Journal of the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia

Vol. 11, No. 1 Spring 1988 On the cover: This picture shows the men of the American Volga Relief Society packing bundles of clothing to be shipped to the German Red Cross in Berlin. On top of the bales is Henry Schmidt; John Walker is kneeling by the scales in the front. In the front row from left to right are John Rohrig, Rev. Richard Kuehne, Conrad Hock, Dave Wagenleiter (?), Jacob Schmidt, unknown, Adolf Lebsack Jr.,... Lenhardt, John Schmidt Sr. In the back row are George Kaufman, Harry Kaufman, Henry J. Amen. H. H. Alles, Henry Frank, J. J. Stroh, unknown, George Stroh, unknown, George Walters. The photograph was taken in the storeroom of the Shogo Lithia Springs Co., owned by John Rohrig Sr., and was donated to AHSGR by Robert and Kathryn Eitel Rohrig. See related story beginning on page 31.

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

REINHOLD DEWALD AND RELIEF CATTLE FOR GERMANY Compiled by Reuben Goertz ...... 1 MY EXPERIENCES IN A SIBERIAN PRISON CAMP DURING AND AFTER WORLD WAR II Bruno Reule ...... 10

FOLKLORE FORUM: WEATHERLORE OF THE GERMANS FROM RUSSIA Compiled by Timothy J. Kloberdans ...... 15 WE SING OUR HISTORY Lawrence A. Weigel ...... 22 HEALTH CARE BELIEFS AND PRACTICES OF THE HUTTERITES OF FOREST RIVER COMMUNITY, NORTH DAKOTA Cheryl Briggs ...... 24 RELIEF WORK OF THE AMERICAN VOLGA RELIEF SOCIETY IN GERMANY Richard Kuehne Translated by Selma Miller ...... …………………………………………………...... 31 REFUGEES ARRIVING IN THE HEIMKEHRLAGER AT FRANKFURT/ODER IN 1922 Compiled by Edward R. Gerk ...... 35 THE YOUNG PEOPLE Hertha Karasek-Strzygowski Translated by Sally Tiessen Hieb ...... …………………………………………………...... 45

GERMAN PROTESTANTS IN TSARIST RUSSIA AND THE SOVIET UNION Gerd Stricker Translated by Gill Ablitt ...... ………………………………………………………...... 49

BOOKS AND ARTICLES RECENTLY ADDED TO THE AHSGR ARCHIVES Frances Amen, Mary Lynn Tuck, and Mary Rabenberg ...... 62

The West Arrow.

Cowboys, ship's crew, and dignitaries on board the West Arrow. Both photos courtesy of Harriet Haar Schaeffer, whose father, Hugo Haar, is fourth from left, back row.

11 REINHOLD DEWALD AND RELIEF CATTLE FOR GERMANY Compiled by Reuben Goertz The flames of the war that had been extinguished The South Dakota Leader, a Mitchell, South in Europe three years earlier erupted with vigor in Dakota, paper, used even less restraint than the other South Dakota in March 1921. The antagonists were two papers but only charged the Legion with being former comrades in arms in the American dupes of the Ku-Klux Klan. In large, boldfaced letters, Expeditionary Force in Europe. The object of the entire front page denounced the Ku Kluxers, the contention was a herd of about seven hundred cattle Ku-Klux viper, the outlaws, and mobsters. collected mostly by Germans from Russia in South Dakota to be sent to Germany to provide milk for THE SOUTH DAKOTA LEADER children. War reparations in France had depleted Mitchell, South Dakota, April 9, 1921 Germany's supply of dairy cows, and undernourished NEAR CIVIL WAR IN HUTCHINSON COUNTY children were starving. By Tom Ayres Certain elements considered this humanitarian Kansas held the stage for several weeks with its gesture a treasonable act and made an armed attempt marauding, its mobbings, its illegal lynching of free speech to abort the shipment. The shock waves generated by and peaceable assemblage; its tarring of men for opinion's the confrontation rolled all the way to New York on sake; its Ku-Klux governor apologizing for the Ku Kluxers; its attorney general finding a fidgety, foolish, fishy pretext for the front page of Issues of To-Day, a weekly protecting the outlaws, but it remained for South Dakota to newspaper. furnish the last example of Ku-Klux activities and to come nearest the actual climax of civil war. ISSUES OF TODAY In another place in this week's issue of the Leader will be An American Weekly for Social Decency and Civic Justice New found a news story from the Mitchell Republican giving an account of a Ku-Klux raid in Bon Homme and Hutchinson York, Saturday, April 16, 1921 Counties in which members of the American Legion took a leading part and which nearly resulted in bloodshed. The Battle of the Cows Detailed Story of the American Legion's Assault on the Milk Like most people in Hutchinson County (Freeman, Cattle Gathered for the Relief of German Children Menno, Tripp, Parkston, Kaylor, Demock, and Olivet), Six Hundred Animals Stampeded in Night the editor of the Freeman Courier was a German from Gangsters in Automobile Rode Among Pregnant Cattle and Opened Fire, Russia. He never used a headline, and he never had an But Discreetly Retreated When Confronted With Winchesters editorial page. All news items were worthy of one's This article had first appeared in the Dakota Freie undivided attention, so headlines were redundant. Presse on April 12, 1921. The headline in the Dakota Objective news reporting revealed a glaring lack of Freie Presse was more subdued, but with the conviction, therefore his news items were liberally exception of the first and last paragraphs, it was laced with editorial comment. identical with the article that appeared in the New He was in the Yankton hospital when the trouble York paper, with one notable difference: the language erupted. He not only heard the local opinion, he also was German. read about it in the exchange papers. His account of Die Schandtat bei Scotland, S.D. the incident seems to reflect affirmation of the stance Bin zweiter Bericht fiber die Schandtaten ernes of The South Dakota Leader. Like the writer in Mobs beim Verladen der fur Deutschlands kungemde Kinder bestimmten Kuhe wurde uns zugesandet. Wir Mitchell, he uses the words "mob" and "mobbers" geben ihm seiner Ausfuhr-lichkeit halber gern Plats. freely. He does not berate the Legion unduly but (A second report concerning the disgraceful actions of a castigates those who would use former servicemen "to mob during the loading of cows destined for the starving pull their chestnuts out of the fire." After all, most of children of Germany was sent to us. Because of its the Hutchinson County defenders in this skirmish explicitness we gladly give it space.) [Note: the first report was in the April 5, 1921, issue.—Ed.] were also Legionnaires. Since both papers carried the same article, both papers accused the American Legion of instigating the confrontation.

1 FREEMAN COURIER him, saying, 'Send us into the swine, that we may enter into April 7, 1921 them.' And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the After coming home from the Yankton hospital we found unclean spirits went out and entered into the swine; and the it very interesting to read the articles in the exchanges herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they about the trouble in Scotland with the gift cows. In some were about two thousand) and were choked in the sea." articles you could read between the lines that the writer Mr. DeWald wrote as follows [translated by felt more like defending the actions of the mobsters than compiler]: For many years I had entertained the telling them they are the breeders of bolshevism and thought that it would be nice to see Europe. But that it lawbreakers, but nearly all the papers came out with would happen so soon and that the dear cows would words of condemnation for the action of the mobbers. have something to do with it never entered my mind. After gathering all the information from papers and It cost much toil and tribulation to gather the cattle other sources you can*t help but conclude that the cause and drive them to Scotland where many good people of the whole trouble is the ignorance of the mobbers, the live—but where some are quite mad also. Before we inspiration from fellows whom the mobbers considered were aware of it, we were involved with the prominent men and that they were kept under the im- aforementioned cows in such a way that we were the pression that the American Legion as an organization living proof of the old axiom, "Truth is stranger than apposed [sic] the shipment of the cows. There seems to fiction." be a tendency nowadays for attempts to use former At first we were accused of being responsible for servicemen to pull chestnuts out of the fire for someone the trouble by the false accusation that one of our ... boys had stolen some bedding. When it became Another account insists it was a gang of obvious that this dirty plan wouldn't work, the evil rumrunners that instigated the incident. In a speech to demons entered the cattle and possessed them, since the members of the Homestead Chapter of the there weren't any swine nearby. Luckily, we survived AHSGR, in the Little Stone Church in Scotland on with our skins unbroken, but several of the cows had May 17, 1987, a highly respected gentleman who well to surrender their hides to the salt treatment. remembers the cattle war gave his opinions. This As you know, the cattle were finally loaded. lifelong citizen of Scotland told of a gang of Practically all of us had pistols in our pockets to hold international rumrunners that had their headquarters the howling wolves of Scotland at bay. We were glad in Scotland. They were not your small-town boot- when the train finally got under way, even if we were leggers but operated a cartel that smuggled booze threatened with reprisal if this should happen. On the from Canada and distributed it to bootleggers in freight train things did not always go smoothly, America. To divert attention from their illegal especially with the meals. The noon meal often wasn't activities and to give the appearance of being served until 3:00 p.m. and supper in the morning. respectable citizens, they aroused the rowdy element. In the oral history files at the University of South Dakota is a tape of a Freeman citizen who remembered the incident. There was no doubt in his mind that the trouble was instigated by the Bohemians. Probably the calmest assessment of those turbulent times is that of Freeman banker Reinhold DeWald. Mr. DeWald was appointed foreman of the crew of about thirty men that was to accompany the cattle to Germany. Since these were dairy cows and had to be milked regularly, a large crew was necessary. He wrote a German report of the entire trip which he read to public gatherings when he returned from Europe. His choice of culprit? The devil made them do it! He alludes to St. Mark, 5:11-12. "Now there was Reinhold DeWald at work in the Merchants' State nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine Bank in Freeman, SD. feeding. And all the devils that besought Since Mr. DeWald is writing to people who had automobiles among the frantic animals, running them participated in the conflict, he sees no need to repeat the down and breaking their legs. Many of them, details. It may be well to interrupt Mr. DeWald's narrative specially selected for their purpose, were with calves. here and reprint the account from Issues of To-Day so that A number of the poor creatures in the stampede you may become better acquainted with the three-day war dropped their young m their agony. in its entirety. That was the battle of the cows in which the (Special Correspondence Issues of To-Day) Legion came off triumphantly. In the gray dawn of Thursday morning the boys in Tripp, S.D., April 10—The eastern papers seem to have ignored the battle of the cows which was waged at charge had telephoned to the city and received Scotland and Kaylor, S.D., against a herd of 600 milk instructions from Pastor Gerike to round up as many of the cows as possible. Men were sent to their cows which had been donated by northwestern farmers to supply milk to the starving German children. assistance, and by noon Thursday the cows had been rounded up. Then came orders to give them a short The South Dakota farmers who had promised to send milk cows to Germany through the Dairy Cattle rest and drive them to a yard about eighteen miles Company, 123 West Madison Street, Chicago, had been distant in Hutchinson County six miles from Tripp. Pastor Gerike took charge and proceeded with the requested to send the animals to several yards around Scotland, Bon-homme County, and Tripp, Hutchinson utmost caution, as renewed threats had been made that County, which was accordingly done. another raid would be made on the herd; but at the minister's urgent request the Hutchinson County The company had asked Pastor H. F. W. Gerike, who has charge of two congregations of the Missouri authorities furnished him protection. By Thursday Synod, his own at Tripp and one at Emanuel's Creek, night one hundred deputy sheriffs had been sworn in and were on hand, the majority of them members of to supervise the work, and he devoted himself to the task with heart and soul. the Legion from the near-by villages of Parkstone, On Wednesday, March 23, there were herded near Dimock and Fremont. Scotland 386 cows and near Tripp 280 head, when 300 Men with Winchesters Pastor Gerike was notified that trouble might be The yard was fumed into a stockade against expected at Scotland, as some of the American Legion possible assault. The outposts in autos were stationed men had sworn that no cows should be sent to at all approaches and no one was permitted to pass the Germany and had recruited a gang of ruffians with lines without proper credentials. A number of defiant whom they threatened to march against the cows in individuals were unceremoniously jugged. order to stampede the herd and make their shipment Nevertheless, a renewed attempt was made. A impossible. flying brigade of automobiles crowded with men Meanwhile Mr. F. F. Matenaers of the Dairy made an attempt to rush the lines; but at sight of the Cattle Company had arrived in Scotland, and Pastor Winchesters in the hands of the defenders, the gallant Gerike conducted him to the Mayor of Scotland to super-patriots decided not to press matters and beat a request him to have the cheriff [sic} delegate a dignified retreat. Meantime the governor of the State number of deputies to protect the herd of the Dairy sent word that he was ready to send help, and the Cattle Company. Deputy United States Marshal Mayer arrived on the The Mayor promised to do so but failed to act, and scene and State Marshal Shanks announced his when the blow fell on Thursday neither he nor the intention to be present. sheriff were anywhere in evidence. By 10 o'clock Friday morning the animals had practically all been rounded up. Not counting the dead No Pity for Mother Cows During the night of Wednesday some twenty-five and injured animals, twenty-four cows had been stolen, and at this writing it is hoped that the guilty automobiles packed with men, with a number of others on horseback, suddenly swept down upon the scene miscreants will be arrested and punished. A large and opened fire on the herd. Only four young men number of the mob were captured and several were severely handled. The women of Tripp organized on were on duty to guard the cattle, and they had no chance against such odds. The Legion gang began to brief notice and served the guards, numbering some shoot at everything in sight, having evidently planned a 300 men by this time, with refreshments, Threats were still made that the cattle would not regular slaughter among the poor animals. Several cows were killed, many wounded and as many be allowed to be put on the train, and the train was crippled. To make the stampede complete, the rowdies ordered to stop; but the loading was finally drove their accomplished on Friday morning under the protection of 300 armed farmer lads, most of them ex-service men. The train passed through places where threats had the name it was a hotel. Yes, it even had "HOTEL" been made at double speed, and the train crew and boys printed across the top in large letters, but it still in charge were prepared for all eventualities. resembled a barn more than anything else. And the Another herd of 742 head is ready for shipment at chickens—they certainly weren't fried according to Watertown, Wis., and these will be augmented by cows mother's recipe by a long way, but no one starved; from South Dakota, as it has been decided to abandon only one got sick and two departed for the dear the shipments from this State direct. hereafter. Appeal to Roosevelt On April 13 the ship finally set sail. The number 13 [The animals have since arrived safely at Baltimore, didn't bode well for the future, but after lying around from which point they were to be shipped to Hamburg. Baltimore for nine days, we were glad to be on the On their arrival the American Legion at Baltimore made move again. The beds had been very hard, otherwise formal protests against the shipment, but with only the we might have been content to lie around there till rowdy element to sustain them, nothing further has been now. heard of the cargo, and it is presumably on the high seas All of you who have been on the ocean know that by this time. everything goes well as long as the stomach functions Should any further interference of the kind described properly, but once that organ malfunctions, all fun here be threatened, those in charge of shipments are comes to a sudden stop. Only the fish are happy. This advised to address their pro' tests against excesses by the stomach rebellion was experienced by some of our American Legion to Assistant Secretary Theodore cowboys on the first day out. The ship, West Arrow, Roosevelt, Navy Department, Washington, D.C.] was a freighter, not designed to accommodate either Reportedly there was a potential for trouble in Sioux man or beast. The cattle were shoved into their stalls City, Iowa. Mr. DeWald makes no mention of it when he with the rear ends against the outside walls, and then resumes his narrative. the entire contraption was nailed shut with boards. The first stop was in Savana, where the cows Can you imagine what an unholy task it was to milk were milked and fed. From there it was on to the cows and get out the manure? The milkers had to Hammond, Indiana, close by Chicago. Here the cattle crawl through this mess to get at the milk faucets. had to be branded. This created a lot of fun when an Sometimes you couldn't distinguish the milker from occasional cow was in a cantankerous mood. They the milked for all the filth that covered them. charged into our midst so close to us that the seats of This experience evidently colored Mr. De Wald's our trousers would have been in monumental risk of Weltanschauung for the rest of his life. Many years later, as irreparable damage if there hadn't been high fences he was delivering the Fourth-of-July Oration at Freeman's strategically placed for us to climb. Evidently the annual celebration, he was embarrassed by an insolent bird cattle looked on this diversion as a serious business. cruising overhead. Without breaking the rhythm of his A glowing iron pressed an "A" into their cheeks as a rhetoric, while his eyes were turned heavenward, he remembrance of the America they would soon leave removed the vile indignity with his handkerchief, as he behind. fervently thanked the benevolent creator for not having At this time America was suffering prohibition. Escape given cows the ability to fly. from restrictions on choice of libations was one of the The weather was beautiful, and except for those "perks" enjoyed by these German-Russian cowboys. This who couldn't hold their heads up anymore, we could is the first of several references Mr. DeWald makes of the sit on the hay and watch the fish and waves. Then forbidden beverage: one day and one night there blew a mighty storm. In Hammond the boys were given their first Waves washed over the ship and shook it so mightily foretaste of Europe. Admittedly the substance was that some of the boys were thrown from their bunks. It somewhat weak, but it still contained 4 or 5 percent has been said that what one learns in his youth is spirits, which soon became evident in the legs of the never forgotten, but in this instance, to a man they boys and in the sidewalks, which constantly became forgot how they had been rocked to sleep by their narrower. loving mothers. The more the steamer pitched, the In Baltimore we, together with the cattle, were more the young travelers awakened, and they fed the locked into the stockyards. The place actually thought inhabitants of the deep. At that moment no one was itself as a hotel. According to thinking of sleep.

Cattle stalls aboard the West Arrow. Photo courtesy Harriet Hoar Schaeffer, Menno, SD, whose father was one of the cowboys to accompany the shipment of cattle to Germany. Before evening, winds and waves abated, and we On a magnificent Sunday morning we docked in all happily anticipated a good night's sleep. Joy turned Bremen and were greeted with the happy tidings that to despair when a heavy fog embraced the ship and we didn't dare leave the ship all day Sunday, because everything else in the vicinity. The steamer's horn on the Sabbath there was no one around to process shrieked so boisterously the whole dear night that our papers. Eighteen days on the water, and then the even the most dedicated church sleeper was kept pillory! It was almost more than normal mortals could awake and alert the whole night through. bear. After eighteen days we finally -arrived in Germany. We had a ravenous thirst for fresh water and In Bremerhaven we had to wait till the tide rose, and wanted to drink it on German soil: again disap- then we slowly proceeded up the Weser River pointment. There was no water in the vicinity, and we through locks where Germans greeted us on both had to be satisfied with German beer. sides. We greeted them with milk, of which we had a No one was arrested—even if some of the boys goodly supply on hand. Till now all of the milk had did leave the ship and seemed to wander about in a gone overboard. I do not know if the fish had any nebulous fog and did return to the ship by a circuitous need of it. route. They lay down in the old bunks to rest. Next We had our pockets full of chewing gum and morning all said goodbye to the dear cattle and to the tossed it to the children. They shrieked, "Chocolate! ship's crew. They had treated us well. Chocolate!" and bit into it with enthusiasm. Some We were shown the town of Bremen and were almost choked. It didn't take long before our boys entertained one night by the city fathers. A certain were showing some of the bigger girls how to properly doctor gave a speech in which he thanked the use the jaw's mechanism to amuse oneself with this Americans for the nice and useful gift. He also American confection. cautioned us not to be misled by the seeming prosperity of the bigger cities, because the need in the roofs are covered with red tile, which makes a Germany was real, and it was great. pretty sight when seen from the air. We were shown Bremen was also viewed from the air. Almost buildings that reputedly were 300 to 500 years old; everyone crawled into an airplane. By such that seems quite logical if you can decipher the transportation things do not appear as nice as they do characters scratched into those ancient stones—or on good, old, mother earth. The air doesn't give the couldn't the Germans write at that time? There are impression of being airtight, and everything that falls not many cars; the bicycle is prominent. The entire down has a long, long way to go. Whoever has a family sits on the bike. The average person is poor weak stomach will soon find it out under these and must rely on his own "running gear" much more circumstances, and what a shame that is, because than we in the New World. everything is lost; there are no fish below us now. Here we also saw poverty. We were in an area The German government was appreciative and with so many destitute people that the wagons drove gave us free train passes to see the glories of in and shoveled the cabbage, beets, potatoes, etc., Germany. The first stop was in Gottingen. This is a into the kettles. This food is not for the poor but for college town and seemingly very poor. The students the thousands of children here with their pale skin can't scrounge up the necessary funds, and stretched tightly over protruding bones. Many are so professors aren't too well provided for either. The stunted that they will never become fully developed surroundings seemed very poor too. There are hardly adults. any horses to be seen, mostly just a solitary cow Lady Fremel of the Red Cross was very hospitable pulling a drag and occasionally a horse and cow and drove us to Potsdam, the home of the kaisers— hitched together. Otherwise the land is nice and or better said, the former home. Kaiser Wilhelm is no seems to be in good condition. The right-of-way along longer here. fit is/ a magnificent place: no wonder Bill the roads is clean and not full of junk, dead chickens, didn't want to leave. The empress had died shortly and cats—like in America. before we came, and we got to see the many flowers In Eisenach another stop was made so we could on her grave. visit Wartburg. Luther's table, chair, and bed are still In the matter of clothing in Germany, there is not as he left them, and on the wall can be seen the ink much difference from us. The ladies are very frugal stain where he threw his ink bottle at the devil. with the cloth; sometimes the dresses are too short at In Leipzig the Bürgermeister went to much trouble the bottom and at other times on top. The girls take to show us everything of Interest and invited us into as much pride in their ankles and necks as do the his private chambers for a snack. Till now no mere American girls. It might be excused on the grounds mortal had sat in these chairs, only mighty kings and that there the people are forced to save. potentates. In one of the cellars we were shown the When we first walked the streets, all the girls we room where Napoleon drank his wine when he was in met looked at the ground. "What is the meaning of Leipzig. We sat at the very same table and tried to the this?" we asked one another. "Do we embarrass best of our ability to emulate Napoleon, but it stands them, or what is the problem?" to reason that this was utterly impossible for people We discussed the matter among ourselves and who had just come from powder-dry America. The decided to ask a knowledgeable, German gentleman. stomach was definitely too small or the eye too large. He laughed and gave this explanation. "They are After this we were shown more large cities before looking at your shoes," he said. "By your shoes they the train stopped in Berlin, the capital city. Berlin is a can tell you are American." beautiful, metropolitan area about the size of Chicago. Once again we held a discussion. The result was There are many nice parks and streets of which Unter we all bought German shoes. Once we walked on den Linden is the best known. We often rested in the German leather, the smiles were directly at the eyes, shade of the linden trees. German cities are much with such unspeakable effect that several of the boys cleaner than their American counterparts. There are now have a dear German wife and are happily no decrepit houses scattered about with their broken married. windows, no fences that look as though they were There are also those that have money. They often survivors of the Thirty Years' War, and no roofs fill restaurants and beer gardens, delight themselves through which you can count the stars. Most of with noble barleycorn, and women contentedly smoke their cigarettes. This doesn't particularly disturb me. If it helps men and is good for their health, why shouldn't the ladies acquire a nicotine taste? They can't help it that they A certain Christ Kaufman and I were far from were created from a man's rib and therefore are of satisfied with this, in spite of attempts to intimidate the same stuff. and frighten us with threats of imprisonment behind From Potsdam we returned to Berlin, where we German steel and iron, which we knew was world were notified that all of the cowboys had to return to renowned for its hardness and rigor. We still wanted Hamburg immediately. The steamer West Arrow was to see more of this round world after that stomach- due to depart in a few days, and all of us had to debilitating crossing. Without success we tried to get return on it. Our papers weren't in order, and it was permission from three different American consuls. our only chance for free passage back home. Well! Even when a Miss Schneider (assistant secretary to Well! We had often heard in Dakota that the Devil is the American consul) put everything in proper order, on the loose in Hamburg, and now we had to find it she could not persuade the consul in Berlin. When out for ourselves. We were in a strange place without her wiles failed, we knew he was truly happily proper papers, men without a country, and we married. couldn't even complain, lest we invite imprisonment. All the American consuls gave the same advice, We had been promised sixty days to wander about "Leave Germany as soon as possible." One, however, Germany, so you can imagine the chorus of songs of had a smidgen of decency and offered the opinion praise and thanks, sung by the boys in thirty keys and that we could roam all over Belgium without a pass. voices, about the American Cattle Company of Good! We went to the Belgian consul and were Chicago and all the others who had promised more graciously received in the German language. He than they could deliver. The poor fellows that didn't asked us what we wanted. Upon being told we wished have the money or the inclination to pay for their his permission to tour beautiful Belgium, he replied, return trip now had to return home after only fourteen "Your papers, please." days.

