presse, 21 May 1903...... …………………………………………...... 48 I'M SMART AND I CAN PROVE IT Olga Schmidt Bauer ...... ……………………….…………...... 49 FROM WASHINGTON George Heinrich Hartwig ...... …………………………………………………...... 50 THE GERMAN-RUSSIAN FARMER'S PRAYER Elmer Suderman ...... ………………………… ………...... 50 CURRENT STATUS OF GERMAN VILLAGES IN THE VOLGA REGION Theresa Dahn ...... …………………………………………………...... 51 THE GRAFENSTEIN-FORDSON TRACTOR STORY Arthur E. Flegel...... …………………………………………………...... 52 NEW ADDITIONS TO AHSGR LIBRARY Frances Amen and Mary Rabenberg...... ………………………...... 53

Published by American Historical Society of Germans From Russia 631 D Street • Lincoln, Nebraska 68502-1199 • Phone 402-474-3363

Edited by Richard R. Rye © Copyright 1990 by the American Historical Society of Germans From Russia. All rights reserved. THE TIES THAT BIND— THE DINKELACKER LETTERS William Seibel

The Dinkelacker Letters consist of fourteen letters and a few miscellaneous scraps of written or printed information from the second and third decades of the twentieth century. Several were written in Russia by rela- tives and friends of Heinrich Franz Dinkelacker and his wife, Marie Barbara Ullrich. Others originated in America. All were retained by Marie Barbara and, following her death, came into her daughter Leah Rosa's possession. Leah very generously made them available to me for research into family history. The letters were written in the old style German script which generally went out of use in Germany itself some- time in the latter part of the nineteenth century. However, as in so many other respects, current German practices were unknown to our ancestors, isolated since the 1760s in the depths of Russia. I've tried to render them as faithfully as possible but I'm sure to have introduced a few errors, Alexander Ullrich and Marie Kathrine Ullrich Taken in owing to my lack of knowledge as well as inability to Neu-Messer about 1905, the time of their marriage. decipher some of the handwriting. For the most part, though, such instances are of relatively minor importance was there my grandparents and mother were born. to the events narrated in the letters. Franz Ullrich was the village "doctor" in Neu-Messer. Both sets of my maternal great-grandparents were born He wasn't formally trained but was the one who attended in the 1840s in Messer, bergseite, on the Karamysch River the sick and dying, whether human or animal. According to about 85 kilometers south and a bit west of Saratov. family tradition, he was very good at it. Marie Elisabeth, Unfortunately, I have the given names of only my grand- not unexpectedly perhaps, was the midwife in Neu-Messer. mother's parents. These were Franz Ullrich, whose prob- The couple had five children who survived to adulthood: able year of birth was 1843, and his wife, Marie Elisabeth twins Johann and Jakob who were the eldest, Marie Dinkelacker, born no earlier than 1845. However, my Barbara (Barbel—or as it was more often misspelled in grandfather's parents were brother to Franz and sister to correspondence, Berwel), Heinrich, and Kathrine Marie Marie Elisabeth respectively. Thus my maternal grand- (Katrimari, my grandmother, the youngest). parents were double cousins as well as man and wife. How Only the three youngest children and their families left long my four great-grandparents remained in Messer is Russia. Marie Barbara Ullrich was married to Heinrich unknown, though it appears likely they were involved in Franz (Heinefranz) Dinkelacker', and the couple had two the establishment of a daughter colony, Neu-Messer, about daughters, Rachel and Sarah. From an earlier marriage the time of their marriages. Marie Barbara had another daughter as well, Marie Gobel. Neu-Messer was founded in 1863 by overflow popu- Her brother Heinrich was married to Ana Marie (Amische) lation from (Alt) Messer. The daughter colony was also Heidenrich, though like his sister, this was a second sometimes called Lysanderdorf. It was located about 33 marriage. This couple also had two daughters, Nathalie and kilometers slightly north of due west of the mother colony Leah, and were raising Heinrich's daughter Marie from the on the north side of the Perevosinka, a stream which first marriage. My grandparents, Alexander Ullrich and flowed directly into the Medveditsa about 18 kilometers Kathrine Marie Ullrich, had only a son and daughter, farther west. No matter how my great-grandparents came Alexander and Nathalie. to be in Neu-Messer, it is clear both sets lived out the greater part of their lives and finally died there. And it

AHSGR Journal I Summer 1990 Page I journeys in the expectation of later being helped themselves by the immigrants. Helpers who remained were sometimes bitterly disap- pointed as their anguished words record. Jacob Manweiler, husband of Heinefranz Dinketacker's sister Marie Kristina, wrote to the three immigrant families: Now I have a request of you three in-laws, since you, Brother-in-law Heinrich, gave me a promise that you would help me by year's end. I wanted to be gone already. I wanted to position myself at Bremen, but my wife, namely your sister, didn't want to do it. She was afraid. I put up with a bit of need and you didn't help me. I find his remarks doubly sad, for by 1924 his wife was dead, probably of starvation. And he had remarried in Frank, where he, too, succumbed to starvation. I do not like to try to imagine the anguish of my great- grandparents and my grandmother when she left Neu- Messer for America. She and her two young children can be seen in the family album, dressed in their best finery, in a picture which I believe was taken the day she left.

Grandmother and her children as they were leaving for Grandmother is seated on a bench outside a building with America in 1912. Left to right: Alexander Ullrich Jr,., Kathrine another woman and appears to have been crying. Mane Ullrich, Nathalie Ullrich (my mother), unknown woman Alexander, her son, is twisting and fidgeting by her right and child. knee—enough that his features are smeared by the stow film used. A little girl, my mother, stands between the two The Dinkelacker Letters begin shortly after the three women peering up shyly. The second woman holds a boy youngest children and their respective families emigrated on her lap who seems to be about two. There are only from Russia between 1911 and 1913, but the letters cast strained and saddened expressions in this picture, even on considerable light on the reasons for and the reluctance the faces of the children who could not be expected to have attendant upon leaving Russia. Life in the German colonies fully understood what was taking place. had become difficult and not the least of the colonist's More than three-quarters of a century later, Great- problems was persecution. The Pan-Slavic movement grandfather Franz's words still convey the grief in a most which began in the mid-nineteenth century produced effective way. In the first of the Dinkelacker Letters, dated increasing antagonism toward the German colonists. The September 8, 1913, he expresses the deep sadness he and growing likelihood of hostilities with Germany simply Great-grandmother feel at the loss. He calls it "being exacerbated the situation. The interest in military service robbed of their children." The guilt he lays on them is displayed in the Dinkelacker Letters suggests impending almost palpable. He writes; "Often we sit together talking induction into the Russian army was certainly a propellant about you and the tears run down our cheeks and our hearts for Grandfather2 and perhaps the other two men as well. are so heavy I cannot describe the pain to you." In the No doubt deteriorating economic conditions and the second of the letters, he writes, "... and when we look at the enthusiastic letters of those who had already emigrated also pictures of you, Mother says, 'Just talk with us, too.' Often figured prominently in the decision to leave Russia. we have our fill of crying because things are not going well Though they did not all leave at the same time, the three with us." Small wonder that my mother's cousin, Leah household heads emigrated before their families, a bitter (Dinkelacker) Rosa reported that when her mother, Marie necessity occasioned by their desperate economic straits. Barbara, would read and re-read these letters, tears would All made their way to Colorado where they worked in the course down her cheeks. sugar beet fields up and down the South Platte River Heinrich's wife and family left first, arriving without between Greeley and Sterling, Each was compelled to earn incident in Colorado in September 1912. My grandmother enough money in the New World to send for his family, left Neu-Messer about the same time but was though the Dinkelacker Letters show that relatives remaining in Russia helped finance the

Page 2 AHSGR Journal I Summer 1990 delayed in Germany for several weeks when young Alex- love of God the Father and the Communion of the ander came down with smallpox. Some months later Marie Holy Ghost be with you and us all. Amen. Dear Brother-in-law and Sister-in-law, Heinrich Franz and Barbara's journey was similarly interrupted in Bremen Barbel, and Brother-in-law Heinrich and wife together when Sarah and Rachel both came down with smallpox. with all your children. You are heartily greeted and However, the outcome in this instance was tragic, for after blessed in spirit by all of us; I, your brother-in-law, 3 a week and a half in the hospital, Rachel died. By June Heinrich Peter and the entire family. 1913, however, all three families were together once more Another letter uses the same type of salutation: in Fort Morgan, Colorado. The grace of the Father be with you in America Marie Barbara seems to have deliberately delayed her and may God be with you at your work in America. departure from Neu-Messer, probably because of extreme Now, at the beginning of our letter, we want to let you know. dear Brother and Sister-in-law Dinkelacker, we reluctance to leave her aging parents. The third of the want you to know that thanks to the love of God we Dinkelacker Letters, one written by a relative and business are still in good health which healthiness we wish you partner of Dinkelacker, forwarded a meticulous accounting as well from the bottom of our hearts. Now we reach of sums expended for her support during this time and out to you the hand to shake and the mouth to kiss, addresses her foot-dragging with some exasperation; namely from me, your brother-in-law and sister, Jacob and Marie Kristina Manweiler, together with our Then during harvest [1912] I paid 33 rubles for children.4 provisions and firewood which Sister-in-law Barbel There are two more salutations of essentially the same took. Then to live on before she left, I gave her 3 puds of cornmeal which came to 4 rubles, 30 kopeks; then 3 formulation in this letter, directed to Alexander and 'A pounds of wool which came to 89 kopeks; then I Kathrine Marie and Heinrich and Anna Marie. gave her 1 ruble one time and 50 kopeks another, then The letters' text is seldom admonitory, if one excludes again another pair of felt boots worth 2 rubles 30 complaints about not receiving letters or being otherwise kopeks. And to you, Brother-in-law, I gave 5 rubles for forgotten. A significant exception is found in the first of pocket money . . . Thus I thought to be rid of a lot of expense when Barbel wanted to go but she didn't the series in which Great-grandfather Franz Ullrich writes: leave. Then she said, "let me have it for traveling "One thing I ask of you, lead a godly life and mend your because I'll certainly have need. When I'm over there ways so that you'll attain salvation and we'll see one and we've earned something, we'll send the balance another again in heaven. I know that I’ve heard you lowed]." swearing. In conclusion, once more you are heartily Until World War I and the ensuing chaos of battle, greeted with a happy reunion in heaven. Amen."5 The revolution, counter-revolution and famine intervened, daughter to whom this remark was pointedly directed was family ties between Neu-Messer and its immigrant children Marie Barbara. remained strong. So too did the ties among the Neumessern Business matters occupy a goodly portion of the earliest in America. They visited one another often, exchanged Dinkelacker Letters. Heinrich Franz Dinkelacker appears letters from home and generally remained as clannish and to have been a man of some substance in Russia, but it provincial as they had been in the old country. soon becomes evident in the letter that his worth in the old The Dinkelacker Letters—particularly the earliest- country is not going to be transferable, either to himself or display a formulaic beginning salutation which tends to be anyone remaining in Russia. almost ornate in its overblown construction. Love of God Great-grandfather Franz's second letter is the first to and one another are the opening themes, and the two are speak of such matters. In response to his son-in-law's indistinguishably intertwined. While many of us feel much request, the old man hitched up his wagon and drove the 33 the same emotions toward one another today, we are apt to or so kilometers to Messer to inspect an empty house express our feelings much less formally. But we are only belonging to Heinefranz. His words infer the house has more articulate than our simple peasant progenitors, not been empty a long time: more imbued with feeling. Also, you wanted to know what damage there was An early letter from Russia begins as follows: to your house. All of the [window] panes in the small The blessing of our Lord Jesus Christ and the room are disturbed because of splits in the boards used to nail them down. Same for the kit-

AHSGR Journal I Summer 1990 Page 3 chen. And the storm porch has fallen down; I've taken Would that more of Heinrich Peter's letters had sur- the wood No one in Messer wants to live in the house. vived. The handwriting is beautiful. Moreover, his is far Whitey Hackel wants to buy it. And if you want to sell it, write me the price you want to sell it for and a power of and away the most literate of the Dinkelacker Letters, a attorney so that I can sell it.6 few archaisms and misspellings notwithstanding. And that This was not the only time a power of attorney problem crabbed system of writing employed by our German was presented to Heinefranz. Heinrich Peter in the letter forebears is never more clearly illustrated than here. One cited above unloads an even more powerful blast: must conclude from his handwriting that the author would But how things stand with your garden now!7 The be painstaking about everything he did. The earlier council has begun ditchwork on it from Schuster extractions from this letter concerning Marie Barbara's Hankesper's (the dwarf couple),8 They've already dug living expenses before leaving Russia bear this out. Here the ditch straight across the very middle of your are the concluding entries from that most meticulous of garden to the old berm at Sandborn Way, one fathom ledgers: wide and a half fathom deep, so that the entire garden is lost I complained that I would have bought it and Brother-in-law Heinrich Franz, now I'll acquaint they should give me another one. Thereupon they you with how I've managed everything. I've paid 102 asked me for a power of attorney and I couldn't rubles for the dusch and village council, either to the produce one. head man [Vorsteher] in cash or in grain to the granary as directed, But there was yet more. Heinrich Peter continues: At this point Heinrich Peter displays figures pertaining Therefore I've enclosed a power of attorney form to Marie Barbara's support which have already been with this letter. After filling it out completely, take the power of attorney and go to the counsel (or whatever quoted. He continues: he calls himself), or drive there if it's far, and place it And I've also given 18 rubles to the weaving before him. Our thinking is that it will be cheaper than master. Finally, last week I gave the machine man if you hadn't a blank in hand since you wrote that from Kratzke10 his 80 rubles. I went with him before the powers of attorney were so expensive there. Because, head man [Vorsteher]. The decision was 80 rubles dear Brother-in-law, if I don't have a power of attorney, with 6 kopeks percentage. That made it 89 rubles, 60 I'll also be unable to have your land surveyed for sole kopeks and I was even with him until Christmas. possession, for you've written that for the time being, I However, now he wants to go away to Kuller to start a should have it surveyed for my sole possession. Work business there. He spoke highly of his prospects. Just at it. to raise the principal due, I borrowed 80 rubles from This particular letter was laden with bad business news Neighbor Kaserge, paying a 10 kopek fee until I can give it back. AHinallthen, it comes to 247 rubles. Dear for Heinefranz. Here is how Heinrich Peter brought it to a Brother-in-law, we were even at 213 rubles.... So I close: thought when your letter came, now I'll get the money Between now and the 18th the nachalnik9 will be for the balance but I found none of it. God will repay coming and will question each farmyard holder as he you according to what you do now. So, dear Brother in wishes. It costs money too. One hears 2 to 3 rubles law, we 're 34 rubles over the point of being even. the dessiatine from other colonists. That could run to Though we'll take away 10 rubles for the apple 36 rubles and if it is 3 per dessiatine, 54 rubles. And if orchard, 24 rubles still remain. the nachalnik comes now, I can't respond to him Not all the business discussed in the letters pertained to without power of attorney. The power of attorney would begin with the summer of 1914. Then after Dinkelacker. His step-daughter Marie was apparently twelve years the land and also the garden would be involved to some degree in the outcome of her natural concluded [i.e., would revert]. All are heartily greeted father, Franz Goebel's family interests. Johann Jacob and kissed in spirit. Amen. There's no more space. Boeckel, who seemed to be related to Marie, writes early in Indeed there wasn't. The frugal Heinrich Peter had quite 1914 about an inheritance which would ultimately affect filled it. her. However, the sparse language employed depends for understanding on one's knowledge of what is being dis- cussed. About the only thing truly comprehensible are his concluding sentences: "Dear friend, I also want to

Page 4 AHSGR Journal / Summer 1990

acquaint you somewhat about the mill. It stands this year again at 42,000 rubles, a loss of over 3,000 rubles. I believe we are all lost. ... I want all of you to reply quickly with a separate reply to Grandmother from you, Marie.”" Agricultural production in the old country is mentioned in two letters, once apparently in response to a question, and another time simply to crow about an outstanding growing season. Heinrich Peter wrote as follows on 8 December 1913 (Letter No. 3): Dear Brothers-in-law, you also want to hear about our harvest. The summer was pretty good. We figure 45 pud [1624.5 pounds, ie., 36.1 pounds to the pud] per dessiatine for wheat and 90 pud for corn on the average. Great-grandfather Franz Ullrich waxes lyrical in his 25 November 1913 report of son Jacob's farming season (Letter No. 2): You also wanted to know if work went all right for Jacob. He completed it—and fatly—and in truth will have such a good year as anyone can ever be said to have raising crops. He went and grew a crop of 30 or 35 puds and out of all these tatters has managed to make good, emerging well sweetened and clad, and was surrounded by gain. Unfortunately, he fails to state what the crop was. If it was wheat, obviously it wasn't any great crop compared to The Heinrich Ullrich family in Fort Morgan, Colorado, about that reported by Heinrich Peter. 1914, Left to right: Heinrich Ullrich holding Reinholdt Ullrich Neu-Messer news and local Russian happenings are (the first of this couple's children to be born in America), Anna Marie (Heidenreich) Ullrich with Leah Ullrich in front of sometimes reported, on occasion, rather graphically. Here, her, Nathalie Ullrich, Marie Ullrich (Heinrich's daughter by for example, is Great-grandfather Franz Ullrich at his his first wife). newsiest'2: You also wanted to know who else had to go away his father was and we still don't have another. A Norka to soldier: Christian Beckel, his brother, H. Franz; and man held church services, and he also pleased us well, Jacob Gewuler, his Christian; Kesper [Caspar] but he wanted 700 rubles, the meadow, heating, and Hamemls, his Sander [Alexander]. Franz Beckel, the potato land.17 guy from Franzosen13 died. Friedrich Kret was away 14 Humor is rarely assayed in the Dinkelacker Letters, in begging and last year while going home from Huck he froze to death. He lay in the fields over winter until fact the only example I've found is this lame sally by spring when people from Huck found him. His face Johann Jacob Boeckel (Letter No. 4): "We also wish that was black and ravens had eaten out his eyes. And he you are still quite well and earning a lot of money. Perhaps even had 50 rubles with him! when you return home, you'll lend one a ruble now and But hometown news was relatively rare in the Dinke- then." More often a complaint will be thinly veiled by an lacker Letters. Johann Jacob Boeckel reported this matter ostensibly humorous remark as this written by Friedrich 5 of local concern' : Ullrich: "Now dear Cousin Alexander and Wes Katrimari, I And this I want you to also know, that our congratulate myself that I've done so much for you, and you schoolmaster left. He went to Frank Khutor16 where made such big promises and haven't even once written my name in a letter. Barbel has treated me as if I were a foreigner."18 Outright complaint is plentiful. Great-grandfather Franz Ullrich registered his share. The words show he is hopeful his wandering children will return to Russia, but

AHSGR Journal I Summer 1990 Page 5 they display sad resignation to permanent separation as you're all still healthy which pleases us greatly and we're well. (They also illustrate the typical German preoccupa- glad that you've all managed to get together. That way tion with money.) Perhaps the general mood gives his you'll be able to pass the time together so that you'll not be words an extra bite as here: so unhappy." Since this was written in November, it And write to us how you feel about America too, appears that the reference is to his three children and their and what you have been doing and how much you respective families assembling in Fort Morgan, Colorado. have earned. We'd very much like to know it.. .Do write Personal matters weren't always discussed so amicably, to me, once, who else among our people is with you and whether you intend to stay all your life or will Heinrich Peter (Letter No, 3) was rather acerbic about one return. (Letter No. I) such matter; Dear In-laws, you write that you 've already sent And elsewhere: several letters and haven't gotten an answer. This is Do write to me again about how satisfied you are the first letter. You'll have to pardon me. Dear In-laws, and whether you intend to remain in America or not. you are offended because we hadn't invited you to And write whether you 're working again and if you 're Katrimarie's wedding. You should have held back a also earning something. And write to me how things little: we didn't have a wedding. That was such a time! are going with Heinrich. And also how it's going with One was happy to have something to eat oneself, not Sander [ie., my grandfather Alexander] and Kathrine to mention even more food.19 If happily we could have Marie, whether they’re still alive or not, since they invited you, you wouldn't have come. never write. And Mother is still wailing for the 6 dollars which Barbel was going to send which doesn't come. Johann Jacob Boeckel could be both imperious and whining in personal commentary; Great-grandfather complains about things in his own / also want you to know that I received the brief domicile as well. He doesn't care for his daughter-in-law, letter you wrote last summer [he's writing in January J Johann's wife: "Hannes has the skirt on and she has the 914] and also the two photos which I was to give to pants on and what is more, she complains terribly about Grandmother. Then you also wanted to know how how bad the pockets are. But I've baptized her!" (Letter No, things were going for Grandmother and Grandfather. 2). The concluding colloquialism lends itself to interesting Grandfather died during the summer and Grandmother was quite feeble. For now, praise God, speculation, but I'm afraid I don't really understand it. she's in good health again but is still in Norka. You As might well be expected, comment on personal also wanted to know that, Marie. ... Dear In-laws and matters tends to be the most interesting and often contains dear Mane, you've left [people] behind. You really the more touching passages. The first letter makes clear that want to forget me, while I've followed your instructions the exchange has been going on for some time already. and done everything well that you've wanted. Therefore I wish you'd think of me, too... I want you [to Writing on 8 September 1913, Great-grandfather knows all those addressed] to reply quickly with a separate Marie Barbara lost a child in Germany. He writes: "And we reply to Grandmother from you, Marie. also received the two pictures, where you and your children One of the most poignant passages in any of the letters are shown, and your dead child. Is the little one well—your comments on the news of Rachel Dinkelacker's death in little son who was just born or not?" These pictures were Germany. The letter is from the Manweilers in a postscript probably taken in Germany before Rachel's death since added to their 15 February 1914 letter ten days later on 25 they do not include Heinefranz, The son referred to was February. (The Manweilers were illiterate, and the letter Alexander Dinkelacker who was born shortly after Marie writer was Friedrich Ullrich, but the voice is unmistakably Barbara rejoined her husband in Colorado. that of Marie Kristine.); In another portion of his first letter, Great-grandfather exhibits sympathy and understanding. "We'd very much We heard about you, namely Heinrich Franz and like to know.. . why you've gone away from your brother- Barbara Dinkelacker, we have heard through strangers' letters that one of your children died of in-law, I believe that was very painful for you." However, smallpox and that you weren't able to go along and all is soon well, for in the second of his letters he writes; "We received your letter and from it learned that