The cowboys' whirlwind tour took them to Munich, where some new found friends accompanied them on their sightseeing tour. "That is something we don't happen to have at the Since the tour of DeWald and Kaufman through present," we answered. Europe is not germane to the shipment of the cattle, I "Have you nothing at all?" asked he. "All we have shall omit that part of DeWald's report with the is our baptism certificates." exception of those parts that deal with two constant He studied them and said, "My dear sirs, these concerns of his—prohibition and that ambiguous things are good when you arrive at heaven's portals, piece of paper from the Belgian consul. but here they don't mean a thing. Nevertheless, go Switzerland must have been a delight for the two through my country; no man will harm you." men. The trains gave them another opportunity to With that remark he gave us a slip of paper with tantalize their thirsty friends in Dakota. permission for thirty days in Belgium. And so we went The train cars are arranged differently than in the from one consul to the other, like going from Pontius Western world. They have a class system, and first to Pilate. What took three days of effort had results and second class are very cheap. Those cars have everywhere except with the Americans, who told us running boards like our automobiles. It is from these they didn't want to see any more of us. you enter your compartment, since there are no aisles down the middle. It is a good arrangement, because as soon as the train stops, a man pushes a cart alongside and calls out, "Hot sausages! Filled pastries! Beer by the bottle!" The train windows are shoved open, and the rest you can imagine: or can't you imagine a cold bottle of beer anymore?" Mr. DeWald continues to tease his stateside friends about their enforced abstinence. In a letter to the Freeman Courier from Belgium he wrote: Some good horses are seen here. European countries are still using their beer wagons; only Americans are on the water wagon. In Freeman, South Dakota, many people still rely on cisterns for water. In 1921 most of them did. From Holland, DeWald directed the following observation to them: Here the people have cisterns for drinking water. The only advantage they have over us when the heavens are not in their favor is that they can drink beer till it rains. In his letter from Italy he confesses: I did want to say something about Italy, but that miserable beer diverted me from my text. It affects one when one merely thinks of it... In Europe one drinks beer instead of water. Water is not to be seen in the hotels or on the trains. If one asks for water, the people think, "There is something missing in this man's upper room." As all good things must come to an end, so did the Christ Kaufmann (left) and Hans Kaufmann from travels of these last two roaming cowboys. After they Freeman, SD, were two of the men accompanying "convened a conference," Christ flew to Bremen to this shipment of cattle. take a freighter back home in order to conserve his dwindling cash supply. DeWald lamented: The scrap of paper is quite nice to look at with its I, who had been appointed foreman over thirty many documentary stamps, but looks were deceiving. men, now stood alone. I had lost them all. In some countries it invited close scrutiny, and the many references to it in the report and in letters to the Courier show there was always the nagging suspicion that it might keep them from reentering the United States. I consoled myself with the thought that the cattle had I decided to try one of John Bull's seagoing hotels been delivered to their proper destination in good which cleave the waves to New York in less than six order. My duty was done, and the boys were free to days. True, such a ship is a floating hotel, but even go where they pleased. here you can feel it does not rest on a firm foundation. As the trip wound down for Mr. DeWald, and he It is in the neighborhood of 1000 feet long, carries anticipated home, the consequence of having extraordinary over 3000 people, and has music and ample spirits for travel papers was much on his mind as he wrote to the the stomach. The weather was nice with the exception Courier: of one night when it seemed the ship was trying to Today, June SO, we were in Rotterdam, waiting stand on its head. This was good for the shipping for the boat to London, where I expect to sail for home company, because half the passengers didn't come with my peculiar passport. down for breakfast. I didn't miss a meal—you can't Once in London he wrote: toss your money about with such total indifference. I made inquiries at the various shipping companies Came back to New York just as the fight between about prices and other information about a return trip the Frenchman Carpentier and Dempsey took place. to New York. As an American, I had planned to return Satan tempted me to pay an inflated price and to go on an American ship, but they asked for more money, there for a few miserable minutes. Dempsey soon took longer, and served only water to drink. showed who was most powerful. The Frenchman lay To make sure whether or not I could board the on the floor with a bloody nose, while 90,000 people ship with my double first-class passport, I went to see shrieked like a bunch of maniacal demons. our U.S. consul, who said, <

ERRATUM The last paragraph on page nine of the Journal, Vol. 10, No. 4, Winter 1987, contains an error in the sentence "Meanwhile, in 1912 Volhynia had been divided between Poland and Russia." The division of Volhynia between Poland and the U.S.S.R. occurred in 1921.

9 MY EXPERIENCES IN A SIBERIAN PRISON CAMP DURING AND AFTER WORLD WAR II* Bruno Reule Ladies and Gentlemen! German government needed very badly for the war I don't have much written down, because what I effort. So we lived there until 1944. By that time, of am going to talk about tonight is imprinted in my course, the German army was pulling back, and the heart, and I don't have to write it down. I will always Russian army was real close behind them. We knew remember it. about it, but we were not allowed to leave until we I am very happy and honored to be here with you got orders, and those orders came awfully late. So, wonderful people. I am also a little nervous, because I January 17, 1945, in the middle of the night, we got am not a public speaker, and I don't do that every day. the orders to leave immediately, since the Russian In fact, if I would have to do that for a living, I would army was advancing very fast. probably starve to death. We were kind of prepared. We had our wagon I would go back very briefly to where I came ready. (It was still wagons with horses—like it used from, because it probably will solve some confusion to be with the pioneers.) I had [put] a cover on it. I as to why I was at certain places at certain times. I was only eleven years old, but I was head of the was born in 1934 in Romania. That is, it was family, since my father was drafted in 1943. A short Romanian territory at the time I was born. time later, only about three months after he was Approximately 150 years ago. when my forefathers drafted, he was killed in the war. So we left as fast as immigrated to Bessarabia, it was Russian territory. we could. We traveled for two days. Then we had our And in 1940 it went back to Russia again. At that first bad experience of the war. We were attacked by time, the Russians were pretty strong again, and they low-flying airplanes with machine-gun fire. Right demanded it, and Romania had no choice but to give there some of our people died, but we kept on going it back. At the same time there were agreements be- for two more days. We were trying to reach Germany. tween the German government and the Russian That's where we were heading for. But we didn't government to let all the German people—or the make it. Two days after that first attack, the Russian people of German background—leave that territory army overtook us. It was a company of tanks that which was once again Russian. passed us. We all pulled over with our wagons. As Since most of our people knew what Communism soon as most of them were past us, they stopped. was all about, there was nobody who stayed behind. They were all loaded with about twenty to thirty In our town of Friedenstal there was not one person infantrymen sitting on those tanks. They jumped off who didn't leave. We all left. We were supposed to be the tanks and came over to our wagon. I couldn't resettled in Germany. But at that time, as most of you understand, and my mom didn't understand what they people know, the Second World War had started and were saying. Some of the people panicked and got off Germany took over Poland. So the German the wagons. We were right in the middle of a little government felt it was a good thing to move those forest. Some of the people panicked and started to run German people to Poland instead of to Germany for into the little forest, which was a bad mistake, two reasons. One reason was to use them as an because that is when the Russians started shooting. So occupation force, because the German army was more people died right there. They just lay there getting spread farther and farther, and they didn't have screaming; there was no help available. Right there I enough [people] to really occupy that country. So we had another bad experience. There were two men in were used also as an occupation force, and then, since front of our wagon. We didn't know them, but as soon most of our people were farmers, we were used to as the Russians got there, they [the two men] came raise food, which the back to our wagon. They were just standing next to our wagon, and one of those young, Russian *This speech was presented at the banquet at the end soldiers—he was very young; as I think back today, of the AHSGR convention in Portland, Oregon, on he looked like a kid—came over and talked to those July 25, 1987. We regret that it was not available to two guys. They again probably didn't understand any be included with our other convention presentations in Russian, and they had some heavy overcoats on. They the Fall 1987 Journal, Vol. 10, No. 3. opened those overcoats, and here they had uniforms on under-

10 neath. They were part of what they called at that time the to do with us, because we were only women, children, and Volkssturm, which was the last effort of Hitler to save the old men. It was not like we were military people. They war. They put all the old men and the kids into uniform to really didn't have much use for us. Later on I found out it try to save the war, which was ridiculous. So, when the was a mistake; we were not supposed to be shipped to young Russian soldier saw that uniform, he said, "Ver- Siberia. It was a mistake—but it didn't help us. We were fluchte Volkssturm," pulled his pistol, and gave him one there for about two days, then we were reloaded into cattle shot; the guy didn't fall. He gave him another shot, and he wagons again. The only luxury we had in there this time fell over. Then he shot the other guy; he went down. Then was a little stove in the middle. There were no beds. We lay he gave them one more bullet through the head, to make on the floor. Of course, we had a stove, but no wood or sure they were dead. Then he pulled off their boots; he took anything to make a fire in it. As we know, the Germans their boots. For some reason he wanted their boots. He went don't give up that fast. Wherever we could, we found through their wallets but didn't find anything. He just threw something usable to bum. So that is when we started to their wallets on our wagon. Then they left. Then we were Siberia. told to go back again to Poland, where we used to live. I've had to go a little fast through that. I hope you will Things got much worse now. It was getting colder by understand, because I have a limited time. And I would like the day. We left Kutno December 1, 1945. We stopped very [to talk] a little more about our trip to Siberia. So anyhow often, but it was always out of the cities, for some unknown we went back to the place. Actually we drove a short time, reason. I don't know why. I just got a feeling it was because then the Polish military came. They took our horses and the Russians were hurt very badly by the German army, and wagon away, and we had to walk back. There were myself, they resented the Germans. Maybe it was even for our own eleven years old, my little brother, five, my baby sister, one protection so that the civilian people wouldn't attack us. and a half years old, and Mom. It was the middle of the Anyhow, we stopped quite often, but there was just about no winter. It certainly was no picnic, but we made it back to food available anymore. We did have some guards. There where we came from on foot. were two wagons in front, right behind the engine. One was There we were all gathered together and put into a loaded with food, and the other one was with guards. But prison camp in Poland. There were quite a few different they would give us hardly any of that food. The guards took German families in that camp. We stayed there until that food out into a bazaar whenever the train stopped. They November, and then we were told we were going to be sold it and bought just vodka for it. They were constantly shipped back to Germany. So we were all very happy that drunk. They didn't watch us. We had no guards. But where we were going to get out and were going to be sent back to could we possibly go? We were just women and children. Germany. We were assembled in Kutno, which was the We couldn't escape. Where should we go in the middle of next bigger town in Poland, and waited there for two days. Siberia? We couldn't escape anyhow. But every second day There were more and more families coming in. It actually we got a little soup. Naturally, with all that terrible cold and was kind of a happy reunion, because it was a lot of our hardly any food, the people got sick. We were told that there people from back home. We finally met again. A lot of was some medicine available in the first wagon, where the them didn't even know if the others were still alive. After guards were. My cousin's aunt was one of the first persons two days we were put into cattle wagons. But, instead of who got sick on the train. My cousin went over to get some going to Germany, they put a sign outside the wagon [that pills for her aunt. She gave them to her aunt. Two hours said] Brest Litovsk. I personally didn't know it, but the later she was dead. So that is when we knew they were older people knew that was the border between Poland and giving us pills just to put us to sleep. After that nobody went Russia. So they knew we were going to go east, not to anymore to that first wagon, because nobody wants to die, Germany. That is when our suffering really started. no matter what the situation is. As long as we went through Poland, which was a few The farther we went, the worse it got—with the terrible more days, it wasn't too bad. The train stopped quite often, cold, with that terrible hunger. I tell you, people, unless you and we had a chance to jump out and get some food. There have experienced hunger, you don't know what it is. I went were still some potatoes in the ground that we dug up and through it. You just don't get enough. No matter how much took into the wagons. After a few days we arrived at the food you have later on, it takes you months to have that border. Here again they didn't know what feeling of being full again, of really having 11 enough. So we kept on, but then the starving, the pletely down to bones and skin, but you are still dying got worse. It was a heartbreaking experience alive. You don't die that fast. You can live for a long when parents had to take their children outside and time with very little food. It is a terrible way of living, bury them in the snow. But where else could we put but you can live. And I always said that actually my them? Or the other way around, when sometimes the mom gave me life twice, just the way she was always parents died, the children had to take the parents out saving the food—just a little bit for tomorrow. and just put them in the snow. Since we didn't have any food, and things were There was just one little thing. The church just getting worse, a big sickness broke out, We had members here know this little story, but it is in my what we call in German a Hungertyphus, "hunger heart, and I just can't forget about it. I do love music. typhus," and people were just dying right and left. We One night one lady in our wagon mentioned, "You were so infested with lice, and the people were so know, I think tonight is Christmas Eve." We had lost sick they couldn't help themselves anymore; the all track of time. We didn't know if it really was people were just about eaten alive. The lice were Christmas Eve, but she said, well, she was keeping sucking out of them whatever blood was left. My track of the time, and she thought it was Christmas mom and I were some of the people that got sick a Eve. So there were no presents, there was really no little later than the rest of them. We finally got sick, reason to celebrate, but all the people in that wagon too, but a little later than most of them. One of our started to sing some of the most beautiful of all our jobs in the morning was to take the dead people out. Christmas songs, I believe to this day that this was There was a little extra building, and that is where we my most beautiful Christmas. After we were finished, dumped the bodies. Once a day a little sleigh with a we were still cold, we were still hungry, yet there was little horse pulling it came and took the bodies away. some hope again, that somehow we were going to We didn't know where they took them, but we had a make it. Of course, we did. A lot of them didn't. good feeling where they went. They just went a short The next morning the train was still moving, and distance, because at night we could hear the wolves we kept on going. January 1, 1946, we arrived in the howling out there. That is where the bodies went. The vicinity of Novosibirsk; the temperature was 60° wolves got them at night. below. We got out of the wagons. We certainly did Another experience I had out there, a very sad one, not have the clothing for the temperature. We walked was when we got sick. Well, I should say after we got approximately two to three hundred yards to the sick. My brother and my sister were sick first, but barracks, which were underground buildings. Only when we got sick, they were doing a little better. the roof was actually out of the ground. All the rest of Finally my mom and I got sick. With that sickness the building was actually underground. This was a you had such a high fever that for about a week you very sensible thing to do, because it really kept in the were delirious and didn't know what was going on heat, and it was not very hard to keep those buildings anymore. After I woke up from that sickness I looked heated. But in that short distance walk, my little around. I was in a different barrack. I didn't know any brother—he is not little anymore. He is here tonight, of those people in there, I asked for my mom and my from Germany, for a visit— in that little distance he brother and my sister. One of the people there said, froze his fingers. He still has crippled fingers today. "Well, your mom is in the same building and is still That's how cold it was. Once we were in those alive." So, naturally, I was very happy. I just jumped barracks, once again we were completely ignored. out of the bed and wanted to go over to my mom's Nobody looked after us, but we needed something to bed. But I was so weak, I couldn't go. I absolutely eat. The cold wasn't too bad in there, we had some could not get out of that bed, that is how weak I was. firewood, but we needed something to eat. Nobody I stayed in bed another two days, and that is when I gave us anything. I forgot to mention one thing that finally got a little better. I went over to my mom. She my mom did. As long as we were on that train, no was crying and was happy to see me again. Her matter how little food we had, she never gave us biggest worry was, where were the two little ones? everything. She always kept something. She always We didn't know what happened to them. So I stayed said, "Even if it is just that much, let's save it for in her bed—1 didn't move far away from her tomorrow. We don't know if we are going to have anymore. I stayed with her in the same bed about anything tomorrow," And that is amazing, on how another day or two, and I was a little stronger. I got little food a human being can survive. Sure, you are up and went to the different buildings to look for my hungry, you are com brother and

12 sister. Well, I went from one building to another building; I factory. We had to help to produce bricks out there. Here I couldn't find them. I asked everybody I saw, and finally was twelve years at that time, a big boy, I had to go to they told me to go to one particular building, and they work. One thing you may have noticed, is that I had very thought there were a little boy and a little girl there. So I little formal education. Well, I shouldn't say education. went there, and sure enough, here were my little brother Maybe I got more education than most people, but I mean and sister. But you should have seen them! They were filth, formal schooling. Because, when I was supposed to go to nothing but filth! So I asked the lady next to them, "Who school, I was in different camps. That was another reason I has been taking care of those two little ones?" And she came to this country, because the opportunity is so much said, "Well, believe it or not, but this little boy, five years better over here. Well, anyhow we got transferred to that old, every. .." By the way, by now things had gotten a little particular camp. We went to work. And then we finally got better with food. Once a day a wagon came in with soup. paid a little, too. It was never a regular pay, like we know it That's all we got, just the soup, and most of the time it was today, but once in a while we got a few rubles. If you were fish head soup. It wasn't the best tasting; I don't think working, you also got some food ration stamps. With anybody would enjoy it tonight, but for us, it was the most money, if you had those ration stamps, you could go to the wonderful food. So I guess every day this little fellow got store and buy some food. It was reasonably cheap, but it up. He went out when the wagon showed up, and he got was just very little. What we usually did then—or I should some of that soup. He came back in, he fed the little girl, say what I did, because I was the head of the family all the and he ate a little bit. And that is how they survived. But it time, and I always had to do those things. I went to the store was a mess just to look at them. No bath, no washing for and I bought some bread. We didn't eat that bread, though. I weeks. It was just terrible. But they were alive! And that took that bread and went to the bazaar, [where] I sold it, was the most wonderful thing at that time, we were alive! and I bought some potatoes. With potatoes Mom could To supplement some of our food then, I went begging. make some soup, we could eat for a few days. With a loaf There was another fellow in our same room. He went first. of bread, it was gone. It wouldn't have lasted a day. It was I noticed that and then I went with him. There was one one way to make the food go farther. That is one thing we thing about the Russian people—1 should say about any were always concerned about. As long as we were out people. Don't you ever believe that the Russian people are there, there was never enough food. We were always, any worse than anybody else. Sure, their system I don't always hungry. It was just terrible. like, but the average Russian is just as wonderful as In September 1946 we got word that all the sick people anybody else. Those people out there! When we went and the children were going to be shipped back to begging—I knew only a few words of Russian—we went Germany. We didn't believe it anymore, because we had from door to door. We had to walk about two kilometers to been told so many times we were going to be shipped back the next little village. There again it was the middle of to Germany, that we really didn't believe it anymore. This winter; it was terribly cold. My mom put all the clothes she time it was true. My mom was very, very sick. She was had on me, and I went out and went begging from door-to- very close to dying. We were three children, so we were door, and there was not one person that didn't give me some of the lucky ones who got on that train that went back something. Most of the time they would not give us a full to Germany. potato. They would cut it, because the other fellow was First we arrived in East Germany. We were there for a with me all the time. There were always two of us. They short time. My mom went to the hospital right away. They would cut one potato, sometimes only a quarter potato, but took us three kids and put us in an orphanage for a short they would give us something. And that is another reason, I time. Then, fortunately, we had an aunt who was living in think that we made it. We didn't give up. And that is West Germany. She came over and took us to West something in life you should never do. Don't ever give up. Germany. (Illegally, of course, because at that time you Whatever happens, there is always some hope for you, no couldn't cross the border legally.) We crossed the border matter what the situation is. from East Germany into West Germany, The doctor said Finally we were transferred in May to a different camp. my mom had absolutely no chance to live. There was abso- The temperature got warmer, and we had to go to work. We lutely no medicine available in East Germany, and without were working in a brick any medicine she had no chance. Her body was so deteriorated, she had nothing left,

13 and she had absolutely no chance to live. So that was world. We have such terrific military power. I think another reason we wanted to cross into West we also have the power to fight for peace. There is Germany, which we did. Once there things were a nothing more important in this world than peace! And little bit better. I don't know how many of you people I feel, let's negotiate. Don't start shooting. I don't care were over in Germany after the Second World War. how long it takes, we should sit at the negotiation Germany was completely down; Germany was table; let's negotiate. Don't start fighting. That's what completely destroyed. There was not much work brings all that suffering. And I am thankful to God to available. Things were tough all over Germany, but be in this country, because this country has been very they were still better than being in East Germany. So good to me. Like I mentioned, I don't have much of a we finally got a place to settle down. I was sent to one formal education, but I had an opportunity in this aunt, my brother and sister were sent to another aunt, country I would never have had in any other country. my mom went back to the hospital. That went on for I am not a rich man. I am certainly not very hungry about two years. My mom always came home for a anymore. And as long as God gives me my health, little bit, then she always went back to the hospital. believe me, this boy is not going to go hungry Eventually she got a little better. She got out. We anymore. So, once again, I thank you for giving me were living in a barrack then too. It was not the best the honor of talking to you. I really enjoyed the peo- of accommodations, but it was a roof over our heads, ple over here. I think you are all wonderful people. I and we were thankful for that. talked to quite a few of you, and naturally all of you In 1955 I decided to try it on my own, even out there are just as wonderful. I didn't have the though I loved my mom very much. I think she was opportunity to talk to all, but I'm sure you are all the the most wonderful person in this world. Maybe same. It is a wonderful group, and I think we should because I was so young and was always expected to be very proud of our heritage. Be proud of it! Don't be head of the family, maybe that is one reason I left. give up, because without you wonderful people this I don't know for sure, but I figured, well, it is time country would not be what it is. I think you you go on your own. And that is when I applied for contributed to this country more than you realize. immigration papers and I came to the United States. Well, I had better quit. I had only twenty minutes, and First I lived down in Lodi, California, for a short I have talked longer already. Anyhow, thank you very time, then I came to Portland, and I have been living much, and God bless you all! here ever since. When Mrs. Deines asked me to give a little Epilogue speech, I was a little reluctant for two reasons. I felt, I (Bruno Heule's brother, Egon Reule of Gaildorf, West am not really qualified, I am not a good speaker. I Germany, was asked to say a few words.) don't have those big words. But then I decided, "Why not?" I think maybe it is a good idea to spread the Ladies and Gentlemen, please let me say a few word about some of the things that happened to the words to you. I am overwhelmed I must say. I am German people during and after the Second World overwhelmed about seeing here so many happy faces. War. The suffering to the German people was I am very glad to be here. I appreciate having this immense. It is unbelievable. You probably can't chance to talk to you—only a few words. Of course, I believe a lot of things I did say, but it really did have no well-prepared speech with me. But one thing happen, believe me. There is not one word in my which is very, very important for me to tell you, is story that is not true. Like I said, I didn't write much this. As my brother already told you, my mom—and I down, because all those things, no matter what think she was the best of all—taught us one thing, happened, I am always going to remember those "Children, never give up!" And that is what I learned things. I am never going to forget them. A lot of when I was just a little boy. Never give up! In my people have asked me already, "Well, aren't you mad opinion, I think life is a long way to go. You cross at the Polish people, at the Russian people, at the Ger- valleys and you cross mountains; man government, for going through all those sometimes you are very deep in a valley, and other hardships?" And I can honestly say, "No." I'm not times you are climbing up a mountain. In my life I mad, I'm not angry at anybody. I have met some have been crossing lots of valleys already. At the wonderful Russian people, some wonderful Polish moment I think I am climbing up a mountain. And I people. I am not angry at anybody. The only thing I am thankful to my mom, and I am thankful to be with am angry against is war. War is what brings on those you. And I thank you very much. Thank you. terrible things. And I feel this country is the greatest country in this

14 FOLKLORE FORUM: WEATHERLORE OF THE GERMANS FROM RUSSIA Compiled by Timothy J. Kloberdanz Few subjects were of such intense and vital Tarutino. First established in 1814, Tarutino became one of interest to the Germans from Russia as the weather. the largest and most prosperous Bessarabian-German Regardless of where they lived, the German colonists villages. who once tilled the Russian steppes paid close The translator, Alma M. Herman, makes her home in attention to actual weather conditions and the all- Fargo, North Dakota. She has found this material of special important "signs." From early in the morning until interest because, she writes, "My parents came to America darkness, the colonists studied the movement of from the village of Neu-Beresina in Bessarabia, and I celestial bodies, clouds, winds, and even plant life and remember hearing them speak of Tarutino." the behavior of animals. In some ways, the German JANUAR-JANUARY Russians felt that the most basic of human actions Schneejahr, reich Jahr. might affect changes in the weather. Among the Snowy year, rich year. Volga Germans, for example, there was a widespread Zu Vinzemi (22.) Sonnenschein bringt viel Regen folk belief that if everyone who dined at the table und Wein. cleaned their plates scheen Wetter (nice weather) Sunshine on Vincent's Day (22) brings much rain and surely would follow. On the other hand, angry wine. individuals who defied cultural taboos by using the 1st Pauli-Bekehrung (25.) hell und klar, So hofft traditional swear word Donnerwetter clearly put man auf ein gutes Jahr. If Paul's conversion day everyone—including homes, livestock, and crops—in (25) is bright and clear, one can hope for a good jeopardy. year. When the Germans from Russia began immi- Januar muss vor Kälte knacken, wenn die Ernte soil grating to the New World, they brought with them gut sacken. numerous weather-filled expressions, beliefs, and January must crack with the cold if the harvest is to be customs. In many instances they freely borrowed new plentiful. bits of weather lore from the surrounding American, Ein gelinder Januar bringt Kdlte im Februar. A mild Canadian, Argentine, and Brazilian cultures with January brings cold temperatures in February. which they came into contact. The following contributions include various types FEBRUAR-FEBRUARY of weather lore known to the Black Sea Germans, Tummein sich Krähen noch, bleibtdes Winters Caucasus Germans, Volga Germans, and Joch. contemporary ethnic Germans in the Soviet Union. If crows continue to bustle about, the yoke of The beliefs, expressions, and customs relating to the winter remains. weather varied from region to region, village to Ist's an Lichtmess hell und rein, wird ein langer village, and even individual to individual. Winter sein. Wenn es after stiirmt und schneit, ist Nevertheless, nearly all German Russians recognized der Frühiing nicht mehr weit. If Candlemas (2) is the truth of an old Sprichwort (proverb): Den light and clear, there will be a long winter. But if it Kalender mache' die Leit, das Wetter macht der blows and snows, spring is no longer far away. Lieweherrgott— People make the calendar, but the Ein nasser Februar bringt ein fruchtbar Jahr. A wet dear Lord God [still] makes the weather. February brings a fruitful year. Weisser Februar stdrkt die Folder. A white February * * * * * * strengthens the fields. Bessarabian German Bauernregein MÄRZ-MARCH (Rules for Farmers) 1st es am Judika (17.) feucht, bleiben die Korn- Translated by Alma M. Herman böden leicht. The following collection of weather proverbs/ If Judika (17) is moist, the grains will stay expressions appeared in the Deutscher Volks-kalender fur light. Bessarabien (1929) and was published in the Bessarabian- German settlement of

15 Bin schöner Josephitag (19.) das game Jahr gut Wie soil Juniwetter sein?—Schön warm, mit Regen werden mag. und Sonnenschein! How shall June weather be?— A nice St. Joseph's Day (19) might make the whole nice and warm with rain and sunshine! year good. Brüllen dngstlich die Kühn', its gutes Wetter Zu fruhes Säen ist nicht gut, zu spates Saen a-uch perdü. übel tut. If the cows bellow anxiously, good weather is To plant too early is not good. Planting too late lost. brings bad results, too. Märzenferkel und Märzenfohlen, alle Bauern JULI-JULY haben wollen. Am Margarethentage ist Regen ein Plage. On All farmers want March piglets and March Margaret's Day (13) rain is a nuisance. foals. Juli trocken und heiss, Januar kalt und weiss. July dry and hot; January cold and white. APRIL-APRIL So golden die Sonne im Juli strahit, so golden sich Bringt der April viel Regen, so deutet es auf der Roggen malt. Segen. As golden as the sun's rays in July; so golden will If April brings much rain, blessings will follow. be the field of rye. Sind die Reben um Georgi (23.) nock blind, so St. Vimemen (19.) Sonnenschein fült die Fässer mit erfreut das Mann und Kind. If, on the day of St. gutem Wein. George (23), the vines are still hidden, man and The sunshine of St. Vincent's (19) fills the barrels child are delighted. with good wine. Wenn der April blast rauh ins Horn, steht es gut mil Heu und Korn. AUGUST-AUGUST April blowing roughly into the horn bodes well for 1st im August viel Sonnenschein, bekomm'n wir hay and grain. sicker guten Wein. Des April's Lachen verderbt des Landmanns If August brings much sunshine, we will surely Sachen. receive good wine. April's laughter ruins the countryman's Wenns im August ohne Regen abgeht, das Pferd things. mager vor der Krippe steht. If August goes by without rain, the horse will stand lean in the MAI-MAY manger. Regen an Phil. und Jakob (1.) deutet auf ein Bläst im August der Nord, so dauert gutes Wetter fruchtbar Jahr. fort. Rain on Philip and Jacob's Day (1) marks a fruitful If the August wind blows from the north, good year. weather will continue. Maientau macht grüne Au'; Maienfröste unnütze Gdste. SEPTEMBER-SEPTEMBER May dew makes green pastures; May frosts, useless Im September Gewitter, viel Schnee im Mdrz, ein guests. reickes Kornjahr allerwärts! In September, Pankraz (12.) und Urban {25.) ohne Regen bringt thunderstorms; much snow in March; a rich grain dem Weine grossen Segen. Pancras' Day (12) and year everywhere. Urban's Day (25) without rain bring great blessings Wer Korn schon um Ägidi (1.) sat, im nächsten Jahr on the wine. viel Frucht abmäht. He who plants grain on St. Giles' (1), the next year will harvest a good crop. JUNI-JUNE Wenn Matthäus {21.} weint staff lacht, aus dem Juni-Regen, ist Gottessegen, Sonnenschein Wein er Essig macht. When Matthew (21) weeps daneben, dann kann Städter und Bauer leben. instead of laughs, he makes vinegar out of wine. Besides sunshine, June rain is God's blessing; Sind Michael (29.) die Vogel da, so ist der Winter then can the city dweller and the farmer live. noch nicht nah. Um Horizont ein gelber Strich, auf heissem Fold ein If the birds are here on St. Michael's (29), then the Fliegenstich, in Stille plötzlich kuhler Wind, des winter is not yet near. Hagels erste Boten sind. On the horizon a yellow streak, in the hot field an insect sting, in the stillness sudden cool wind—are the first warnings of hail.

Traditionally, the Germans from Russia were dependant on the earth and the natural elements. The weather was not merely a topic for idle conversation but a subject of keen interest. Here early Black Sea Germans pause during a productive harvest near Streeter, ND. Photo courtesy of Shona Dockter. OKTOBER-OCTOBER A cold December and a fruitful year are almost always Sitzt das Laub aufdem Baume fest, mach dir für'n Winter related. 'n warmes Nest. If the foliage clings firmly to the tree, Sylvesternacht Wind, früh Sonnenschein, bringt selten make yourself a warm nest this winter. guten Wein. A Silvester night (31) wind and early Wenns im Gktober friert und schneit, so bring! der sunshine seldom bring good wine. Januar milde Zeit. Weihnachten warm und nass: leer bleiben Scheun' If in October it freezes and snows, then January brings und Fass. mild times. If Christmas is warm and wet, barns and barrels remain Oktober und März gleichen sich allerwarts. October and empty. March are similar in many ways.

Wolfgang (31.) Regen, verspricht ein Jahr voll * * * * * * * * * * * * * Segen. Rain on St. Wolfgang's Day (31) promises a year filled with blessings. Soviet-German "Weather Rules" Collected by Victor Klein NOVEMBER-NOVEMBER Translated by Rosalinda Kloberdanz Wenns am Allerheiligen schneit, lege deinen Pelz bereit. The following Wetterregein first appeared in the If it snows on All Saints' Day, lay out your fur coat in Moscow-based German-language newspaper, Neues Leben preparation. (August 9, 1972). No contextual information was provided Hocken die Hühner in den Ecken, kommt bald des by the collector regarding the geographical origin of these Winters Frost und Schrecken. If the chickens sit in the weather-related beliefs. corners, soon will come the winter's frost and fright. 1. Morgenrot mit Regen droht. Abendrot—gut Baumbliite spat im Jahr noch nie ein gutes Zeichen Wetter Bot'. war. A red morning (sunrise) brings rain. A red evening Tree blossoms late in the year have never been a good means good weather. sign. 2. Regen gibt's, wenn die Sonne in den Sack schlüpft; wenn sie Wasser zieht; wenn der Hund DEZEMBER-DECEMBER Gras frisst; wenn der Russ im Schomstein Kalter December und fruchtbar Jahr sind vereinigt brennt; wenn der Rauch aus dem Schornstein fast immerdar. fällt.

17 There will be rain when: the sun slips in its sack 12. Dr April kann wie er will. April (goes behind the clouds); it is humid; can do what it wants. the dog eats grass; soot burns in the chimney; 13. Ein nasser Mai bringt viel Korn und Heu. A smoke billows out of the chimney. wet May brings much grain and hay. 3. Schneesturm gibt's, wenn der Mond einen Ho f 14. Mai kühl, Juni nass füllt dem Bauer Kist un hat; wenn die Katze auf dem Kopfliegt. There will be a snowstorm when the moon has a halo Kast. [or] when the cat lies on its [back], A cool May and a wet June enable the farmer to 4. Aufanhaltende Kalte deutet, wenn die Gans fill his bins. einige Tage hintereinander auf einem Bein steht 15. Auf Peter und Paul (29, Juni) wird beim Korn und den Schnabel unter dem Flugel versteckt. die Wurzel faul. There will be persistent cold weather when a On St. Peter and St. Paul's Day (June 29), the goose stands on one leg and hides its bill under roots of grain decay. its wings for days on end. 5. Heiche Ernte, wenn am Morgen Bäurne und Sträucher stark angeszogen fgeduftetjsind. There will be a bountiful harvest when trees and shrubs give off a strong fragrance at daybreak. 6. Auf Missernten deutet, wenn während und nach der Frühjahrssaat häufig Windhexen auftreten und wenn's am Morgen nicht amieht, There will be a poor harvest if numerous dust devils occur during and after the spring sowing or when the mornings aren't nice, 7. Ostern irn Schnee, Sommer im Klee. Snow at Easter, clover in the summer. 8. Wenns donnert in dem kahlen Wald, stirht jung und alt. When it thunders in the bare (leafless) forest, both young and old will die. 9. Der Januar muss vor Kälte knacken, wenn die Ernte gut soil sacken. (Wann dr Janewar kalt is un viel Storm' wetter, kann dr Summer warm wern und viel Reche gewe.) January has to crackle with cold to assure a good harvest. (When January is cold and there are many storms, then the summer can become warm and there will be much rain.) 10. Der kleine Monat (Februdr) heult: Wuh, wuh, wuh! Hätt ich die Gewalt wie du (d. h. wie der Januar), tat ichs Kalb vrfriere in dr Kuh. The little month (February) moans to January: "Wuh, wuh. wuh! If I had the power that you do, To the German colonists in Russia, January was I would freeze the calf inside the cow!" a month that had "to crack with the cold" to 11. Kalter März, nasser April, kühler Mai bring! Futter assure a plentiful harvest. Here German children und Heu. in Bessarabia brave the January cold to imper- A cold March, a wet April, and a cool May bring sonate the Heilige drei Könige (Three Holy fodder and hay. Kings). Photo courtesy of the Landsmannschaft der Bessarabiendeutschen. 16. Was der August nicht röstet, das Iässt der September ungebraten. What August doesn't roast, September will leave unbaked. 17. Es is noch kaan Winter vrfault. There has not yet been a winter that has come to naught.

18 18. Wenn die Daache lange, kommt dr Winter only my mother could describe) it suggested that erscht gange. rainy weather was in store the next day. When the days get longer, winter first gets 3. Ein stinkiger Spiellumpa gibt Uwetter. A smelly started. dishrag (cloth) suggests that a thunderstorm lies ahead. Since water was used sparingly prior to the days of modern-day running water, the Volga-German Weather lore From Ellis County, dishcloth used in washing dishes and the cream Kansas separator bore an odor after continued use and Lawrence A. Weigel during the hot summer. We would use this ex- Mr. Weigel, who traces his old country origins to pression to essentially tell Mother that it was the Catholic village of Herzog (Volga Region), time for a change and failing a change we were contributed the following items: in for a bad storm. 1. Cattle always face the wind if a storm is brewing. 4. "One hundred days after heavy dew or fog (Duff) 2. If it rains on Easter Sunday, the next seven it is bound to rain." All farmers marked their Sundays will have rain. calendars on the day of the fog and also counted 3. Turtles going to high ground are a sign of floods out and marked their calendar for the day of the or much rain. expected rain. 4. If it rains into an open grave, someone within the 5. If the chickens ran for cover immediately family circle of the dead person will die within a following rainfall, the rain would be of short year. duration. Conversely, if they stayed outside, the 5. Wann a Hund uf 'n Reuck leit, gebts 'n Storm in rain would last for some time. vier un zwanzig Stund. A dog lying on his back forecasts a storm within the next twenty-four hours. (From Marie Gabel's "Proverbs and Superstitions of Russian-German Settlers in America." The people Ms. Gabel interviewed are all from the Volga villages of Ellis County.) Drake Woman Repeats Ancestors* Ritual 6. Wann a Hund Gras freest in der Weide, for Forecasting the Weather gebts schlechts Wetter. If a dog eats grass in the pasture, it is indicative Mikkel Pates of impending stormy weather. (From Marie This article was first printed in the February Gabel's "Proverbs and Superstitions of Russian- 9,1986, issue of The Forum of Fargo, North Dakota. German Settlers in America.") It is being reprinted here with permission of The Forum. On the last Friday in January, Marie Volga-German Weather lore From Saskatchewan Blumhagen repeats a weather forecast ritual that George Gette her agrarian ancestors brought over from southern Russia. Numerous Volga-German Catholics from the "They called it an onion calendar," she says, Bergseite settled in western Saskatchewan, including cutting a large juicy onion in two halves from top Mr. Gette's forebears. The following Volga-German- to bottom. Canadian expressions and beliefs are remembered: Within minutes she dissects the bulb, separates 1. Maria Werzweih, bringt Belz und Kaftan bei. out twelve layered "cups" from each side and After the Feast of the Assumption of Mary arranges them in order across her kitchen window (Maria Himmelfahrt) on August 15, one can ledge. expect to bring out the coats and jackets. Methodically, she places a teaspoon of salt in 2. Die Sonn' schlupt im Wassersack. each onion cup and says: The sun crawled into a waterbed. If the sun sets "Each one represents a month—January, under a certain cloud formation (which February . .. (and so on(.. . and then in the morning, those that had water in 'em were the wet months and those that didn't were the dry months." She smiles. And waits.

Marie Blumhagen places salt in the onion "cups." Photo by Mikkel Pates courtesy The Forum. Blumhagen, 74, says her relatives came to Blumhagen is going to check the actual the United States in 1911. The Ehrmans were weather against the calendar, although she says German Russians and moved first to South she might have gotten some of the cups mixed Dakota as day laborers and then to Anamoose, up. And the process is supposed to take place at ND, to a farm. the beginning of January and not the end. "Of course they didn't have reliable weather "It's as reliable as any other method. You're forecasts back then, so they relied on the old- bound to get it (the weather right) sometime," time methods," Blumhagen says. "We tried it all she says. the time on New Year's Eve, right at midnight," Another method is to record the weather on Blumhagen says. "It would give us something to the last Friday of every month, and determine do when you stayed up on New Years. Those next month's weather based on that. days they didn't have radio or TV and all that "Today's weather is cloudy and snow," she stuff." said, earnestly. "Now you just see if February "I did it when I was on the farm," she says. works out to be cloudy and wet. Sometimes it "I've only done it once since I moved into town. works out perfect. Sometimes it don't. I've gone My husband Ben died in 1969 and I moved into by that a lot." town." Several months back, Blumhagen responded And then there's the method of recording the to a letter-to-the-editor of one of the region's twelve days before Christmas and the twelve farm magazines. Someone was asking for in- days after Christmas. Each day represents a formation about the onion calendar and Blum- month, in order, and the deviation from normal hagen responded with instructions on how to is noted and used to predict weather for the make it. month it represents. The letter writers were interested in the "I tried them both this year, marked them technique in order to establish some sort of down, and I'm going to see how it turns out." family tradition, she says. A custom for the Blumhagen is glad for the new scientific children. forecasts, This year the onion calendar predicts a wet "We have forecasts every day, so we don't February, a dry March, a wet April, a dry May, have to rely on the onion calendar," she says. a wet June, a dry July, a wet August, a wet "Besides, working with those onions ... it gets to September, a dry October, a wet November, and me. I can't take it anymore." a dry December. 20 But Blumhagen says she has just about as much U of M Professor Finds Weather Proverbs True confidence in these old methods as she does in Minneapolis (AP) television weathermen, with their fancy computer George Freier fondly remembers the farmers graphics, radar doodads and percentages. who forecast the weather by watching nature. If the "It's like a lot of things," she says. "I s'pose it's barnyard cat licked itself, the weather would be progress, but I'm not so sure. fair. If the dandelion blossoms were closing, it "Do we need it, or don't we?" would rain. "Those old guys who knew the most about proverbs seemed to be the most prosperous," said Freier, a physics professor at the University of The Calendar Maker (A Story) Minnesota who has spent ten years gathering Friedrich Johannes Hehr weather proverbs and the past few years finding Marilyn Fletcher of Lakewood, Colorado, the hard science behind them. contributed the following item. It is an excerpt from a "The proverb is a flash of light that integrates a letter by her paternal grandfather, Friedrich Johannes lot of information from nature," Freier said. " If Hehr. The letter was written on March 5,1926, while you know a lot of proverbs and a little Mr. Hehr was living in Torrington, Wyoming. Later, meteorology, then you can do a pretty good job at it was printed in the April 6, 1926, issue of the predicting the weather." Dakota Freie Presse. Mr. Hehr was born in the His summary of the folk sayings, and the German village of Martinsfeld, North Caucasus, science behind them, include: Russia, in 1881. "If the rooster crows on going to bed, you may Soviel Schnee wie in diesem Winter haben rise with a watery head." That proverb predicts wir schon lange nicht gehabt. Das erinnert rain. Roosters usually declare their territory by mich an Russland, wo mir mein Nachbar Joh. crowing in the morning, but they will crow in the Littau folgende Geschichte erzählte: Bin alter evening when in a quarrelsome mood, Freier said. Kalen-dermacher war schon beiJahren und When the pressure is falling, indicating a hatte nur einen einzigen Sohn. Der sagte weather change that often results in rain, body einmal: „ Vater, wenn ihr mal sterben solltet, fluids give up dissolved gasses in the form of wie soil ich dann das Wetter im Kalender prophezeien ?" Der Alte sagte: ,,Du kannst das bubbles. The bubbles affect nerve impulses, Wetter stellen, wie du willst; nurdarfstdu imJuli making a rooster become grouchy and crow. Freier und August keinen Schnee prophezeien, said the same is true for people. sonstglauben dirdie Leute nicht mehr, und du "If cats lick themselves, fair weather." Cat fur könntest um deine Arbeit und dein Brot loses electrons easily, so cats often build up a kommen." positive charge in dry weather. By licking We've had more snow this winter than we've themselves, cats make their fur conduct electricity had in a long time. This reminds me of Russia, better and dissipate the charge. In wet, humid when my neighbor, Joh. Littau, told me the weather, cats don't have to lick themselves. following story: A calendar maker was already up "If spiders are many and spinning their webs, the in years. He had an only son. The son asked him once, "Father, when you die, how shall I predict weather is fair." Spider webs absorb moisture and the weather on the calendar?" The father said, become thick and break in humid weather. So when "You can predict the weather as you please, only the air becomes moist, the webs fall apart. Spiders don't predict snow in July or August, as the go out to build new ones when the weather is fair, people won't believe you anymore, and you can't Freier said. make a living with your work." * * * * * * *

Many thanks to those who kindly contributed * * * * * * * * material to this issue's Folklore Forum topic on The following article, while not concerned with "weather lore." Additional expressions, folk beliefs, the Germans from Russia directly, nonetheless and descriptions of customs can still be submitted by includes some interesting insights regarding the readers. Other types of folklore-related material "accuracy" of certain weather-related folk expressions pertaining to the Germans from Russia also are and beliefs. This article appeared in the August 28, welcome. Contributions should be mailed to: 1986, issue of The Forum, Fargo, North Dakota. It is Dr. Timothy J. Kloberdanz reprinted here by permission of The Associated Press. Folklore Chairman AHSGR 631 D Street Lincoln, Nebraska 68502-1199 21 WE SING OUR HISTORY Lawrence A. Weigel

One of the best Volga-German folk singers in Canada was Wendelin Stang of Macklin, Saskatchewan. He had come from Vollmer on the Bergseite of the Volga River and became known as an authority on Volga-German folk songs. In 1979 he sang a number of songs for my good friend, Tim Kloberdanz, who recorded them and sent me a copy of the tape. One of the songs was entitled "Das arme Dorfschulmeisterlein." It immediately caught my attention, because the Schulmeister (schoolmaster) played such a vital role in the education of the children in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The Germans brought the Schulmeister with them to Russia in the 1700s. The Schulmeister taught in private schools and homes, since the Russian government did not require or provide schools until much later. I transcribed the music from the tape Tim had sent me, and in 1984 I met Mr. Stang at the AHSGR convention in Regina, Canada, and accompanied him on the piano when he sang at one of the programs. He invited my wife and me to come to Canada in the summer of 1985 to record many of the songs he knew. Unfortunately, late in the fall of 1984, he was killed in an automobile accident. It was said that he knew nearly 300 Volga-German folk songs. His death was tragic, because many of his songs will be lost forever.