Page 6 AHSGR Journal! Summer 1990 we want to know which of your children it is. And be and this is the second I've written to you. For that so good and write it to us. It was very hard for us reason I urge you to write an answer, whether you 're when we heard, but you can still be thankful that your all still in good health and whether you're all still there. child died of smallpox, for that is still not so hard as And write something to me about Heinrich Keiff, about when one doesn't get to see them die as it was with my brother-in-law, for I've already written three letters our Mane, as she drowned. I would rather see them to him and still haven't gotten any reply. If you should taken by smallpox and he permitted to observe from chance to see him, say hello for me.20 afar as have them drown. And we didn't even see her Keeping track of one another occupied much of the die ... space in their letters throughout the first decade the Volga That the Manweilers had to learn of this tragedy from Germans spent in America. While the year and location of strangers is most puzzling. Great-grandfather Franz Ullrich the writer isn't given, a letter from Friedrich Schantz, my was aware of the death the previous September. For grandmother's cousin, is illustrative of such communi- whatever reason, this intelligence was not conveyed to the cations. He has Peter Meisinger write for him; Manweilers or their penman, Friedrich Ullrich. Whether this means some sort of family feud prevented These few lines are written from me, Friedrich communication (hard to believe) or the correspondents Schantz, with my wife and children. We greet you were in fact in different villages (more likely), we'll prob- heartily. We wish you the best health which we also still have. Friend Heinrich Franz Dinkelacker, together ably never know. with your wife and children, we got your letter. It Significant numbers of Neu-Messer people were in pleased us too. We would have written sooner but it Colorado and Montana in these early years, but some was so cold one couldn't drive well Cars are so quick wandered much farther afield in search of the good life. to freeze up. You know that I can't write myself. Also, I Heinefranz Dinkelacker's kinsman, Heinrich Franz Goebel, wanted to wait until the beet contract was finished. It ran 8 for a ton and the beet people got 28 an acre. was one. His letter early in 1914 from Hartford, Write to us sometime whether Amalie got married. We Wisconsin, tells us a good deal about what it was like to be heard she had— Cousin Schantz's Jack. We want to a Volga-German villager adrift in the indifferent New wish them real luck and blessings in their marriage World.20 After the usual lengthy salutation, he says: and for their endeavors. Now I'll close, greeting you once more. Greet all the other Neu-Messer people for We would be very grateful if you 'd be so good as us who are occasionally there who ask about us. And to write us a letter about how things stand and are make an effort to come visit. You don't need to bring going in Fort Morgan. If mailers stand there as they do anything. I don't go out in the morning. Farmers are with us in Hartford, they'll certainly be bad enough! I getting good prices now and so are the beet people. haven 't earned a cent since I've been here, and there Thus everything goes well. So write more to us about isn't even a hope of earning anything for another how you feel things are in the praiseworthy land [sic]. month. And if I'm not better pleased in the future than Greet your brother-in-law Ullrich and his family for me, 1 have been in the time which has passed, I'm going and his son-in-law, his wife, and children. And old back to Fort Morgan and work in the sugar beets. And Cousin Schantz should write sometime too? You are therefore, be so good and let us know what is being also greeted by Peter Meisinger, his wife, and children. said about the beets, whether they 're going to We also wish you the best good health, I'll see you discontinue beets this year. I doubt very much that I'm sometime when you feel well. Perhaps next year we'll going to stay here. It will have to go very well indeed if come.21 I'm to remain here! There isn't even a single person here from our home village. We don't have any place And here is Karl Lehr in Laurel, Montana, writing to to go and it's so lonely. And it hasn't been all that long the Dinkelackers in January 1923; "... I must write you that that I've been gone. If as many hairs were removed as my brother Heinrich Franz too has gone to Fresno, I have on my head, I wouldn't advise anyone to move. California. They are all together again. Write sometime Someone who is in a place and has work can stay forever. What chance of that do I have if I have to where my friend Meisinger is. I've already inquired a lot return? Well. I'd quite gladly have a debt of 200 about where he is. If you don't know then I'll have to look dollars. And I ask all of you to write to me about everything as you've considered it. I've already written a letter to Neu-Messer

AHSGR Journal! Summer 1990 Page 7 for him through the Dakota Freie Presse. Is everything still Before deciding, however, the couple apparently wrote all right? Do write about everything. Send me Sander to Heinrich in Fresno asking his advice, and he responded Batz's address. Say hello to Cousin Mank for me. Also his in typical Chamber of Commerce prose: son-in-law. . . ,"22 ... We got your letter today. We were very glad. Then some watershed occurred—probably economic— You asked what I think about you coming here. I'll tell which caused a significant change in the clan's up to now you the truth. I haven't suffered any need yet. You can support yourselves better here than there. If you bring rather established way of life. Late in 1920 or possibly Sarah with you, too, she can be steadily employed in early in 1921, Heinrich Ullrich took his family to Laurel, the packing house and also you ... Work is here. The Montana, where a sizable group of people from Neu- town is big with much commercial work [i.e., in shops Messer were already long established, among others, the and businesses]. And the women who wash [clothes] Schantzs, Kaisers, and Lehrs. Moreover, Volga Germans get 50 cents an hour. You don't need... fuel, it's still warm. It doesn't snow here. Do bring Friedrich with were also working sugar beets near Montana towns up and you [and from a scrawl along the margin], also bring down the Yellowstone River. My grandmother's family Peter Meisinger. So good-bye until an early reunion. soon followed that of her brother Heinrich. Amen. [And added along the right margin of the 23 The Dinkelackers remained in Fort Morgan after the second page] Send a telegram when you come. other two families left, though they, too, finally departed in October 1925 in hope of bettering their lot. By then the first two families had moved on to Fresno, California.

The Heinrich Franz Dinkelacker family, also taken in Fort Morgan, Colorado about 1915. Left to right: Heinrich Franz Dinkelacker, Sarah Dinkelacker, Amalie Dinkelacker (Heinrich Franz' niece), Marie Barbara (Ullrich) holding Leak Dinkelacker, and Marie Goebel (Marie Barbara's daughter by her first husband).

Page 8 AHSGR Journal I Summer 1990 Meanwhile, still in Fort Morgan, the Dinkelackers came vide for ourselves by working like dogs. Now one upon even harder times. Heinefranz became disabled— would gladly work day and night, tolerating a warp for a month or so at the weaving mill, if it could be had. whether from a work accident or general health is not And you can imagine when we have to buy clear—and the family's support fell solely on Marie everything, one must often lie down to sleep hungry. Barbara's shoulders. To make ends meet, she took in So be so good and write sometime how things are washing, making deliveries all over town from a big going with you, whether you 're all still well and alive. laundry basket she carried in a child's wagon. In a letter Dearly Beloved, I would already have written to you more often if we weren't so poor, but the cost of living written about this time, her brother Heinrich alludes to a is so great and we earn so little. A pud of cornmeal sideline to the laundry business she soon opened. At first he costs 2 rubles 80 kopeks and a pud of white flour 3 simply reports recent marriages among Neu-Messer rubles 10. A pud of millet 2 rubles, oil 15 kopeks. One immigrants and asks about their father: "Write whether can't even get potatoes.. . . Even the best weaver isn't you've gotten an answer as to whether Daddy is still alive earning anything anymore. Cobbler work doesn't exist. My husband can't work anymore due to chronic or not." Then, following more family chatter, he adds; sickness from cloth making. 1 have to take care of him "Dear Sister, I heard you were in trouble again about like a child. Also greet Kathrine Marie and her children whiskey and so were Dembel and Getman. Please do write for me. Farewell. If we don't see one another again on 24 this earth, oh, take courage to be with God! Hoping for and tell me how things are and are going with you." 25 Prohibition was in force and it hadn't taken canny a prompt reply. Barbel long to discover that bootlegging was more profit- Who could read such words from loved ones and not able than doing laundry. However, laundry deliveries weep? The Dinkelackers, as all the Germans from Russia, provided a perfect cover for distributing booze all over did the best they could. They scraped together money they town in broad daylight—and to some of the community's could not afford to give and sent it anyway. Too often it finest homes at that. The trouble alluded to in Heinrich's failed to reach the intended recipient. Among the letter might have been the time she was reported to the Dinkelacker Letters is a receipt for $20.00 from the John sheriff for selling bootleg whiskey. As matters stood, the Nemeth State Bank in New York for money sent to Russia. sheriff was one of her best customers, but he nevertheless The "received" side is date-stamped 18 September 1917, told her that he was going to have to do something about from Heinrich Franz Dinkelacker, Fort Morgan, Colorado. the complaint since a prominent citizen was demanding The "to" side is numbered 402 for remittance to Franz justice be done. After consultation, the sheriff and Barbel Ullrich, Kriegsgefangener (prisoner of war), Lysanderdorf. concluded that Heinefranz should take the rap and serve a There were many more such efforts in the years which few days jail time because he wasn't doing anything else followed, and from all three families in America. anyway. Heinefranz was persuaded and ultimately sat out A later letter contains an even grimmer assessment: the time. From Friedrich and Marie Schmidt, who let you The news from the old country was not so humorous. know that we received your letter of 24 February. From Reports continued to trickle out during World War I and it we see that you were still in good health when you even into the chaos of the Bolshevik Revolution and sent the letter. We are also in the same good health. Heinrich Franz and Barbel Dinkelacker, we inform you counter-revolution. The news was universally tragic. A that we received a letter from home on 23 February. letter from Heinefranz' sister tells with stark eloquence There was news about old Ullrich: he is dead. He how things were: would shortly have been eighty-one years old. Your You and your entire family are heartily greeted by mother has been dead almost two years. Your sister me, your sister Elisabeth and brother-in-law Peter, with Elisabeth and her family are still alive. Heinrich Geiss my entire family. Thanks to our dear God, we are all and family are still alive. Jacob Manweiler is dead. He still well, except my son Heinsse. We don't know what married someone in Frank. He starved to death. has become of him. We haven't heard of him for two Johann Georg years already. Dear Sister, the poverty and he together have caused me to become just a shadow. To my way of thinking, it's never been this bad as to clothing and food. How often we haven't had a piece of bread in the house overnight! If only it was like earlier times when we could pro-

AHSGR Journal / Summer 1990 Page 9

Dinkelacker also starved to death. Anlis [Anna Elisa- sons, Jacob, seems to have been called back into the army beth] and the children are still alive. All of Barbel's for the war with Germany, leaving either no one to support brothers are still alive. I can't tell you anything about the things you wrote. Barbel's brother Jacob has a the old couple or just possibly, a single son. Whatever the Volhynian wife. Phillipina [Johann 's wife] has gone case, everyone remaining in Neu-Messer lived in vastly astray [insane?]. When I left, Heinrich Lehr was head reduced circumstances during the long war years. To the man. The sermon reader and schoolmaster was the economic disruption occasioned by the war was added the son of Karl Rusch, the schoolmaster in Huck. Dangel utter chaos of the Bolshevik Revolution, is still alive. Only young Herle was shot. He hadn't been home long from captivity. He was shot without All of this can be read in the histories, though not cause. The shooters were drunk, they just wanted to altogether with the dispassionate eye one should bring to shoot someone. Many starved in Neu-Messer, often the reading of history. For abstraction fades into cold seven a day were buried. Our good Frenzen is also realization that the great panorama of impersonal events dead. Also our father has been dead four years. Our had very real personal consequences. These magnificent mother is also dead three years already. And Friedrich works in a factory. He does piecework; I do my historical events washed my great-grandparents away. housework, otherwise nothing. Good-bye.26 Marie Elisabeth starved to death in the famine of 1921- While it is true my great-grandparents, Franz and Marie 1922. Franz survived for another year and a half when, Elisabeth Ullrich lived to ripe old ages, theirs was a very according to family tradition, he died of natural causes. I sad old age. Life became particularly hard for the old don't know when the paternal couple expired, but the late couple as World War I neared. At least one of their teens or early twenties would be a reasonable guess. And so the Russian connection trails off into obscurity as the Dinkelacker Letters come to an end. Much was to happen to the surviving members in America in the years to come, but that, as we like to say, is another story.

NOTES 1. Dinkelacker was not closely related to his mother-in-law. In fact, he one would think intensive inbreeding would have produced all manner of claimed not to be related at all, though this is hard to believe, given the biological anomalies. circumstances of colonial life. More likely, originating in Messer as both 9. AHSGR Work Paper 16, December 1974, page 32, states".. .the families did, he was at least distantly related to his mother-in-law. zemski nachalnik (land captain) was a district governor appointed by the 2. Grandfather Alexander Ullrich was approaching his twenty-second Czar to keep an eye on local government in the villages. Usually a birthday when my mother was born in 1909, an almost certain sign of member of the minor Russian nobility, he was given authority in his impending army induction in the Russia of that day. Consequently, we can domain as absolute as that of the Czar himself and he often exercised it as be sure his departure was without benefit of passport and was managed by arbitrarily. The system was introduced by Czar Alexander III in 1889. It using someone else's papers or by bribery. was generally unpopular in the German villages because it infringed on 3. Letter No. 3 from Heinrich Peter, 8 December 1913. their self government." 4. Letter No. 6 from Jacob/Christina Manweiler, 15 February 1914. 10. Kratzke was about 20 kilometers southeast of Neu-Messer. A 5. Letter No. 1 from Franz Ullrich, 8 December 1913. That our machine man's services would be of use only for machinery, of course. ancestors were fundamentalists goes almost without saying. Great- Whether Heinefranz and Heinrich Peter were partners in the mill men- grandfather Franz had no doubt whatever in the literal existence of tioned in Letter No. 4 from another correspondent—a business that is Heaven. Neither, apparently, did he have any doubt that he would ulti- reported on the verge of bankruptcy—or some other venture is unknown. mately be there. He was concerned only that his wayward daughter, The reference to paying the "weaving master" in the previous sentence Barbel might not. suggests a cloth mill, but this may simply be for the cost of processing 6. Letter No. 2 from Franz Ullrich, 25 November 1913. wool grown by the partners. Going to the head man was how business and 7. "Garden" refers to land inside or surrounding the village, generally other disputes were customarily settled. Obviously the judgement went adjacent or reasonably close to one's dwelling, which was used for against Heinrich Peter. Kutter was about 5 kilometers northwest of growing vegetables and fruit for consumption in the home. Sometimes Messer. small cash crops such as sunflower seeds and—in temperate climes- 11. Letter No. 4 from Johann Jacob Boeckel, l0 January 1914-I don't tobacco and mustard might also be grown there. The council was very know the relationship among these people. I would guess Boeckel is a likely following the course of least resistance in this matter as governing cousin of Marie's father, Franz Goebel, and that the grandmother referred groups everywhere are wont to do. It was easier to impose an unpopular to may be Goebel's mother and Boeckel's aunt. Be all that as it may, the public works program on an absentee landlord, particularly one who was seeming lack of passion in this report of calamity and mishap is striking. not likely to return, than on one still present. How anyone could forbear anguished comment on the anticipated loss of a 8. A very intriguing notion: a married couple who are dwarfs. Whether large business enterprise like this mill amazes me. Moreover, the same flat these are truly dwarfs or merely an unusually small couple is debatable. tone is maintained throughout Heinrich Peter's matter-of-fact report, The I've never heard of any other dwarfs in the colonies, though closest he comes to passion is his expression

Page 10 AHSGR Journal I Summer 1990 of disappointment when the few rubles he anticipated getting from many excuses for throwing a party, so when they found a suitable pretext, Heinefranz failed to materialize. they used it for all it was worth. We're talking major partying here, several 12. Letter No. 2 from Franz Ullrich, 8 September 1913. days in duration. 13. Franzosen was a village about 30 kilometers southwest of Neu- 20. Letter No. 5 from Heinrich Franz Goebel, 17 January 1914. Messer. 21. Letter No. 14 from Friedrich Schantz, 24 January 1919 or 1920. 14.1 don't know how extensive this Wandervoegel practice was in the This letter is particularly interesting for the number of Americanisms German colonies. I know that soldiers coming home in rags at the end of which have crept into the immigrants' vocabularies, e.g. Karen for cars, their army service customarily begged along the way for money to live on Kontrak for contract, and Vormmr for farmer. The prices quoted are as they walked. I have heard that some grew to like the existence and presumably $8.50 per ton to the growers and $28.00 per acre for those practiced it more or less thenceforth. Perhaps Kret was one such. If so, he contracting to take care of various acreages of beets. For comparison was doing all right as Great-grandfather points out with some purposes, the Hastings Tribune of April 6, 1915, reported a price of astonishment. $18.00 per acre for tending beets in Nebraska during 1915. But prices 15. Letter No. 4 from Johann Jacob Boeckel, 10 January 1914. varied from year to year: in 1916 it was $25.00 per acre and in 1927 was 16. Frank Khutor was about 30 kilometers northwest of Neu-Messer. $24.00 per acre. Like so many of these letters, more than one voice can be It was on the other side of the Medveditsa River. discerned. Friedrich's voice is succeeded by that of his wife, then the letter 17. Norka was 23 kilometers northeast of Neu-Messer and was much writer, Peter Meisinger, chimes in. larger. The reference to the Norka man holding church services means the 22. Letter No. 8 from Karl Lehr, 29 January 1923. Lehr's reference to villagers auditioned a possible replacement for the schoolmaster who the Dakota Freie Presse meant that he would have to place a classified ad resigned. The schoolmaster was expected to read sermons and sometimes in the widely read publication to aid in locating his friend. That, of course, even preach them on the many Sundays the circuit pastor from Norka was would cost money and was a last resort. Still, the paper did a booming busy elsewhere in his extensive pastorate. Obviously, the candidate's business in such ads. Also, Lehr's spelling of names may not be correct. salary demands exceeded the remuneration the villagers were willing to Meisinger he spelled Meisiner, and Batz may be "Bait;" Monk may be give. This could also have been the reason the former schoolmaster "Meng." returned to his father's home. 23. Letter No. 13 from Heinrich Ultrich, 14 December, probably 1924. 18. Letter No. 6 from Jacob and Marie Kristina Manweiter, dated 15 The Dinkelackers took almost a year making up their minds to move after February 1914, These few lines were appended to the letter which this initial inquiry. Friedrich had written for the illiterate couple. What his relationship to my 24. Letter No. 10 from Heinrich Ullrich, December 1923 (?). grandparents was is highly problematical. 25. Letter No. 11 from Elisabeth, 15 February 1923 (?). 19. The remark about ".. . even more food ..." alludes to the large 26. Letter No. 9 from Friedrich and Marie Schmidt, 25 February 1924. amounts needed to feed wedding guests. Our forebears didn't have too

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AHSGR Journal I Summer 1990 Page 11 THE BEGINNING OF AN ODYSSEY Ella (Wasemiller) and Wemer K. Wadewitz

This odyssey began long before we ever started the journey. We wrote to the Embassy of the U.S.S.R. in Washington, D.C. for travel information and the forms to get visas. Thus began the building of a mountain of paper. After a lengthy delay we received forms to fill out in triplicate, in English and in Russian, typewritten, and a request for passport-size pictures for each copy. Two copies of each form were to be sent to each of our relatives who were to be our hosts in Ishim, Siberia; Chu, Kazakhstan, and Gazalkent, Uzbekistan. Each of these families were to "invite" us to visit. They had to obtain permission for us to visit from the local police. The issu- ance of that permit depends upon whether the host has room to accommodate the guests, sufficient food for everyone, and whether, in general, the conditions around Ella (nee Wasemiller) and Wemer Wadewitz, "the Ameri- the house are satisfactory for having guests. Unfortunately, cans," with Eduard and Melitta Wasemiller (front), Leo's wife permission to visit Chu and Ishim did not arrive until after Alwina, and Melitta's daughter Ruth we returned from the trip. us, and we showed our appreciation by handing them some For months our people inquired at the "bureau" almost cigarettes and pantyhose. Soon we were on our way to a daily to see of the permission process had moved forward. new hotel on the outskirts of the city, the Solnechny Our people in Chu were told outright that no American Camping Hotel. guests would be permitted to come to that "dirt and dust The next day we asked for transportation to the heart of hole." The same unwillingness was manifested at Ishim, the city. While we waited for our ride, we went into the even though our people insisted that the guests were not post office on the ground floor of the hotel. The clerk saw coming to see the dirt but to visit relatives. us go into the post office and assumed that we had changed When our cousins in Gazalkent, 30 miles from Tash- our minds and the transportation left without us. We kent, notified us that they succeeded in obtaining the waited and waited until a girl from Holland, who saw us necessary permit, we could confirm our reservations made sitting there, complained to the clerk. Soon we were with Pan Am and Aeroflot. We intended to fly from escorted to an empty bus which took just the two of us to Volgograd to Leningrad on our return home. Fortunately, the main office of Intourist. we delayed our departure date an entire week. This time We had been advised to go to the third floor of the was needed for our local travel agent who tried for the Intourist office to make our inquiries. There we found such longest time and with a trainload of patience to get a tumult of humanity that we decided to turn to the information about flights or train schedules inside the American Embassy on Tchaikovsky Boulevard for help. Soviet Union. The agent could not make the necessary We finally caught a taxi on the run, and found the contacts or make any reservations, so we decided to fly to embassy. There we saw droves of young people standing Moscow and see what we could manage from there. around on the sidewalk. The guards at the entrance let us in We arrived in Moscow on May 24,1989. At the Mos- when we told them we were Americans. cow international airport, Intourist told us that it would be The lady at the first window told us she did not take impossible for us to travel to Ishim or Chu or Alma-ata care of problems like ours. The man at the second window because we had no invitations. We went through customs simply informed us that the American Express office with no trouble only to find that we could not get rooms (approximately one mile down the street) was the "official" because all the hotels were full. The Congress of People's travel agency for the embassy. So we started walking down Deputies was in session and what rooms they hadn't taken that broad sidewalk and tried to catch a taxi. We walked were reserved for large tours from many different the entire distance. countries. Intourist said they would try to find a room for

Page 12 AHSGR Journal I Summer 1990 Generally the waiters would ask for dollars as payment. They offered a more favorable exchange rate than the official banks. We had exchanged some traveler's checks at the state bank at the airport and had received only 32 rubles for 100 dollars. We could get at least double that amount for cash so we pocketed our traveler's checks until we could cash them at home.

GAZALKENT What a change in atmosphere, treatment, and food when we reached the home of our hosts, Eduard and Melitta Wasemiller, in Gazalkent! Their hospitality started at the airport, where their daughter Ruth and her husband Valentin helped us retrieve our luggage, which had been mixed with the luggage of a tour. They wouldn't let us carry a thing. We loaded everything into their Moskvich. Their friendliness, though we were all total strangers, filled the entire welcoming experience. The greetings, embraces The family reunion in Gazalkent, Uzbekistan, with most of and kisses showed us their joy and love. Only three hours those able to attend from Kazakhstan and Siberia. Second from right is the Rev. W. Wadewitz. before our arrival had they heard we would be there. They had to drop everything and go to the airport in Tashkent, We explained the situation to the people at American while at home in Gazalkent the rest of the family (and even Express. They told us that we were not even supposed to be the neighbors) waited for us. there. If we had dealt with them from the beginning, Our telegram to Cousin Leo in Ishim had arrived, but to purchasing and ordering everything beforehand, they would everyone's disappointment. Many of our relatives in have reserved hotel rooms and made all travel Siberia had gone there to meet us, because that was to have accommodations. They would have given us "vouchers" to been our first stop, but, Nyet! Uncle Reinhold, eighty-four get what we needed. Now they could only feel sorry for us. years old, had come with his daughter Ella from As it was, we were only "in transit." We waited to see how Kemerovo, and Cousin Hilda had come from Krasnoyarsk. sorry they really felt. Finally, after several phone calls, an Also, Cousin Reinhold, Cousin Elwira and daughter employee was given money with the order to take us in his Svetlana had come, but returned home to meet us later in car to the central Intourist office, where we had been Volgograd on our return trip. The rest all decided to take before. There the man consulted with some clerks. We the train to Tashkent, a trip which took five and a half guess he used some persuasion money, because we were days, with delays. Uncle Reinhold and Cousin Ella could soon standing before a window where we were issued not arrange for plane tickets, so returned home. But all tickets to Tashkent. those who met in Ishim already had a FAMILY After this ten-hour ordeal we caught an unofficial taxi REUNION and continued the experience on wheels. Most back to the hotel. There we sent telegrams to Ishim and of them had not seen each other in years. Chu, telling our people that we could not visit them, that we Our room in Eduard's house was prepared for us with could go only to Tashkent/Gazalkent. The flight was the love and care. There were two single beds and a wardrobe. next day, so we remained one more day where we ought not In the corner was a heap of packed household goods ready to have been in the first place. for the emigration to West Germany. They had applied Food at the hotel was scarce and bad. In the restaurant through relatives in West Germany and had already we were handed huge menus and were overjoyed to see so received permission to come. many delicious items offered. But when we placed our Since food was a real problem for our hosts, they had order, we were told that only the staples were available: done the utmost to prepare for a large number of guests. roast beef, cucumber salad, and dessert with coffee. We ate Ruth worked in a dairy processing plant and distribution roast beef (sort of) and "salad" consisting of four slices of center where she was able to obtain dairy products or trade cucumber. The drink was something like pumpkin juice. them for other necessities. Cousin Eduard made it his job We also were served small efficiency cups of coffee and to fetch bread at the nearby open-air bazaar. dessert. This was our main meal for three days.