English Translation 1. Es wohnt nicht weit vom Schwabenland, 1. Not far from Schwabenland lived a poor Schwabenland, Schulmeister in a small house, Von alien Leuten wohlgekannt, and he was known far and wide. ja wohlgekannt, The poor town Schulmeister. In einem Hduschen nehr und klein, nehr und klein, Das arme Dorfschulmeisterlein. 2. Am Sonntag ist er Organist, Organist, 2. On Sunday he is organist, Am Montag fährt er semen Mist, semen Mist. On Monday he hauls his manure. Am Dienstag muss er Lehrer sein, On Tuesday he has to be a teacher, Lehrer sein, The poor town Schulmeister, Das arme Dorfschulmeisterlein.

22 3. Am Mittwoch fährt er in die Stadt, 3. On Wednesday he goes to town, in die Stadt, Because he has some business there. Well er was zu besorgen hat, besorgen hat. He buys half a herring, Einen halben Herring kauft er ein, The poor town Schulmeister. kauft er ein, Das arme Dorfschulmeisterlein. 4. Und wenn im Dorf a Kind geboren, 4. And when in town a child is born, Kind geboren, He perks up his long ears. Da spitzt er seine lange Ohren, lange Ohren, The twenty pennies he puts in his pocket, Die zwanzig Pfennig steckt er ein, The poor town Schulmeister. steckt er ein, Das arme Dorfschulmeisterlein. 5. And when in town a pig is butchered 5. Und wenn im Dorf a Schwein geschlacht, You should see him laugh. ScHwein geschlacht, The biggest sausage is too small for him Dann sollt ihr sehen wie er lacht, The poor town Schulmeister. ja wie er lacht. Die grösste Wurst ist ihm zu klein, ist ihm zu klein, Das arme Dorfschulmeisterlein. 6. And when in town there is a wedding, 6. Und wenn im Dorf eine Hochzeit ist, You ought to see him eat. Hochzeit ist, What he can't eat he takes home with him Dann sollt ihr sehen wie er frisst, wie er frisst. (puts it in his pocket), Was er nicht frisst, das steckt er ein, The poor town Schulmeister. steckt er ein, Das arme Dorfschulmeisterlein. 7. And when he comes to heaven 7. Und wenn er einst im Himmel ist, And eats his half herring, Himmel ist, Then the angels will sing, Und semen halben Herring frisst, The poor town Schulmeister. Herring frisst, Dann singen alle Engelein, Engelein, Das arme Dorfschulmeisterlein.

This is a valuable song, because it brings out the life of a Schulmeister. All of our documented history shows that they received little or no pay for their services, so one can see why he had to be organist one day, a farmer the next, a teacher the next. He could earn a few pennies by being the baptismal sponsor, and when there was a wedding, he got a free meal. The reason he bought only half a herring is because he did not have the money for a whole one. The Schulmeister also served as sacristan, choir director, and village secretary. In "Schoolmaster" Schmidt and his "Family Album," which was translated, edited, and introduced by Rev. Blaine E. Burkey, O.F.M. Cap., we find that Mr. Schmidt served as godfather to eighty-five children. Jacob Schmidt (1824-1906) served the people well in both Russia and in Kansas. His valuable diary gives us an insight into the lives of these men and the impact they had on the community. This English translation of his diary is a valuable addition to our libraries.

23 HEALTH CARE BELIEFS AND PRACTICES OF THE HUTTERITES OF FOREST RIVER COMMUNITY, NORTH DAKOTA* Cheryl Briggs Background Approximately four hundred Hutterites formed the All known cultures and subcultures have beliefs first three colonies in South Dakota in 1874. There and practices about health care based on their values are three distinct groups or Leut among the Hutterites. and norms. The Hutterites are one such group. They These are the Schmiedeieut, Dariusleut, and are among three of the contemporary groups in North Lehrerleut, all named after their founders. The America with Anabaptist origins. The other two members of the Forest River Community belong to groups are the Amish and the Mennonites. The the Schmiedeleut, Although these groups may appear Anabaptist groups began in 1525, during the the same to an outsider, to a Hutterite there are Protestant Reformation, with the rebaptism of a distinct differences among the Leut related to dress former Catholic priest, George Blaurock. He and two and discipline. Each Leut also has its own elder and is others founded the first true Anabaptist group, the endogamous. 1 From these first three colonies, the Hutterites have Swiss Brethren. The Anabaptists rejected infant 6 baptism and membership in state churches. They also "branched out" to about 250 colonies (as of 1976). chose to be pacifists. Although these three groups "Branching out" takes place when a parent colony have the same basic foundation for their religion, reaches a maximum size of 130 to 150 persons. At there are some major differences in the way they live. this point the colony begins to experience The Amish reject the use of modern technology, management problems and, thus, must form another while the Hutterites and the Mennonites accept the colony. If a colony has enough people and enough use of technology. The Amish and Mennonites often money (Hostetler states, "A rule of thumb among the Lehrerleut is $200,000"), a daughter colony is live in their respective communities but do not live 6 communally—as do the Hutterites. formed. The practice of "community of goods" was started Although the colonies first started in South in 1528. Based on the Bible with verses such as, "And Dakota, today there are Hutterite colonies in all that believed were together, and had all things in Washington, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, common" Acts 2:44,2 the first common household South Dakota, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. was founded in Austerlitz, in Moravia. In 1533 There are two reasons for this. The first is due to Joseph Hutter, an Anabaptist minister, persuaded Hutterite growth and "branching out." The second three Anabaptist groups to become fully communal. reason is- because of World War I. During World These were the first three groups of the Hutterian War I, the United States attempted to force young Brethren.3 Hutterite men into fighting and bearing arms. Because In 1770, on an invitation from a Russian general, of their pacifistic beliefs, they resisted military duty. 123 Hutterites settled in the Ukraine. Because of At least two men lost their lives due to physical abuse Catherine the Great's manifesto, the Hutterites, along from military officials. Because of this and the with other German immigrants in Russia, were given general anti-German propaganda, all but one Hutterite the rights of religious freedom and exemption from colony fled to Canada. After the war colonies were military duty, among other things. In 1872, however, re-established in South Dakota and also started in many of these rights were taken away. Communal Washington and North Dakota. living had just been revived among the Hutterites (it As stated before, Forest River Colony belongs to had been abandoned for forty years) when they the Schmiedeteut branch. It is located in Grand Forks decided to make the move to North America.4 County, North Dakota. Forest River Colony was founded in 1950 by the families of Joseph, Paul, and John Maendel. Their parent colony was New *This paper was written for an anthropology Rosedale Colony of Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. class studying Germans from Russia conducted by Professor Timothy J, Kloberdanz. Ms. Briggs Religion was a senior nursing student and worked as a Religion is the foundation for the entire Hutterite nurse with the Hutterites of Forest River Com- way of life. The foundation includes the following: munity from February to May 1986.

24 1. Absolute authority resides in a single supernatural God as manifest in the believing community where being, an omnipotent God, who created the all material goods and spiritual gifts are shared in universe and placed everything in a divine order common. Only by living in the "ark of safety" can and hierarchy. AU events are ordered of God and the individual overcome the selfish desires of his nothing ever happens without the knowledge of carnal tendency and be confident of eternal life God. after death.7 2. Through transgression of the divine order and disobedience of man toward God, all nature Because these views .are the foundation of became perverse. In its fallen or carnal state Hutterite life, they affect their health care beliefs and human nature desires self-recognition, self- practices. The Hutterites define good health by the ownership and bodily (carnal) pleasure. Human ability to do work. Thus, being ill is seen as the nature is helpless and can never completely inability to do work. Work in the community is seen overcome the carnal tendency, and only by believing the word of God, by repentance, by as serving God. When one is ill, or unable to work, receiving the grace of Christ, and through one is unable to serve God. Therefore, one's motive to continual submission of the self to the will of God get well is to serve God. in communal living can the individual attain Being terminally ill and close to death is viewed eternal life after death. by the Hutterites as "the final triumphant step in 3. The carnal nature and the spiritual nature are restoration to a divine order."8 When members are ill, inevitably antagonistic to each other and constitute many prayers are said for them, both by individuals two separate kingdoms. The fallen or carnal nature and by the group as led by the minister. There are no is displeasing to God; the spiritual nature permits specific prayers or verses said for an ill person, as are an individual to be restored to the divine order documented among the Amish.9 The strength of the where he will voluntarily share his life and his Hutterites' prayers can be seen in two "miracle" possessions. 4. The spiritual kingdom is ruled by the spirit of stories. Christ and is known by the complete obedience The first story involves a man who was in a farm experienced in sharing all material goods. Only in accident. When he was found, his lower leg was a divinely created fellowship, separated from the barely attached. He was brought to the hospital, and at world, can men succeed in living communally,, a time when this type of work was not being done, the and only in this way can God be properly honored, doctors were told to save the man's leg. The doctors worshipped, and obeyed. held no hope for the man's leg, as almost everything 5. At all times the individual must be submissive to had been crushed or severed. The members of the the will of God that is explicitly manifested in the Hutterite community had hope and said prayers; believing community. Self-surrender and not self- today the man still has his leg. development is the divine order. Since man is The second story involves a young girl burned in a endowed with both a carnal and spiritual nature, he can overcome his carnal tendency only by stove accident. She had third-degree burns on her submission to the community and with the help of arms, upper legs, and trunk. She was taken to a burn his brothers. center in St. Paul, Minnesota, for extensive treatment 6. All persons are born in sin and with a tendency and grafting. Help was received through prayer and toward evil and self-pleasure. This tendency can money from many Hutterite communities. be modified by teaching young children the divine After six months in the burn center, the young girl discipline. Children must be taught to be obedient was allowed to return to her home for a visit. Her to the "law" of their elders and superiors until they mother was supposed to bathe her and watch her very accept the mature discipline of the believing carefully for infection. During one of the baths, the community. mother discovered a white film over her daughter's 7. Male dominance is reflected in the creation of the back. Thinking this was an infection, the mother had universe and is embodied in the relationships between the sexes and in marriage. Man is the her daughter sent back to St. Paul immediately. The leader in righteousness and in example. The divine doctors checked out the young girl, and the white film order requires that woman be submissive and turned out to be not an infection but new skin! obedient to man. Considering that the young girl had had third-degree 8. Ultimate good is achieved in life only by surrender burns on her back, this growth of new skin was nearly of the individual will to the will of miraculous. The doctors told the mother to take her daughter home and

25 continue doing what she had been doing, because pletely submits his or her will to the church. whatever it was, it worked! Before members are baptized, it must be proven that they have completely humbled themselves. After a Community Life man is baptized, he is then able to vote on community matters. A woman is never allowed to vote. Religion is the foundation of community life Marriage occurs soon after baptism. The person is among Hutterite communities. After the age of three, now ready to contribute even more to the community Hutterites live, work, and eat communally. by having a family. Because the Hutterites follow a Before the age of three, children are "house patrilocal residence, a woman goes to live with her children." They are taken care of by their nuclear husband's colony after marriage. family unit. As infants they are greatly admired by The women of the community have babies, take community members. A child is believed to be care of the children, do the cooking, cleaning, completely pure until he is able to hit back or until he 10 washing, sewing, and mending. Their work is done on picks up a comb to comb his hair. a rotating basis, each woman doing a certain job for a Between the ages of three and five years, children week and then switching. During the summer months go to kindergarten. At this point the children eat in the women tend a large garden in which fresh the children's dining room and attend kindergarten. vegetables are grown for eating and canning. The children learn to be away from their own family The men of the community spend their days in and learn to relate to their peers. At the age of five, their large-scale agricultural business. Hutterite children start German school. German school takes communities raise crops, cattle, pigs and chickens. place in the morning, before English school, and in Forest River Community has about 45,000 chickens the late afternoon, after English school. Children start for the production and distribution of eggs. German school about one year before they start As stated before, all baptized males vote on English school. The German school teacher is the community matters. There is a council which serves children's primary disciplinarian. as the executive body. The council usually has five Between the ages of six and fourteen, the children men on it, of which the head preacher, farm manager, go to both German and English school. School is and German teacher hold three of the positions. attended only through the eighth grade. These Once a man is on the council, he is there until children are under almost constant supervision of a death or until the council feels he is unworthy. teacher, parent, or work supervisor. At one point of Usually it is hard to persuade a man to give up a the day, they do have recess at which time they are position when he becomes elderly, but he will. able to be with their own peer group. The older girls, Elderly men are given other jobs which keep them ages ten to fourteen, look after the younger children at productive. A woman usually retires from the colony these times. work when she is between 45 and 50. Women who At the age of fifteen, Hutterites are considered hold positions of head cook and kindergarten mother adults. They no longer go to school, and they now eat do not give up their responsibilities until they are no in the adult dining room. The years between the age longer capable of carrying out their duties. of fifteen and baptism are considered the "foolish The elderly are looked up to with great respect. years." This is often the time members leave to join They are never taken to a nursing home but are the outside world. They usually come back, however. always looked after in the community. The elderly are Young men and women at this stage work under close to death, and as mentioned before, death is not the supervision of older community members. The something to be dreaded but is seen as a "triumphant young men assist with the farming, tending of step." A community member described death to me as livestock, etc., while the young women assist with the "going home." She quoted John 14:1-3 as being the domestic chores. It is at this stage that a young source for this belief. This verse states, "Let not your woman accepts her second-class status, under that of hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me. the male members- The men are the providers of the In my Father's house are many rooms; economic well-being of the community, while the if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to women are in charge of domestic labor. I was told by prepare a place for you? And when I go and a Hutterite woman that as soon as the work of a woman makes money, the men take it over. Baptism takes place between the ages of 19 and 26. It is at this point that a member com

26 prepare a place for you, I will come again and will Use of Folk Medicine take you to myself, that where I am you may be 11 Virtually nothing has been written about Hutterite also." folk medicine. There are two reasons for this. The first Using this brief look at the Hutterites' history, is the almost total acceptance of scientific medicine on religion, and community life, let us now look at their the Hutterites^ part. The second is the fact that the health care beliefs and practices in relation to elderly people who once practiced folk medicine have scientific and folk medicine. passed away. Forest River Community is a very young community, with 50 percent of its members Use of Scientific Medicine being under the age of 14, and all of its members, with Because the Hutterites have no objection to the use the exception of one 70-year-old woman, being under of modern technology, they also have no objection to the age of 55. modem medicine. Religion, however, does come into Although the scope of this study is limited, three play as "good health is important to the Hutterites, but main topics in the area of folk medicine will be medical practices are influenced by the world view covered. These topics include pregnancy, infancy, and that the body is important only insofar as it houses the use of folk practitioners. eternal soul."12 When a woman becomes pregnant, there is no Many Hutterites are inquisitive about the health public recognition that she is in "another state." A care they receive. One woman of the community newly pregnant woman does not usually know what to regularly asked for information concerning expect, because pregnancy has never been discussed. medications her husband was taking and also It is considered a very normal part of life. In Western information about the safety of ultrasound. There may culture, where our family size is quite a bit smaller, be some bias in the "outside world" that the Hutterites pregnancy is often viewed as an ill state, or at the very are a plain people who may not want this type of least a state in which to be careful. The Hutterite information. This is a misconception that needs to be woman will have many children. Thus this time of cleared up. pregnancy needs to be looked at as a normal state. When someone becomes ill, many of the popular "The women say the harder you work during preg- remedies our Western culture uses are tried, such as nancy, the healthier your baby will be."13 In Forest Vicks rub and vaporizers. When someone becomes River Community there is one woman who has even more ill, the community does not hesitate to troubled pregnancies. As mentioned before, she does bring the ill member to a doctor. The decision as to get prenatal care and "takes it easy." This is rare, whether or not a doctor is needed is made by the however, as most women do nothing special during individual or by the parents, if it is a child who is ill. the course of their pregnancy. An attempt is made to schedule doctor and dentist The women of Forest River Community go to a appointments of community members on the same nearby hospital for the birth. They stay in the hospital day so that only one trip into town need be made. usually one night. Hutterite communities used to have The Hutterites are willing to spend large amounts their own midwives—some may still. When I asked a of money on health care when problems do exist. If member of Forest River why midwives were no large hospital bills need to be paid, such as with the longer used, her reply was, "They gossiped too young girl who was burned, other nearby Hutterite much!" communities will often help with the cost. About two Another woman talking about the birth of her most years ago an insurance company was started by the recent child felt that it was wonderful to have her Hutterites to cover such things as these. husband present for the birth. It made her feel so Preventive health care measures, such as Lamaze much more comfortable that she and her husband and prenatal visits, regular physicals and dental could speak in their own Hutterite dialect, while the checkups, often are not taken. "If there is no problem, doctors and nurses spoke English. To determine then why pay for it?" If there are identifiable whether or not it is common for Hutterite husbands to problems, however, appropriate preventive steps are be present at a birth, would require more research. taken. For example, a woman who has had problem After the infant is born, the new mother and infant pregnancies will go in for prenatal visits. As can be stay in the home. The new mother's closest female seen, this use of scientific medicine is common among relative, either her mother or a sister, comes from the Hutterites—if there is an identifiable problem that another colony to stay with the new mother and young warrants professional attention. infant. Her house-

27 cleaning is taken care of by her female relative. The "Ah, that's superstition!" One of the members was, time this relative stays with the family varies, however, able to come up with a Bible verse that may depending on how the new mother feels. be the foundation for the practice of the red string. For the first six weeks of the infant's life, the She quoted Genesis 38:27-30, "When the time of their mother is relieved of all her community respon- delivery came, there were twins in her womb. And sibilities. Food is brought by someone from the when she was in labor, one put out a hand; and the kitchen daily for her and any house children there. midwife took and bound on his hand a scarlet thread, One food that the new mother is required to have This came out first.' But as he drew back his hand, daily is Nudelsuppe, or chicken noodle soup. A behold, his brother came out; and she said, 'What a woman from Forest River Community told me this breach you have made for yourself? Therefore, his idea is believed to have originated during the years of name was called Perez. Afterward his brother came the Depression. Although food was scarce, it was felt out with the scarlet thread on his hand; and his name that a new mother should get at least this nutritious was called Zerah."16 soup. The custom is still carried out today. Stephenson cites the Biblical reference for the red After six weeks the new mother is allowed to string in Genesis 29-32.17 This story involves Jacob resume light work, such as washing dishes and and the daughters of Laban. Jacob was to marry preparing food for canning. At this time she also Laban's beautiful daughter, Rachel, after seven years starts having her meals in the dining room again. If of work for Laban. Laban, however, tricked Jacob the birth was a vaginal delivery, the woman assumes into marrying his eldest daughter, Leah. God saw that her normal responsibilities at nine weeks. If the birth Rachel was "loved" and Leah "hated," thus he made was by Cesarean section, the woman is back to her Rachel barren and Leah fertile. Since Jacob appeared normal routine at thirteen weeks. to have learned from his experiences, a bargain Children are very important to Hutterite between Jacob and Laban showed that Laban's communities. The phrase "be fruitful and multiply" arrogance and envy were overcome by Jacob's definitely applies to the Hutterites. Any form of birth wisdom and the love of God. The bargain had Laban control or abortion is taboo unless it is a life-or-death keeping the "perfectly colored animals," and Jacob situation. getting the "spotted and speckled animals." Using As mentioned earlier, infants are considered strips of bark from hazel, poplar, and chestnut trees, completely innocent until they either hit back or try to Jacob set it up so that Laban's cattle and flock would comb their hair. The Hutterites feel this demonstrates have marked and feeble offspring.18 the start of the child's self-will. Before this time, the Stephenson's reference symbolizes Jacob's and infant is considered vulnerable.14 Laban's struggle between evil and good, with the During the infant's "vulnerable" stage, it has been culprit being "envy," The strips of bark in the story noted that a red string is tied around the infant's arm. symbolize the red string placed on the infant's arm. It has been said that this wards off colic and/or evil Stephenson's reference is very symbolic, but the eye. Evidence of a belief among some Hutterites in reference made by the Forest River Community evil eye was documented in a study done in 1979 by member also warrants consideration. Peter H. Stephenson.15 The use of folk practitioners is another area to be This belief was related not only to infants but to explored. The Hutterites have a history of self-made animals and adults as well. Stephenson showed a link practitioners, such as midwives, physicians, dentists, between the Hutterites' belief in evil eye, orpshrien, chiropractors, and herbalists.19 Today, because and envy. It is believed that if an infant, animal, or physicians and dentists are required to have more adult (although this is rare) is envied by a stronger "worldly" education, Hutterites do not have these person, the one being envied will get the evil eye. within the communities. A community member Symptoms vary, but it is believed that evil eye can described it to me this way: "When they leave the cause death. Treatment includes rubbing the face and community for education, spiritually they become eyes of the affected being with a red cloth. Prevention wrecked. They develop a different attitude about God includes the above-mentioned practice of tying a red because of the way the world is." If a member does string around an infant's arm. leave to become a physician or dentist, he or she most When I asked some members of Forest River often leaves permanently. There are, however, Community about this practice, their reply was, midwives, chiropractors, and herbalists within the Hutterite communities.