AHSGR Journal I Summer 1990 Page 13 Valentin, Cousin Eduard's son-in-law, was our tour guide. In his trusty Moskvich he took us to all the places tourists usually see and to all those places which the tour- ists never see in and around Tashkent. He drove us into the mountains where there are sanatoriums and power stations, rivers and lakes, and the snow-capped mountains in the direction of Afghanistan. We made many trips to Tashkent on business because we were concerned about catching a flight to Volgograd and reserving a hotel room there. We also had to confirm the flight from Volgograd to Leningrad, which our travel agent at home was able to reserve but not confirm. Valentin, with his knowledge of Russian, was of great help in arranging everything with Miss Lili, the Intourist travel agent in Tashkent. She convinced us to join their program and made all reservations, even taxi rides to and from the airports. The first group to arrive from Chit, Kazakhstan, after twelve On the way to Volgograd and Leningrad we were hours of rough travel in two cars. At the far end of the table is Werner Wadewitz with the host and hostesses. Meals treated like VIPs, That made it possible for us to meet were served out-of-doors. Reinhold, Elwira, and Svetlana in Volgograd. Svetlana was home from her teaching station near the Bering Strait. There were also grapes, malinas (raspberries), and toma- From them we were very happy to learn much about our toes fresh from the garden. There were chickens for meat family, Kamyshin, the Volga, and about Muehl- and eggs. At times the number of guests rose to thirty, berg/Tsherbakovka, They even brought some photographs although not all could stay for the whole time. The people sent to their family at least fifty years ago. We had never from Chu brought a lamb (tied up in the car trunk for met, but when we parted at the Volga, we felt as though we twelve hours) and some other edibles. From Ishim came a had known each other all our lives. In and through our large sack of "Siberian potatoes." "Tut," said Cousin conversation we knew we belonged together because the Eduard, "That wasn't necessary. We've got plenty." Often Wasemiller tradition and family heritage shone through the other relatives and friends living in Gazalkent also came to entire meeting. eat a "friendship meal" there with us, "the Americans."

Helpful hands clean the dishes after the meal in the The guests depart on Pionerskaya Street, in front of Courtyard. the reunion house.

Page 14 AHSGR Journal I Summer 1990 ETHNIC WOMEN HOMESTEADING ON THE PLAINS OF NORTH DAKOTA H. Elaine Lindgren

Women as well as men took advantage of government were women. After that date the portion in both counties land policies that encouraged settlement on the Great reached nearly 18 percent."3 Plains. Researchers have replaced earlier stereotypes that emphasized the reluctance of women to participate in the Historical Sources settlement process by more dynamic and realistic concep- Two historical sources add intrigue to the question of tualizations that portray women as courageous, enthusi- how many women filed on claims, both making specific astic, and adventuresome.1 references to Dakota Territory. In The History of Woman Suffrage, edited by Susan B. Anthony and Ida Harper, the Recent Scholarship authors state that during 1887, "under the liberal provisions A landmark study conducted by Sheryll Patterson- of the United States Land Laws, more than one-third of the Black, who examined records from land offices in Lamar, land in the Territory was held by women."4 Although this Colorado (1887 and 1907), and Douglas, Wyoming (1891, assertion is frequently cited, no source is given in the 1907, 1908), revealed an average of 11.9 percent of the original. homestead entrants were women. Percentages increased Somewhat more conservative was Emma Haddock, also with the passage of time, ranging from 4.8 percent in a champion of women's rights, speaking of land ownership Douglas in 1891 to 18.2 percent in Lamar in 1907. around 1886. Haddock drew her conclusions from a Patterson-Black comments, "I find it astounding that this questionnaire that she had distributed "throughout all the army of women settlers could be so entirely overlooked in states and territories of the West." She reported, "All over historical sources." These land seekers included single the thinly settled portions of Dakota, hundreds of women women and widows as well as a few married women who live alone under their own shack and garden patch . . . were considered heads of a household. The promise of many thousands of women in southern and middle Dakota economic security through land ownership was a powerful own government lands. In fact, the woman who has not attraction. Other motives included adventure, escape from some kind of claim proved up is either a newcomer or a oppressive marriages, and desire for a healthy environment. curiosity." Although enthusiastic in her support for Comparing the situation of single homesteaders with their women's ownership of land, she does candidly admit, "I married counterparts, Patterson-Black observed, "It seems cannot give figures as to the exact number of women who clear to me that the life of a single woman, or at least the have taken government lands," and concludes, "As a result childless one, was a cut above that of her married sister on of the investigation, I learn that in the Western states, the Great Plains frontier."2 according to the best judgment of businessmen, the amount A more recent study of homesteaders in Logan and of land actually owned by women is about five percent. Washington Counties in northeastern Colorado by Kath- This estimate does not include real estate owned in cities erine Hill Harris provides comparable data. Harris states, and towns."5 "Before 1900, approximately 12 percent of the entrants in Given the subsequent findings by Patterson-Black and Logan County and 10 percent in Washington County Harris, Haddock's estimate was probably nearer to reality while Anthony and Harper's estimates may have been arrived at by casual observation and used to bolster the H. Elaine Lindgren is associate professor and chair of sociology and anthropology at North Dakota State University. Her position of women in the suffrage debate. comprehensive study of women who homesteaded in North Dakota, Land in Her Own Name, will be published as part of the Women's Land Acquisition state's centennial observances. in North Dakota This article originally appeared in the Summer 1989 issue of Great Plains Quarterly, and is reprinted here by permission. The article The following analysis is designed to further insight prominently features Russian-German women and their interactions into the question of women's land ownership, particularly with other settlers in a new country. in the area that in 1889 became the state of North

AHSGR Journal I Summer 1990 Page 15 Dakota. This work is a part of a more extensive study of the Ethnicity circumstances surrounding women's land acquisition during The lists of names were examined and categorized by the settlement period (1870-1915). The intent of this phase apparent sex and ethnicity. The tract books do not indicate of the project was to determine the percentage of women the sex of the land recipient so it is possible that I who filed on claims in their own name in selected misclassified a few names. Area scholars of ethnicity townships and to examine the influences of ethnicity and completed the classification of names by ethnicity." Thus, time of settlement. Land policies varied considerably in it was possible to calculate not only the percentage of their requirements over these years but allowed access to women in the total population who filed on claims within a virtually the same group of people. To be eligible, an given township, but also the percentage of female entrants individual had to be 21 years of age, single, widowed, belonging to the following ethnic groups; divorced, or the head of a household. Land filed for by a Anglo-American (with some Anglo-Ontarians), Norwegian, married couple living together was entered under the Swedish, Danish, Finlander, Hollander, Icelander, German, 6 husband's name only. German-Hungarian, German-Russian, Bohemian, Polish, North Dakota offers a valuable opportunity to explore and Ukrainian. In most cases only one ethnic group was the ethnic variable. Settlement occurred relatively recently, represented in a township; in one instance, however, two largely between 1870 and 1915. Census data shows North townships in Divide County were used for both Anglo- Dakota as consistently ranking first among the states of the American and Norwegian concentrations (T161-R101 Great Plains in having the largest percentage of foreign- andT16l-R100). born population throughout the homesteading decades (38 In most cases the ethnic concentrations suggested by the percent in 1880, 43 percent in 1890, 35 percent in 1900). If 1965 data were found to varying degrees. For example, in that population group is expanded to include native-born township 162-53 (Pembina County) 137 of 138 land persons of foreign parentage, the percentage increases to 71 recipients were classified as Anglo-American, while in percent for 1900.7 The cultural integrity of many groups township 161-100 (Divide County) only 32 of 147 land remained undisturbed for many years and still influences recipients were classified as Anglo-American. There were a the persona) lives of many contemporary residents.8 few surprises. In Dickey County, township 129-59,1 Forty-three townships were targeted for analysis based expected to find Finnish homesteaders. Instead the land on their ethnic composition during 1965, when a detailed records showed the area was homesteaded by Anglo- map of the state's settlement times and ethnic population Americans who later sold their land to the Finns and moved was compiled. Even though substantial migration has taken on. place in some areas since the original settlement, the 1965 Considering the methodology used for classifying data, data allowed me to identify areas likely to have been settled caution must be exercised in interpreting the data. The by particular ethnic groups.9 identification of sex and ethnicity by name only may have resulted in some distortion. Given the exploratory nature of I used the United States Bureau of Land Management this study, I made the decision to include a broad range of Tract Books to compile lists of all the names of those ethnic groups instead of concentrating on only a few, successfully acquiring title to land through homesteading, acknowledging the disadvantages of small sample sizes that preemption, or timber culture for each of the forty-three resulted from this action, townships.'0 Individuals whose claims were canceled were I considered the religious factor when possible. German not included. The total number of land recipients varies and German-Russian groups were divided into townships from township to township according to the acreage that were predominantly Catholic or Protestant, Townships available for individual private entry. were further designated in terms of general time of Percentages for this study were based on the total settlement: "very early," the 1870s; number of land units owned in a township rather than "early," the 1880s and 1890s; and "late," after 1900. Again, number of acres. If an individual owned more than one caution must be exercised because settlement times for parcel of land, he or she was counted more than once; for some townships felt clearly within the designations but for example a person who received 160 acres through others settlement took place over a prolonged period or at preemption and an additional 160 acres through timber the juncture of the categories, i.e., 1898-1901. Given the culture was counted twice. concerns outlined above, calculations for each township should be considered probable rather than absolute. The townships included in the sam-

Page 16 AHSGR Journal I Summer 1990 Table 1. ple are scattered throughout the state; their exact loca- Percent And Ratio of Women Land Recipients tions can be determined by the township and range In Selected Townships By Settlement Period. numbers listed in the tables.'2 Township- Ratio County Range Percent (Women/total)* Women Acquiring Land Very Early Settlement (1870-1879) Table 1 reveals that women did indeed acquire land in Richland 131-48 1 (1/101) North Dakota. The percentages of female land recipients Richland 131-49 2 (2/104) ranged from a low of 1 percent to a high of 22 percent, Cass 137-50 5 (5/183) yielding an average of 10 percent for the 43 townships. Richland 131-50 5 (5/100) Female recipients made up less than 10 percent of the Richland 132-50 5 (3/64) total in 19 of the townships, between 10 and 20 percent in Richland 136-50 11 (8/75) 21 townships, and more than 20 percent in 3 townships. Pembina 161-51 4 (6/141) In general, townships in the eastern and southern part Pembina 162-53 6 (8/138) Early Settlement (1880-1899) of the state had the lowest percentages of women filing on claims. In North Dakota this meant that fewer women Pembina 161-55 3 (5/148) sought land in early settlement times than in later years. Pembina 160-56 4 (6/152) The average percentages of women taking land are 4.87 percent Walsh 156-51 8 (11/136) (1870-79), 9.59 percent (1880-99), and 14.53 percent (after 1900). Walsh 155-51 5 (7/128) Two northwestern counties settled Walsh 155-58 10 (13/129) Walsh 156-54 7 (9/136) after 1900 were analyzed as a part of the larger study of LaMoure 134-66 12 (8/65) which this effort was a part. The percentage of female Dickey 129-59 16 (22/135) land recipients in Burke County was 14, consistent with Morton 140-85 33 (2/71) the findings of this study, while the percentage for Morton 139-84 12 (9/73) Williams County reached 18 percent.'3 Patterson-Black Mclntosh 130-70 13 (19/140) and Harris similarly found higher percentages of women Mclntosh 130-68 12 (16/132) in areas settled toward the end of the homestead era. Mclntosh 132-70 8 (6/64) recording peaks of about 18 percent.'4 Stark 139-94 14 (9/66) Emmons 130-75 17 (23/139) If the 43 townships are grouped by settlement time to Emmons 131-74 6 (6/107) allow comparison with the observations of Anthony and Emmons 131-75 5 (4/88) Harper and of Haddock, the 19 settled before or around Emmons 131/76 10 (9/94) 1886 yield an average of 6.79 percent of land recipients Towner 162-67 9 (9/100) being women. This compares favorably with the 5 per Stark 137-94 10 (7/73) cent estimated by Haddock. My findings do not support Sheridan 143-76 16 (19/118) Anthony and Harper's claim that by 1887 one-third of the Sheridan 146-74 14 (10/71) land in Dakota was held bv women. None of the town- Late Settlement (1900 and After) ships settled in the 1880s came close to reaching the 33 Ward 161-88 11 (14/127) percent figure. In fairness to the suffragists it should be Ward 157-84 15 (23-154) noted that in counties in northwestern North Dakota, Renville 161-87 12 (17/139) settled after 1900, the percentage of women owning land Renville 158-84 21 (31/151) in a few townships did reach levels over 30 percent, but Pierce 154-74 17 (25/143) even in the later settlement periods such levels are exceptional.15 Pierce 153-74 21 (31/145) Anthony and Harper's reference is, of course, to Dakota Territory, a Pierce 152-73 22 (32/148) region that is now the area of the two Dakotas. Because data for parts of North Dakota, Colorado, and Wyoming are so consistent it seems Hettinger 136-96 10 (7/69) highly unlikely that pattern in the southern part of Dakota Territory Hettinger 136-95 9 (6/64) would be drastically different. Even though Anthony and Harper’s Billings 142-99 3 (2/66) estimate seems to have been an exaggeration, they should be given credit for calling attention to a neglected segment of pioneer women. Billings 143-99 13 (9/69) Divide 161-101 18 (27/149) Divide 161-100 17 (25/147) *Number of women land recipients/Total number of land recipients In the township.

AHSGR Journal I Summer 1990 Page 17 Time of settlement, as we have seen, is an important from Northern Europe were strongly influenced by modern predictor of the sex of land recipients but variations occur. democratic reform movements. He cites as examples the Only 3 percent of the land recipients in Billings County's popularity of producer cooperatives, the consumer township T142-R99, a late settlement in western North cooperatives, the women's suffrage movement, the tem- Dakota, were women, whereas township T129-R59 in perance and prohibition organizations, and the trade union Dickey County, an early settlement, showed women as 16 movement. Repeatedly such authors as Marcus Hansen, percent of the land recipients. Charles H. Anderson, and Theodore C. Blegen speak of the more expansive attitude toward the frontier, women, and Ethnic Settlers life itself found in the Anglo-Saxon as well as Few studies have explored the importance of the ethnic Scandinavian traditions.'8 factor. Patterson-Black mentions that "people of many In contrast to these groups, the German-Russian society ethnic and racial backgrounds filed claims." Harris notes portrayed by Timothy J. Kloberdanz is rigid and ultra- the importance of this element, but limits her study to traditional. Kloberdanz points out that the political "native-born whites."'6 Cultural traditions do vary conservatism of North Dakota's Black Sea Germans considerably among ethnic groups. North Dakota's ethnic manifested itself in many ways, including their opposition past is recent and surprisingly vigorous. One can reason- to the women's suffrage movement in 1914. He describes a ably assume, therefore, that the norms controlling the status frequent scene in North Dakota's early towns and farming and power of women could easily have affected their views communities: "Immigrant women could be seen walking a toward taking homestead lands. Unfortunately, the analysis polite distance behind their husbands. Indeed, German- of the position of women in different ethnic settings is a Russian women themselves cringed at the sight of Anglo- matter of only recent interest. The sources of information American married couples strolling together or holding on groups living in North Dakota are few and none hands in public."'9 approach the question directly. The subordinate role of German-Russian women is Plains Folk' North Dakota's Ethnic History does, how- reiterated in Pauline Diede's account of the homesteading ever, provide a beginning point. Although only a few of the experiences of her own family. Her uncle mentioned that ethnic discussions include specific information on the his wife had to comply with his decision to emigrate from position and status of women, there are occasional com- Russia. "She had married me unwillingly, and unwillingly ments that lead one to some tentative generalizations. was obliged to obey and follow where I might go." Diede Robert P. Wilkins discusses the pioneering leadership notes the group's preference for sons and the women's provided by the English-speaking people who immigrated acceptance of abuse. "In Russia it was considered shameful to North Dakota from the neighboring states, the British for a woman to present her man with girl babies. The first- Isles, and Canada. He mentions the influence of school born, let alone the second, should have been a son," she teachers, most of whom were women, and describes briefly writes. "Women went to their knees and cried their woes the life of Ellen Thompson, who after filing on a homestead out to God, but if a woman spoke of her man's abuse, she at Lisbon in 1881, opened the first school in Ransom was scolded, then and there."20 County.'7 This cursory review of ethnic traditions led me to Playford V. Thorson, in his discussion of Scandinavian believe that significant differences would be found among groups in North Dakota, emphasizes that immigrants the North Dakota ethnic groups, with the more

Table 2. Percent And Ratio of Anglo-American Women as Land Recipients County Township-Range Settlement Times Ethnicity Percent Ratio (Women/total) Pembina 161-51 Very Early Anglo-American 5 (6/128) Pembina 162-53 Very Early Anglo-American 6 (8/137) Stark 139-94 Early Anglo-American 15 (6/39) Dickey 129-59 Early Anglo-American 17 (22/130) Divide 161-101 Late Anglo-American 37 (13/35) Divide 161-100 Late Anglo-American 13 (4/32)

Page 18 AHSGR Journal I Summer 1990 egalitarian groups providing a setting that would encourage percent, 2 percent, 2 percent, 6 percent) whether settlers women to file on claims while the more traditional groups were Protestant or Catholic. In Morton County—an early would discourage such action. As tables 2 through 6 show, German Protestant settlement—figures of 3 and 11 percent clear-cut differences did not materialize. What emerged occur. The later settlement of German Catholics in the was more complex, confusing, and intriguing. northwest part of the state exhibits a wide divergence (6 The data indicate that Anglo-Americans were among percent, 26 percent). (See Table 4.) the most likely to have large percentages of women filing The figures for certain groups of Germans from Russia on claims. Although the very early settlements had low are worthy of note, especially those of Protestant percentages (5 and 6 percent), those townships settled background in Sheridan County. In one township, 23 per- between the mid-18 80s and 1890 showed surprisingly cent of the German-Russian land recipients were women, high percentages for that period (15 and 17 percent). After and in another, 13 percent were women. This seems to 1900 the percentages again support the idea that Anglo- surpass the Anglo-American percentage but the time factor American women were among the most likely to take land. may be significant here. Although both groups were One township had only 13 percent but another had the classified as early settlements, settlement in Sheridan highest percentage in the sample with 37 percent. (See County took place just before the turn of the century Table 2.) whereas the Anglo-American townships were settled ear- Among the Scandinavians, the Norwegians follow the lier in the 1880s. Also, there were only 22 German-Russian typical pattern of lower percentages in the very early Protestants in township 146-74, which means the higher period (3 percent, 6 percent) and increased participation percentage was based on a very small sample. A group of after 1900 (9 percent, 17 percent). For the rest of the German-Russian Protestants who took land in Mclntosh Scandinavians, there was no comparable data for late County in the 1880s displayed a 13-percent level in two settlement and most townships showed the expected lows townships and a 9-percent level in a third. in early settlement, although the Swedish township and In contrast, women among the German-Russian one Danish township had somewhat higher levels (13 Catholics who came to nearby Emmons County during the percent, 10 percent). (See Table 3.) same period showed less inclination to take land (4 percent, Settlers of German heritage can be divided into two 4 percent, 8 percent). The later settlements in Pierce major groups, those who came to North Dakota by way of County have moderate to high percentages (13 percent, 14 Russia and those whose ancestry can be traced directly to percent, 26 percent). (See Table 5.) Germany. Among those whose emigration was directly Table 6 includes data from a number of other groups, from Germany, the very early settlement areas showed an most of whom settled in the state between 1880 and 1900. extremely low proportion of women homesteaders (2 The German-Hungarian townships had modest Table 3. Percent And Ratio of Scandinavian Women As Land Recipients. County Township-Range Settlement Times Ethnicity Percent Ratio (Women/total)

Cass 137-50 Very Early Norwegian 3 (2/61) Richland 136-50 Very Early Norwegian 6 (4/64) Pembina 160-56 Early Icelander 5 (5/116) Pembina 161-55 Early Icelander 4 (3/84) LaMoure 134-66 Early Swedish 13 (7/56) Towner 162-67 Early Finlander 7 (1/14) Renville 161-87 Early Danish 7 (4/60) Ward 161-88 Early Danish 10 (7/67) Divide 161-101 Late Norwegian 9 (8/92) Divide 161-100 Late Norwegian 17 (16/94)

AHSGR Journal I Summer 1990 Page 19 percentages of women homesteaders (9 percent, 10 per- county, had 7 percent in both townships. The Ukrainian cent, 15 percent), Polish townships in eastern North Dakota settlement in Billings County also showed diversity (4 in Walsh County displayed a mixed situation: one township percent, 18 percent). The figures are again suspect because had 13 percent women among the land takers and an of the small sample size. adjoining township, primarily of river land, had none. The In brief. North Dakota's settlement periods before 1900 Bohemian townships, not far away in the same show the following patterns: All ethnic groups Table 4. Percent And Ratio of German-Protestant And German-Catholic Women As Land Recipients. Township- Settlement Ratio County Range Times Ethnicity Percent (Women/total) Richland 131-49 Very Early German-Protestant 2 (2/86) Richland 131-48 Very Early German-Protestant 2 (1/45) Richland 131-50 Very Early German-Catholic 2 (2/81) Richland 132-50 Very Early German-Catholic 6 (2/31) Morton 139-84 Early German-Protestant 11 (6/56) Morton 140-85 Early German-Protestant 3 (2/59) Ward 157-84 Late German-Catholic 6 (4/67) Renville 158-84 Late German-Catholic 26 (17/66) Table 5. Percent And Ratio of German-Russian Protestant And German-Russian Catholic Women As Land Recipients. Township- Settlement Ratio County Range Times Ethnicity Percent (Women/total) Mclntosh 130-70 Early German-Russian/ 13 (5/40) Protestant Mclntosh 130-68 Early German-Russian/ 13 (13/97) Protestant Mclntosh 132-70 Early German-Russian/ 9 (3/35) Protestant Sheridan 146-74 Early German-Russian/ 23 (5/22) Protestant Sheridan 148-76 Early German-Russian/ 13 (11/88) Protestant Emmons 131-75 Early German-Russian/ 4 (3/73) Catholic Emmons 131-74 Early German-Russian 4 (4/92) Catholic Emmons 131-76 Early German-Russian/ 8 (6/74) Catholic Pierce 153-74 Late German-Russian/ 26 (18/69) Catholic Pierce 154-74 Late German-Russian/ 14 (13/90) Catholic Pierce 152-73 Late German-Russian/ 13 (6/48) Catholic

Page 20 AHSGR Journal I Summer 1990 (Anglo-American, Norwegian, German-Protestant, and additional sources have provided information that suggests German-Catholic) in very early settlement townships had directions for further analysis. low percentages of women taking land. During the 1880s Anglo-American women were most likely to file on the Land Record Files land, but by the turn of the century German-Russian Pro- The first source is a set of individual land record files. testant women were as likely to do so. Catholics among the The other is a translation from Russian to English of a Germans and the German-Russians were more reluctant publication that makes reference to inheritance laws that than Protestants to take advantage of the free lands. may have influenced the attitudes of some North Dakota The situation after 1900, the later settlement period, is Black Sea German-Russians toward ownership of land by somewhat different. Again, an Anglo-American group women. Each source merits a brief review here. showed the highest percentage, but German-Russian The individual land record files from two townships Catholics and German Catholics had high percentages in provided general information from which I was able to some townships. Norwegians showed moderate participa- determine claim filers' marital status and age.2' Additional tion. In this period the religious factor seems less impor- narrative material was available for some of the nineteen tant. Whereas the Protestant groups were higher earlier, the Anglo-American and eighteen German-Russian female Catholics in later years showed similar percentages, it also land recipients. The following descriptions illustrate the appears that the German-Russian townships had a variation in age and marital status among women who somewhat higher percentage than the German ones. sought land. This set of exploratory data does not, in the final analy- Phena R. (Anglo-American), age 22, single, filed on sis, support my original expectation of finding distinct homestead claim in 1884 and proved up in 1887. differences among ethnic groups in the proportion of Mary C. (Anglo-American), age 25, separated from women filing claims on government land. husband, two children, established residence on a Before 1880 few women, regardless of their ethnic preemption claim in 1884 and purchased the land later the heritage, chose to file on land. Later, Anglo-American same year. women seemed more likely to take advantage of homestead Susan H. (Anglo-American), age 40, widow with three procedures than other women, particularly in the mid- children, established residence on a preemption claim in 1880s, but the difference was not entirely consistent. Their 1883 and purchased the land in 1884. greater participation could be explained by their familiarity Sarah R. (Anglo-American), age 44, single, filed on a with American culture and language. But the question homestead claim in 1884, proved up in 1889. remains, why did German-Russian immigrant women Pamela W. (Anglo-American), squatted on land before exhibit such enthusiasm for land acquisition? What factors it was surveyed. In 1883 at age 71 she filed on it and contributed to make the men and women of this relatively purchased it in 1884. rigid society accept the notion of ownership of land by Katharina D. (German-Russian), age 21, single, filed on women? In fact, German-Russian women in North Dakota a homestead claim in 1902, married in 1903 before proving in some instances decisively surpassed the Scandinavian up in 1904. women in the acquisition of land. And again we see that Juliana H. (German-Russian), age 23, single, sole German-Russian Catholic women in Pierce County exceed support for sickly mother and three younger siblings, filed the proportions of Anglo-American women who sought a homestead claim in 1901 and proved up in 1907. land in some of the townships elsewhere. Teresia L. (German-Russian), age 32, married with four For most ethnic groups, the township data show sub- children, husband was disabled, which allowed her to file stantial fluctuations. Some of these discrepancies might as head of the household, filed in 1901 and proved up in disappear with an expanded sample of townships or a more 1907. sophisticated scheme for designating settlement times, but Clara M. (German-Russian), age 63, single, filed on clearly there is strong evidence that some women in all homestead claim in 1905 and proved up in 1911. ethnic groups determined it was in their best interest to Anna M. (German-Russian), age 65, widow, filed on acquire land. Further investigation is necessary before firm homestead claim in 1901 and proved up in 1906. conclusions can be made regarding the effect of ethnicity In comparing demographic data for all the women from on women's decisions to file on government land. Since these two groups, some common trends emerge. Both completion of the research for this study, two Anglo-American and German-Russian groups had similar proportions of single women and widows as land

AHSGR Journal I Summer 1990 Page 21 recipients (Anglo-American: 9 single, 8 widows; German- seemed more likely to be in a position of providing sub- Russian: 10 single, 6 widows) but within these categories, sistence for themselves and perhaps their dependents. there were some noticeable differences. Five of the Just as a trend seemed to be emerging, however, an German-Russian women married shortly after filing on the exception appeared. Juliana, a German-Russian, filed on a land while only one Anglo-American took this course of claim in 1901 at the age of twenty-three and proved up in action. Five of the Anglo-American widows were young 1907. Her request for a final patent was contested by a and had dependent children while the German-Russian party who claimed she had not met the residency require- widows were older and none had dependent children. All ments. Because of this action her file contains an unusual but two of the Anglo-American women were native born amount of informative material concerning her life cir- while all of the German-Russian women emigrated from cumstances. For the most part she lived on the claim during Russia to the United States. the summers and worked elsewhere during the rest of the Women from the Anglo-American group were more year. Even though she did not have her own dependent likely to be in the middle age range. Only four were children she was apparently the sole support of her mother, between the ages of 21 and 25 while 11 were between 26 who was described as sickly, and of her three younger and 49 and four were over the age of 50. German-Russian siblings. Besides managing this household, Juliana engaged land recipients tended to cluster in either the younger or in the physical labor necessary to maintain the claim. She older age ranges. Nine were between the ages of 21 and 25, cut sod and built the shanty, broke twenty-five acres for only two between the ages of 26-49, and 7 were over 50. cultivation, cut hay, and threshed. The narrative made no Each group had one woman who was separated from her mention of any other relatives, male or female, who might husband. One German-Russian was married to a disabled have helped her prove the claim, except for her fifteen- husband. All three of these women were considered the yea'r-old brother who looked after the land when she head of the household and therefore eligible for worked away from the area. All those close to her seemed government land. to have depended on her for their support. The contest to It seems that German-Russian women were more likely her patent was rejected and the final patent issued to her on to be younger and planning to take land because of a the grounds that she had indeed met the government pending marriage or were older widows without requirements and had established a residence in good faith. dependents. One can speculate that the German-Russian Juliana's story points up the necessity of acquiring women may have had a greater tendency to file on land at extensive case history material as well as demographic data the direction of, or in collaboration with, a male relative or for women from different ethnic backgrounds before future husband with the intention of expanding a family attempting to make conclusions about the conditions that enterprise rather than with the notion of setting up an led to their acquiring claims. Her independence, whether independent household. Many Anglo-American women Table 6.

Percent And Ratio of Other Ethnic Women As Land Recipients.

County Township- Settlement Ethnicity Percent Ratio Range Times (Women/total) Walsh 156-51 Early Polish 13 (8/62) Walsh 155-51 Early Polish 0 (0/21) Walsh 156-54 Early Bohemian 7 (4/55) Walsh 155-58 Early Bohemian 7 (4/57) Emmons 130-75 Early Hollander 7 (4/58) Stark 137-94 Early German-Hungarian 10 (7/70) Hettinger 136-95 Early German-Hungarian 9 (2/22) Hettinger 136-96 Late German-Hungarian 16 (5/41) Billings 142-99 Late Ukrainian 4 (2/46) Billings 143-99 Late Ukrainian 18 (2/11)

Page 22 AHSGR Journal I Summer 1990 by choice or circumstance, does not fit into the rigid and women may lie in the particularly strong ties to the soil felt traditional characterization of male-dominated German- by both men and women. Kloberdanz states, "Although the Russian society. Was she an exception? If so, what were great emigration from the South Russian steppes to the the factors that enabled her to assume a non-traditional North American prairies occurred at a time of many social role? Under what circumstances might desire for land and and political upheavals in Russia, the primary reason for economic security, family approval or encouragement, moving to the new world was land hunger." This intense opportunity, or even chance override the importance of desire for land has been found to be characteristic of ethnicity? Were women of some ethnic backgrounds more women as well as men. In certain instances, German- likely than others to file on land for the benefit of male Russian women admitted they sometimes "married for relatives? Questions such as these are yet to be answered. land, not just the man." Kloberdanz also points out that even though German-Russian women usually assumed Inheritance Patterns subordinate roles in the public sphere, which was In addition to these land records, I also found evidence controlled by men, they enjoyed equal status in the fields. that in the German colonies of southern Russia, inheritance "The one place that Black Sea German men, women and rights may have been more favorable to women than children were equal was in the field. Here there were no scholars have previously thought. According to a rigid divisions by either sex or labor."24 publication from 1870, "In the South Colonies the Nina Parley Wishek (Anglo-American) recorded her hereditary rights for men and women are equal," and "In reaction to seeing German-Russian women working in the most South Colonies both sexes have complete equality of fields and noted her change in attitude toward them. "To rights to property."22 These newly translated passages are me, one of the strangest ways of the foreigner was the of particular interest because they refer to the area of custom of women working in the field. As I had never seen Russia from which many of the North Dakota Black Sea it in my old home state (Michigan), I rather resented it as German-Russians emigrated. Other discussions of inheri- an insult to my sex. In later years I became accustomed to tance patterns have emphasized the favored position of it and even came to realize that the girls and women males among the Black Sea Germans. In general, custom enjoyed the freedom of outdoor life. Many girls preferred dictated the practice of ultimogeniture, in which younger working outside."25 Under these conditions it seems sons inherited family lands and attempts were made to find possible that if land were available for the taking, German- new farm land for older sons.23 Caution must be exercised Russian women as well as their Anglo-American in interpreting the meaning of the translations as they have counterparts would consider land ownership. not been validated by other sources. Perhaps they are The above examples illustrate how ethnic factors may merely obscure passages left on the records but not viable have influenced women to file on claims. The rather spe- in practice. Their existence, however, merits further cific focus of this study might well be expanded to inves- investigation. tigate land ownership as a means by which women of Considering the variety of backgrounds of women who various ethnic groups crossed the boundaries of the private decided to take claims and the conflicting statements of household sphere into the public domain of men. German-Russian inheritance patterns, the complexity of the relationship between ethnicity and land acquisition Conclusion becomes even more apparent. Although some women of The classification of names of land recipients in most ethnic groups elected to file on land in their own selected North Dakota townships provides a foundation for names, certain ethnic influences may have been important further research into the role of ethnicity in the decisions of in their decisions. women to file on claims. The data indicate that the The interest in democratic and social reforms that percentages of women filing and proving up on claims in seemed to permeate many of the Anglo-American and North Dakota were similar to those found in surrounding Scandinavian societies must have provided a background states. During early settlement the percentages of women that enabled some women to consider land ownership and taking land were low, averaging about 5 percent, although to perceive themselves capable of undertaking such a significant increases occurred after the 1900s with many venture. On the other hand, even in traditional societies townships showing percentages over 15 percent and where democratic ideologies were not in favor, some occasionally 30 percent. women chose the same course of action. A partial answer Women of all ages and marital status took land. Single to the acceptance of land ownership by German-Russian women from 21 to over 70, young widows with dependent children, and older widows who usually had

AHSGR Journal I Summer 1990 Page 23 grown children homesteading nearby made up the majority more women among its ranks of land recipients. Perhaps of those females seeking land. But "free" land also held circumstantial factors overrode the influence of ethnicity, promise for women who had been deserted or who were and the desire for financial security provided the common responsible for dependent husbands. One could speculate bases among women who took land, that many of the women responsible for dependents saw Before coming to any conclusion, however, it is homesteading as a means to economic security while young imperative to conduct further research that will involve single women had the luxury of seeking adventure as well expanded samples, more sophisticate classification as a sound investment. schemes, extensive case history information, and a North Dakota settlers included women who were native heightened knowledge of inheritance patterns and ethnic born as well as many who emigrated from Europe. These attitudes toward land acquisition by women. Follow-up women were active participants in the settlement process. studies should also examine what happened to the land in Some were among the first pioneers squatting on land the years that followed the women's proving up their titles. before the surveyors came. After the lands were surveyed Did these women ever dispose of their land? Did they sell it many more came to file on preemption, homestead, and to relatives or to strangers? Did they keep it throughout a timber culture claims. lifetime? What were the consequences of land ownership? Some women from all ethnic groups obtained patents Did it confer power and privilege upon these pioneer for government land. Although the data collected for this women? Such research would clarify the contradictions study suggest possible trends, there are substantial fluc- presented here and eventually lead to a more tuations in the percentages of women taking land within comprehensive understanding of the lives of women who, ethnic groups. A group that held liberalized attitudes as land owners, were an integral part of the settlement of towards women's suffrage did not necessarily include the Great Plains.

Notes This project was made possible by funding from the North the United Sales Howard W. Ottoson, ed,, (Lincoln, University of Dakota State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Nebraska Press, 1963). College of Humanities and Social Sciences. The author gratefully 7. Frederick C. Luebke, "Introduction," Ethnicity on the Great Plains acknowledges the efforts of William C. Sherman, Timothy J. (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1980), pp. 17, 19 Kloberdanz, Playford V. Thorson, Joy M. Query, and EunSook Park 8. William C. Sherman, Prairie Mosaic: An Ethnic Atlas of Rural for the contributions to various phases of the project. North Dakota (Fargo; North Dakota Institute for Regional Studies, 1983), 1. Glenda Riley, Frontierswomen: The Iowa Experience (Ames: p. I. Iowa Stale University Press, 1981) and "Women on the Great 9. William C. Sherman, associate professor of sociology, North Plains; Recent Developments in Research," Great Plains Quarterly Dakota State University, Fargo, advised me in selecting townships. 5 (Spring 1985); 81-92; Martha Stoecker Norby, "Proving Up: The 10. United Slates Bureau of Land Management Tract Books (also Memoir of 'Girl Homesteader'" edited by Glenda Riley, South labeled as Federal Land Office Homestead Tract Books) for North Dakota Dakota History 16 (Spring 1986); 1-17; Elizabeth Hampsten, Read are on microfilm at the Chester Fritz Library, University of North Dakota, This Only To Yourself: The Private Writings of Midwestern Women Grand Forks, North Dakota. 1880-19)0 (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1982); Anne B. 11. Scholars were William C. Sherman, Timothy J. Kloberdanz, both Webb, "Forgotten Persephones; Women Farmers on the Frontier," from North Dakota State "University, Fargo, and Playford V. Thorson Minnesota History 50 (Winter 1986): 134-48. from the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks. 2. Sheryll Patterson-Black, "Women Homesteaders on the Great Plains 12. Townships can be located on a map that includes township and Frontier," Frontiers 1 (Spring 1976); 67-88. range designations, or see Sherman, Prairie Mosaic: An Ethnic Atlas of 3. Katherine Llewellyn Hill Harris, "Women and Families on Rural North Dakota. Northwestern Colorado Homesteads, 1873-1920," Ph.D. diss. University 13. H. Elaine Lindgren, "Land, In Her Own Name," (manuscript in of Colorado, Boulder, 1983, pp. 127-28. progress). 4. Susan B. Anthony and Ida Husted Harper, eds.. The History of 14. Patterson-Black, "Women Homesteaders"; Harris, "Women and Woman Suffrage 1883-1900, vol. 4 (Indianapolis: The Hollenbeck Press, Families." 1902); 544. 15. Lindgren, "Land, In Her Own Name." In Williams County, North 5. Emma Haddock, "Women As Land-owners in the West," Associ- Dakota, only 3 of 57 townships showed percentages above 30 percent (30 ation for the Advancement of Women, papers, Fourteenth Annual Con- percent, 31 percent, 32 percent). vention, Louisville, Kentucky, 1886, pp. 16-17, 23-24. 16. Patterson-Black, "Women Homesteaders," p. 82; Harris, "Women 6. For a more detailed discussion of land laws and policies see and Families," p. 27. Benjamin Hibbard, A History of the Public Land Policies (New York; 17. Robert P. Wilkins, "People of the British Isles," in William C. Macmillan Company, 1924); Roy M. Robbins, Our Landed Heritage: Sherman and Playford V. Thorson, eds., Plains Folk: North Dakota's The Public Domain 1776-1936 (Princeton: Princeton University Press, Ethnic History (Fargo: North Dakota Institute for Regional Studies, 1988), 1942); Everett Dick, The Lure of the Land (Lincoln; University of pp. 37,41-43. Nebraska Press, 1970); Paul W. Gates, "The Homestead Act: Free Land 18. Playford V. Thorson, "Scandinavians," Plains Folk p. 185; Policy in Operation, 1862-1935," in Land Use Policy and Problems in Marcus Hansen, The Immigrant In American History (New York; Harper

Page 24 AHSGR Journal I Summer 1990 and Row, 1940), pp. 60-62, 70-73; Charles H. Anderson, White Protes- zatsiia," Vestnik europy. No. 3 (March 1870: pp. 72-118) pp. 82, 103, tant Americans (Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, 1970), pp. 17,43,48, 63, trans. Liya Vinograd. I am indebted to Timothy J. Kloberdanz for calling 68, 170; Theodore C. Blegen, Land of Their Choice (Minneapolis: my attention to this source. University of Minnesota Press, 1955), pp. 6, 196, 203, 307. 23. LaVern J. Rippley, "Introduction" to Richard Sallet's Russian- 19. Timothy J. Kloberdanz, "Volksdeutsche, the Eastern European German Settlements in the Untied States, trans. LaVern J. Rippley and Germans: Hungry For Land, Hungry for a Home: North Dakota's 'Other Armand Bauer (Fargo: North Dakota Institute for Regional Studies, Germans,'" Plains Folk, p. 150. 1974), p. 4. Rippley cites Theodore Hummel, 1OO Jahre Erbhofrecht der 20. Pauline Neher Diede, Homesteading on the Knife River Prairies deutschen Kolonisten in Russland (Berlin, 1936), p. 64. Also see Adam (Bismarck: Germans from Russia Heritage Society, 1983), pp. 14, 61, 81. Giesinger, From Catherine to Khruschev: The Story of Russia's Germans 21. Land records for women in township T129-R59 in Dickey County (Battleford, Saskatchewan, Marian Press, 1974), p. 69. and township T153-R74 in Pierce County were obtained from the General 24. Kloberdanz, "Volksdeutsche," pp. 130, 150; conversation with Branch, Civil Archives Division, National Archives, Washington, D.C. Timothy Kloberdanz, January 1987. 22. A. A. Klaus, "Obshchina-sobsivennik i eia iuridicheskaia organi- 25. Nina Parley Wishek, Along the Trails of Yesterday: A Story of Mclntosh County (Ashley, N.Dak.: Ashley Tribune, 1941), p. 235.

1990 INTERNATIONAL AHSGR CONVENTION

JULY 24-29 RADISSON HOTEL SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA

AHSGR Journal I Summer 1990 Page 25 SUFFERINGS OF THE FIRST GERMAN COLONISTS DURING THE FIRST TWO DECADES, 1764 TO 1784

(An article in gratitude for the benefactors in Lincoln, Nebraska) by John Erbes, Pastor at Kukkus, Volga Republic [From Die Welt-Post, Thursday, 14 May, 1925] An old pastor of that time, Cattaneo, from Norka on the dered meekly and begged for their lives in exchange for bergseite of the Volga River, wrote the following in 1786 their treasured goods. about the trials and sufferings of the first Volga-German Daring to fight these savages required courage because settlers during the years 1764 to 1784. anyone who offered the least resistance and was [From the editor of Die Welt-Post: We are very pleased overpowered was horribly tortured and killed as a warning to publish this highly interesting historical document not to others. Only a few years ago five such robbers attacked only in Die Welt-Post but also in the Omaha Daily thirty Russian sailors 25 versts [17 miles] from Norka, Tribune.] forcing them to fall on their faces and be robbed of everything. The German colonists brought here since 1764 by the The Germans, to whom their language and customs Empress, Her Majesty Catherine the Second, had many were unknown, had many different stories to tell me about incredible experiences on their way here which, for most, their adventures. Many were related to me. More than half took longer than a year. After arriving, they had many of those yet living have tales to tell and many still grieved unavoidable hardships to overcome during their first years over what had happened to them during such raids. The of settlement. In the beginning they had to live in thatched strangest story told me was that the robbers, before making huts during the warmer months, and in winter in dugouts an attack would first invite God's blessing on their plans. called zemlyanki. This was because the Russian government And after making the ceremonial Sign of the cross over failed to prepare adequate accommodations. The colonists face and breast, commenced the robbery with thanks to existed in these until quite comfortable housing could be God. They considered themselves very pious thieves! erected at the Crown's expense on village plats together The robbers weren't accustomed to the fact that well- with suitable barns, sheds, and granaries, According to armed German travelers wouldn't listen to or obey the German custom, village streets were straight and laid out in robbers' threats and demands but instead took up their an absolutely square pattern. Also, in each church parish a weapons with intent to kill. Often dead from both sides lay good-sized church was built. on the ground, but mostly robbers. During the first years robbers also presented problems. These robbers occasionally would ride through native The many trails through unpopulated areas allowed robbers villages with flaming torches, threatening to set everything to establish convenient places to waylay travelers. Other on fire, exacting great tribute from the local settlements. colonists were attacked on the streets, in the fields, woods, They attempted to do the same in the German villages but and even in their homes. These robber gangs which lurked the Germans offered strong resistance instead of tribute, in small and large groups in bushes along the roadways in shooting and killing the robbers, often taking the robber's various strategic places, were well organized and beautiful horses and other possessions as booty. disciplined. They followed the orders of experienced It must be noted that these robbers never came on foot leaders who had affiliations with the wealthy [Russians]. but always drove or rode. Also they conducted their Their typical pattern of robbery was to warn their highway robberies only during daylight hours, apparently unfortunate victims that they must fall to the ground on considering night robberies mean and dishonest, not their faces, allow themselves to be bound, and stripped of honorable. So it was safer for travelers to ride by night. valuable possessions in order to stay alive. Before the A few years ago the beautiful village of Sarepta, on the Germans came in large numbers, it was not easy to resist Sarpa River was in imminent danger of such a visit. A the demands of the robbers. There are examples where small individual caravans attacked by robbers surren-

Page 26 AHSGR Journal I Summer 1990 large band led by a Russian who had served in the military, This winter two merchants fell into the hands of robbers equipped with murder weapons and burglar tools had come near Saratov and were robbed and killed. The murderers by boat to make an attack. They were already near the were soon discovered. Recently a shoemaker traveling alone village before they were betrayed and apprehended. 20 versts [13 miles] from here suffered the same misfortune The government helped exterminate these robber bands because of the money he was carrying. Here, too, the mostly by governmental decrees. In each church parish criminals were soon found and arrested. At least the district commissioners were appointed, almost all of vigilance of the officials is causing a decrease in such sad German descent, who with the assistance of cavalry, examples for the most part, but where is a land completely German farmers, and full support of villagers, searched out free from such miserable doings? and crushed these destructive "birds of prey." So now, Many nice horses have been stolen from stables in thanks to God, conditions are now quite different and one various places, but not so easily in pastures because the can travel in these districts almost as safely as in Germany. herdsmen who must pay for the loss take extra care to While most of the robbers were natives whose relatives and prevent such thefts. There is now an order whereby each residences are still well known, one still doesn't feel horse in a village is to be branded with the village brand. So, completely safe because one knows that opportunity creates should the horse get away, it can be identified and returned the deed. Thus people travel in well-armed groups, at no cost. The seller must also return the money. So a stop everyone riding, no one on foot. In homes all possible has been put to this crime and one hopes it will soon caution and foresight are exercised, even though decrees disappear, and ordinances have been issued by the Crown. Some ten or eleven years ago, during the time of the According to present police regulations, each village notorious rebel Pugachev*, even though less affected by the mayor is obligated, if requested, to give promptly the rebellion than the Russians, the Germans could not help present whereabouts of every village member. Thus no one being badly hurt because they were settled in areas occupied of the community can leave without a pass, or both the by the insurrectionists. The government hanged twenty-two individual and the mayor stand in danger of blame for the members of the revolt in Saratov and the remainder were smallest infraction. Despite close surveillance, severe scattered. punishment, and this ordinance, whereby a suspect can Anyone who hesitated to acknowledge Pugachev as Czar scarcely escape or remain hidden, here and there grievous Peter the Third was hanged on the spot by the rebels. Those evidence is given as to which clan a suspect belongs. of the nobility who could be found were plundered and I myself have personally seen an example of this in the exterminated. Many colony leaders suffered the same fate. surrounding area. Last winter a German village 50 versts The common people, without leadership and order, could no [33 miles] from Norka sent a delegation to me urgently longer preserve their possessions from the wandering rebels. requesting me to bring medical help quickly to a rich Many an otherwise worthy man was led astray by the rebels couple who had been attacked at night by robbers, stabbed who continuously were misled by the false "Peter the and in other ways treated roughly. I regretted I could not Third." Most believed they would receive promised return with the delegation due to urgent matters and had to "mountains of gold." So evil was rampant and the remnants refuse, giving only my best possible advice. As I learned a of those troubled times are still with us. short while later, the unfortunate man whose throat and The most serious problem for the German colonists on windpipe had been cut died, but his wife recovered. The the far side of the Volga River at the present time is the lack wrongdoers were soon betrayed and came to their just of security from raids of the savages. These uncivilized rewards. hordes are called the Kirghiz. There is little humanity in them. During Pugachev's time these barbarians attacked and plundered both German and Russian villages on the east ^According to the Great Soviet Encyclopedia, Volume 14, page 64, side of the Volga, kidnapping anyone capable of doing slave Pugachev was leader of the Peasant War against feudal oppression labor for later sale in slave markets. Those remaining were in Russia. The war began in September 1773 on the steppes of the left bank of the Volga when the laik Cossacks, led by the Don hacked to pieces. Even since I've been here, these inhuman Cossack, E.I. Pugachev, rose against the czarist government. vagabonds have twice raided villages on the other side. The Pugachev had proclaimed himself Czar Peter the Third. (It was not last time was last autumn during harvest time, when two commonly known that the original Peter IIII had been assassinated). Catholic-German villages were raided. Although those still living