28 There was a midwife in the community, but she with this, the hard work ethic and a "taboo" on has since passed away. There is a chiropractor up in smoking help to contribute to a healthier life-style. Crystal Spring Colony, Manitoba. This chiropractor A study done by Morgan et al. from 1956 to 1975 works mostly with foot massage, treating ailments showed cancer incidence among Hutterites. In the such as back problems and headaches. conclusion of this study, Morgan states, "The deficit Forest River Community has within its boundaries of observed cancers is largely accounted for by a a woman who works with herbs. Her role as an deficiency of cancers of smoking-associated sites. The herbalist is not a full-time role; she is a kindergarten Hutterite woman is at a low risk for cancer and at a mother as well. The skill was passed on to her from greatly reduced risk for uterine cancer because of strict her mother while she was still living in Manitoba. She mores relating to sexual behavior in addition to and her daughter feel that most Hutterite communities absence of cigarette smoking."20 A community have a woman with herbal knowledge. After coming member has related, however, that cancer has been to Forest River Community, she found herbs like observed more frequently in the communities in recent those in Manitoba, but she has had to learn on her years. own as well. She has educated herself with books on Another extensive study done in the 1950s was on herbs, and visitors have also assisted her in locating mental health among the Hutterites. The findings of and using new herbs. this study, by Joseph W. Eaton and Robert J. Weil, Most of the herbs are used for teas. Around Forest were published in 1955 in the book, Culture and River chamomile, fennel, linden, peppermint, catnip, Mental Disorders.^ This study showed a low plantain, dill, etc., are found. These herbs are mixed incidence of schizophrenic disorders and a higher together or used alone for teas. Teas are drunk daily incidence of manic-depressive disorders, as compared by the community members in both the morning and to the "outside world." evening. Manic-depressive disorders are often found in Herbs and herbal teas have many different societies with a high degree of group cohesion and medicinal qualities. Peppermint tea is used for group centeredness. The Hutterites have these diarrhea. The herbalist has found dill tea useful in characteristics due to their communal living, large bringing on more milk for a new mother. Tea made families, and restriction of the individual's roles. The from the flowers of a linden tree is helpful for colds. demands for high conformity and rigorous compliance Chamomile is a good tea for settling the stomach and to values may be too much for a person to live up to. nerves. Yarrow is a very bitter tea useful for fevers Women appear to be at a higher risk than men in and colds. Hutterite communities because of restrictions on their Besides teas, certain herbs can be used in salads, roles. such as chickweed—good for constipation. Herbs can A community member described these more severe also be used for poultices. Comfrey in a poultice was cases of mental illness, such as manic-depressive found to be good for decreasing swelling. The disorder and schizophrenia, as "evil spirits taking over herbalist once treated a sprained ankle with blanched their bodies." She quoted Matthew 12:43-45 as the comfrey leaves. These were placed on the ankle and reference to this; then the ankle was wrapped. The swelling and "When the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he bruising had almost completely disappeared by passes through waterless places seeking rest, but he morning. The juice of jewelweed was found helpful finds none. Then he says 'I will return to my house when rubbed on poison ivy. from which I came.' And when he goes he finds it Herbs are picked, experimented with, and used empty, swept, and put in order. Then he goes and regularly at Forest River Community. Since most brings with him seven other spirits more evil than Hutterite communities are in rural areas, herbs are himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last plentiful. An herbalist definitely has a place in a state of that man becomes worse than the first. So Hutterite community. shall it be also with this generation."22 Anfechtung is a form of depression specifically Health and Hutterite Lifestyle found among Hutterites. This disease is defined as "when a person feels guilty, that he has committed The Hutterites have often been called a "healthy some crime or sin and can't get rid of it."23 It is stock" of people. Their strong characteristics and described by a community member, having lifestyle contribute to their health. The saying, "Early experienced it herself, as being to bed and early to rise," could be a theme among the Hutterites. Along

29 a "spiritual warfare," a "test" and a "fight against the California: Stanford University Press, 1967), p. evil spirits." With the more serious mental illnesses 25. mentioned above, the evil spirits have taken over the Victor Peters, All Things Common: The Hutterian body, whereas with Anfechtung the person is Way of Life (Minneapolis, Minnesota: University struggling with these evil spirits, trying not to let of Minnesota Press, 1965), p. 11. Bennett, p. 27. them take over his or her body. She quoted Ephesians John A. Hostetler and Gertrude E. Huntington, 6:10-12 as the reference to this: "Finally, be strong in The Hutterites in North America (New York, the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1967), p. armor of God, that you may be able to stand against 3. the wills of the devil. For we are not contending Kenneth Morgan et al., "Patterns of Cancer in against flesh and blood, but against principalities, Geographic and Endogamous Subdivisions of the against the powers, against the world rulers of this Hutterite Brethren of Canada," American Journal present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of of Physical Anthropology (September, 1983), p. 24 wickedness in the heavenly places." 4. Hostetler and Huntington, p. 44. Ibid., pp. 15- Anfechtung cannot be completely treated by 16. Ibid., p. 15. scientific medicine. Treatment includes working with John A. Hostetler, "Folk Medicine and Healing the preacher against evil by prayer, confession, and Among the Amish," in American Folk Medicine, emotional support. Scientific medicine is seen as ed. by Wayland Hand (California: University of assisting the healing process. The affected person California Press, 1976), p. 252. remains in the community, cared for by his family 10. Hostetler and Huntington, p. 61. and friends. He is not punished by the community but 11. The Holy Bible (New York, New York: is supported. Hutterites will not send a chronically ill Thomas Nelson and Sons, 1953), John 14:1-8. person to spend his days in an institution. 12. Hostetler and Huntington, p. 88. This belief against long-term care institutions 13. Ibid., p. 58. carries over into health care for the elderly. Elderly people get the treatment needed for their ailments, but 14. When this was discussed with a community they are never put into a nursing home. The care of member, she saw the child's self-will as starting elderly and mentally ill patients within the Hutterite at birth. The importance, she stressed, was that community reminds one of the care that is received the "child should be loved but not spoiled." If within the traditional, extended family. one spoils a child, the child is then not being loved. Conclusion 15. Peter Stephenson, "Hutterite Belief in Evil Eye," 1 Culture, Medicine and Psychiatry (Volume 3, The Hutterites lifestyle is a major contributor to 1979). their health practices. They are basically a healthy 16. The Holy Bible, Genesis 38:27-30. people, using scientific medicine only when there is a problem. 17. Stephenson, p. 257. The area of Hutterite health care beliefs and 18. Ibid., pp. 257-258. practices is an area that requires more attention. The 19. Joseph W. Baton and Robert J. Weil, Culture and Hutterites form one of the fastest growing subcultures Mental Disorders (Glencoe, Illinois: The Free in the Northern Plains and, thus, will be seen using Press, 1955), p. 164. the American and/or Canadian health care systems 20. Morgan, p. 8. more frequently. 21. Eaton and Wiel. 22. The Holy Bible, Matthew 12:43-45. Notes 23. John A. Hostetler, Hutterite Society (Baltimore, 1. John W. Bennett, Hutterian Brethren: The Massachusetts: The Johns Hopkins University Agricultural Economy and Social Organization of Press (1974), p. 264. a Communal People (Stanford, 24. The Holy Bible, Ephesians 6:10-12.

30 RELIEF WORK OF THE AMERICAN VOLGA RELIEF SOCIETY IN GERMANY1 Richard Kuehne2 Translated by Selma Miller The American Volga Relief Society through its In the beginning of November 1923, the parcels representative, Pastor R. Kuehne, distributed around and bales were transferred to the back storeroom of 30,000 pounds of clothing worth about $25,000 and Adolf Lebsack's store, where they were sorted, $10,000 worth of food in Germany. Total expenses counted, pressed, and readied for shipping. For many which the society spent for its representative days about fifteen men, mostly from Friedens Church, amounted to only $200. The Burlington Railroad came after work and worked without pay until 10 donated free train fare for the trip from Lincoln, o'clock. The dear ladies joined in the work also. Not Nebraska, to Chicago, Illinois, and back; a friend took only did they solicit things in our stores here, but care of the fare from Chicago to New York and back. every evening, when work was done, they brought a The rest of the expenses during the time from pot of good-smelling coffee and a tasty snack. December 1,1923, to April 25, 1924, were taken care On November 20, 1923, a carload of about 26,000 of by the representative himself. pounds could be sent to New York. The society's vice-president, John Jaeckel, lived in Newark, New How Did the Relief Work Start Jersey. He performed great services to the AVRS. He and How Did It Function? had the job of seeing to it, there in New York, that the On July 26, 1923, Sister Anna Marie Wansleben supplies went to Russia in 1921 and now in 1923 to of the Deaconess House in Munster, Westphalia, Germany. The supplies were scheduled to leave on Germany, spoke to the Frauenverein [Ladies' Aid the steamer Thuringia of the Hamburg-American Line Society] of the Evangelical Lutheran Friedens [Peace] on December 6,1923, in order to reach Germany in Church3 in Lincoln, Nebraska. As an eyewitness she time for distribution as Christmas gifts. told about the great misery in Germany and especially The executive committee of the American Volga in the occupied territory. The people, she said, were Relief Society wanted to distribute the things in starving and lacking all the necessities. The mothers Germany themselves, i.e., under the auspices of the had no diapers for their little babies and were using German Red Cross. In order to do this, they chose the newspapers as diapers. This pathetic description writer of this [article] as their representative. moved the ladies' hearts, and they decided that we The Evangelical Lutheran Friedens Church voted were going to ask for clothing, bedding, cloth, shoes, unanimously to grant their pastor three months' leave and empty flour sacks immediately and send them to of absence so that he could bring help to his homeland Munster. in such great need. I shared this information from the pulpit and asked I took care of getting substitutes, and dear for help. The people came and brought. They had colleagues were more than willing to help out so that learned to give! At first, we had collected for Poland there were regular services every Sunday morning and and then in 1921 for the Volga colonies in Russia. A evening. Pastor L. Grauenhorst (died September 20, benefactor named Conrad Hock brought shoes and 1924) offered to teach the thirty-six confirmands, and coats; others brought linens. It was a joy to see all he also confirmed them. these things in the basement of Friedens Church. On December 1,1923,1 left Lincoln. On Sunday, In the middle of August 1923 we were able to December 2, I was in Chicago. There I reported about send 420 pounds of things for Munster in Westphalia our relief work and asked them to support the main to the central committee in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. society in Lincoln as much as possible. On December That was now to be the beginning. 5, I was in Washington, D.C. I was fortunate in In the next meeting of the AVRS, I asked for obtaining an appointment with President Coolidge general aid for Germany. It was decided to make an and told him about our relief work. The evening of appeal for clothing and shoes to be sent to Lincoln. December 5, at 11 o'clock, I was at the home of our People were used to helping. The parcels came and dear friend, John Jaeckel, in Newark, New Jersey. We for the time being were kept in John Rohrig's sat up until 3 o'clock in the morning, and at 8 storeroom.

31 o'clock we drove to New York. We had a lot of After I saw the great distress in Germany (the errands to do. Finally, we were at pier 86 of the German mark, in normal times worth 24

This picture of the American Volga Relief Society was taken with a moving camera . in the city park in Sutton, Nebraska, on Sunday, June 27, 1926. If you look carefully you will see one individual in two places. He ran across from left to right ahead' of the camera. The American Volga-Relief Society met in Lincoln, Nebraska, June 23-26, at the Friedens Lutheran Church with members coming from all over the United States. H. P. Steitz of Fresno, California, was the president of the national organization. A choir with members from all the German churches and directed by August Heinz provided music. The program details were arranged by the Lincoln Chapter of the Society whose president was H. J. Amen On Saturday, everyone went to Sutton to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the arrival of Germans from Russia in Nebraska. The principal speaker was A. M. Morrissey, Chief Justice of the Nebraska Supreme Court. On Sunday evening, the society returned to Lincoln for its closing session.

especially when I left a few dollars. One can't express Great was the physical need, but still greater is the this in words; it has to be experienced personally. distress of the soul. How happy I am that I was Let us here gratefully remember one man who privileged, also, to bring them spiritual nourishment! espoused the cause of our Germans from Russia in Churches and halls were at my disposal. Once I had their great need. That was Pastor Friedrich von six invitations for one Sunday. I could be at three Bodelschwingh in Bethel, near Bielefeld. At his side churches but not six! There was a movement toward was his trusted Sister Frieda. When our people from the spiritual, especially among the young people. God Russia had fled their homes on the Volga to save their granted Germany an awakening; may it continue and lives, they arrived by the hundreds at the German spread! There were fifty times that I was able to border, but it seemed closed to them. The German witness about Jesus, Savior of sinners. government said, "We have nothing ourselves!" And In Berlin I was also privileged to speak of our so all were close to despair. But, "Greater than the work at the palace of President Ebert on Wilhehn helper, the need is not." Who came to help our people Street. I'll never forget how President Ebert said to from Russia? It was Pastor von Bodelschwingh who me, "Pastor, our help must come from America." I went to the government officials in Berlin and asked answered, "No, not from America but from God them to entrust these people to him; he would care for through America!" I was also granted the opportunity them! of an audience with the French president of the In what condition these people were—those can occupied territory in Essen. Unfortunately, he didn't tell who were helped by Pastor von Bodelschwingh! know any English or German and I not enough In all there were 1089 Volga Germans who received French, so we talked through an interpreter. But I was help from Pastor von Bodelschwingh. When I was in able to recite the holy Lord's Prayer to him in French. Bethel near Bielefeld, I visited our people. The Volga In answer to my inquiry whether he could understand Society in Lincoln did a great thing when they sent it, he answered, "Yes, indeed!" $500 to Bethel. I also gave Bethel some of our things. My leave was only for three months, but my work Wherever I arrived, it was the same misery! was so great that I permitted myself to stay longer. Whether I was in the north near Denmark, or in the Twice I booked passage. Then, finally, on April 8, south in Stuttgart, in the west in Cologne (or in the 1924,1 left Hamburg on the ship Cleveland. The occupied territory), or in the east in West Prussia, return trip again lasted twelve days. As on the trip to there was this one lament, "We are destitute!" Germany, so I did on the way back—1 preached on Especially those of the middle class suffered, like the ship about Jesus the Crucified and Risen One. doctors, lawyers, pastors, and discharged officers. The ship company was very grateful and gave me Who knows how many in Germany departed this life the best cabin in recognition of my work in Germany. willingly because they had nothing! The Theological Faculty of the world famous I cannot relate details here, but I do wish to point University of Heidelberg also bestowed on me the out the dire need that I found in Berlin in the Honorary Doctor of Theology Degree. sanctuary for the homeless, where every night about On Easter Sunday, April 20, 1924, I landed in 6000 poor people were housed and were glad if they New York, and so ended my seventh ocean voyage. got a bowl of soup mornings and evenings! Many lay How greatly pleased I was when I saw on pier 86 our on the stone floor, only a blanket under them, and dear friend, John Jaeckel, and at his side Mr. J. J. many had no shirt on. The need for clothing among Stroh from Lincoln, Nebraska. Oh, what a reunion! I the poor was so great that, when a twenty-one-year- will never forget the friendliness these two men old girl in Cologne on the Rhine (whose father was accorded me. In that same evening I had to speak in without work and food and in his despair had walked two churches. Mr. J. J. Stroh and I then traveled out on his wife and seven children and turned to together, first to Washington, D,C., where we visited drink) fainted on her way to the doctor, she was bare our Congressman Morehead, then on to Chicago, except for her chemise when she woke up. Other than where we stopped over to visit our friend Ruppel. that, nothing had happened to her. And this took place On Friday, April 25, 1924, we arrived in Omaha, in broad daylight! A woman who knew the family Nebraska, where we were welcomed by H. J. Amen, told me this story in Cologne. Val. Peter, Wm. Blonder, and John Rohrig. The latter had come in his Lincoln sedan, and in it we proceeded on to our dear Lincoln. The same evening there was a banquet in the

33 Grand Hotel, attended by 150 guests, and I had to tell "I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you them about Germany. gave me drink, I was a stranger, and you welcomed me, I On Sunday, April 27,1 stood in my beloved pulpit was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited in Friedens Church, which I had occupied since April me, I was in prison and you came to me." Matthew 25: 18, 1914 (and left January 3, 1927), and preached to 35-36. my Friedens congregation. In the afternoon there was May God bless and repay all who so willingly have a mass meeting in the largest church in Lincoln, helped so that the poor in Germany, the motherland of our which holds over 3000 people.4 I talked first an hour German Russians, also received food and clothing. in English and then one and one-half hours in May He bless the American Volga Relief Society, German. I relied on the treasure of my experiences which had its fifth annual convention in the Evangelical and spoke as an eyewitness about what I had seen and Lutheran Friedens Church in Lincoln, Nebraska, from June heard. And then the same evening I spoke in Hickman 23-27,1926. And may He also continue to bless the in the church of my friend, Dr. Julius Schwarz. Friedens Church so that it may continue to be a place of I did not go hungry in Germany. I was satisfied peace where the Prince of Peace Jesus will always be even with just having herring and potatoes. welcome. Sometimes there was something better. I ate whatever Praise be to God for everything! the people ate, for I moved around among the people. However, I froze often. How many times I slept in Notes beds which stood in cold rooms unused all winter! 1. This article first appeared in a collection of addresses by They just had to restrict themselves. The American Pastor Richard Kuehne entitled Wiedergeboren oder — Ambassador, Mr. Houghton, whom I had visited in ewig verhren [Born again or eternally lost], published Berlin and met again in Omaha, Nebraska, spoke by G. Ihloff & Co., Neumünster, Germany, in 1927. before about one hundred guests in Omaha and stated 2. Reverend Kuehne was pastor of the Evangelisch- that the winter of 1923-24 had been exceedingly cold Lutherische Friedens Kirche, Lincoln, Nebraska, from and that the physical need in Germany had risen to the April 1914 to January 1927. highest peak ever during that winter. Pastor Kuehne was born in Germany on March 4, In spite of everything, I remained well. Only a bad 1870. He completed his theological studies in Breklum, cold had overtaken me on the way to Hamburg, and I Germany, in November 1896. In December 1896 he was not able to get rid of it in spite of good care in came to the United States and became affiliated with the Germany. That humbled me; I often complained to Wartburg Synod, District of the General Synod. He my Heavenly Father. Perhaps it was to be that way. served various parishes in Illinois and Iowa before com- A splendid task had been given me, namely: ing to Lincoln in 1914. In 1897 he married Pauline feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, shelter the Hinrichsen in Illinois. The couple had one son and two homeless, clothe the naked, visit the sick, uplift those daughters. The son died in child' hood. They also in prison and those low in spirit, and preach the adopted five orphan daughters. Mrs. Kuehne died in Gospel of Jesus to the poor. Even today I rejoice over 1924, and Reverend Kuehne died in 1943. Both are this task. It was one of the most beautiful in my life. buried in Lincoln, Nebraska. Therefore: "Is it not to share your bread with the 3. Although church services are now conducted in English, hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; the congregation has retained its German identity, and when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide the church is still known as Friedens Lutheran Church yourself from your own flesh?" Isaiah 58:7. (ELCA]. If all this is done in faith, the Lord will look upon 4. This meeting was held at St. Paul Methodist Church it as having been done for him. For he says, (now St. Paul United Methodist Church). 34 REFUGEES ARRIVING IN THE HEIMKEHRLAGER AT FRANKFURT/ODER IN 1922 Compiled by Edward R. Gerk In the 1982 spring and summer issues of the Journal, AHSGR presented a list of Volga-German refugees who arrived by train at the refugee camp, or Heimkehrlager, in Frankfurt/Oder on December 9, 1922. While pursuing the lists I wondered if any other such lists of names existed. I then embarked on a search to try to find these—if, in fact, they did exist. I discovered that the German periodicals Wolgadeutsche Monatshefte and Heimkehr both had published lists of new arrivals in various refugee camps in Germany. By far the camp with the most lengthy list was the Heimkehrlager in Frankfurt/ Oder [Frankfort on the Oder]. The following lists contain names of the newest arrivals at this camp at various times during the year 1922. Some were large groups, others just small ones. The lists were published in hope that some relative in the West would see the names and come to their aid. No record was made here of intended destination as in the previously published lists. Some in these lists came from areas other than the Volga Region. Here I have simply compiled the names from both publications and arranged them according to the home village listed. Both publications carried separate lists, so there was little duplication. However, there is some repetition of names in the same list. For example, Barbara Heinrich of Josefstal is listed with three children; then her three children are listed under Katharina Heinrich and two sisters. (I caught this only because I am familiar with the family.) I can only assume that some other slight repetition will exist. I hope that other AHSGR members will share their pictures, copies of documents or articles that can document the plight of our people as they made the escape from the Soviet Union into Germany, and their experiences in the refugee camps. Name Date of Birth or Name Date of Birth Age or Age

Ährenfeld, Samara Beideck, Saratov Konrady, Ernst Reuberger, Waldemar Reuberger, Helene 24 years old Konrady, Amalie (wife) and 1 child (wife) Schroder, Heinrich Boaro, Samara Schroder, Kath. (wife) Köler, Gustav 38 years old Schroder, David & 5 children Köler, Maria (wife) Schroder, Alexander & 2 brothers 12 years old Müller, Otto 30 years old Michel, Heinrich and daughter Brabander, Samara Schroder, Konrad Bauer, Josef Schroder, Eva (wife) and 8 children Martel, Sebastian 81 years old Mai, Georg and 2 daughters Martel, Heinrich Klein, Georg Martel, Alexandra Stenzel, Heinrich Obhold, Heinrich Stenzel, Kath. (wife) and son Obhold, Maria (wife & a teacher) Schneider, Heinrich and wife Bartel, Annemarie with 1 daughter Michel, Georg Gerthe, Josef 60 years old Schneider, Adam and wife Gerthe, Katharina (wife) & 2 children Balzer. Saratov Brockhausen, Samara Weber, Emilie 25 Dec. 1986 Langolf, Gottlieb 29 years old Bauer, Saratov Hering, Johannes & Jakob Brunnenial, Samara Hering, Jakob Fiebig, Alexander 3 Apr. 1898 Hering, Katharina, Elisa & Fiebig, Katharina 16 Feb. 1878 Heinrich Kaufmann, Heinrich & Eva Stettinger, Philipp