AHSGR Journal I Summer 1990 Page 27 were soon rescued by commandos, the damage was great the time and had been enslaved eleven years ago, together and painful. Most grievously hurt by the beast-like treat- with his parents, who were later sold. ment received were women and young, innocent girls. Among the Germans abducted by force at that time was The great expanse of the uninhabited wilderness, a pregnant woman who gave birth to a son on the steppe. together with other conditions, has made it almost impos- Her captor, a Kirghiz brute, threw the little baby onto the sible to be completely safe from raids there. Even though grass and took the mother with him. Three days later the this barbaric tribe is subject to the Russian Crown and mother and some others made a fortunate escape. They taxation, until now it has taken more than it has given. As searched and found the place where the birth had occurred, soon as any of its people step over the designated bound- discovered the child still alive, removed the umbilical cord, aries, they are obligated to report it. Commonly reported and the mother joyfully took the child. I remember hearing stories concerning escaped or ransomed slaves whom I this in small Katharinen-stadt where this child now lives. I have often seen, and other reports indicate this uncivilized was there visiting my fellow countryman Pastor von Moos. tribe exists totally without houses and culture, living solely Nearly everyone calls the child "King of the Steppe." on meat and volunteer vegetables. There is much concerning the tales of old Pastor Cat- Germans who have lived with them and are now free taneo about the early difficulties our old colonist fathers have no further desire for bread and have found it difficult and mothers had to endure here on the Volga. Quietly we to adjust to a comfortable and orderly life-style. One youth, meditate over them with the words of the Psalmist (107:1- who had been raised by them was rescued and arrived in 9) echoing endlessly in the depths of our devout souls. Saratov last autumn, wanted nothing but half-cooked chopped meat and vegetables to eat with his fingers, and Translated by Arthur R. Hartwig. [wanted] bread least of all. Also, he slept almost naked under the free skies. He was seventeen years old at

Page 28 AHSGR Journal I Summer 1990 THE TREK OF 1921-1922 Glenn Mueller* The late 1800s saw increases in population in the Schwartzkopf was ever after considered an outcast. German colonies along the Volga. The need for more land Upon his return to his village of Dreispitz in about 1914, to meet family needs and the ever increasing high taxes Schwartzkopf rented a troika and drove around the town to imposed by the Russian government were constant burdens. boast of his wealth and prosperity in America. But he had Many colonists were fleeing to other lands, particularly to not counted on World War I or the Revolution. He found the Americas. Letters sent back to "the old country" always himself unable to book passage for return to America, and contained glowing reports of land for the taking (or at least he was faced with an unpleasant extended stay.1 very cheap), and opportunities where one only had to use The harassment became severe. Across the river in his back and mind to have a good life. Dreispitz Khutor the Bolsheviks were in complete control On into the early 1900s the conditions worsened. Ger- in 1917. Many of the more wealthy Germans were man farmers and businessmen who prospered were the deported or killed, their property confiscated by the party. envy of their Russian neighbors. The Russians, knowing Each time the card carrying members came to town, the land was usually leased by the Germans from the another member (or members) of the German community Russian government or land barons, continued to increase fell sway to the wants of the Bolsheviks. Finally Dave rental fees. Rent was usually assessed in crop shares, which Muller heard that his presence was requested at Party had to be paid even in event of crop failure- Headquarters. Dave and a friend slipped out of town with a From southern Russia the Bolsheviks established a few coins and the clothes on their backs. They journeyed foothold. Their movement was aided by the events of north across the province line into the city of Samara. World War I. Those who came to the aid of the Communist From there they went west across the Volga, into Saratov, Party were granted special rights and privileges and came and back south into Dreispitz. There a family named to be known as "card carrying members," When the Herbel offered them shelter. Later Dave was able to return Bolsheviks took control of a community, their word was to Dreispitz Khutor to collect a few belongings, but all of law, with no recourse. They advocated communal farming, his real property had been confiscated by the Bolsheviks. which was bitterly opposed by the Germans, who were Dave's parents lived with others in the community and in individual and would remain so through emigration, 1919 they were able to return to the mother colony of deportation, even death. The Bolsheviks pressed even Dreispitz.2 harder. At this time, Schwartzkopf was still trying to persuade Some of the Germans who had gone to America earlier his friends to leave Russia for America. But permits to found life good. Some returned to their homeland to visit emigrate were all but nonexistent. Finally, in 1921, the and tell in person of the good life in America. David crops failed miserably. Many people were ready to take "Schwartzkopf" Schulz was one. Schwartzkopf was also a their chances to escape Bolshevik rule. One person who "wheeler-dealer." He had lived in the Shattuck, Oklahoma, was easy to persuade was Amelia "Mahle" Keller. Her area. Before leaving to visit the homeland, he went to second husband Christoph had gone to the Shattuck, various German farmers and secured promissory notes Oklahoma, area earlier, so she was waiting for him to send from them which he intended to use later to bring the money for passage. Also, anytime Mahle sold something farmers' relatives to the United States. Seeing the oppor- from her meager garden, she hid most of the money in the tunity to make a fast buck, Schwartzkopf sold the notes to a yard, away from the house. Like most other Germans, banker from Alva, Oklahoma. When the banker went to Mahle had learned the steam-pressure method of Shattuck to collect the notes, he was met by groups of preserving food. She had been able to store much produce angry German farmers. Some paid, even though it meant from her garden in the summer of 1921. hardship. Others refused and were taken to court. The Bolsheviks continually came to Dreispitz to extract rent from the Germans. Property was confiscated for *Most of the information in this article about the actual trek was "taxes," people were tortured, some were killed. One day a taken from the tape-recorded life history of David Miller of group of Bolsheviks came to Mahle's house, promising "If Colorado. The recording was made several years ago by Harry Schultz of Dalharf, Texas. It is believed that both are now you will be good, we will not hurt you." They deceased. Other incidents were related by members of families which made the trek from Dreispitz,

AHSGR Journal I Summer 1990 Page 29 first asked for any money she had. She brought them a and whipped. Other torture and horrible mutilation often small amount which she kept in the house, but this did not followed.7 pacify the Bolsheviks. Her "rent" was much higher. The And so, the die was cast. Property was secretly sold or Bolsheviks went to the cellar and carried off all Mahle's given to friends and essentials were packed for departure. canned goods as well as other food she had put away for Not wishing to endanger their neighbors who were not herself and her children to survive the winter. leaving, those departing would tell their friends that they The trauma of this visit and her daily search for food for were going to seek work elsewhere. Often they would leave 8 her family took their toll on Mahle's health. Finally she in the dead of night, telling no one of their departure. took to what she thought was her deathbed. When her A group of 153 persons left Dreispitz by wagon on youngest son realized what was happening, he went to the December 5,1921, for the railroad station in Kamyshin, 40 cellar and found a single potato. He took it to his mother's miles to the south. The winter was bitterly cold. Friends side, then chewed it and spit it into his mother's mouth. and relatives in the community owned or drove most of the This revived Mahle and she soon arose with a determined wagons. After the emigrants were safely on the train, they effort to get her family out of Russia, Years later she would returned to Dreispitz. At that time, inflation was rampant often repeat the story saying, "You just don't know the and paper money was all but worthless. The more nourishment in one little potato."3 enterprising emigrants had their funds in gold and silver coins or jewelry. Those who had banknotes often had so One Gottfried Klein, married to Katharine Heinze, had 9 similar troubles with the Bolsheviks. He leaned more and many that they had stuffed them into large burlap bags. more toward quitting the fatherland and joining the group Acknowledged leaders of the group were Schwartz-kopf he heard Schwartzkopf was readying to leave the country, Schuiz and David Mueller. Schulz knew of America and One day the Bolsheviks came to Gottfried's neighbor and David Muller had been a clerk in the Russian army. He was severely abused the family in an effort to extract "rent." very proficient in the Russian language and knew the ways Finally they became so irate that the leader drew his of the military and Bolshevik regime. At Kamyshin, they revolver and shot the neighbor in the head. Gottfried came hired railroad cars to take the party to Minsk, the rail home that night and told Katharine, "That is enough. We terminal closest to the Polish border. They used small are leaving, no matter what is elsewhere. We can live here stoves to heat the cars and purchased food from people no longer."4 along the tracks whenever the train stopped. It must be noted that this group did not always travel as a Other horrendous acts were visited upon the Germans, unit. It was a rather loose collection of ravished refugees one of which was the familiar ice water treatment. The traveling with a more or less common destination. They colonists who refused to pay taxes were sprayed with water would often become separated at some points, then get and then locked in a granary for a few hours in the bitter back together farther along the line. The railroad masters cold. They were then brought in and asked if they would knew of the money and plight of these people. Whenever pay their taxes. If they consented, they were released. If the Germans were not watching, and even when they were, not» they were hosed down again and returned to the the railroad masters shuttled the cars onto a siding and the granary. This continued until the person either paid the 5 balance of the train left without them. Then the Germans taxes or was frozen to death. The Schmidt family was had to pay more money to stop a train, hook on their cars accused of refusing to pay their taxes. The entire family of and proceed. Because of such deceptions, it took three seven was taken to the Volga and ordered to chop a hole in weeks to get from Kamyshin to Minsk. 1° the ice. Then the members were prodded one by one into Some of the group fell ill early in the trek. Before arriv- the icy water until the entire family was drowned. One ing in Minsk, some were removed and were to be cared for child was playing with neighbors when the communists 6 by Russian physicians. Little medical aid was given so they arrived, so escaped. often died. Because of the extreme cold, it was impossible For years the Bolshevik administrators used harassment to dig graves so the bodies of the dead were stacked like of the colonists for amusement, but some were more severe firewood awaiting burial. Finally a trench was dug with a than others. One group of officers came to Dreispitz, where bulldozer and the bodies were loaded on carts to be they destroyed all the outside toilets. They then forced the transported to the mass grave. Gottfried Klein young girls to seek relief directly in front of the officers. When a father or some other man objected, that man was spread-eagled on a rack, stripped,

Page 30 AHSGR Journal I Summer 1990 had been treated in this manner. He had a stiff knee and solved the problem. More was paid to the sleigh drivers and wore specially constructed boots. He had been a carpenter the border guards were bribed to look the other way. and while shaping a log for a house had injured his knee The second night the group was taken to within about 3 with the ax. Since there was no doctor in Dreispitz, the miles of the border when the sleigh drivers became family had placed his leg in a cast. The knee had knitted nervous. The drivers dumped the people into the snow and straight and stiff. When his son passed the pile of bodies, he returned to Minsk. The weary travelers started west for noticed the special boots his father wore." Poland through the deep snow. After walking for hours, David Klein, who eventually settled in Wheatridge, they spotted a light in the distance. They found the part of Colorado, told the following: the group which had crossed the border the previous First they took Grandma (Maria Katharine Meier evening. Now the hapless lot used the last of their funds to Klein) from us. We were told she died and were given procure a few carts on which to transport their heavy her clothes, but we didn't know what happened. Then belongings, the feeble, the young, and the sick. All those baby Reinhard got sick and they took him away from who were able walked the 63 miles to the nearest rail depot. us but we did see him again. Reinhard died and Dad There they boarded the train to Warsaw. made a coffin for him and we buried him. This was The group's resources were exhausted, so they appealed while we were living in the boxcar before we arrived to the Polish Red Cross for aid. At Warsaw the Polish Red in Minsk. Dad, Gottfried, got sick while we were at Cross placed the group on a train to the old army camp at Straalkova. They came and took him away. In a day or Straalkova, where the group was kept until the Polish Red so they came and brought his clothes. They said he Cross could determine what could be done. It took six died, but we never got to see him. hours for the train to reach Straalkova, and one child and an At last the party was together again in Minsk. For two elderly woman died from the cold. At the camp were days the people remained in the railcars, not knowing refugees from various parts of Russia, all escaping where to turn. Finally they were taken in by sympathetic Bolshevik tyranny. people. They sought work permits so they could give a The group was placed in a large barn-like barracks reason for leaving Dreispitz. Many of the younger people structure which was half in and half out of the earth. The were listed as children of older people so they would not floor was covered with straw. Bunks, three and four tiers arouse suspicion.12 While the others were trying to get work high, were packed so close together that there was only a permits, the leaders were secretly looking for transportation narrow aisle between the rows. Because of poor ventilation, and a route from Minsk to the Polish border. Because of all hoarfrost hung from the ceiling. When the people were the hardships, the group split up and one segment of about active during the day, the hoarfrost would melt, making fifty disgruntled people decided to return to Dreispitz. everything damp. At night the hoarfrost would re-form, and Nothing further is known about this group. No one knows if the next day the process was repeated. All but two of the they were killed by the Bolsheviks, or arrested and group contracted a type of influenza similar to that during deported. None reached Dreispitz. World War I, and many died. Everyone became infected Because of the strain of travel and the cold, more of the with lice. group died. David Mullets young son died in Minsk. A Because everyone in the barracks was trying to go to shallow grave was dug in the frozen earth in a secluded Germany, then America, the Polish Red Cross requested cemetery and the body interred. After a moment of silence, that the German Red Cross take charge of the group. On Gottfried Schulz uttered the Lord's Prayer, and the family March 18, 1922, the first people were placed on a train for moved on. Others died along the way, and usually there Frankfurt am Oder. The transfer of people continued into was not time for a burial. The body was wrapped in a sheet the autumn of that year. The George Heinze family arrived or blanket, placed in a hole dug in the snow by the side of in Frankfurt on October 12,1922. As papers were prepared, the road, and the group went on.13 transportation and money found, others followed. At Finally enough sleighs could be hired to take the Frankfurt the Red Cross people took all the refugees' remainder of the group to the Polish-Russian border. On the clothing and sent the people to bathhouses for delousing. first night about half made it across the border but the Unfortunately there wasn't enough water to rinse off the balance was scared off by a border patrol. The sleigh harsh medicated soap, so the people were forced to rub the soap off with coarse towels and sheets. Some had so many drivers would not take the remainder close enough to the 14 border to cross. As seems usual in such cases, money lice that their skin was raw and bleeding. The clothing was sent to ovens to be "baked," then washed.

AHSGR Journal I Summer 1990 Page 31 From Frankfurt the people were taken to the Heimkehr Finally Amelia pressed for repayment of Katharine's Lager, where prisoners were held during World War I. passage, Katharine was desperate so she advertised for a Then the slow process of locating friends and family in husband in a newspaper. A Mr. John Reinert of Rifle, America began. Letters were written and the refugees Colorado, responded. His wife had recently died and left settled in for a long wait. The Red Cross brought in food him with five children. Katharine wrote John that she and helped set up work schedules. Some were assigned to would marry him if he would pay her debts and provide clean, others to prepare food, others to work at jobs which passage to Colorado for her and her family. John responded the Red Cross was able to find. Slowly the replies to the with the money and a photograph of himself. Katharine letters arrived, some containing money and passports. The paid Chadley and Andrew Feil and boarded the train with people left as soon as the proper documents could be her family for Rifle, Colorado, where she raised both prepared. families.15 It was reported by some members that Schwartzkopf Mahle Keller also came to Shattuck, Oklahoma, where Schulz wrote letters to relatives for some of the group who she found that Christoph had been unfaithful. Broken- could not write. Schulz requested money so they could hearted, Mahle obtained a divorce and went to Dorrance, continue their journey to America. If the money was sent Kansas, where her sister lived. There she met and married directly to Schulz, it was reported that he sometimes held Henry Graft. In later years Henry and Mahle operated a some for himself, or at best, to aid the entire group rather restaurant in Lucas, Kansas. Christoph married the young than specific families. girl with whom he had the affair, but the children of this Reinhard Klein finally arrived by train in Shattuck, union were stricken with various birth defects. Local Oklahoma, on November 13,1922. His uncles Reinhard legend in the Shattuck area has it that this was Christoph's and David of Shattuck had guaranteed his passage. The punishment for treating Mahle so poorly.16 uncles watched as people left the train. Finally they noted Dave Mueller finally reached his great-aunt, Mrs. one young man standing near the corner of the depot. "Are Andrew Schultz (Maria Katharine Mueller) in Tampa, you Reinhard Klein?" "Yes." "Well, get in the car and we Kansas, Andrew was not able to provide full passage for will go home." Reinhard learned that his Uncle Reinhard Dave, his wife and two children, so he contacted Mrs. had recently died of complications from surgery for Friedrich Betz (Anna Elisabeth Mueller), Dave's aunt in gallstones. He had been met by his cousin, Reinhard Colorado. Together they were able to send the money for Junior, Dave to come to Tampa, Dave did not know where his aunt Reinhard had never been in an auto before. They say he was, or he would have possibly contacted her first. In later gripped the seat so hard his knuckles were white all the years Dave was a butcher and meatcutter in Colorado. way to David's farm. When they arrived, he just sat in the Some of the group had difficulty finding someone to car, looking around. They told him to get out. David's farm provide passage for them to continue on to America. One was quite impressive with good buildings. Reinhard got such family was that of Georg Heinze. They finally located slowly out of the car and proceeded to circle the farmstead, an uncle, Dave Herbel, in Lucas, Kansas. While he could looking at everything before he entered the house. When he not provide for the entire family, Dave Herbel sponsored had satisfied himself that this was really true, he joined the six of the children, Anna, Maria, Lydia, Natalie, Emilie, families in the house. Reinhard later worked in various and Alexander in 1922. It was not until November 30, parts of the country as a telegraph lineman for the railroad. 1930, that the parents, Georg and Anna, and the five Later he became a painter and settled in the Shattuck area. remaining children, Amilia, Gottfried, Emma, Rachel, and Katharine Heinze Klein and her five remaining children Lea came to Sheboygan, Wisconsin.17 The six young also came to the Shattuck area. Her passage had been Heinze adults were forced to make two passages before provided by two of her brothers-in-law, Andrew Feil and entering the United States. On their first attempt in June- Reinhard G. "Chadley" Klein (he or his father's family had July, 1923, the immigration quotas were full and the group been barbers). Katharine and family lived with Chadley was forced to return to Germany. In December 1923 Mr. and his wife, Amelia King. Chadley was known as quite a Herbel provided funds again. This time they were ladies' man and became infatuated with Katharine. Amelia, successful and came to Lucas, Kansas. In completing the understandably, wasn't very happy with this and soon passenger list of the first attempt, the agent wrote down the Katharine and her family moved into Shattuck. Chadley names as Mr. Herbel pronounced them. Thus the name continued to visit her discreetly, became "Heintz" instead of Heinze.

Page 32 AHSGR Journal / Summer 1990 It is entirely possible that the name had been spelled difficulties. Also, the emigrants believed that Schulz and "Heinz" in Russia. Muller looked after themselves and their families more The leader of the group, Schwartzkopf Schulz, was than they did the entire group. Even after many of the afraid to enter the United States because of his earlier emigrants realized their dreams of coming to America, transactions with the Shattuck area farmers. He and his they still blamed the leaders of the group for the hardships family settled in Canada. During the trek many of the they endured on the trek.18 emigrants grew increasingly dissatisfied with Schwartz- Of the 153 people who left Dreispitz in December 1921, kopf and David Muller because of the many unforeseen about 70 entered the United States or Canada.

NOTES Footnote numbers refer to tape-recorded conversations with the fol- 8. Jake and Amelia Klein lowing: 9. Jake and Amelia Klein 1. Reinhard Klein (Ray Kline) 10. Ray Kline 2. David Mueller (Dave Miller), taped by Harry Schultz 11. Ray Kline, Jake and Amelia Klein 3. Mrs. Pauline Baj Kerbs 12. Ray Klein was listed as the son of Dave Schulz 4. Jake and Amelia Schultz Klein 13. Jake and Amelia Klein 5. Ray Kline 14. Ray Kline 6. Mrs. Mary Heinze Helwer. This incident happened between 1910 and 15. Dave Klein 1913. 16. Victor Klein 7. Andrew Schulz as told to Jake and Amelia Klein. This incident 17. Rachel Heinze Schroeder happened prior to 1905. 18. Jake and Amelia Klein

TRANSLATIONS

Members from time to time need letters, passports, and other documents which are in German, Russian, Polish, etc., translated into English. AHSGR has a pool of translators who can translate these items. The fee for the translation service is $10.00 per hour. If you need an item translated, please contact our translation coordinator.

AHSGR Journal I Summer 1990 Page 33 VILLAGE LIFE Alex Bauer

I'm now back at Nalya's. It's 11:00 a.m., and I just showing them how, pushing them, always providing phys- finished helping her grind pork for pelmeny. The hand ical and financial support, I think the young people would grinder is very small and it took more than an hour. Now flounder. They have known only the "easy life" of com- her daughter has arrived to help finish the pelmeny. parative Soviet wealth. Before me lies a dish of fresh strawberries that Irina Boris is also a good mechanic. With perestroika he is brought over from her garden. The plants bear from early able. to do much more work on his own, repairing and spring to late fall, and the berries are delicious. But the restoring vehicles. The ambitious people are pursuing local people do not seem to find them very tasty. I guess money, just like we did after the war, I can see it in the that they just aren't sweet enough, given the people's love family structure as well. The sisters are not as close-knit as for sugar. They put sugar on almost everything. I can't help they were during my visit five years ago. Then most of thinking that sugar must be an addiction here. Two and them were here every day, visiting and tending to house- three heaping teaspoonfuls in a cup of coffee is quite hold tasks. Now they seldom come. Those with children are common. Sugar is on everything, after a meal out come the helping their children "get ahead." I hope the children candies. Many elderly people have their teeth rotted to the appreciate it, but I am afraid that the pursuit of affluence gums. An old lady next door has a chisel-tooth so fine, as if forces people further and further apart. prepared for a capping job. As a result of this heavy use of Nalya's husband Paul has been cutting alfalfa with a sugar and consequent dental problems, most food is soft, scythe all morning. He first set about to sharpen the scythe too. by hammering the edge, I've tried this at home but could On our walk to Nalya's village we passed the cemetery. never do it right. Now that I've seen him do it, I think I'll I saw a group of people standing around a grave, and I try it again. Just ten days prior to my arrival he had been thought I recognized Nalya and Irina in the group. They released from the hospital and was quite weak. Now he were cleaning out the weeds from Olga's grave. She was seems much better. the daughter who died from epilepsy a few years ago. Here in the courtyard everyone wears slippers. They are The only flowers I saw were hollyhocks about a meter slipped off whenever one enters the house or summer and a half high. There were a few trees in the older part of kitchen. It is easy to tell where the members of the house- the graveyard, but knapweed has taken over everywhere, hold are by looking for slippers lying before the door. Each grave is enclosed with a metal fence. The graves are Inside we walk around barefoot. all marked with crosses, and most have headstones with a Flies are a constant problem due to the proximity of the picture of the deceased. They place all the bodies with the animals. It is a continuous task to keep the flies out of the heads west and the feet to the east. The Germans put all the house. For the successful fly which makes it into the house gravestones at the heads, but the Russians at the feet, there is the constant threat of Nalya's flyswatter. Everyone wants pictures of the graves. On Sunday, in the village where Paul is a director, they THE TRIP TO TASHKENT buried the old lady who died Saturday morning. She had It is Thursday afternoon, another of those days in the only an old sister. A neighbor who kept an eye on her asked mid 30s C. Tomorrow we are going to Tashkent by bus, Paul's mother if he could help with the coffin and dig the We couldn't find anyone to drive us. Before I got up, Nalya grave. Someone else would prepare the body for burial, A had already killed and cleaned a rooster for chicken noodle lay preacher offered his services. Only a few people soup for dinner. attended the service on Sunday, then they were later treated They tell me the bus trip is about three hours, but one to a feast. All this was done without charge. would think it's about three days by the amount of food Irina and Boris are very busy. They helped their two Nalya is preparing. In addition, they just lit the fire in the young married sons build houses, and they are helping their bathhouse. Paul was bawled out for not starting the fire new son-in-law. Without the old folk helping them, properly, it smoked. After we all take a bath Nalya is going *This is a continuation of the article begun in the Spring / 990 to wash all our dirty clothes. We should return on Monday. Journal, describing daily life of a German-Russian family in Central Asia.

Page 34 AHSGR Journal I Summer 1990 Larissa, Anna, Nalya, and I are going. We will all meet The meal (again a gigantic one) was preceded by a toast at the bus station to transfer to a larger bus that comes from to me, then a toast to Nalya, then another to Anna, then Alma-Ata. The forecast for today is another hot one, with another to Larissa, then another to our coming together. Tashkent hovering around the 40° C. mark. Then out came the watermelon, melon, a dish of seedless Nalya and I were waiting for the bus at 8:00 a.m. in the grapes, a fruit that appeared to be a cross between a peach village. It arrived at 8:20 a.m. with Larissa and Anna and a plum, and apricots. The watermelon was delicious. already on board. By the time we got to Badam, the bus I'll long remember Tashkent for its melons. Everywhere are was full with the usual combination of Kazakh and white. truckloads of delicious melons, an absolute tonic for hot As the bus passed the various houses, the cousins made weather. remarks about the various inhabitants. One Kazakh was a After finishing our share of melon, the kids and I went hard worker, but his wife was a lazy bum, and so on. for a neighborly stroll. The cousins were remarking about At Badam we made the scramble to change to the bus how strictly the kids were brought up: long dresses, no to Chimkent We arrived about noon in Chimkent, a fairly makeup, no temptations whatsoever. They couldn't even be large industrial town. We went on to Tashkent in another seen walking down the street with boys. When they saw one of those Intourist buses, arriving about 2:30. After a someone coming, they would scatter. I teased them, asking half hour on the Metro, we arrived at Katya's to find that if they ever revealed a leg or passed a parting glance with she was still at work. Anna and Nalya set out to find her, the boys. "Oh, no! No temptations whatsoever!" Even saying she didn't work too far away. Larissa and I sat on today cosmetics of any kind have not graced their faces. the bench outside and waited. Katya's neighbor invited us When we returned to the apartment, we noted that the in for tea and something to eat. About an hour and a half third bottle of booze stood nearly empty. Friedrich and his later, Anna and Nalya returned without finding Katya. wife stood, but only barely. She put on one of their modern Katya arrived at about 6:00 p.m.; she didn't know we were tapes so she and Friedrich could dance. First they asked the coming. cousins, then me. Never was the generation gap wider: the As expected, Tamara prepared a big dinner. Jacob also cousins looked on in disgust while the two gyrated as best arrived from one of his long trips to the Aral Sea. Such they could to the thump, thump, thump. temperatures at 56° C are pretty hard to comprehend, but Then things began to get melancholy. Galya mounted he says that is how hot it gets. He drives a refrigerator her mother-in-law's chair to proclaim how poor they were truck, taking fruit there and bringing back sugar. Sugar is and how hard it was to make ends meet. Friedrich earns one of the main commodities here. If someone even 200 rubles a month and she 80. Their apartment, with all breathes a word of shortage, everyone rushes out to stock utilities, costs 20 rubles per month. Anna had already given up on it. them the living room carpet, a carpet over the chesterfield Their apartment is nicely furnished, new chesterfield, [it is customary to hang attractive carpets on the walls], and stereo, television, a Japanese tape deck. They keep alumi- a couple of other carpets hanging on the wall. I learned num foil on the windows to reflect the direct rays of the later that after her husband was killed, Anna gave them all sun. the money she had in the house plus the 5,000 rubles she It was a hot night for sleep, and the traffic outside kept received for the wrecked car. But Galya still needs more. up all night. I thought to myself, "Tashkent must be grow- My shoulder also provided Friedrich with a good platform ing considerably." from which to blurt out his remorse. I made an escape to The next day I went to the Uzbeck Hotel, where they the kitchen to get a drink of my boiled water from the have a Beryozka store. I wanted to change some money fridge. and get some cigarettes and maybe some whiskey for small The next morning Yawa picked up the cousins and me gifts. I took a trolleybus downtown and noticed how big, in his car. He is now in the taxi business. He lives not far modern, and how much better quality the construction is in from Tamara, but on the other end of town from Friedrich. Tashkent than it is in Chimkent. Nalya had money to buy a vacuum cleaner for her daughter We spent the next night at Friedrich's. He is Anna's Irina. But after three attempts, we gave up. None of the son. The apartment was quite nice, with a roomy living stores had any. We went to a kolkhoz market where she room and the usual television, stereo, and tape deck. The purchased two huge watermelons to take home. It was now walls are all papered, the entrance hall tiled with tiles from decided we would leave for home this evening. By 6:00 Finland. It was quite nice. Friedrich also had completely p.m. we were on our way and the cousins were happy. tiled the bathroom with ceramic tile. He is a professional Their happiness increased the closer we installer of such tiles. It is the nicest I have seen.

AHSGR Journal i Summer 1990 Page 35 got to home. They are definitely not the apartment or city scythes, I have never seen anything like it in our country. types. But on the opposite side, stealing is a way of life. At the kolkhoz wages are so low that everyone steals to survive. BACK HOME This will be terribly difficult to change. Other problems at We stopped briefly at a roadside stand to buy some the kolkhoz are incompetence and alcoholism. Drinking is apples. I bought a small pail for 1 ruble. Others sold for 3 still a mark of a leader's abilities. rubles per pail, but most were either bruised from falling or Irina came over to help Nalya make manti. These are wormy. In our country, where exterior appearance is similar to pelmeny, but are bigger and set in a boiler in everything, such apples would have been considered unfit layered trays and steamed for 45 minutes. for sale. I took a tour of the medical clinic which is right across The next day Nalya is now back in her element. She is the street from the hardware store. There must have been busy baking bread, and the neighbors are also active. about twelve doctors and assistants working, all in white Auntie is busy picking up fallen apples; the other neighbors smocks. The place is divided into about six rooms. In the are hand-sawing some lumber which was dropped by their center room people of alt ages waited to be served. There is gate. Paul went to the church with his son to do some a children's section, records section, a room for injections, repair work. and a dentist section. An ambulance is also part of the After breakfast the subject of speculation came up. Two service. Everything was wide open and I took many of the grandchildren had taken a carload of apples to a photographs. northern town, where they sold them for 7 rubies per kilo. Nalya thinks such activities are disgraceful. The only thing HOW THEY CAME HERE Nalya and Paul ever sold was a pig which unexpectedly Many people here are survivors of the "kulak" purges of choked and had to be slaughtered. Another example of the the 1930s. The people came in boxcars in April. There were generation gap. It is interesting: their belief has nothing to no accommodations of any kind and the people were sent to do with communism, but has its roots in their Lutheran settle in the surrounding hills. They had to build shelters upbringing. I wonder what they would think of our land, out of clay, including the roofs. Many traded away their where speculation is a virtue, where people hold the belief cherished possessions for food. Some were taken away to that God has given them the right to speculate and become other settlements. Often entire families died out. One old rich. grandmother (one of the "kulaks") reported that when she Yet the people are very industrious, doing almost came to this village in 1931, she and her family were put everything they can to make a living. Emma has four into a house with a family of Kazakhs. The German family Angora sheep, quite cute, nice and clean. She gets 100 huddled in one corner of the room, the Kazakhs in the rubles for one kilo of wool. She has a cow which had a calf other, both terrified of each other. this year. She plans to give the calf to her son. She also has If that wasn't enough, I met some survivors of the two pigs. She will kill one for herself and trade the other to horrors of 1941, They were in the group of 16,000 Germans the kolkhoz for a ton of wheat. In addition to the sheep, who were sent to Kotlas to build a bridge. In four to five cow, and pigs, she raises chickens, some of which reach a months, more than 12,000 were dead. At first the bodies weight of 4 kilos in four months. Not leaving a stone were collected by horse and sleigh and the bodies were unturned, Emma also raises animals called nutria. They dumped into a huge pit. But after so many died, the bodies have long, rat-like tails, and have litters of eight to ten were hauled out by tractor, young about every five months. The meat is supposed to be delicious and is in high demand in the restaurants. For one hide Emma gets 50 rubles. Last year she killed twenty at Nalya just called and said, "Come quickly!" Down the one time and was paid over 1,000 rubles. road is an old man walking alongside his huge, unleashed I also saw people making felt stiefeln. The people are boar. They are going to service a sow. They proceed very innovative in using the limited materials they have. slowly, deliberately, like professionals performing their And I was able to purchase a gizmo for sharpening duty,

Page 36 AHSGR Journal I Summer 1990 RESTING IN PEACE V. Krasnovsky, Neues Leben, Nr. 11, March 7, 1990

The German cemetery was started not far from the In the middle of the twentieth century the cemetery was German quarter (sloboda). At that time most Muskovites renovated. Some relatives reburied their ancestors, but considered the nemtsy (people who did not speak Russian) others were less attentive to the past. Such were the as "heathen," those confessing a different, heretical faith. descendants of Lefort. His grave was lost among the To come into contact with them was considered not only nameless headstones. Yet the headstone of Patrick Gordon reprehensible, but dangerous to the soul. Inhabitants of the was beautifully preserved, quarter were not permitted to be buried in Orthodox In the German cemetery rest the remains of people cemeteries. Like it or not, they were forced to have burials known not only in Russia: Doctor Haas and architect separately. Rehberg; writer Prishvin and actress Tarasova; scholar In the Vvedensky Hills, spread out on the left bank of Auerbach and painter Vaznetsov. the Yauza River, not far from the mouth of the Kukug One is struck by the amazing cleanliness and accuracy River, from time immemorial they have buried tinkers and of the rows of gravestones. Approaching the cemetery druggists, soldiers and diplomats, people from the German from Hospital Bank [Gospital'nyi val], we literally fall into quarter. So the cemetery came to be called "The German." a corner of Germany from the time of Hoffmann. In the time of Peter, who looked kindly upon foreigners, However, the gothic gates and administration building in the graveyard received all official rights. In it are buried the form of a castle are but early twentieth century the favorites of Peter the Great, Francis Lefort and Patrick refinements. Gordon. The meaning of the former in the fate of the Czar- For a long time at this cemetery it was the custom that Reformer is widely known. But the role of Gordon still those visiting the graves of friends and relatives received awaits it own evaluation. Even now the diaries of the man rings or money, and flowers as memorials. Then a new who was in many ways mentor to Peter have not been tradition arose: those sending the reposed on the final translated into Russian. It was not for nothing, throwing a journey placed flowers on the graves. Thanks to this, the handful of earth on his [Gordon's] grave, that the Czar said, Vvedensky Cemetery, as it is now known, looks more like "I give him only a handful of earth, but he gave me all the a flower garden that a place of burial. land from the Azov."

Comers of the German (Vvedensky) Cemetery, Moscow.

AHSGR Journal I Summer 1990 Page 37 KUKKUS, ONCE. . . AND TODAY Reinhold Keil, Federal Republic of Germany, 1984

I came to Kukkus fifty-five years ago, and began my and plum wines were made. We tested these excellent teaching there in 1927. Kukkus was one of the most wines at every opportunity, beautiful and wealthy villages on the Volga, Although it lay The agricultural farmers such as Becker, Schengel, on the wiesenseite (meadow side) of the Volga, the shore Busik, Weigand, etc., had succeeded to a high degree up to there was very high and people spoke of it as the that time and already had their own tractors and threshing Wolgaberg (the Volga Hill). machines, Here in the springtime, "The Old Ohiberg" often sat Kukkus was a village with its own intellectuals, and observed the drifts of ice on the Volga, which was an teachers, technicians, agronomists, engineers, etc. The impressive event of nature. "The Old Ohiberg" had his project of a large bridge over the Volga was designed by an reasons for observing the ice drifts, for as soon as the river engineer named Busik from Kukkus. Here I became was free of ice, Ohiberg would bring the cows of the acquainted with Pastor Johannes Erbes, who together with villagers on his powerful barge to the Niwer uf die Insel my teacher, Peter Sinner, during the time of the last czar which people called "Cow Island." There were always quite gathered the first large collection of folk songs from the a few of these cows left behind in the village by those who Volga Germans. Pastor Erbes was also an authority in the weren't able to afford to take them along when they picked area of popular education and the educational system. I saw up bag and baggage in the spring and headed for a piece of him for the last time 52 years ago in the prison of the GRU land (for agricultural work) on the Nachoi River, a distance (Soviet secret police) in Engels. of between 40 or 50 kilometers from the village. Still vivid in my mind today is the dispute between During my time (1927-1930) there were two schools in Pastor Johannes Erbes and Franz Bach in the spring of Kukkus: the elementary school (first level) and the peasant 1930. According to Heinrich Busik, Franz Bach was a (farmer) school. Eighteen to twenty German teachers working class poet-writer and his mission was to be an worked at these schools. The language used was German. agitator for atheism. The dispute described here took place Our schoolhouse was made from baked bricks and had the at a large gathering. The assembled colonists insulted Franz form of a 7. In the village one called such buildings Bach and forced him to withdraw, I had never seen such a siwweter. large crowd before. They came out of many surrounding Five or six of the teachers were from Kukkus: the villages such as Stahl, Bangert, Lauwe, and others. The Pinnecker husband and wife, who was born a Busik and former prayer house (now called the meeting hall) was was one of the "rich Busiks" whose house was one of the bursting, the yard was full and people were hanging out the largest and prettiest in the village and stood facing the windows like bunches of grapes. The citizens hurriedly church (the Soviets established their executive committee came from the entire parish in order to stand by their pastor, in the house); the teacher Mrs. Eirich (I can't remember her for Johannes Erbes enjoyed a high and deserved respect first name anymore); another was Ferdinand Eirich, the from the people. Franz Bach had tried to divert attention husband of my cousin (who are both today in Karaganda). from Erbes by derision and insult, for Erbes was his They belonged to the "Fenstereirichs" (a nickname showing adversary against the growth of spiritual theology that their house had many windows facing the street and throughout the area. In that same year, Pastor Erbes was this distinguished them from other Eirichs). I still detained by the GRU. His life of suffering ended in exile in remember the teacher Oskar Bauemsteir from Berlin, 1932. Theodor Kromm from Bangert and his wife Natalie Lenz, In 1930 the chairman of the village council was one Julie Koch, Leopold Katzenstein, Alexander Nuss, Elsie Johann Heinrich, a farmer to the bone. I saw him again and Gersten, and E, Rauschenbach. again with his wily smile and somewhat crafty and scornful Kukkus was not only built well but there was hardly a look (there lay something of a Mephistopheles within), the family without an orchard. The fruit was not only abundant eternal Karmanner pipe with long, twisted stem in his but of high quality. The surrounding villages formed an mouth. Still the Soviets got the better of him! association in Bangert where splendid apple, cherry, In 1930 Kukkus was the first of the villages that the brutal Soviet despots overran in such a horrible way.

Page 38 AHSGR Journal I Summer 1990 Because the citizens of Kukkus didn't intend to be forced horror lay over the entire village. to proceed with the collective circle and because threats, Never has anyone heard that any of those unfortunate tortures, and imprisonment had not had any effect, over- ones returned again. After many years (1967 marked the night 200 to 250 men (no one knows to this day the exact 200th anniversary of the migration of the German settlers number) were locked up and guarded in the meeting hall. to the Volga), I was in Kukkus one last time in 1964. With the break of day they were loaded into wagons and Kukkus had been destroyed and laid waste. One could transported to Engels. The picture of Kukkus on that barely recognize the area where once Kukkus, the large, morning in 1930 offered no words to describe it. Pity, beautiful, and rich German village stood! crying, despair, calls for help, cries of anguish, fear, and

DONATIONS TO AHSGR LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES The following books and materials have been donated The Immigrant Ancestor: A Surname List. 2 copies. to the library from October 30, 1989 to April 18, 1990. Oktoberfest 1989, an insert from the Hays Daily News of October 4, 1989. The Central Dakota Germans, their History, Language Country Bumpkins by Calvin E. Nuss. and Culture, by Shirley Fischer Arends, copy 2. Eyewitness in Tobolsk, by Olga Belisle. The Courtship of Widow Hohnstein, a short story by Volga German Destiny, by Anna Janecke, translated Calvin Nuss. by Walter H. Yauk. Ebenfeld Mennonite Brethren Church Record Book, Sheridan County Heritage '89, edited by Jim Wills. translated, transcribed, and reorganized by Solomon L. Globus, July/August 1989 and September/October Loewen, rev. 1989. 1989. Information on Rosenberg Umet, Volga Region, com- Salem Evangelical Congregational Church Records, piled by Richard McGregor. Ralston, Washington. Translated and compiled by Emmaus, by Phillip E. Boltz. None but Saints, by James Urry. LaVerne Schutz Kautz. Time, March 12, 1990. The Bukovina Germans, by Irma Bornemann, translated "Foreign Settlements in Kansas," article by W.H. by Sophie A. Welisch. Carruth, Kansas University Quarterly, Vol. 1, No. 2, Carbon County, Montana, Cemetery Records, compiled pp 71-84. by the Yellowstone Genealogy Forum of Billings, Kirchenbuch fur Evangelisch-Luterische Gemeinden. Montana. Der Kleine Katechismus der Evangelischen Gemeind- shaft, by Thomas Boman. The Church Messenger, Lincoln, Nebraska, May 1945 Der Heilige Taufe. issue. Und Siehe Wir Leben, "and Behold, We Live," II Corin- The University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh Community, Fall thians 6, script written by Ruth Gaus Langolf, in recogni- 1989,copy 2. tion of the 70th Anniversary of the Michigan Conference Los Angeles Performing Arts Music Center of Los of the German Brotherhood, held at Flint, Michigan, Sep- Angeles County, magazine, January 1990. 2 copies. German-American Names, by George F. Jones, 2 tember 19 and 20, 1987. copies. My Bandrow Chronicle, by Jakob Franbach, Bandrow Lenin Memorial Places in the Volga Region, picture No. 87, now residing in Braunschweig, Germany. book in Russian. BiSder und Reime von Ludwig Richter. Germans in the Land of the Volga, by Peter Sinner. 2 Fur meinem Liebling von A. Steinkamp. 16 back issues of Nebraska History. copies. Family Footsteps, Vol. 5, No. 2. October 1989 issue, by Kamloops Family History Society.

AHSGR Journal I Summer 1990 Page 39 A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE CREATION OF THE GERMAN COLONIES ON THE VOLGA Arthur E. Flegel

The following essay is based upon personal research French and Indian War was a part, saw the Prussians and done in a variety of places, including the Hoover Archives of British allied against the French, Austrians, Saxons, Rus- Stanford University, Trier, Schotten, and Stuttgart, West Germany, and Strasbourg and Paris, France. sians, and Swedes. At this time the British and French were engaged in extensive colonialism that required large Background numbers of people as settlers and managers. In addition to The history of the Volga-German colonies from the their own populace, they were also soliciting from the time of their inception is quite dim, almost obscure in many devastated German states. Denmark was calling for settlers cases. Not until nearly a century after their founding did to develop the Jutland Peninsula. The effects of the war researchers and historians such as Gottlieb Beratz, Gerhard caused some Germans to migrate to Sweden. The Austrian Bonwetsch, and others make an effort to document the Hapsburgs were gradually pushing the Turks out of Central story of those early pioneers. The materials they were able Europe and were seeking German farmers to cultivate the to locate in Russian archives were sketchy at best and few virgin land in the Danube River Basin and Hungary. written family histories existed. The Baltic Germans, who Frederick the Great was intent on expanding the Prussian were more advanced educationally and maintained closer borders and sought settlers from southwest Germany. Thus connections with their ancestral homeland, did keep records it was quite natural for Catherine II (The Great), the that are beneficial genealogically as well as historically for German princess who had recently assumed the throne of interested descendants or inquiring minds. On the other Russia, to also make her bid for German settlers for her hand, those settling along the Volga River and in the New Russia and to carry on the process of westernizing Ukraine were primarily farmers and made little effort to Russia that had been initiated by her predecessor, Peter the maintain anything of a historical content except for some Great. church records. Therefore, it became necessary to depend One of Catherine's first acts was the presentation of an greatly upon the memories of individuals who could official decree to the Russian senate on October 14, provide anecdotes which had been handed down in the oral 1762. which stated that any person desiring to immigrate to tradition. Russia would be welcomed and would be permitted within Historically the Volga colonies are strongly intertwined the limits of the law to avail himself of the opportunities with the Seven Years' War that raged through central for self-improvement now being afforded. This manifesto Germany from 1756-1763, leaving many areas decimated was published in every European newspaper. At the same and their people impoverished. Inflation was rampant, jobs time, an organization named the Guardianship Agency for were almost nonexistent, and the petty rulers constantly Immigrants was established, with Count G.G. Orlov, one demanded oppressive taxes from their already destitute of the Czarina's most devoted and trusted advisors, as its subjects. It must be pointed out that at this time in history, administrator with the rank of minister. Lacking Germany was no more than a loosely connected experience, he with two assistants, Solicitor-General confederation of states comprised of kingdoms, Glebov and Chancellor Vorontsov, deliberated for six archbishoprics, bishoprics, principalities, grand-duchies, months over methods and procedures with very little duchies, margravates, and free city-states. The rulers of action. As a result, the decree was almost totally ineffective each had life and death power over their subjects, whom in bringing people from other countries into the distant and they manipulated according to whim and often sold as unknown regions of Russia. mercenaries to neighboring states or countries. For It was Catherine's personal intervention in the following example, the Hessian mercenaries were brought to the New year that brought the situation into focus. On June 26, World to fight for the British during the American 1763. she issued orders that the Guardianship Agency Revolution. should promptly start preparing a program for the reception The Seven Years' War, of which the American colonial of immigrants into Russia, In her own handwriting, she outlined the duties of the Agency and through her