35 Date of Birth or Date of Birth Name Name or Age Age

Fiebig, Dorothea 4 Mar. 1902 Dreispitz, Saratov Seibel, Margarete and 3 children Dick, Alexander 34 years old 26 Kister, Peter Dick, Katharina (wife) Gutmann, Jakob Feil, Andreas Feb. 1877 Mehringer, Peter (a tailor) FIath, Marie Eckheim, Samara Seibel, Maria 18 years old Nuss, Johannes Chicago (Maywood), Illinois Nuss, Dorothea (wife) & 1 son Schneider, David 27 July 1897 Mühlbereger, Friedrich 57 years old Meng, Konrad & 2 siblings 14 years old Kutter, Saratov Kuxhaus, Friedrich Klein, Kath. Kuxhaus, Katharina & 3 children Kuxhaus, Chrisfcoff & 4 children Degott, Saratov Keil, Frierich & 5 children Konne, Johannes and son Konradi, Robert (a teacher) Schamber, Josef Meng, Friedrich Schamber, Marie (wife) & Meng, Katharina (wife) & 3 children 2 daughters Herdt, Jakob & 4 siblings 23 years old Schamber, Joseph Muhlberger, Katharina with 5 Eberle, Alexander children Eberle, Elisabeth Kuxhausen, Jacob Braun, Katharina and daughter Kuxhausen, Katharina Braun, David Leimann, Jakob (a teacher) Braun, Kath. (wife) and daughter Wolsk, Adolf 13 years old Frank, Saratov Kümmel, David 16 years old Zimmermann, Heinrich 59 years old Schultheiss, Heinrich Zimmermann, Maria (wife) & 5 Millberger, Alexander Children Schomber, Reimann Pister, Georg with daughter & 72 years old Schomber, Kath. (wife) grandson Barbe, Johann (a weaver) Barbe, Anna (wife) and daughter Franker Khutor, Saratov Schamber, Johann Schäfer, Jakob Schamber, Kath. Schäfer, Maria, Katharina, Lydia, Schamber, Kath. with 5 children David Konradi, Barbara and son Farenbruch, Alex & Eda Brick, Maria Klein, Heinrich & Maria Schmidt, Jakob Dehler, Saratov Willmann, David Ostertag, Alexander Looker, Michael & Loebsack, Conrad, Katharina Anna-Margareta, Dobrinka, Saratov Georg, Karl, David, Lydia Heinze, Alexander 30 Mar. 1899 Schaäer, Georg Mesler, David & Emilie Rothe, Conrad & Maria Siegward, Magdalena, Anna & Dönhof, Saratov David Schnorr, Jakob 16 Dec. 1899 Wagner, Conrad Stromberger, Katharina 2 Mar. 1901 Wagner, Eda Stromberger, Martha 7 Sep. 1914 Presental, Samara Rutz, Jakob 49 years old Rutz, Elisabeth (wife) Muller, Alexander 26 years old Schäfer, Emanuel 30 years old Müller, Amalia (wife) & daughter Schäfer, Charlotte (wife) Katharina Meder, Viktor 43 years old Galka, Saratov Meder, Katharina (wife) & daughter Emilie Reich, Katharina with 5 children 43 years old Lichtenwald, Maria Schuld, Marie Amalie 19 years old Ladner, Alexander 28 Jan. 1900

36 Name Date of Birth Name Date of Birth or or Age Age

Ladner, Heinrich Hildmann, Saratov Feit, Heinrich Geist, Joseph 24 July 1883 Veid, Gottfried with wife & 2 Geist, Katharina 30 Dec. 1891 children Geist, August 28 Mar. 1914 38 years old Helwer, Friedrich Gallinger, Barbara 26 Dec. 1900 Helwer, Katharina (wife) & son Friedrich Holstein, Saratov 46 years old Frank, Heinrich Martin, Jakob 31 Oct. 1886 Frank, Susanna (wife) & daughters, Martin, Sabina 2 Dec. 1895 Maria & Amalia, & sons Martin, Susanna 11 June 1912 Heinrich & Friedrich Müller, Margarete 31 June 1866 Krebs, Alexander 14 years old Müller, Helene 26 Mar. 1893 Bernhard, Elisabeth Borger, David 30 years old Söhuen, Heinrich Borger, Katharina (mother) Söhuen, Friedrich Borger, Katharina (sister-in-law) Frank, Amalia Knaus, Friedrich 25 years old Schmidt, Jakob 28 years old Gnadenfeld, Samara 39 years old 26 Knaus, Eva 7 Jan. 1888 Rem, Johannes Knaus, Amalie 7 Aug. 1901 Rem, Anna-Margaret & 3 children years old Knaus, Anna 10 Feb. 1907 Rem, Jakob Knaus, David 13 July 1913 Rem, Pauline (wife) & 2 sons Peil, Katharina 11 Apr. 1893 Jakobi, Amalie 20 years old Günther, Anna 27 Jan. 1907 Wunder, Heinrich & 4 siblings 21 years old Günther, Christoph 19 June 1887 Wunder, Emilie (wife) Günther, Anna 28 Aug. 1888 37 years old 32 Wunder, Maria (mother) Günther, Susanna 10 July 1910 Wunder, Heinrich years old Günther, David 5 May 1917 Wunder, Amalie (wife) & 3 children Günther, Friedrich 6 Oct. 1921 Wunder, Georg Günther, Eva 28 Dec. 1860 Wunder, Maria-Christine (wife) & Müller, Adam 13 Dec. 1895 4 children Müller, Amalie 2 May 1897 Zimmermann, Peter Schwien, Jakob 7 July 1900 Zimmermann, Katharina (wife) & Schwien, Marie 14 Feb. 1901 children Maria & Heinrich Peil, Friedrich 13 Jan. 1889 Jägel, Jakob Jägel, Amalie (wife) Hussenbach, Saratov Jägel, Emanuel (child) Keil, Alexander Jägel, Kathrin (child) Keil, Emilie (wife) & 3 children Jägel, Lisbeth (child) Kempel, Friedrich Koch, Alexander 33 years old Kempel, Charlotte & 1 daughter Koch, Maria (wife) Taufst, Jakob Kaiser, Heinrich & wife & son & 33 years old Taufst, Olinde (wife) & 3 children 2 sisters Leis, Georg Degenau, Heinrich with daughter 28 years old Leis, Marie (wife) & 2 children Beatrix Schönberger, Josef Kempel, Maria with a son Schönberger, Pauline (wife) & 3 Gnadendorf, Samara children

Euders, David, merchant Yagodnaya Polyana, Saratov Gnadentau, Samara Peil, Julius (a teacher) with wife & daughter Treise, Johannes Josefstal, Saratov Grimm, Saratov 65 years old Bladner, Josef Dummler, Jakob Strömel, Georg Dummler, Katharina (wife) 30 years old Strömel, Katharina (wife) Schmick, Katharina (widow) & Klein, Ottilie and 2 daughters daughter Mathilde

Name Date of Birth Date of Birth Or Age or Age

Schmidt, Georg 50 years old Name Heinrich, Katharina and 2 sisters 11 years old Konstantinovka, Samara Breit, Georg Glein, Georg 32 years old Breit, Margarete (wife) & 3 children Glein, Maria (wife) & 5 children 51 years old Heinrich, Georg, merchant Schreiber, Jakob Heinrich, Barbara (wife) & 3 Schreiber, Maria (wife) and son 21 years old children Schreiber, Peter & wife Platner, Anna 16 years old 48 years old Gerk, Margarete Kraft, Saratov Michel, Natalie Schneider, Peter Hullmann, Mane Schneider, Anna-Katharina (wife) Dieser, Friedrich Schneider, David (child) 22 years old Dieser, Katharina (wife) Schneider, Abraham (child) Schneider, Amalia (child) Kaisersgnade Loose, Peter Walter, Karl 28 years old Loose, Anna (wife) & daughter Walter, Emilie (wife) Amalia Loose, Katharina (mother) & sons Kaschan (?—possibly Kaschum, Samara) Reinhold & David Grabe, Gruen, Pauline Anna and 3 children Stephan, Anna Haffner, Georg Weber, Kath. & 3 children Gräb, Friedrich Gräb, Susanne (wife) & 3 children Kasicka-—(?— possibly Brabander, Samara) Schulz, David Glock, Anna (See also under Preuss) 13 Jan. 1869 Reichert, Alexander Reichert, Amalie (wife) & 2 children Katharinenstadt, Samara Schultheiss, Ferdinand, carpenter Zitzer, Friedrich 33 years old Kummel, Elisabeth and 4 children Zitzer, Dorothea (wife) & 3 children Haffner, Anna and 1 child Bar, Johann Gräb, Maria Schauffler, Heinrich Leimann, Dorothea Schauffler, Elisabeth (wife) Michaelis, Friedrich Krasnoyar, Samara Schonknecht, Friedrich 25 years old Simon, Heinrich Kind, Samara Simon, Kath. (wife) & 2 children 73 years old Laubach, Kath. 14 years old Albert, Sophie Steuerwald, Kaspar 12 years old Albert, Therese Steuerwald, Anna Albert, Alexander Albert, Johann Krasnopol, Samara Albert, Maria (wife) Müller, Peter (See also under Preuss) 10 Sep. 1871 Albert, Alexander (child) Albert, Heinrich (child) Langlof, Maria with 4 62 years old grandchildren Kratzke, Saratov Bender, Heinrich Laubhahn, Therese Kolb, Saratov Schneider, Peter and daughter Maul, David Schneider, Georg Stonzel, Katharina Wilhelm, Jakob Wilhelm, Elisabeth (wife) & son Kukkus, Samara Achziger, Friedrich with mother & Becker, Phillip 12 Mar. 1890 7 siblings Becker, Maria 2 May 1888 Kanzler, Heinrich and wife Becker, Alexander 25 Jan.1909 Kanzler, Marie Becker, Phillip 18 Oct. 1911

39 Name Date of Birth Name Date of Birth or Age Or Age

Becker, Olga 21 Oct. 1913 Leonhard, Christine (wife) Becker, Minna 22 Sep. 1915 Grünewald, Anna-Angelica, Eugen, Becker, Heinrich 30 Mar. 1916 Adolf, August, Joseph Becker, Katharina 28 Apr. 1850 Egel, Andreas 32 years old Grill, Katharina 9 Feb. 1868 Dietrich, Alisius 48 years old Maser, Marie 8 Apr. 1897 Dietrich, Katharina (wife) Debus, Katharina Bachmann, Johann Marienfeld, Saratov Bachmann, Adelheid (wife) & son Gerstner, Josef 20 years old Friedrich Mildenberger, Katharina 25 years old 12 Feb. 1896 Becker, Konrad Roor, Johannes 20 years old Becker, Amalie 20 Sep. 1895 Becker, Emilie 24 July 1916 Mariental, Samara Becker, Marie 30 Jan.1922 Obholz, Adolf 21 years old Debus, Amalie 13 Feb. 1907 Hermann, Katharina and son Josef Debus, Phillip 18 Nov. 1900 Kessler, Natalia & sisters Barbara 17 years old Lambe, Lydia 14 Mar. 1916 & Maria Kukkas, Phillip with wife & Hunger, Viktoria 23 years old 2 children KIein, Adolf Kukkas, Heinrich Klein, Maria (wife) Kukkas, Katharina (wife) & son Klein, Adolf (child) Johannes Klein, Arkadius (child) Kieling, Konrad, Katharina & Klein, Emma (child) Johannes 13 years old Klein, Gottfried with sister Maria Debus, Jakob 43 years old Weissbecker, Adam Debus, Elisabeth 13 years old Hermann, Maria with a sister Fazius, Heinrich Fazius, Elisabeth, Jakob & Barbara Merkel, Saratov Mark, Christina Schneider, Eva and daughter Rash, Anna and son Schild, Heinrich Rosental, Phillip Bruns, Georg 19 years old Rosental, Maria Katharina Bruns, Maria 14 years old Debus, Maria Waigant, Anna Neu-Balzer, Saratov Olberg, Ludwig & Sara 31 July 1905 Debus, Katharina 18 Mar. 1903 Bartle, Kath. & son Bartholai, Heinrich Laub, Samara Neu-Bauer. Samara 5 Nov. 1895 Weber, Anna Wagner, Georg & Elisa Pusch, Maria 10 Aug. 1903 Pusch, Bertha 26 Feb. 1899 Neu-Kolonie, Samara Weber, Andreas 10 Dec. 1885 Weber, Sophie 25 July 1888 Amann, Wilhelm and son 35 years old Weber, Anna 25 Sep. 1911 Riel, Johannes 40 years old Weber, Jakob 29 Apr. 1913 Riel, Paulina (wife) & 4 children Weber, Amalie 2 Oct. 1914 Neu-Warenburg, Samara 23 Nov. 1919 Weber, Heinrich Simon, Pauline Lechers Khutor (?) Sigfried, David Nishnaya Dobrinka, Saratov (See Dobrinka)

Marienberg, Samara Heinze, David 26 years old 29 May 1888 Rausch, Heinrich Heinze, Katharina 24 July 1891 Rausch, Viktoria (wife) Heinze, David 52 years old 8 Mar. 1911 Rost, Barbara with daughter Heinze, Emma 2 Jan. 1913 4 Feb. 1918 Sophie 30 years old Heinze, Samuel Graf, Leonhard, Paul Martin Graf, Juliane 7 Oct. 1882 26 Dec. 1884

40 Name Date of Birth Name Date of Birth or Age or Age Graf, Amalie 1 Jan.1905 Graf, Anna 29 Feb. 1910 GIock, Georg 3 Oct. 1894 Graf, Alexander 6 Nov. 1921 Glock, Katharina 24 Nov.1918 Schindler, Anna 30 Apr. 1889 Glock, Katharina 12 Aug.1902 Schindler, Katharina 10 Feb. 1908 Glock, Joseph 13 une1921 Glock, Georg 23 Apr.1864 Neu-Schilling, Samara Wild, Wilhelm 11 Jan.1874 Rube, Elisabeth and son Wild, Anna 11 Nov.1886 Maurer, Theodor Wild, Eleonore 22 June1907 Rube, Peter Rückert, Joseph 15 Sep. 1900 Rube, Maria (wife) and son Glock, Johannes 22 M a r.1872 Konradi, Margarete and child Safreiter, Heinrich 20 Jan. 1872 Denk, Johannes Nieder-Monjou, Samara Denk, Barbara (wife) Anschütz, Christian 47 years old Denk, Clemens (child) Anschütz, Katharina (wife) & son Denk, Eva (child) 27 Apr. 1888 Christian & Kar Kuhns, Johannes 14 May 1894 Kuhns, Anna Norka, Saratov Müller, Adam Glanz, Heinrich 31 years old Müller, Maria Grün, Heinrich with wife & son 72 years old Sofenreiter, Johannes & Elisabeth Pinner, Heinrich Deser, Peter & Katharina Bauer, Johann Schreiber, Margarete 8 July 1870 Bauer, Marie (wife) & 4 children Schreiber, Luise 12 Oct. 1899 Hohenstein, Hermann Schreiber, Margarete 8 Aug. 1905 Hohenstein, Anna (wife) & 3 Schreiber, Georg 7 Jan. 1 910 Children Glock, Alexander 6 May 1904 Wert, Kath. Spadi, Leo' 22 years old Bobrovsk (?—possibly Popovka, or Kutter, Saratov, Brill, Margarete & Elisabeth or Pokrovsk, or Engels, Samara) Schnell, Alexander Herzog, Alexander & 3 children Kielthau, Katharina 10 Nov. 1895 Reinhard, Samara Döring, Jakob 1 June 1893 Döring, Katharina 10 Mar. 1895 Hermann, Christian & wife 33 years old Oberdorf, Saratov Reinsfeld (?) Jauk, Anna 4 Jan. 1889 Zeibel, Reinhold Hawa, Amalie 30 Oct. 1901 Zeibel, Anna (wife) Orlovskoye, Samara Zeibel, Regina (child) Zeibel, Olga (child) Bar (?), Olga Zeibel, Elisabeth (child) Bar, Dorothea Zeibel, Lidia (child) Paulskoye, Samara Reinwald, Samara Wede, Heinrich, Emma, Maria, Herzog, Amalie and daughter Friedrich, David Reminovka (?) Wede, Emma 15 years old Marker, Heinrich Preuss, Samara Müller, Peter 10 Sep. 1871 Rohleder, Samara Müller, Cacilie 5 May 1877 Freiling, Josef Müller, Wentilinus 16 Mar. 1903 Freiling, Martiana (wife) Müller, Georg 16 Apr. 1901 Freiling, Johannes Müller. Marie 25 Feb. 1901 Schonberger, Dionys & wife Müller, Anna 30 Aug. 1921 Schonberger, Kath. Gasreiter, Heinrich 20 Jan. 1872 Kappes, Rosa 4 June 1894

The Canadian Catholic Society sought to resettle refugees from the Volga and Black Sea areas with farmers in Canada. Seventy-six Catholic men at the Heimkehrlager in Frankfurt/Oder declared themselves ready to emigrate and to settle in Canada with the understanding that their families would soon follow them there. These men were first taken to Hamburg where they were given a physical examination. Unfortunately, twenty-seven were refused permission to emigrate due to illness. The remaining forty-nine men were then sent by train to Rotterdam on March 26, 1924. From Rotterdam they sailed to England and then on to Canada. Pictured above are the seventy-six men plus one unidentified woman and the Catholic priest. Below are the names of those who did emigrate from the Heimkehrlager in March 1924. (Information from Clemens-Blatt, Berlin, May 1. 1924, Vol. 1, No. 5, p. 75.) Richelhof, Friedrich Zeibel, Reinhold Stremel, Georg Dandfirfer, Peter Diel, Adam Neitzich, Peter Schonberger, Josef Stankowitz, Johannes Russmann, Josef Wagner, Clemens Schonberger, Dionysius Rau, Heinrich Storm, Alexander Herlein, Anton Schamber, Raymund Schermer, Adam Abt, Florian Terre, Johannes Mildenberger, Jakob Dandorfer, Jakob Martel, Sebastian Wander, Johann Blattner, Jakob Markel, Georg Meringer, Michael Weisbek, Johannes Weichel, Georg Wuchenauer, Georg Eberhardt, Johannes Weisbek, Johannes Eckermann, Johannes Werner, Georg Schowalie, Johannes Gerk, Paul Weichel, Peter Specht, Georg Schowalie, Adolf Trank, Adolf Weichel, Peter Rohleder, Johann Abt, Kilian Okulewitsch, Leo Seelmann, Heinrich Reith, Georg Burgardt, Peter Gottseltig, Johannes Rolfing, Andreas Stalldecker, Albinius Weingardt, Johannes Specht, Josef

42 Name Date of Birth or Name Age Date of Birth or Rosendamm, Samara Age Reis, Wilhelmine & 3 children Stahl (3 in Samara) Grill, August 29 July 1868 Rosenfeld, (1 in Saratov, 3 in Samara) Grill, Katharina 30 Nov. 1893 Grill, Georg 28 Apr. 1902 Kehm, Konrad 20 Aug. 1878 Grill, Heinrich 7 Oct. 1909 Kehm, Katharina 15 Nov. 1878 Maier, Peter, Amalie, Luise Kehm, Konrad 1 Sep. 1913 Grasmiick, Conrad Kehm, Emilie 8 Nov. 1911 Speri, Johannes & Margarete Herzog, Heinrich Schneider, Christine, Christina, Saratov Heinrich & Anna Grotz, Georg, Mara-Christine, Klein, Martha Christian, Pasilina & Heinrich Friess, Jakob Schafer, Samara Friess, Maria-Christina, Maria- Ertel, Gotfclieb, Emilie, Gottlieb (17 Katharina, Amalia, Luise, Jakob years), Johannes & Adam & Robert Frank, Conrad & Katharina Schilling, Saratov Engelmann, Peter Geier. David 46 years old Lehmann, Johann and Katharina Krell, Adam, Maria, Heinrich, Schöndorf, Samara Christina, Elisabeth, August & Amalie Grauberger, Elisa, Johannes, David, Kempf, Friedrich 60 years old Amalie & Pauline Schuck, Saratov Strassburg, Samara Feser. Joseph & Maria Schuber, Jakob, miller Schuber, Marie (wife) & 5 children Schuiz, Samara Weber, David & 3 children Peil, Emilie and 1 son Weber, Johann Weber, Katharina (wife) Straub, Samara Weber, Waldemar (child) Popp, August Weber, Frieda (child) Popp, Anna and daughter Richter, Friedrich Karle, Kafcharina and 4 children Weber, Johannes, Maria, Emilie, Popp, Heinrich with 3 children Alexander & Heiwink Roth, Friedrich, (confectioner), with wife & Richter, Christian 4 children Richter, Sophie (wife) 58 years old Bopp, Emilie and 3 children Richter, Kath. (daughter) with 4 Popp, August-Johann. Anna, Alexander, children August, Emma Therese, Lydia, Johann, Schwed, Samara Anna, Emilie, August, Emilie Will. Wilhelm, Anna & Therese Wigel, Anna & children David & Dorothea Streckerau, Samara Altergott, Friedrich & son Friedrich Stephanus, Anna Seelmann, Samara Körner, Annemarie & 1 grandchild 59 years old Körner, Peter Edelmann, Phillip 28 years old Kömer, Magdalene (wife) & 4 Gotter, Anna-Marie & daughter 54 years old children Anna Stephan, Josef Landörfer, Jakob 26 years old Stephan, Hanna (wife) and daughter Ziegemann, Katharina 22 years old Kerner, Valentin Kerner, Annemarie (wife) Stangowitz, Johannes with brother 29 years old Kerner, Magdalene and daughter Rundan, Johann Dietrich, Heinrich 34 years old Dietrich. Barbara (wife) & son 43 Name Date of Birth Name Date of Birth or or Age Age