Page 40 AHSGR Journal I Summer 1990 signing of three briefs on July 22, 1763, her plans went into portation, travel expenses, and a daily stipend for the action. immigrants' needs. The immigrants were to be received in a The first of these briefs detailed the duties of the friendly manner in whatever community they happened to Guardianship Agency with its first concern being the wel- settle, and they would be afforded financial aid until they fare of the immigrants and to take charge of the immigra- could become self-supporting. At the same time the tion. She assigned a building as a reception center for the Manifesto made it quite clear that the major emphasis was new arrivals, as well as a number of houses in the vicinity to bring in people who would make the virgin lands for their temporary residences. A conservative sum of agriculturally productive. 200,000 rubles was allocated as adequate for general The immigrants would be granted all religious free- expenses, including permanent dwellings in the areas of doms with the exception of building cloisters or prosely- settlement, factories, equipment, and seed grain for the tizing members of the Russian Orthodox faith. They would colonists. It was the Agency's duty to maintain a central be permitted to build bell towers and churches. Individual office where problems and needs of the immigrants could beliefs were encouraged. Such guarantees held tremendous be addressed to the government. The Agency was assigned significance for many religious devotees. Other terms of a secretary who was directly responsible to the Czarina for the Manifesto included grant loans which required no periodic reports on the progress of the immigration repayment for ten years and afterwards were to be repaid in program. three annual installments at no interest, community self- The second brief dealt with the administrative handling administration, permission to bring 300 rubles of property of the foreigners. Everyone must be registered according duty free so long as the immigrants stayed in the country to; (1) trade, (2) size of family, (3) declaration of intent for for ten years. permanent residence or citizenship, (4) nationality. In the Colonial Laws Brief of March 19, 1764, an edict Tradesmen would be registered and responsible to the chief which declared all undeveloped areas open for colonization magistrate of the city of their choice. encouraged settlement of the Samara side (Wiesenseite) of The third brief was the great Manifesto of July 22, the Volga. Nine months later a second declaration 1763, which was the basis for the successful colonizing emphasized the Saratov side (Bergseite) and minutely effort. It may, in effect, be considered the beginning of outlined the borders of the pioneering settlements. The Volga-German history. The document stated in part: "All region was pictured as one of enormous potential for trade, foreigners shall be permitted to establish themselves in manufacturing, and agriculture. It was assumed that trade whatever region of Russia they might choose." It afforded could be developed with neighboring countries, especially every person the right to engage in any honorable occu- Persia. However, for the immediate time, conditions within pation or endeavor of his preference or for which he was the developing areas dictated otherwise. best suited. Two important statements (the first of which Another impelling reason for bringing foreigners into was a major factor of interpretation in later years) provided this uninhabited region was the need to establish a buffer freedom from compulsory military service and freedom between the more settled areas and the open steppes popu- from taxation for a minimum of thirty years with a possible lated by various nomadic tribes. The indigenous Russian extension to fifty years. settlements along the Volga were too sparse to provide any It was the intent of the Manifesto to encourage as many barrier against the undisciplined hordes. foreigners as possible to migrate to Russia to develop virgin The true nature of the climatic conditions and terrain of lands and make the country productive. All this was the Volga Region were at best vague in far-off St. considered a godsend for the oppressed and impoverished Petersburg. Primitive means of travel coupled with the people of southwest Germany. Many Germans from all great distances were not conducive toward acquiring walks of life accepted whatever sacrifices and risks were accurate information from the remote areas of this vast entailed in leaving their native land for what promised to be land. Not until the colonies had been in existence some a glorious opportunity. It was, in truth, a means of salvation fifteen or twenty years did Catherine U manage to send out for not only individuals with high ideals, but also for the expeditions to survey the land, describe the geological and undesirable elements of German society. But this was the physical aspects, and classify the varieties of flora and calculated risk assumed by the Russian government in its fauna of the region. The resulting reports gave the first true determination to entice large numbers of immigrants into its revelation of the problems associated with the pioneering of realm, these areas by the German settlers. Although these studies It was clearly stated in Article III of the Manifesto that were later valuable, they came too sufficient government funds had been allocated for trans-

AHSGR Journal I Summer 1990 Page 41 late to benefit the authorities who made the first prepara- fore, a novel two-fold approach was decided upon in tions for the first settlements of the Volga Region, 1765, On one hand, officials employed by the Russian The German settlement in southeast Russia, commonly government would promote immigration into Russia, while called the Volga colonies, are situated in the provinces on the other hand, private operators were encouraged to (gubemiya) of Saratov and Samara, which border either recruit emigrants by their own devices. Interestingly, the side of the mighty Volga River, the life-stream of the names of these recruiters were predominantly French: eastern Russian regions. The focal center of this area is the LeRoy, Pictet, Beauregard, Precourt, De Boffe, along with city of Saratov, which was originally created as an outpost others, which in some cases were actually pseudonyms. against the nomadic Asiatic hordes. Also, undesirable The organizers also employed private agents to establish political prisoners were often exiled to the area. At the time recruitment centers and to contact and induce as many of the establishment of the Volga-German colonies, it people as possible to leave their homeland for the promise contained some 1,200 inhabitants. By the year 1900 it was of a brighter future, able to boast a population of 150,000, Along with these private recruitment agencies, there The Samara region, more commonly called the Wie- were those who operated directly under the supervision of senseite (valley or meadow side), is a well-watered rolling the Russian official, Johann Simolin, who hired two Ger- steppeland reaching from the Volga River to the Ural mans as commissars, Karl Friedrich Meixner from Augs- Mountains and south to Tsaritsyn (Volgograd). The Saratov burg and Johann Facius of Hanau. They became employees side, the Bergseite (hilly side) reflects a terrain of hills and of the Russian civil service at a salary of 400 rubles. level areas. Both regions are well suited to agriculture and Meixner operated in Ulm and Facius set up his organization were heavily populated by German pioneers who also at Frankfurt am Main. These commissars hired their own served as the aforementioned buffer against the nomadic agents to help recruit and maintain official records of their Asiatic tribes. operations. Working out of Regensburg, Simolin had For countless centuries this entire region extending difficulty making the necessary reports to St. Petersburg. from Kazan to Astrakhan was the domain of Mongol Tartar He had been away from Russia for twenty years and his hordes. In the middle of the sixteenth century Russian command of the Russian language had become deficient. expansion encompassed this area. After a series of military Since there was no one in Regensburg to translate his engagements, Russia succeeded in bringing the indigenous reports into Russian, it was necessary for him to go to people under its control. Eventually a chain of Great Vienna for assistance. Russian and Cossack villages came into being along the The result of this double recruitment system was quite western bank of the Volga, while the eastern side was still effective. In fact, the efforts of the agents were so extensive inhabited by Kirghiz, Bashkir, and Tartar nomad tribes who that in many cases they overlapped to their individual were indeed offensive neighbors for the struggling settlers. detriment. However, the system did capture the attention of These tribes took great delight in plundering and destroying a greater audience in the regions of Wuerttemberg, Hesse, the villages and selling their captives into slavery with little the Palatinate, the Saarland, along the Rhineland, and even hindrance from the undersized Russian garrisons in the into Switzerland and the French Alsace (Elsass). Some region. 29,000 souls were influenced to leave their German homeland for Russia, THE WINNING OF THE IMMIGRANTS A few examples of recruitment methods have been preserved. Such is the agreement between the Russian To some extent, the call for immigrants went to all parts government and the Baron Caneau de Beauregard, which of northern Europe, but principally to the native land of states that Beauregard assumed the responsibility of Catherine II. The Manifesto was distributed in cities, recruiting 3,000 immigrants. For this number, he was towns, and villages in even the most remote areas. credited with an amount of land adequate for the settling of Gathering places for the potential immigrants were estab- his colonists, with the provision that should he fail to reach lished under the direction of commissars in strategic loca- his quofa, the acreage would be proportionally reduced. An tions in every German sovereignty, Catherine was willing initial grant in the amount of 15,000 rubles was allocated to assume a massive financial burden in order to bring for the recruitment of 300 families. For each additional settlers into her domain. family he would receive 50 rubles, of which 40 were to be The Manifesto although generally well received by the used for transportation and ten for the family's living populace in Germany, did not achieve the proportions of expenses from the port of origin to the seaports of Luebeck immigrants anticipated by Catherine in 1764. There- or Danzig. Other expenses incurred

Page 42 AHSGR Journal I Summer 1990 on behalf of the immigrants could be recovered from them Baron Beauregard at Roslau, Another such officer was Jean after they had been properly settled. Passage costs from Baptiste Coste de Sabreville, whose real name was either Luebeck or Hamburg to St. Petersburg could be Cabusson. Having made off with 200 Louis d'or from the obtained from the commissars stationed at these points. At Marquis of Puifieux, his previous employer, he avoided St. Petersburg, the Russian Crown would assume capture and made his way to Germany where he was responsibility for transportation and welfare of the families employed by Beauregard in 1765. to their place of settlement. Ultimately Beauregard received Some historians claim that Kotzer and Coste were one 4,000 tax free rubles for ten years of his efforts and 350 and the same person. At one time Coste came into a critical rubles per family as additional reimbursement for confrontation with an actual lieutenant of Braunschweig construction of his residence. who was operating under orders from Director Precourt to It was impossible for the recruiting officials to be recruit 3000 people. He tried to convince Simolin and guaranteed any substantial return from their endeavors. Pushkin that he had 4000 Lutheran believers under the rule The cost for each family normally exceeded the 40 rubles of a Catholic sovereign which he could immediately bring allocated. Therefore, the directors made certain that they to Russia if he only had the necessary funds. would be reimbursed for their efforts in establishing the In their attempts to induce people to emigrate, many settlers. Some were further granted 3 percent of the land agents throughout Europe used all types of false promises, area accredited to each family of their recruitment as well such as loans of 4000 rubles for ten years, four-room as the privilege of claiming free labor for their private houses ready for occupancy, barns to accommodate four lands. They were also assured hunting and fishing rights in horses, granaries, and cellars. Supposedly everything was perpetuity. ready for the immigrant families in the beautiful region In certain cases the recruiter was allowed to make between Saratov and Kamyshin on the Volga. Other emi- private arrangements with his settlers, which eventually grants were positively assured that they could settle could become very profitable. One such "private arrange- wherever they might choose, with no demands whatever ment" that occurred under another Czarina-appointed from the Russian government. This led many to believe that director, Precourt, was as follows; they would be settled in the vicinity of St. Petersburg or some other import seaport city. Other alluring (though 1. The settlers are obligated to pay their director, false) claims made by the Russian agents included the Precourt, 10 percent of their field production. 2. The director will have the first right to purchase any extraordinary fertility of the land, equating the terrain to property that may be for sale at the going price. that of the Rhine River Valley with its abundance of vine- 3. Loans made during the journey must he repaid in ten yards, meadowlands, wooded areas, and streams laden with years or less. fish. Moreover, it was argued that Astrakhan in southern 4. Immigrating travelers must be peaceable while en Russia was on the same parallel as southern Germany. Each route, must maintain a high level of cleanliness, must not eat any raw fruit, must not become intoxicated, man would have for his very own 50 morgen (more than and must not leave the ship en route to Russia. 100 acres) of land in this wonderful region. Letters from so-called settlers who had been previously established This document was supposedly seen in an older archive, reported the ridiculously low cost of food and ample but later generations have found no trace of it. quantities of necessary living materials. Of course, all Ex-military personnel, preferably officers were sought transportation to this wonderland was free. The reportedly as agents to maintain order among the large numbers of wild tribes of Kalmyks, Cossacks, Mordvins, Tartars, and a emigrants at the collection points and on the caravans en larger number of unknown nomadic peoples had long since route to the seaports. As agents, they used their military been made respectful of the authority of the czarist regime. skills to organize the emigrants into regiments, companies, Robberies and plundering occurred only seldom, and then and even squads, and to move them from place to place in against individuals, never an entire colony. these groups. Very often these same groups were settled as With such promises any doubter was soon converted. a community in Russia. Such was J, G. von Kotzer, who The deal was often clinched when a prospective emigrant called himself the captain of the czarist Russian colony, noted how promptly those who did subscribe for emigrating Katherinenlehn, He had been employed by were paid their 8 rubles per day stipend as promised, even to the extent of being paid a full eight to fourteen days in advance.

AHSGR Journal I Summer 1990 Page 43 The time was indeed ripe for mass emigration from through the autumn of 1766 en route to Luebeck, reflect southwest Germany, especially from the areas that were only a few examples. intermittently occupied by French troops and those that Beauregard and Meixner directed their groups bound suffered most from the effects of the Seven Years* War. for Luebeck through Roslau. Facius, who operated in Despotic rulers of smaller principalities did little, if any- Buedingen after being driven out of Frankfurt, transported thing, toward improving the conditions of their subjects, his recruits directly to Hamburg. The agents along the which may thereby have discouraged emigration. Instead, lower Rhine used the Dutch seaports. LeRoy chose a route some seemed actually pleased to be rid of their undesirable, for his people that led from Regensburg, past Weimar and indigent, or "poorer class" of citizens. Lueneburg to Luebeck. Other groups traveled northeast to Thus, within a short time, people from all regions were Danzig. A number of groups originating at Worms moved flocking to the gathering centers where they were duly down the Rhine and on through Westphalia and Hannover registered and placed into "family" groups. Individuals to Luebeck, Records indicate LeRoy recruited 1530 could not travel singly. Two men could comprise a family, families, Beauregard 1523, and de Boffe 434. while it was required that three or four women join At Luebeck the merchant Christoph Heinrich Schmidt, together as a unit. As the daily stipend was greater for also a Russian commissar in the city, built a number of married couples, many "crash" marriages were performed shelters in very close and uncomfortable quarters to tem- at these locations. porarily house the new arrivals. Here many emigrants lost For the most part, the emigrants traveled in large their incentive to travel farther due to the unpleasant sur- caravans whose passing through an area was considered roundings as well as the false conclusion that a majority of more a hazard than a benefit. Even though they were the emigrants were of the lowest social element of fellow countrymen, the distrust that existed among natives Germans. In order to discredit the emigrations, later official of different localities toward one another, plus the recent reports referred to them as "Slovenly rabble hoping to find troop movements of the recent past, caused these caravans their fortune awaiting them in new surroundings, justifiably to be viewed with great resentment. When a caravan being disowned by its fatherland." In fact they were an entered a town or village, it would normally buy all assortment of indigent aristocrats and members of the available foodstuffs, much to the displeasure of the nobility, craftsmen, merchants, musicians, artists, and some inhabitants. Consequently these movements were com- destitute farmers, all of whom lost their wealth through no monly described as resembling a swarm of locusts. Unfor- fault of their own. There were also recently discharged tunately, this also brought out the worst in people. Quar- soldiers, prostitutes, escaped or recently freed convicts, reling over food and supplies became commonplace while shady characters, and indolents who looked forward to the the finer attributes of decency and decorum were ignored. "paradise" where they could lead idle lifestyles. Women of ill repute plied their trade without hindrance This, then, according to the records of Christian Gott- from the Russian commissar who directed the caravan. lieb Zuge (who witnessed the mass migration) was a cross- The size of the caravan was always greater at the section of the element that made up the pioneers of the beginning than at the seaport. For some, this type of Volga Region. How could it be otherwise? To whom would existence had simply lost its appeal. Others, having the hopes of a better life appeal to most, if not to the down- accepted the daily stipends, simply disappeared. Many died trodden, the hungry masses yearning to breathe free, the en route. wretched and destitute whom no one wanted and who Since the routes taken were not well recorded, we must would be the least missed in their community? assume that the records that do exist are fairly accurate in Very little is recorded of people receiving permission describing what took place. A farmer at Schlitz, in Hesse, from their rulers to emigrate. So it must be assumed that recorded in his hoghide daybook the continual flow of most of the recruiters' work was accomplished in a sur- caravans originating at Buedingen that passed through his reptitious manner. One interesting document granting region during 1764-1772. Records found in churches permission to emigrate has surfaced and is herewith pre- provide an indication of various routes, and reveal sented verbatim in translation: weddings, baptisms, and funerals that took place en route. Other records, such as those in Buedingen, where By the Grace of God, We, Karl Theodor, Count of numerous marriages took place, and at Roslau, which saw the Rhine Palatinate, Head Treasurer and Elector some 4,000 individuals pass through from May 1765

Page 44 AHSGR Journal I Summer 1990 of the Holy Roman Empire in Bavaria, Duke of Juelich, Russian Recruitment activities was the Rhine Palatinate, Cleve, and Berg, Prince of Moers, Marquis of Bergen- which on February 27, 1764, decreed that all emigration op-Zoom, Earl of Feldentz, Fronzheim, the Mark, and Ravensberg, Lord of Ravenstein: was henceforth strictly forbidden. This proclamation was Herewith do proclaim that the hereafter men- issued because it had become evident that laborers for tioned Jacob Bruch, our subject from Weilerbach, has fieldwork, as well as men and women servants for homes petitioned to leave the Jurisdiction of Our Domain, and castles, were in short supply. This policy was soon Lauteren, that We graciously condescend to pardon adopted by other regions. Later in 1764, Bavaria issued a him from the serfdom which binds him to Us, that We have, herewith, been benignly disposed to comply much more stringent pronouncement. On April 21,1765, with his request as Our subject and have graciously Frankfurt, the site of commissar Facius' efforts, took a very freed him from his present state of bondage. firm stand against emigration. Prussia was the last to make Executed as such herewith and in the power of this its proclamation, for Frederick the Great was at the same letter, however, with the express provision and time calling for people to settle in his eastern domains, exception that in the event indigent Jacob Bruch, in the near or distant future, should return to Our Elec- which had been decimated by the Seven Years' War. He torate of the Rhine Palatinate or any other of Our eventually bowed to the demands, and on May 1, 1766, domains where We hold bonded servants and insti- issued his edict forbidding emigration. tuted the perogative of serfdom, will, ipso facto, and The document (in translation) presented below was without further notice again become and remain one of Our subject serfs as before. Authenticated by the taken from the archives of the Provincial Gesetze of the affixture of the Royal Electoral Seal at Mannheim on years 1701-1768 in the Bishopric of Trier, and is an actual the 15th of March 1764, by the President of the proclamation prohibiting emigration from the region; Administrative Body of the Electorate and the Local Vice-counsel. Ehrenbreitstein, February 17, 1766 Signed, Karl Theodor Due to the fact that foreign, especially Russian, emissaries are again inciting people to emigrate for Since Catherine II was the daughter of Christian foreign lands, and in fact actually being assisted by August and sister of Friedrich August, Prince of Anhalt our Bishopric subjects, they and the agents shall be subject to the penalties as stated in the ruling of April Zerbst, it was impossible for her brother to deny a gather- 28, 1763 (Nr. 623 d-S.) and subsequent prohibiting ing place in his domain for the emigrants who wished to emigration which the local authorities are herewith resettle in Russia. This fact Catherine had depended upon instructed to administer as well as exercise the utmost and she was not disappointed. Being a strong ruler, her control of passports. Notice: As of March 1, 1766, all applications for brother was, however, able to deter his own people from emigration from our sovereign domain are denied and emigrating. This was not the case in the southern German to be in effect as of May 20 of this year by order of the lands from which the vast majority of emigrants originated, Electorate of Trier, as decreed by the assembly of the The agents were also successful in recruiting some 235 Rhine Hessen Supreme Council that anyone German-French families, along with a lesser number from attempting to emigrate shall be subject to the penalties of imprisonment, hard labor and confiscation Switzerland, Holland, and Belgium. of all property, but the emigration recruiters and their The operation of the Russian agents was effective for underlings shall be subject to the death penalty. the few years between 1763 and 1767, with minor Further confirmed by the Supreme Edict of the year movements continuing until the great exodus to the east 1768, (Nr. 672 d.S). under Alexander I in the 1800s, In 1784, a group of Palatines gathered at Worms to board a ship that would A similar complaint, though not an official edict, was carry them around Gibraltar and on to the Black Sea. As found in the archives in Strasbourg, Alsace, France: late as 1804 one of the original czarist colonial transpor- tation centers still existed at Lauingen, in the Rhine August 28, 1772 Palatinate. EMIGRATION HALTED Monsieur De'Autigny, The first German territory to take action against the Honorable Sir, I have just been informed by

AHSGR Journal I Summer 1990 Page 45 Monsieur de Monteynard that the Court of the hapless passengers. Thus the funds supplied by the Petersburg has a secret agency in the Alsace Russian Crown to aid in getting settled were often gone and particularly in Strasbourg engaged in before the ship completed its journey. Eventually, however, encouraging the inhabitants to emigrate and the ships did anchor at Kronstadt, the Russian seaport for settle in Russia. I would appreciate your issuing St. Petersburg, and the new settlers were truly on their way specific orders enabling the police in this city to to their new homeland. take the necessary steps and working as secretly In fact, conditions were actually somewhat improved as possible to expose and arrest the agents or because Catherine II personally assumed command of the recruiters who may be in Strasbourg. I feel resettlement of these new subjects. The immigrants were certain that you will give your immediate attention temporarily housed in barracks at Oranienbaum, near to this matter. Kronstadt, while they were given orientation by the Lu- I am aware that various foreigners are theran Church officials and indoctrinated into the Russian entering the city without having the proper way of life. Here they made their first contacts with the real passports, for I recently apprehended one. Russian people. Their first cultural lesson was usually to According to the laws of immigration, it is learn how to drink vodka in the Russian manner. They mandatory to present a passport or a travel were also extended a personal welcome by a visit from the document with the destination of travel written in Czarina herself. the margin or on the back. Furthermore, it is St. Petersburg was the gateway for all immigrants into mandatory to arrest anyone who does not have Russia. A few families were actually settled near St. the proper document or can explain the purpose Petersburg and permitted to carry on the trades in which of the visit or have a recommendation of a they had been engaged in Germany. Records exist that sponsor. This policy must emphatically be certain craftsmen, such as watchmakers who came from conveyed to the guards of the bridge at Kehl Berlin in 1764, were permitted to help others of the more with specific orders that they must clearly follow educated and affluent classes create attractive German the provisions I have herewith detailed. villages in the suburbs of St. Petersburg. It is with great pleasure that 1 am renewing Transportation from St. Petersburg to Saratov was the ties that unite us whereby I also have the poorly organized, due greatly to the limited funds appor- honor of being your very humble and faithful tioned to the project. However, Catherine did again come subordinate. through with the means necessary to complete her project. The daily stipends, transportation, military escort, and even When an unequivocal edict against emigration was clothing was supplied as agreed. carried out in alt Germany in 1766, the Russians were not Most of the treks were by water, embarking at Tver and greatly perturbed because Luebeck, the major embarkation following the navigable rivers to Saratov. The land route port, had been overfilled since early 1766. The Russians used by LeRoy for his recruits led past Novgorod, Valdai, had curtailed their activities because there were insufficient Tver, Moscow, Ryazan, and Penza. ships to carry the emigrants and the expense of their When purchasing supplies in towns along the trek, the maintenance in Luebeck was very high. When the Russian immigrants were at times frustrated by the antics of the transportation chief, Vikhlayev, delayed the movement of local officials and merchants, who attempted to take the ships, the funds to support the many emigrants awaiting advantage of their ignorance of Russian customs and embarkation soon were depleted. As supplemental funds procedures. On one such occasion in Tver, during the were slow in arriving, the situation became extremely purchase of livestock to butcher, the immigrants became so difficult for the Russian commissars, who were having angry that they stormed the town hall, broke windows, did serious problems keeping the people calm. other damage and threw the officials bodily out into the street. For this act, the immigrants were neither ON TO RUSSIA apprehended nor reprimanded. In effect, they succeeded in Overcrowded conditions aboard ship fostered further ensuring more equitable transactions between the local disagreements, and previous feuds were intensified unless citizenry and the immigrants in the future. the participants became ill with seasickness or other Another time, the immigrants tied the ship's officers to the mast and refused to release them until food was illnesses that were quite rampant on the vessels and were thereby rendered inactive. Very often the trip, which supplied for their hungry numbers. Here, as aboard ship should have been completed in a few days, took several from Luebeck to St. Petersburg, the officials and mer- weeks because the captains prolonged the journey in order to sell the goods which they had acquired to sell to

Page 46 AHSGR Journal I Summer 1990 chants conspired to take as much of the money as possible square (46 square miles) to accommodate about 1000 from the immigrants by delaying their movements and families. One-sixth of the land was to be kept in reserve for charging exorbitant prices for their services. the youth as they reached adulthood and married, and Such procrastination prevented the treks from arriving another sixth for craftsmen and tradesmen. To avoid mis- at Saratov before the terribly cold Russian winters set in. As understandings and future dissension, the land was placed a result, it was necessary to arrange for temporary quarters under control of the congregation. Thus the communities for the immigrants with the villagers, who were totally were immediately established according to religious per- unprepared to accommodate such numbers of people. Here suasions. again, the overbearing personalities of some of the Each settler was allotted 30 dessiatines to be divided as immigrants proved a handicap, for they often acted follows: 15 for cultivation, 5 for the homesite, 5 for irrationally and in general aggravated their hosts, whom meadowland, and 5 for forestry. The use of the land was they had been thrust upon. according to heredity through the youngest son as heir, Nevertheless, this unsought delay did have its benefit, since the older ones were encouraged to develop trades as it required learning the Russian language that was so other than farming. In the event an heir could not carry on, strange to the Germans. The following spring ships were another son could be chosen. If the youngest son was too again boarded to continue the perilous journey on the young at his father's death to operate the farm, the older swollen rivers. Many chose not to chance this hazard brothers were obliged to assist him until he came of age. If further and followed the ship's route by land. there were no male heirs, the nearest male relative who was Eventually the group did reach its destination. Origi- not self-supporting could be chosen. The mother was given nally established as an outpost against marauding nomads, lifetime residence rights; the daughters until they married. Saratov was heavily fortified with artillery and If the father left no will, the mother would receive one- embankments. The population of some 10,000 showed little fourth of the estate, the daughters one-fourth, and the sons interest in these new arrivals, little realizing that here was one-half. This policy was never actually carried out with the basis of an industrial development for the future which complete satisfaction for the colonists, and was very could make this one of Russia's most important cities. difficult to achieve. Catherine arranged for the Guardianship Agency at St. Finally, since the congregation held ownership of the Petersburg to establish a secondary office at Saratov as a land, each family was in effect, merely hereditary tenants. center for the new settlement area. The head administrator No real estate property could be developed and sold, nor was a Russian brigadier of German extraction who spoke could money be borrowed against it. If the family chose to German well. His two German assistants, with the rank of leave the community, it immediately lost all its rights and major, and other clerks and civilians employed by the landholdings. This created tendencies for family dynasties commission were also German. The responsibility of this to develop, or in the case of someone leaving the commission was to establish the settlers in their new community, for that family to become complete paupers. In homes, provide necessary funds, some 150 rubles per addition to the landrights, the congregation was given land person, and to supply seed for planting, along with the tools on which to erect its own cemeteries and churches. and equipment for cultivation of crops. Certain people were The government had made the best possible arrange- asked to remain in Saratov to engage in the weaving ments for the new settlers, but by the time the appropriated industry, with which they had experience. Records reveal funds left St. Petersburg and arrived in the hands of the that 78 of these factories were established, which was officials at Saratov, the amount had usually decreased actually too many for the sparsely populated region. substantially. In addition to the problems of dishonest The majority of the pioneers, each with their own recruitment, the colonists had been recruited under various wagons, left Saratov for the promised garden land which arrangements. Consequently, there was also the problem of they were so eager to see and which was certainly no longer proper distribution of funds according to whose control and so distant. Had they not been faithfully promised that jurisdication the particular group might find itself. As stated houses and homes would be ready for occupancy upon their earlier, some were recruited by directors or leaders, others arrival, as had been so clearly described in Catherine's by agents employed by the Russian government. As a result, Manifesto? The entire acreage for the establishment of each each group operated under different regulations, to the colony was to be no less than 60 versts square (40 square disadvantage of their dependents. miles) and no greater that 70 versts The total funds eventually appropriated for the German settlers came to 5 million rubles. However, no more

AHSGR Journal I Summer 1990 Page 47 than 10,000 rubles could be obtained at any one time for us had been taken for the military personnel and they without a special directive from the Russian senate. Con- would soon be returned to us, sequently there was always a shortage of funds for the Thus did Volga-German pioneers face up to a trying successful development of the pioneer settlements. situation and with quiet determination overcome a multi- The colonists were the ones who suffered greatly tude of obstacles. They have provided good examples for through these conditions. Only a very few dwelling places their descendants who became pioneers in the Americas. had been actually built. When the immigrants arrived at the They have been inspirations to their later descendants who designated spot, they found not the paradise they had been withstand the cruel buffeting of the Soviets. Now all their led to expect. Instead they found a vast, treeless steppe descendants are scattered over the entire world and they with dry grass nearly two feet high. One leader, Zuge, in live with justifiable pride in being a German from Russia his memoirs reported: descendant. Frightened, we looked around and at each other NOTES in finding ourselves here in this wilderness, which so In addition to research in the various archives, other material was far as the eye could see, except for a small grove of found in the following: trees, nothing but grass the height of three shoe- Bonwetsch, Gerhard: Geschichte der deutschen Kolonien an tops was visible! der Wolga, Stuttgart, 1919 The lieutenant who brought us to the place told Bauer, Gottlieb: Geschichte der deutschen Ansiedler an der us that the houses that were to have been provided Wolga, Saratov, 1908 Beratz, Gottlieb: Die deitschen Kolonien an der unteren Wolga, Saratov, 1915

EIGHTY-SEVEN YEARS AGO.

Dakota Freie Presse, 21 May 1903

21 Mai 1903 Der russische Heiligste Synod hat angeordnet das der 19 Februar (3 Maerz neuen Stils) derJahrestag der Emancipation der Leibeigenen, welche im Jahr 1861 in der Gesammtzahl von 23,000,000 von Alexander II befreit wurden, in de in den orthodoxen Kirchen bei Zahrenrecht fortan durch feierliche Dank Gottesdienste begangen werden soill. 21 May 1903 The Russian Holy Synod has decreed that 19 February (3 March new style) shall be a day of commemoration for the Emancipation of the Serfs, some 23,000,000 in number who were freed by Alexander II in 1861, and that henceforth a festival of Thanksgiving Services shall be instituted in all Orthodox Churches under privilege of the Czar.

Page 48 AHSGR Journal I Summer 1990 I'M SMART AND I CAN PROVE IT Olga Schmidt Bauer

Though I have no formal education to speak of, no the younger two and felt it was up to him to protect their college degree, no high school diploma and barely got mutual investment. He was really the smartest of the three, through the eighth grade because of my deplorable spell- this ancestor of mine, and suggested that they buy up all ing, I am smart and I can prove it. One day when my father the eggs in the outlying villages and haul them into town to heard me bragging about some trivial accomplishment, he sell, so they would not be making the trip with an empty pointed out to me that bragging was in poor taste and a wagon. Thus they would have a profit to show on their first reflection on my great heritage. day. Being a modest, honest man, he also told me that To the dismay of the younger brothers, the wagon was heritage and ancestors do not excuse bad manners in full of eggs when they had covered only half the distance. anyone. Father said that everyone had a right to be well The youngest brother, as could be expected of a mere born and a right to a good environment. And even though thirty-year-old baby, was frankly dismayed and quite at a we inherit certain family characteristics such as coloring, loss as to what to do. The middle brother said, "Why, the stature or the lack of it, and facial features, it is what we solution is simple. We'll just drive into town with what are within ourselves that really counts. eggs we have and come back for the rest." Then he told me that I must at all times remember that I Ersatz, the oldest, my ancestor, displayed more of his was a direct descendant of the Great Yellow-Footed Schab shrewdness by solving the problem. He merely climbed and that I must never by word or deed belittle this ancestor into the back of the wagon, stamped and trampled the eggs of mine. down so that there was plenty of room for all the eggs in In Wittenberg, a village in southern Germany, the the remaining villages. As a token of awe and respect for people were fond of music and gaiety, devoted to art and this unusual degree of intelligence, Ersatz was spoken of education, as different from the northern Prussian Germans thereafter as the "Yellow-Footed Schab," and this is the as day from night. The Prussians were fierce and warlike man from whom my family descended. and worshipped might rather than right. Yet it was a family My father told me more of the legend of this great man, from Wittenberg that set all the northern Prussians talking. this Yellow-Footed Schab, whom he so admired that he felt The Schab family were farm folk, middle class and I could brag of him with impunity. One day they were moderately well off. The father was a careful man, doling hauling passengers from one village to the next. The river out the money when necessary, saving when he could. This was too high for all of them to cross at once. The great marriage was blessed with three sons, who helped on the Yellow-Footed Schab knew that there were seven people to farm, saving the wages of hired laborers. When the baby get across the river because he had heard Andreas, the was thirty years of age, the father decided the sons had middle brother, count them. Dividing them so that the load earned the right to go into the world and make their own would be evenly distributed William, the youngest, loaded way. As a reward for their years of labor on the farm, he the baggage and two passengers. Then Ersatz took them gave them what he considered was adequate reward over across and returned for the rest. and above their keep, and started them on their way. The five remaining people were transported across the The three brothers pooled their money and found that river. Ersatz, the Yellow-Footed Schab, my illustrious they had enough for the purchase of a team and wagon. ancestor, being the smart man he was, carefully counted They had enough left over to feed themselves and the team the people. "Andreas and I are one, William makes two and until they could realize a profit on their investment. The one, two, three, four passengers are six—someone is question to decide then, was what use to make of the team? missing." Andreas counted seven people as did William. Should they hire out as farm laborers, at which occupation But Ersatz knew he was right—wasn't he the Yellow- they were all experts, as the youngest suggested, or should Footed Schab? He recounted, "Andreas and I are one, they haul stone from the quarries for road construction, William makes two, and one, two, three, four passengers. which paid well, as the second brother suggested? That makes only six." The oldest brother, my ancestor, felt responsible for After considerable argument Ersatz came up with a solution. He found a fresh mud pie and made each person stick his nose in it. Then Ersatz counted the holes in the

AHSGR Journal I Summer 1990 Page 49 mud pie. There were seven holes. Now he knew that all the most anxious to have him come to Russia to benefit her passengers were safely across the river and they could great country with his shrewd intelligence and unlimited continue on their way to the next village. ingenuity. At about this time, Catherine the Great, Empress of All the Russias, was encouraging the southern Germans to Being a kindly fellow as well as a shrewd one, my settle in Bessarabia and cultivate the land, much as we ancestor, the great Yellow-Footed Schab moved his entire homesteaded here. Naturally, when she heard of this village from Wittenberg to Bessarabia. And that, I under- ancestor of mine, the great Yellow-Footed Schab, she was stand, is what drove the Russians to communism.

FROM WASHINGTON

George Heinrich Hartwig* From Die Welt- the conclusion, everyone present stood up, joined hands, Post, 29 November 1928 and sang the song "God be with us until we meet again," echoing off the walls of the cruciform church, bringing Walla Walla, 22 November 1928 many to tears because of the deep sentimental memories of I have read the reports of the Jubilee in Crespo, the old homeland. It was an emotional scene such as I had Argentina,, South America, with interest. They made such a never experienced before. At the convention I was an deep impression on me I asked myself this question, eighty-year-old man and were I to live another eighty "Could not the Germans from Russia in North America also years, I will never forget this. call themselves together for an anniversary celebration?" I The choir singing and the music directed by Pastor Paul don't believe there is a lack of people who have the Krumbein made the celebration extraordinarily beautiful. It qualifications to get this meeting started. In my opinion, would surely be a glorious event if a celebration could be however. Die Welt-Post, the binding link for the Germans brought to life in which even more Germans from Russia from Russia scattered "here and there'* would be the best than the aforementioned Jubilee could be brought together. qualified to spearhead such a celebration. Those from Russia, particularly Volga Germans ought to I am now almost 84 years old and would greatly wel- get something started by establishing a planning committee come being able to live to enjoy this.** for such a festival which could possibly be held in centrally In the autumn of 1925 I had the rare good fortune to located Lincoln, Nebraska, attend the American Relief Society Convention. I'll not say What would you have to say about this, Mr. Stauss? anything about it except how the meeting ended. At Respectfully, Henry Hartwig. *Transfated by Arthur Hartwig, grandson of Georg Heinrich, and shared by Ken Hartwig. Note from the editor: I value your suggestion highly and it **George Heinrich Hartwig, born 24 December 1844 in Warrenburg, should be acted upon. Hopefully more voices will be heard Russia, died on 3 December 1928 in Walla Walla, Washington, from concerning this suggestion so it can be further deve- eleven days after this teller was written. loped.

Page 50 AHSGR Journal / Summer 1990

CURRENT STATUS OF GERMAN VILLAGES IN THE VOLGA REGION Theresa Dahn

Villages which have completely disappeared or are no looks around. Then she has quieted her longing for a while. longer inhabited, even if several dilapidated buildings are Once she wrote, "I stood on the street, looked around me still standing are: Rothammel, Seewald, Degott, Neu- everywhere, and in my heart I had such peace. If I found Balzer, Kautz, Schuck, Huckertal. there another person like me, I would have built a little Inhabited and still with old houses are: Doenhof, Kolb, house. (See the Gospel, 'Lord, I will build two houses, one Walter, Huck, Balzer, Mohr, Alt-Messer, Neu-Messer, for you....')! did not want good food, I only wanted to have Grimm, Franzosen, Husaren, Kamenka, Pfeiffer, Hildman, peace of heart." Goebel, Koehler, Volmer, Semenovka, Kraft, Spat- When the first people from Rothammel came to Frank zenkutter, Dreispitz, Kratzke, Merkel, Frank, and Hus- from Siberia, they thought of something. They cooked a senbach. These villages are all still inhabited, and in pot of potatoes and dumplings, packed them to keep them Husaren three houses and the parsonage are still standing. warm, and went to the area of Rothammel. There they sat Where the church was, today is a swimming pool. In in the grass and ate. Kamenka there are still many houses, also in Hussenbach Another time a group of brothers and sisters, six in and Frank. total, took along an uncle and an aunt. They cooked food In almost all the named, and in unnamed villages, there and packed other things and went to Rothammel. There are people living who have returned from Siberia. They they went to where their father's house had stood, made a have even settled in Russian villages in order to be near place to eat in the ruins, ate and drank, sang songs, cried, their beloved Heimat. The people have such a great longing and laughed. They looked around all over, even went to the for their home villages that now and then they travel there, cemetery where they prayed and sang. Toward evening even if onlv ruins or nothing at all remains. they ate again, then went home. "So," they said, "now we One woman wrote me that when the longing is too great for were in our father's house, ate and drank there." her, she travels to or through her village and

In order to continue to bring you interesting information about the Germans from Russia and their descendants, we need your family stories and research articles. If you have written such articles, stories, poetry, etc., which you would like to have considered for publication in future issues of the Journal, please send them to AHSGR, 631 D Street, Lincoln, NE 68502. If you have not yet written down those tales about the old country, isn't it time you did?

AHSGR Journal I Summer 1990 Page 51 THE GRAFENSTEIN-FORDSON TRACTOR STORY Arthur E. Flegel

In October 1988, while making a presentation for the remembered his father driving a Fordson tractor for the Volga Germans at their convention in Buedingen, West Zurich collective farm. He expressed a strong desire to Germany, Arthur Flegel was approached by a Mr. Walde" acquire a photograph of one of these tractors. Flegel mar Grafenstein, who identified himself as a native of assured Grafenstein that he would promptly locate such a Zurich on the Volga. Mr. Grafenstein was eager to locate photo upon his return home. However, visits to libraries, descendents of his grandfather's brothers Gottlieb and antique stores, and personal inquiries produced only nega- Samuel Grafenstein in the United States, tive results. During the course of the conversation, Flegel learned Finally Flegel decided to call the Henry Ford Museum that Grafenstein possesses considerable artistic abilities, He in Dearborn, Michigan. The archivist not only was able to presented photographs of oil paintings he has done and the furnish photocopies of the desired pictures, but (she) two photographs featured below. In the first photograph, discovered the Russian language manual for the 1925 Grafenstein is shown with the replica of the village church Fordson tractors. Both were quickly dispatched to Mr. at Zurich which he constructed from memory years after Grafenstein, the family's dispersion in 1942, The second photograph Along with the fond recollections this article may shows the actual church in its mutilated condition. invoke, it would be wonderful if someone might have a Grafenstein was able to revisit his native village prior to different picture of a Fordson tractor which they would be emigrating to West Germany and take this photograph. willing to share. Equally exciting would be for someone to Grafenstein also mentioned that as a youth he well identify with Zurich and the Gottlieb or Samuel Grafenstein families. If you have any knowledge of them, please contact Arthur Flegel.

Grafenstein with his replica of Zurich Church. Village Church at Zurich.

Page 52 AHSGR Journal f Summer 1990 NEW ADDITIONS TO AHSGR LIBRARY

Frances Amen and Mary Rabenberg

PLEASE NOTE: When a number has an R before it, that indicates that the item does not circulate. This means that patrons may use the item in the AHSGR library itself, but they may not check it out for use elsewhere. The items mentioned below and other library materials may be borrowed from AHSGR Archives through the interlibrary loan services of your local public or college library via an interlibrary loan request form or the OCLC computer system. Most of the items below are not for sale by AHSGR. Please consult your current Order Form to see what is available for purchase. DK508.772.G613x CS71 .R832 1986x AMinger, Gotthiif. Collins, Damon P. Chronicles of the Community Leipzig in Bessarabia. Trans- Reinhardt Ruhl and His Descendants (1854-1986) (n.p., lated and edited by Arthur E. Flegel (n.p., 1985), 55 pp. 1986), 72 pp. Donated by compiler. Photos. This family history marks the centennial of the arrival A brief, informative history of Leipzig "from the time of the Reinhardt Ruhl family in America. They emigrated of its formation in 1815 under Czar Alexander I of Russia, from the Kamyschin District and settled in Kansas. along with the annexation by Romania in 1917 after World Included are genealogy charts and a family name index. War I under terms of the Treaty of Versailles, and the next decade." Mr. Flegel also added information about Leipzig, D820 .P72G42 1989 which appeared in Heimatbuch der Bessarabiendeutschen, and pictures. de Zayas, Alfred M. Nemesis at Potsdam: The Expulsion of the Germans from F642 .B9B333x the East (Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press, 1989), 270 pp. Photos. Bauman, Beth Hughes and Dorothy J. Jackman. This account discusses the displacement of more than Burkigh County: Prairie Trails to Hi-Ways (Bismarck, ND: fifteen million Germans from Central and Eastern Europe Bismarck-Mandan Genealogical and Historical Society, to the West at the end of the Second World War. Mention 1978), 628 pp. Photos, maps. of the various conferences, plans, and treaties connected This volume is comprised of 1600 stories and 2300 with the transfer take up a good share of the book. It pictures telling of the families who lived/live in Burleigh concludes with an extensive bibliography. County, North Dakota. There is a name index. DK511 .V7V64

DK511 .B77B77x Freehling, Ruth, compiler. Bukowina: Landschaften—Bauten—Denkmaler (n.p., Volhynian Village Research (n.p., 1988), 300 pp. Donated 1986), 218 pp. Donated by Paul J. Polansky Schneller. by compiler. A picture book depicting the story of Bukovina through This miscellany of German letters, German documents, photographs of its landscapes, buildings, and monuments. and Russian documents with translations was put together The majority are in color. The captions of the pictures are by the village coordinator of the villages of Dermanke in German, English, and French. (Manianufka), Kruglik (Antonovka), Mari-anin, Annette, and Josefine, Volhynia. All aspects of Volhynian life are covered. OVERSIZE F657 .B6SC45 "Cemeteries of Bon Homme County, South Dakota" (n.p., CS71 .G637 1965x n.d.), Ill pp. Photocopy. Donated by Curt. Renz. Goertz, Helene Riescn, OVERSIZE F657 .C25C45 Family History of Siebert Goertz and John Harms and "Cemeteries of Campbell County, South Dakota" (n.p., Their Descendants (North Newton, KS: published by n.d.), 48 pp. Photocopy. Donated by Curt. Renz. author, 1965), 124 pp. Photos. Donated by Esther Heinze Miller.

AHSGR Journal / Summer 1990 Page 53 These family records deal specifically with Goertz- 198?), 200 pp. Photos. Donated by compiler. Daike and Harms-Frantz relationships. In 1875 John Harms A compilation of family group charts which is inter- and his family emigrated from Molotschna Colony to spersed with family pictures and clippings. The family Kansas, Siebert Goertz and his family came to Kansas in settled in the state of Washington after having left Walter, 1893. Russia, in 1892.

F1079.5 ,R5H54x BX8143 .N123A3 1988x Nickel, Johann .L Hilda Town and Country Ladies Club (Alberta). Hope Springs Eternal' Sermons and Papers of Johann J. Hilda's Golden Heritage (Hilda, AB: Hilda Town and Nickel (1859-1920). Translated and edited by John P. Country Ladies Club, 1974), 305 pp. Photos, maps. Nickel. (Nanaimo, BC: Nickel Publishers, 1988), 304 pp. At the beginning, a brief history of Hilda, Alberta, is Photos. One copy donated by John P. Nickel and one recounted. It is followed by family biographies of those donated by Mennonite Heritage Centre. who lived/live there. Many of the families are German Besides the sermons and daily meditations of the Russian. Mennonite minister from Russia, this book also contains biographical information of the Nickel family and excerpts CS71 .S493 1987x from the diary of Johann J. Nickel. The family came from Hitzeman, Louis, Melvina Hitzeman, and Gerhardt R. Khortitsa. There is an index of 460 names of persons and Seyfert. places. The Johann Georg Seyfert Family, 1630—1987 (n.p., 1987), 147 pp. Maps, photos. Donated by Gerhardt R. CS71 ,M544 1986x Seyfert. The Peter J. Miller and Elizabeth Graber Miller Family A genealogy of the Seyfert/Seifert families who origi- (n.p., 1986), 34 pp. Donated by Maurice and Cora Miller nated from Massenbachhausen, Germany, Poland, and Conner. Czechoslovakia. Their offspring immigrated directly to the Traces the genealogy of this Swiss-Mennonite family United States and settled in Wisconsin. from the Ukraine to the Dakota Territory in 1874. They lived in the Freeman, South Dakota, area. CS840 .K735x

Krening, Conrad, compiler. CS71 .S353 1900zx Descendants of Frank, Volga Region (Medwedizko-Kresto- Schmick, William G. woi-Bujerak) (n.p., n.d.), 600 pp. Photocopy. Donated by From the Steppes to the Land of Pleasant Living: a History Arthur E. Flegel. of the John W. Schmick Family (n.p., 19??), 61 pp. Photos. An alphabetical listing by name of the descendants which Donated by Herman H. Gunther. gives brief genealogical information of each person. This family history relates the Schmick's life in Yagodnaya Polyana and their eventual move to the United DK16 .N34 1985x States where they settled in Preston, Maryland. Chapter XI Nagel's Encyclopedia-Guide U.S.S.R. 5th ed., completely contains brief histories of other families that came from revised. (Geneva, Switzerland: Nagel Publishers, 1985), Yagodnaya Polyana—George and John Fuchs, Conrad and 1103 pp. Maps. Donated by Central California Chapter of George J. Schmick, and Peter Nepert. AHSGR. This guide begins with a general overview of U.S.S.R. history, geography, economy, arts, and people. It is then CS71 .H479 1987x followed by descriptions of Moscow, Leningrad, Kiev, other towns in the European part of the Soviet Union, the lands of the Caucasus, Soviet Central Asia, and Siberia, Hettinger, Susan, compiler. Helpful features to this guide are sixty-eight maps/plans of The Hettinger Family Tree (n.p., 1987), 14 pp. Donated by various areas and cities, as well as an index. compiler. Traces the family genealogy of Henry and Mary Het- CS71 .H575 1980zx tinger. Henry was born in Balzer. In 1908 the family came to the United States where they settled in Fresno, Nelson, Lucille Hill, compiler. California. Family of Jacob Hill and Elizabeth Gradwohl Hill (n.p.,

Page 54 AHSGR Journal I Summer 1990