Kherson Province SusannenLal, (Winkelmann), Samara Werner, Friedrich Clock, Barbara 10 May 1875 Leber, Eleonore Leber, Clock, Gustav 3 June 1902 Alexander (son) Clock, Johannes 2 Apr. 1904 Clock, Stefan 27 Dec. 1906 Shcherbakovka, Saratov Clock, Peter 6 Feb. 1908 Wassenmiiller, Gottfried Winter, Amalie Dorfson, Stavropol Wasemüller, Maria Wachtel, Katharina Wasemüller, Hilda & August 21 Jan. 1883 Wachtel, Katharina 28 Feb. 1838 Wachtel, Heinrich Walter-Khutor, Saratov 27 Sep. 1902 Wachtel, Dorothea Gies, Johannes 26 June 1904 Wachtel, Ludwig Gies, Katharina 4 Jan. 1901 Schmit, Friedrich Gies, Johannes (son) 5 July 1885 Schmit, Rosalie Alles, Heinrich and Magdalena 10 Oct. 1890 Schmit, Katharina Alles, Magdalena 16 Jan. 1908 Schmit, Johannes Gies, Maria 31 years old 10 Nov. 1910 Schmit, Georg 10 Nov. 1910 Schmit, Friedrich Warenburg, Samara 27 Dec. 1921 Bier, Katharina Fürstenau, Taurida Miiller, Agathe Wieler, Jakob 9 Aug. 1865 Kramer, Michael &. 2 children Kinzel, Heinrich and 2 children Blumenhain, Taurida Adolf, Marie and a son 14 Dec. 1902 Weiler, Gerhard Adolf, Georg & 4 children 24 Jan.1905 Weiler, Marie Kramer, Kath & 2 children Krutzel, Anna & 2 children Podolsk, Moscow Trippel, Heinrich Weiler,Liese 13 Jan.1909 Klann, Agathe 25 years old Weiler, Anna 13 Feb. 1913 Miiller, Katharina 45 years old Bier, Leo 32 years old Strachovo, Warsaw Richter, Juliana Wiesenmiiller, Samara 30 Aug. 1881 Richter, Anna Pinnecker, Adam 23 Oct. 1874 23 Mar. 1901 Richter, August 22 May 1907 Pinnecker, Marie 12 Aug. 1875 Friedenberg, Samara Pinnecker, Pauline 27 Dec. 1903 Pinnecker, Lydia 23 Jan. 1910 Richter, Ludwig 1 July 1918 Pinnecker, Therese 25 Apr. 1912 Pinnecker, Viktor 11 Oct. 1915 Pinnecker, Emma 25 Nov. 1917 Vogel, Johann and 2 children Weber, Johannes and son 35 years old Fritzler, Joh. Georg 19 years old

44 THE YOUNG PEOPLE Hertha Karasek-Strzygowski Translated by Sally Tieszen Hieb This chapter of Wolhynisches Tagebuch is so far to wake him up. the only one of a joyous nature translated for the I had been trying to find the right moment to sketch him Journal. The majority of the portraits reflect the misery between his noon meal and his nap time for days. His free and hardships experienced by the inhabitants of and easy, friendly boy's face captivated me very much, but Blumental, near Zhitomir in Volhynia, during World each time he looked at me with his straightforwardness, War II. The artist made the chalk sketches while lazily stretched his arms high, and groaned, "Aw, no, no, visiting the small village during the summer of 1942. aw no, you don't want to do that," and— kerplunk—he lay The short chapters describing the life of each subject down on his bed of boards, and a moment later he was of a chalk sketch were not written until more than snoring heavily and contentedly. thirty years later. Ten chapters from this remarkable It was like a game of hide-and-seek. It always seemed book have appeared in translation in previous issues to give him a devilish joy to be able to get away from me of the Journal, and the remaining chapters will appear again and again. He felt secure only outdoors on the high in subsequent issues. straw stacks, as he rhythmically caught the threshed sheaves and stacked them. Then, when I happened past him Emil, the son of my hostess, was the tallest, the on my walks in the field, he could shout out to me with strongest, and had the blondest hair of all the boys in the playful confidence in his voice, "Ah, Artist, do you want to village. Whenever I looked at him and our eyes met, it sketch me now?" Yes, I had to wait a long time. warmed my heart; I enjoyed his laughing eyes as much as But on a certain Sunday, when Emil was wearing his he did mine. snow-white linen shirt instead of his usual black one, When I first arrived in Blumental, he had given up his "Where one can't see the dirt," and although at noon he had bed for me in the same room where Mother Fenske and Ida enjoyed dessert made with the first poppy seed of the also slept. Since that time he slept in the kitchen on some season and had contentedly patted his full stomach, he planks next to the large, sky-blue, Russian stove. Mother didn't fling himself down on his beloved stove bench as Fenske had carefully and completely filled with baskets and usual, because just then Ida's girl friends came over: Lydia, bottles the comfortable sleeping place on this stove, which Meta, Erna, Herta, and a couple of others. Each one was a the Russian peasants loved so much, so that no one would lovely, pretty, young girl. Each was wearing her clean be tempted to lie down there and so that everyone could im- Sunday clothes which had been worn for Sunday worship mediately know he was in a German home in spite of that service. Snow-white head scarves framed their radiant, Russian peasants' monstrosity. happy, sun-tanned faces. It was a joy to see them. So, of Emil slept well and as often as possible; the fact that his course, Emil had to look them over and laugh. It gave him bed was hard and rickety was no detriment to his sleep. In so much pleasure, that he completely forgot to take his the morning he had to be the first one up and out of the usual nap. house to get to his job at the kolkhoz [collective farm] This seemed to me to be exactly the right moment, and where he looked after the horses. At noon he returned home he couldn't easily say, "Aw, no, no, no." So he once more dirty and drenched with sweat. In spite of the fact that he resignedly stuck his blond head in the fresh water at the washed himself thoroughly at the well—obviously to please well, came into the kitchen, his hair dripping in sopping wet us "German lasses"—there was always a strong odor of strands, plopped himself on the bench next to the window, horse about him. somewhat at a loss as to what to do with his long legs and Then in his easygoing manner and with obvious arms. He was the picture of resignation itself but didn't pleasure, he ate his barley soup, carefully licked off his seem to be upset or perturbed by my attentive observation wooden spoon, stretched to the full length of his lanky of him. frame and with an "ah" and an "oh," fell onto his plank bed Mother Fenske, on the other hand, took the matter like a sack, and fell asleep immediately. Before this lad was seriously. She was, of course, so proud that I wanted to ready to go to work again at the kolkhoz, Mother Fenske sketch her tall rascal. She would really have to shake and thump

46 wanted it to be a "right nice photograph." So she says you are blind, you always miss the mark with fussed around him continuously and urgently your hammer. I'm going to marry the carpenter!' Then admonished him, "Emil, sit up straight! Emil, look the blacksmith laughed and said, 'The carpenter? He is nice, the artist wants to sketch you!" But Emit just much blinder than I am. He planes a board smooth, smiled at me with his most cheerful grin and but then still runs his hand over it because he can't see continued to loll about in an unseemly manner if it is smooth.' Did the girl marry the smithy ...?" because, of course, he didn't know how to act in any That produced the first really boisterous laughter, other way. with Oscar joining in. But out of embarrassment he The young girls crowded onto the narrow, kitchen had put his cap on his head, making himself look bench, whispering and giggling. There was a foolish, and this really was funny to the girls. Emil lighthearted atmosphere in the kitchen, and that immediately asked sanctimoniously, "Are you the pleased the young man very much. One could see that Kaiser?" and instantly the next story began. by looking at him. "A colonist rode his horse to St. Petersburg. He The girls were all fond of him; he was always wanted to see the Russian Emperor, Nicholas. On the cheerful and was fun to have around, even though he way he met a horseman wearing a hat on his head and didn't do much about it. It was enough just that he said, 'I'd like to see the emperor, but how will I was there in his gangliness, his blondness, and with recognize him?' The horseman answered, 'It will be his happy laughter. easy to recognize the emperor. He will have a hat on Now Oscar, the apprentice blacksmith, also came his head; none of the others will.' So he rode on with in—almost timidly. He squatted down on the the horseman until they came to the market place. outermost edge of Emil's sleeping bench, spun his Many people were gathered there, all hatless. He colonist cap round and round in his hands, and smiled looked around. Only the horseman beside him and he at the girls somewhat self-consciously. He was not as himself wore hats. Terrified, he asked, 'Now then, am much at ease or as candid as Emil; his gentle nature I the emperor or are you?' " gave an impression of awkwardness. He kept looking Yes, Emil had confidence in himself and wanted to at the girls, one after the other, and could not prevent show what he could do. I hadn't realized he could be his gaze from always riveting on Ida's wholesome so entertaining and quick-witted. No doubt the face. She was the only one who sat there without a presence of the attentive girls gave him this spirit. head scarf and, with her deep golden, curly hair, was "And now the story about Olga and the pears," unusually attractive today. She seemed not to be shouted Oscar encouragingly. "Tell it!" particularly aware of his glances. She continued to "Well, okay," said Emil after some hesitation. laugh and joke with the girls unabashedly. However, "There once was a wealthy young man, but he was a her youthful face gradually began to glow; her laugh bit stupid. He wanted to marry a certain young lady, grew deeper. Her eyes met his now and then as if but she didn't want him. However, because he was so drawn by a magnet. It wasn't hard to guess that she wealthy, her parents wanted her to marry him. Well, also felt something special for Oscar. they had the wedding, and the bridal pair went to the One of the girls teasingly asked Ida whom she bedroom to go to bed. So they lay down on the bed. would rather marry, a carpenter or a smithy. That He turned his back to her and went to sleep. But she really produced a lot of laughter; even Mother Fenske was still wide awake. She thought, 'I don't want to go joined in. It was only I who didn't know for certain to sleep yet. I'm not staying with this stupid man.' So what this question and the laughter signified. But she got up and fetched a goat and laid it on the bed, after a request from his mother, "You have to explain and then she left. There was fresh straw in the it to her, Emil," he said, with a wink at his sister: mattress, and the goat started to eat the straw. He "Well, once upon a time, there was a lovely, continued to eat and eat, until all the straw was gone. young maiden who was betrothed to a blacksmith. The wedding had taken place in the home of the There was a carpenter who also liked this maiden and groom, because he was rich, and she was poor. Now wanted to marry her. 'Don't marry that blacksmith; he the groom woke up and heard the eating and called, is such a blind fellow. He always misses the mark 'OIla, Olla,' (the girl's name was Olga) 'are you eating when he swings his hammer/ The girl went to the pears?' There was no answer. 'There are more in the blacksmith, watched him, and saw how he sometimes loft, Ollusch, do you want more pears)?' There was struck the iron and sometimes struck beside it. Said the girl to the smithy, 'I can't marry you. The carpenter

47 still no answer. He jumped out of bed, got some pears In the meantime, I could observe Emil's changing from the loft, and brought them to the bed. Only then expressions. Sketching him was a delightful did he notice who was lying in his bed!" experience. My red chalk just flew over the paper, These were the very first humorous stories I had and the hours seemed to pass in an instant. I could heard in Blumental. I would have gladly heard more, only be amazed at how docile and gentle as a lamb but the young people didn't know many more. From Emil continued to sit there. It obviously pleased him whom could they have heard them? Funny stories that the girls laughed with him, joked with him, and have always been male subject matter, and there had sang. not been any adult males m the village anymore for a As I put aside my pad and called out, "Finished," long time. he seemed almost a bit disappointed. Then he relaxed Mother Fenske said, "Yes, Father could really tell and stretched, breathed heavily, "ohed" and "ahed" as stories back in those days many years ago, when we though he had just finished some heavy labor, stood still had no idea about all the grief that was to come." up ponderously, and looked over my shoulder at his She herself could not be persuaded to tell such "men's portrait. For a long time he didn't say a thing. Then he stories," in spite of the fact that she seemed to know gave me a friendly and downright strong punch on some of them. The young girls didn't care for these my shoulder and said appreciatively, "Artist, you stories very much either. They were even more portrayed me very nicely and recognizably." He then resistant to stories about ghosts and spirits. They took my red chalk in his large hands and said preferred singing and laughing, and this they did a lot forcefully, "So, now it's my turn." Painstakingly he on this afternoon. wrote under the portrait: i^/^^ ^ A^AJt sdf W^UJiJIf fMJ^^l^

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AHSGR'S NINETEENTH INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - AUGUST 1-7 We'll be publishing major addresses of this convention in future issues of the Journal, | but we hope you plan to be in Milwaukee for this celebration of our 20th anniversary. Do bring your children and grandchildren who will enjoy the special activities for youth, Some of the events planned are: ** A balloon festival. Imagine more than 1000 balloons containing a message about AHSGR released at one time. It will be exciting to see where they land. ** A bigger-than-ever genealogy consulting workshop plus special speakers on genealogy. ** A fun night planned by our hosts with special music and the Schuhplattler. ** A village night where you will exchange information with others related to your ancestral village. ** A symposium telling stories about folklore. ** A very special banquet program to commemorate our 20th birthday.

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48 GERMAN PROTESTANTS IN TSARIST RUSSIA AND THE SOVIET UNION Gerd Stricker Translated by Gill Ablitt German church life in Russia has always been periods), and that the unaccustomed climate and lack characterized by its extreme diaspora situation— both of agricultural equipment aggravated the situation to denominationally and ethnically. Outside the no small extent, it is not surprising that it was a long Lutheran Baltic provinces—Estonia, Livonia, and time before the Volga colonies started to flourish. Courland1—there was no real structure to German Raids by the nomad Kirgiz and Kalmyks also churches in Russia, and there was always an element hindered successful development: plundering and of uncertainty inherent in church life. The only pillaging, which continued until after 1800, caused the significant exception to this was the Mennonites—but settlers anxiety and alarm. Over the years, some 1,500 even within the German community they formed an settlers were seized and sold in the slave markets of isolated ethnic and religious group. Attempts to bring Bukhara and elsewhere. The Volga colonies also about organizational unity among the churches m the suffered extensive devastation during the Pugachov colonists' villages were always suggested to the uprising (1773-74). It took three generations before churches from outside, i.e., by the state. the situation stabilized and a certain degree of Before the reign of Catherine II (1762-96), prosperity was achieved. attempts to settle the fertile Volga steppe had failed. Between 1763 and 1769, some 27,000 Germans In 1762 and 1763 Catherine published manifestos in settled along the lower Volga to the north and south Europe inviting people to settle in Russia. Free land of Saratov. The settlements were established on a (30-80 hectares per family), deferred taxation, denominational basis. Of the 101 "mother colonies" interest-free loans for purchases, and self- along the Volga, there were 68 Protestant villages administration were included in the offer. Religious (including 4 Calvinist and a few mixed Lutheran and liberty was also guaranteed,2 and this was an Calvinist) and 33 Catholic.4 The whole region was important factor in all the phases of immigration. divided into 11 Protestant and 4 Catholic parishes, of There is no doubt that the first settlers along the which 13 had already built a church by 1771. A Volga had the most difficult start in Russia. Many further 91 daughter colonies had come into being in came from Hesse and the Rhineland, areas devastated the Volga Region by 1909, and the number of settlers in Frederick IF s Seven-Year War (1756-63). Since had risen to 450,000 Protestants and about 150,000 Catherine had specifically invited all professions to Catholics. settle in Russia, only about 50 percent of the In 1787 Catherine II offered Western Prussian immigrants were farmers or farm laborers; about 40 Mennonites a special colonization agreement to percent were craftsmen or belonged to other establish settlements along the Dnieper in the newly stations—including a considerable percentage of won territory of southern Ukraine. She also invited unfortunates (discharged soldiers and officers, more German colonists to the Molochnaya Region in impoverished gentry, escaped convicts), and others southern Russia. Alexander I continued the (adventurers, artists, musicians, hairdressers).3 Once colonization program with his manifesto of 1804, in Russia, however, they were all compelled to lead a which resulted in a new wave of immigration that rural existence. If one takes this into account and then continued into the 1860s and brought some 100,000 considers further that the colonization program was new settlers into the country. quite inadequately planned on the Russian side (e.g., In contrast to the post-1763 colonization of the no building materials—in many cases the immigrants Volga, the second wave of immigrants (to the Black had to live in zemlyanki (mud huts) for extended Sea area—present-day Ukraine) had strong religious motives for coming to Russia. Many of the colonists *This article was originally published in Religion in came from southwest Germany— Württemberg, Communist Lands [RCL], Vol. 15, No. 1, Spring Bavaria, Alsace, Switzerland. Religious unrest among 1987. It is republished here by permission of Religion Protestants in Germany intensified when King in Communist Lands and Keston College. Frederick I of Württemberg radically changed the liturgy, hymns, and church customs in line with the rationalist spirit

49 of the age. Particularly in Württemberg, pietistic By 1835 German colonists had established 189 groups had long been meeting for the Stunde (hour) villages in southern Russia and Bessarabia, of which for prayer and Bible reading because they were not about 80 were Lutheran, 35 Catholic, 56 Mennonite, satisfied with what was being offered by the 6 Calvinist, 3 autonomous Lutheran, and a few mixed established church. The religious revival which swept Lutheran-Calvinist or Lutheran-Catholic.6 Round across Europe at the beginning of the nineteenth about 1860 there were 130,000 Germans in 214 century gave rise to "new pietistic" features in villages,7 and by 1911 this number had quadrupled: in Württemberg and at the same time further intensified southern Russia (including Bessarabia but excluding the tendency to introversion and isolation. Many of the towns) there were about 225,000 German Pro- those who were dissatisfied with the state of their testants, 196,000 Catholics and 105,000 Mennonites.8 church went to Russia in the hope that they might be Volhynia and Podolia [western Ukrainian able to sustain their familiar church there without provinces— RLC Ed.] were colonized from 1830 opposition. onwards, but especially after 1863. The settlers were Others had already separated from the church — mainly Germans from Polish territory which had been committed Christians who had experienced inner added to the Russian Empire since 1795. In 1862, conversion, "rebirth." These groups were especially 5,700 German Protestants settled in Volhynia, with willing to emigrate. only one pastor.9 By 1914 their number had increased The French Revolution, the Napoleonic wars, crop to 210,000 (more than 500 villages), divided into only failures, and religious revivals all helped to create an 11 parishes. Inadequate spiritual provision on the one atmosphere conducive to apocalyptic-eschatological hand, and proximity to Poland and central Europe on ideas. The mystic Juliane von Krudener, a long- the other (together with the continuing immigration), standing confidante of Tsar Alexander I, referring to made Volhynia susceptible to new religious Bengel and Jung-Stilling as well as Spener, movements which offered the settlers more on a announced the imminent return of Christ in 1836—on spiritual level than did the established Lutheran Mount Ararat in Armenia—and therewith the Church. Thus, 20 percent of Germans in Volhynia are beginning of the millennium. She forced (and thought to have been Baptists before 1914.10 partially financed) the emigration of these visionaries, Adventism also made its first inroads into Russia who from 1817 made their way down the Danube to from Volhynia. Russia. Two groups, seriously depleted by illness and Despite various divisions in the course of the years, epidemics, settled to the north of Odessa, where they the parishes have always been too large: founded autonomous Lutheran churches of born- even at the beginning of the twentieth century, many again believers (Hoffnungstal and the villages around Protestant pastors were responsible for the spiritual Neuhoffnung). A third group (about 450 families) welfare of more than twenty German villages, reached the Caucasus and established seven villages whereas German Catholic priests generally had near Tiflis and to the south of it (including Helenental parishes with only three or four congregations. and Katharinenfeld)—also separated from the Additionally, the Protestant parishes suffered from a Lutheran Church. When 1836 passed without the serious shortage of pastors, so that intensive pastoral return of Christ, these visionaries came to their care was frequently not provided. senses, and as a result there was a measure of Often the pastor was only able to visit each reconciliation with the Lutheran Church, although individual colony two or three times a year (and they still formed their own Evangelical-Lutheran sometimes not even as often as that). Pietistic synod. Only later (1876 in Hoffnungstal, 1928 in the Brethren groups (see below) tried to fill the spiritual Caucasus) did they rejoin the Lutheran Church in vacuum: they had a strong influence on religious life Russia. in the villages—more so in the Black Sea area than While eight villages (consisting of some 2,000 along the Volga. people) were founded by the Mennonites along the The Klisterlehrer (sacristan-teacher) was the Dnieper (Khortitza Region) after 1788, there was a pastor's representative, and provided what was often more significant influx into the Black Sea area, along the only education the colonists received in their life. the River Molochnaya, during the reign of Alexander As such, he was the spiritual authority in the village. I, after 1800. Over the period 1802-12 there were He was appointed by the church and was paid as little approximately 5,000 people, and by 1842 there were as possible. It is hardly surprising that unqualified about 55,000 Mennonites in forty villages in this people often area,5

50 assumed the office of schoolmaster, of Küsterlehrer. turning to the Brethren and to new religious Lessons suffered not only because of the teacher's lack movements. In many cases it was the pastors of qualifications but also because of the size of classes themselves who remained distant from their (four hundred pupils was quite normal in the Volga congregations—whether they were Polish priests in colonies). In southern Russia, on the other hand, the the German-Catholic villages or Lutheran pastors German villages were much smaller and did not form who, as gentlemen, often looked down on the self-contained settlements, with the result that in the "uncultured colonists." The mentality of pastors from smaller colonies there were often only between twenty Germany distanced them from the farming and fifty children in school, and a teacher could hardly community, and in human terms they were sometimes be paid. not able to meet the hopes placed in them. Only the The school was specifically a church school, with Calvinists and the autonomous Lutheran parishes the catechism as the main subject but with some time experienced less difficulty in finding suitable also given to hymn-singing, reading, writing, and pastors—who came mainly from Switzerland (the arithmetic. Children attended school between the ages Basel Mission). of seven and fourteen (when they were confirmed), The relationship between pastor and parish was but only in winter; in summer they worked in the also made difficult because in the colonies, apart from fields. Under such circumstances academic their vocational duties, pastors also had to act more or achievements were not particularly high, and as far as less as Sittenwachter (guardians of propriety)— girls were concerned, their parents were satisfied if controlling especially the activities of young people. they could read. (The Bible, hymnbook, and Luther's Moreover, they were forbidden to engage in any form small catechism were often the only teaching mate- of social-charitable activity. This caused a further rift rials.) At any rate, every German village had its own between pastor and parish which encouraged the school, while the Russian and Ukrainian villages development of a piety not related to the church. This rarely did. was not the fault of the pastor alone.12 It was only in Teachers were trained in so-called ^central the last third of the nineteenth century that the schools," which existed specifically to train provision of suitable pastors for the villages became a Kilsterlehrer and Schreiber (clerks)—German little easier when—as a result of grants—a reasonable administrators who were also supposed to be able to number of colonists' sons were able to attend the speak Russian—and for this reason some of the Roman Catholic seminary of the German bishopric of teaching in these schools took place in the Russian Tiraspol in Saratov, or the Protestant Faculty at the language. In most cases the training period was four German University of Dorpat, in Estonia. years. As the pastor's representative, the Kilsterlehrer generally led the church service, but since he was not The "Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Russia" ordained, he was not allowed to preach and had to After the 1832 Decree read a printed sermon. He prepared young people for As already stated, in contrast to the Baltic confirmation and engaged couples for their "wedding provinces, where there was an established church, test" (an examination of their basic religious elsewhere in the Russian Empire there existed only knowledge). He baptized babies and buried the dead. individual congregations with no overall He helped the colonists as well as the Schuize11 (vil- organizational structure. lage mayor) with anything needing to be written. Tension between Lutherans and Calvinists was so When the pastor visited the village, he ratified the great that at times the latter would rather turn to a baptisms, celebrated Communion, tested candidates Catholic priest than to the neighboring Lutheran for confirmation and first communicants, and blessed pastor; cases are known where Lutheran pastors them and new marriages. Generally speaking, time refused to give Communion to Calvinist settlers. There and circumstances did not permit him to step out of were many issues and problems which could the role of distributor of the sacraments and devote obviously not be resolved by the clergy themselves. himself to pastoral work, and spiritual life in the So many complaints came to the Tutelkanzlei13 colonies was rarely stirred up by the pastors. (Tsarist administration) that the "Crown" intervened It was not only the rarity of visits by the pastors, and made some important decisions. nor revival movements and pietistic traditions, that In 1819 Tsar Alexander I, as summus episcopus, resulted in the colonists often ordered the establishment of a church

51 The new law made the Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Russia a state church, just as the Orthodox Church was. The secular president and spiritual vice- president (General Superintendent) of the Petersburg general Consistorium were appointed by the Tsar, and even the committee members had to be approved by him. The church administrators were paid by the state. The whole church was divided on a regional basis into councils, with six initially allotted to the Baltic provinces (later combined into three), and two (Petersburg and Moscow) for the rest of the Russian Empire. The administration in Moscow and Petersburg was clearly too far away to be able to know about problems in the individual churches along the Volga, in southern Russia, in Volhynia, in the Caucasus, or in Siberia. It is perhaps important to note that the Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Russia incorporated all Protestants in Russia (1917: 1.1 million Germans, 1.3 million Latvians, 1.1 million Estonians, 0.15 million Finns). But all church leaders until 1917 had been Germans. The theological faculty in Dorpat (Estonia) was German and the official language of this church had been German. The church law was a high point for the Baltic provinces: it meant that the peculiar position of the Lutheran Church in Livonia, Estonia and Courland was legally resolved, for even here the dominant Lutheran national church had become no more than a tolerated foreign denomination. In southern Russia, mixed Lutheran-Calvinist Pastor Bachmann at a wedding ceremony in churches which had grown together as "Protestant" Tselinograd. Photo ® Glaube in der zweiten Welt. churches with no particular denominational status were torn apart again by the strongly Lutheran council in Saratov for the Volga colonies and ap- character of the law. pointed Dr. Ignatius Aurelius Fessler as superin- Despite its numerous deficiencies and weaknesses, tendent. Dr. Fessler organized a church structure and the church law did in time bring about a feeling of also helped to bring about salutary coexistence community among Protestants in the Russian Empire. between Lutherans and Calvinists. A year earlier the Common tasks were undertaken through the Tsar had appointed Pastor Bottiger in Odessa as "Benevolent Fund for Evangelical-Lutheran Churches superintendent of a church council that was to be set in Russia" (an enterprise set up in 1858 covering the up for southern Russia. These and other significant whole Empire), which made provision for dependents changes were thwarted by the 1832 Decree, which was of deceased pastors, and financed the appointments of in preparation from 1828 and with regard to which incumbents for poor churches, the building of Nicholas I had consulted a commission composed churches and schools, theological training for mainly of representatives from the Baltic provinces. colonists' sons, and the setting up of new parishes. In accordance with the strictly Lutheran A large number of Lutheran institutions denominational format prevalent in the Baltic (Evangelical hospitals in Petersburg, Moscow, provinces, a set of purely Lutheran church regulations Odessa; charitable undertakings in Sarata, was established, which did not take into account the Grossliebental and Beideck (Taiovka) run by Pro- fact that the crucifix, the burning of candles, an testant nursing sisters, and the existence of a extended liturgy sung by the pastor, and sometimes widespread Protestant press, bear witness to the even the vestments were just as foreign to Lutherans growing inner strength of this church. from Württemberg who had been influenced by pietistic tendencies as they were to the Calvinists (approximately 40,000 in 1832), whose interests were supposed to be represented by "Reformed sessions" within the appropriate church council (Consistorium).

52 The decades before the Revolution were char- The Moravian Brethren Colony of Sarepta acterized by intervention by the state, whose policy of In 1764 the Moravian Brethren from the Herrnhut russification led to what became a practically total ban Brüder-Gemeinde (founded by Count Zinzendorf on the use of the German language, even from the (1722)) established the colony of Sarepta near pulpit, when the First World War broke out. German Tsaritsyn (Volgograd), 250 kilometers south of the pastors were exiled to Siberia in large numbers; other Volga colonies. It enjoyed more extensive 14 120,000 Germans living in Volhynia were forcibly privileges than the other Volga villages. The actual resettled away from the front lines. aim of the colony— the mission to the Kalmyks—had to be given up fairly quickly. Pillaging by nomads, but also the Pugachov rebellion, hit Sarepta harder than The Brethren Movement the other German villages and held back its economic The Brethren movement became characteristic not development so severely that the colonists were only of the Evangelicals but of all denominations in forced to concentrate on economic survival, which the German colonies. Advocates of the Württemberg was only made possible by assistance from the Tsar Stunde brought the pre-conditions for the Brethren and from Herrnhut. [German territory where the movement to Russia. The lack of spiritual provision Moravians took refuge when they fled the Czech lands for the villages brought new members to the Brethren after the Counter-Reformation— RLC Ed.] Sarepta meetings, who became "brothers" and "sisters" when became known for its mustard, tobacco, and a special they experienced revival, conversion, and a spiritual blue linen (sarpinka); it also developed as a spa town. rebirth. The Bible became the sole guiding principle These desperate efforts naturally required the help of in their lives. A lively faith and deep piety led to a outsiders who were not members of the Moravian rejection of theology and science. Although they were Brethren community. This gradually led to the decline often mocked by or suffered hostility from their in spiritual life and eventually to the secularization of church environment, they contributed a great deal to the colony: in 1892 Herrnhut recalled the last Brethren moral development in the colonies insofar as the who were still active in Sarepta. Evangelical pastor was able to integrate them into Although from the point of view of the Moravian church life. Brethren this episode was a failure, great blessings Three preachers of revival who helped to advance extended from Sarepta to the German colonies along the cause of the Stunde in the colonies were Johannes the Volga, and later to the villages in southern Russia (1824-48) and Karl Bonekemper (1865-76), and too. Many Volga villages came into contact with the Eduard Wust (1843-59), pastor of the autonomous Brethren movement through the Moravian Brethren, Lutheran church of Neuhoffnung. The latter had a and this made them open to the later movement considerable influence even among the Mennonite spreading from the German villages of southern churches. Russia. Sarepta's greatest contribution consisted in The Brethren movement reached the Volga from providing pastors (mainly Calvinist)—eighteen up till the German settlements in southern Russia. Initial 1820—for the colonies and advice on spiritual matters steps in this direction had, however, already been right into the nineteenth century. Sa-repta's primary taken at the end of the eighteenth century when and secondary schools (for boys and girls) were well Moravian Brethren from Sarepta (see below) known, and even Russian dignitaries tried to send established Brethren circles in the Volga villages, their children to school there, although this was, of until they were expelled by the Lutheran pastors, course, forbidden by law. Many Lutheran pastors also Despite the tensions between the Brethren and the sent their children—and especially their daughters— official church, Lutheran Brethren did not leave their to school in Sarepta. church. Among the Mennonites, on the other hand, the Brethren movement led to a deep split and eventually Pre-revolutionary statistics on the denominations, provided a basis for the Baptist movement in the which can only be taken as a guide and are at times German villages. Finally, it should not be forgotten contradictory, give a figure of some 1.6 to 1.8 million that the Stunde and the Brethren movement provided a Germans in Russia in 1914, of whom 1.1. million strong impetus for the development of an belonged to the Evangelical-Lutheran Church in autochthonous Russian-Ukrainian Baptist movement 15 Russia. This figure includes some 100,000 {Stundismus}. 16 Calvinists. The number of Catholics was somewhere between 350,000

53 and 400.000.17 They formed about one-third of the Malmgren) as well as a non-German bishop (at first German population along the Volga and almost half the Finnish Bishop Palsa), and two laymen. of the German population around the Black Sea but As a result of the more conciliatory attitude of the were hardly represented in any other German Soviet authorities on the one hand, and international settlements or in the towns. The third largest group interest on the other (the Evangelical-Lutheran among the Germans in Russia were the Mennonites18 Church in Russia became a member of the Lutheran with their villages along the Dnieper (Khortitza) and World Congress in 1923), a seminary was opened in in Taurida (along the Molochnaya River).19 The Petrograd in 1925-the so-called "Theological Baptist movement played a part in the colonies from College." It existed until 1934, but after 1930 regular the 1860s onwards, but statistics are very hard to instruction was no longer possible: tutors were come by since it often came into being in Mennonite arrested, as were candidates and graduates. Of the villages.20 There may have been a total of about fifty-seven pastors who trained over a period of four 70,000 German Baptists in Russia in 1914. years, only a few were able to fulfill their ministry for any length of time—sooner or later they disappeared From the October Revolution to 1941 into the camps, were forbidden to pursue their The October Revolution of 1917 brought about a vocation, or were forced to flee. completely new situation for all religious The 1929 Decree on Religious Associations, in communities. The decree on the "Separation of the conjunction with the campaign of enforced col- Church and State," along with other laws, initially lectivization and the Atheist Five-Year Plan paralyzed the churches, for their governing bodies (commencing in 1928) put an end to all institutional had to a considerable extent been composed of church life in the Soviet Union. Alongside the mass government officials; expropriation deprived them of arrests of clergy, churches and chapels were much of their income; and the ban on religious systematically closed on various pretexts. instruction challenged the church with the need to The following statistics may help to clarify the present the catechism in new ways, which were later situation: for the 204 Lutheran parishes in the completely prohibited. U.S.S.R. there were 189 pastors in 1917 (figures refer The separation of the now autonomous Baltic to the end of the year in each case); provinces deprived the Germans in Russia not only of in 1924 there were 81 (reduction due to imprisonment their spiritual center but also of the University of and the so-called "flight of priests"); in 1929 there Dorpat, with the result that theological training were 90 (increase due to graduates from the became a vital issue for the Evangelical-Lutheran seminary); in 1932 there were 64; in 1933, 60; in Church in Russia.21 In 1920 church leaders attempted 1934, 34; in 1935, 23; in 1936, 10; to meet the demands of the time by introducing in 1937, none or perhaps just one.22 Bishop Meyer "temporary measures," but changing circumstances— died in 1934, and no successor was permitted. After civil war, famine—brought these attempts to nothing. international intervention, Bishop Malmgren was Although the real target of the Bolsheviks' anti- allowed to leave the Soviet Union in 1936. In the religious measures was the Orthodox Church, they following years, the Stalinist terror destroyed not only also affected the other denominations to a lesser all external manifestations of religious life but also in degree (appropriation by the state of clergy dwellings, part the life of faith within families, where any denial of ration cards to priests, denial of the vote, expression of religion was concealed for fear of arrest. continuous persecution). The German attack on the U.S.S.R. in 1941 The New Economic Policy brought some relief to ushered in the end of the traditional German colony in the churches for a time. Thus the Evangelical- Russia. The exception was the Ukraine, along the Lutheran Church was permitted to hold a General right bank of the Dnieper, where, between 1941 and Synod in 1924 (the first in its ninety-year history), 1944, after the rapid German advance, church life was which granted more rights to congregations and also able to develop again, although this should be to non-German Lutherans (in 1918, approximately qualified by adding that normal spiritual support, 900,000 Germans, 150,000 Finns, 120,000 Estonians, provided by army chaplains, was available only and 70,000 Latvians belonged to the Evangelical- during the military administration. Under the civil Lutheran Church in Russia). The new governing body administration, the religious communities were made was a so-called High Consistory (Oberkirchenrat) more conscious of National Socialist church policy in composed of the General Superintendents—later various ways—for example the Russian-German Bishops—of Moscow (Theophil Meyer) and churches were not permitted to appoint any pastors. Petrograd (Arthur After the Russian offensive of 1943, the

54 German settlers fled to the Warthegau or along the For example, even in officially permitted ("regis- Elbe, where at last religion could be practiced freely.23 tered") Baptist churches—which are in a relatively good position—it is still customary for each verse to be read out before it is sung, since there are no The Difficulties of Church Life for Germans hymnbooks. in U.S.S.R. After 1941 After the end of the war the situation improved a The deportation of Germans following the German little for Germans in labor camps and under attack on the Soviet Union in 1941 made no real kommendantura. Prayer meetings grew in number and impact on their religious life: its institutional size. Of course, one of the reasons for this was that the manifestation, for the most part, had already been camps and settlements had been filled with destroyed in the 1930s. Faith only survived, albeit "repatriated" Germans from the Warthegau. In the secretly, in families who knew more absolutely and early 1950s, the deported Germans experienced more .uncompromisingly than others that they were in revival on an unprecedented scale—like the earlier Christ's service (these families often tended’ to be revivals among the German colonies in Russia, which Brethren). resulted in thousands of people being converted and Little is known about corporate religious life in the joining the Brethren communities. After almost a trudarmiya (forced labor camp). For those placed decade, the women handed back their positions of under kommendantura,24 the situation varied leadership in the churches to the men. according to whether they were in barracks in the far The relaxation of pressure and growth of meetings, north (e.g., the women lumberjacks), or on kolkhozy, and probably also the increasing influence of the men, or in towns in Central Asia. In spite of the great risk gave rise again to matters of principle; in particular, of being discovered and the draconian punishments the old issue of infant or adult baptism, on which even threatened for religious meetings, prayer groups the Brethren are divided, led to petty jealousies, sprang up nearly everywhere, some of which reached quarrels, and finally to splits. Lutherans, for example, astonishing sizes, and most even managed to provide were already accusing Baptists and Mennonite- religious instruction for children. Physical, emotional, Brethren of "fishing in our ponds," taking their and spiritual needs brought together people who were members away. The "ecumenism of the first hour" had accustomed to praying and enabled them to forget disintegrated; denominational boundaries came into their denominational divisions: Lutherans, Calvinists, their own again. Mennonites of all types, Baptists, Adventists, The amnesty of 195525 led to the mass migration Pentecostals— and many Catholics too—put into of Germans from the Arctic Zone to Central Asia and practice a Russian-German "ecumenism of the first western Siberia, areas to which many Germans had hour" after 1941. Birthdays, anniversaries, and other been deported in 1941. In nearly every case this was similar occasions, as well as visiting the sick, all by no means an un-planned flight but a deliberate served as pretexts for meeting in the case of checks. reunion with one's family and former neighbors. For Over a period of time, funerals, which were rarely those with religious ties, it also meant a reunion with disturbed by the authorities, became occasions for an their particular church fellowship, which the women open display of religious life, even taking on the role had already set up in Central Asia. When the of missionary meetings. migration from the Arctic Zone was over, a certain These multi-denominational home prayer groups degree of stability was achieved on the religious front. were mainly composed of women, since most able- When today one considers the colorful picture of bodied men were in labor camps. If there were no German religious life in Alma-Ata, Karaganda, older men available, the women assumed leadership. Novosibirsk, Frunze, etc. (which received fresh From the start, these prayer groups had a Brethren- impetus at that time), one can only marvel at the pietistic character, and this facilitated collaboration development. between the various denominations. Very few Bibles Within the churches there were—and still are— and hymnbooks survived the deportation: everything widely differing views of the situation. Many thought had to be written down by hand from memory. Even that by continuing to exist illegally the preservation of today, church life would be inconceivable without the their inner freedom amidst a Soviet-atheistic circulation of handwritten texts, because there is not environment of constant persecution would be enough spiritual literature available. guaranteed. Others considered this to be a dead end: in order to develop a thriving church life it was, in their

55 view, necessary to be registered officially— There was no opportunity, however, for German registration being the prerequisite for opening a churches to gain experience of registration even after prayer house—and this would at the same time bring a precedent had been set in Tselinograd: no other to an end persecution of the church and its members. German churches were permitted to register until after They felt that the church could not attain inner peace 1967—and then only sporadically. Between these in the state of constant shuttling flux between registrations came Khrushchev's religious persecution toleration and persecution to which a church existing (1959-64). illegally is inevitably condemned. In 1957 the Lutheran Pastor Eugen Bachmann succeeded, once he had drawn together the various Lutheran groups in the town, in registering a German Lutheran church with the author!" ties in Akmolinsk (Tselinograd). The church erected a prayer house with accommodation for the pastor—everything seemed to be in order, But a propaganda campaign was unleashed in the press’ against the pastor: time and again the church building was closed on various pretexts, the membership came under strict control, and the pastor himself was harassed, blackmailed, and provoked. He was no longer permitted to go and visit German churches as he had many times in the past (even as far a field as the Komi A.S.S.R.): he was only allowed to work in Tselinograd. He had to display notices on the church door reading "No young people under 18 years old." In order not to have the church's registration revoked, Bachmann found himself compelled to make compromises which whole sections of the congregation, particularly the Brethren, were not willing to accept. The new Religious Decree of 1975 for the R.S.F.S.R. (in common with those for the other Soviet republics) makes the position of the registered churches even more complicated. It is the most restrictive law on religion in Soviet history. Basically, every form of corporate work is forbidden—only the actual "cult observance" is specifically allowed. The appropriate authorities have to be informed of baptisms, weddings, and other church activities, and also given the names and addresses of godparents or A church elder records a baptism at the Karaganda witnesses. The pastor ("cult servant") is an employee German Lutheran Church. Photo ® Lutheran World of the church leadership ("executive organ"), of which Federation. he is not allowed to be a member. The three members A number of churches (Beichtkreise} were of this body can be rejected by the plenipotentiary for established on the short term in the Baltic republics in religious affairs, and people of his choice (called the 1960s and in the Moldavian S.S.R. in the 1970s, "spies" or "traitors") can be put in their place. Even when a total of some 30,000 to 50,000 Russian for the little that is guaranteed in the Decree, there is 26 Germans who wanted to emigrate moved into these no legal entitlement (e.g., to registration). Thus the areas so that they could more easily leave for West life of registered churches is subject to numerous Germany. controls, limitations, inducements, and oppression, Since about 1975, there have been no problems in even though there are many flourishing registered registering German churches—if anything, the churches where this is not always perceptible. authorities are positively encouraging it—which is a fundamental change in Soviet policy on the registration of German churches. By permitting German churches to register, the authorities hope to counteract the "emigration psychosis" and quell discontent. This tendency

56 is documented by statistics given in 1984 by V. A. KGB-directed church members, church leaders, and Kuroyedov, who was then Chairman of the Council sometimes even pastors. for Religious Affairs: between 1,977 and 1983, 810 The problem of theological training varies in religious communities were registered in the whole of intensity for the individual denominations. Baptists, the U.S.S.R., while 1,035 lost their registration. Of the Mennonites, Adventists, and Pentecostals have always newly registered communities, 33 were Orthodox, 40 chosen their pastors from their own ranks; out of Catholic, 69 Muslim, and no less than 129 German necessity the Lutherans are also doing this now—but Lutheran.27 even from the ranks of the Lutheran Brethren there are The authorities have become more liberal towards calls for a theological training center to nurture German churches in recent years not only with regard spiritual authority and thereby avoid the danger of be- to registration: it appears to be possible to have more coming a sect. Catholics occasionally send Germans in the way of church activities than used to be the to study at the seminaries in Riga (Latvia) or Kaunas case—although this varies from region to region. (Lithuania). Thus many churches are able to develop their youth Finally, the progressive loss of the German work in relative freedom (for Soviet circumstances), language among the younger generation poses although the "executive organ" and "cult servant" problems for the German churches in the Soviet have to turn a blind eye to these activities, since they Union—which seriously undermines their sense of could at any time be called to account for such identity and even calls into question their survival. developments. By permitting a limited degree of There are currently about 2 million Germans in the freedom, the authorities hope to persuade German U.S.S.R.30 Thus, numerically, they are the fourteenth parishes which have not yet registered28 to do so—in nation in the U.S.S.R. There are more Germans in the order to gain more extensive control. This is probably U.S.S.R than Estonians or Latvians, who have their also the reason why, for a number of years, German own republics, and more Germans than Tatars or Mennonite churches have been allowed to register Komis, who live in autonomous regions. Until 1941, autonomously, although from the point of view of the Germans in Russia were almost exclusively their beliefs they should have been registered as farmers or lived in the country, but now more than 50 member churches of the All-Union Council of percent of them are town-dwellers in Kazakhstan, Evangelical Christians and Baptists. Whereas Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and western Siberia. While previously registration was basically only possible for the 1955 Amnesty had allowed the deported Germans a large association with a central hierarchical to leave the Arctic Zone, it did not permit them to leadership (Orthodox, Baptists; settle in the European part of the U.S.S.R. In 1964 the Catholics in Lithuania and Latvia), the authorities Germans were cleared of the charge that had given now often dispense with the need for this sort of rise to their deportation, namely that they were fifth structure if a church will only come out into the open. columnists who had supported Hitler's invasion of the On the other hand, Catholics in Asia (most multi- U.S.S.R. The deportation of the Germans was now national) and purely German churches (Lutherans, declared to have been an arbitrary action by Stalin. Church Mennonites, and Mennonite Brethren) are Yet despite their rehabilitation, the Germans did not only allowed to register autonomously, as separate receive permission to return to their former bodies—they are not allowed to form an umbrella settlements. This was given in a secret decree of 1972, organization.29 With regard to the Catholics, this is which only a few came to know about. Even so, there because they are the most uncomfortable church for are a few Germans living in the area of the old Volga Soviet ideologists; the Lutherans are not allowed to settlements again. Most Germans have grown unite because the Soviet authorities want at all costs accustomed to their new homes, of course, and have to avoid any supra-regional associations of Germans no intention of going back—especially since only the and do not want to set a precedent by allowing church old people remember the former settlements. In this organizations. respect, alleged plans31 to create an autonomous area Despite a certain degree of accommodation by the for Germans are now probably too late. Perhaps just a Soviet authorities on a regional basis, it is also part of small number of all the Germans in the U.S.S.R. today's totally contradictory picture that at the same would resettle there. time there are registered churches which are breaking The young Germans in the Soviet Union now apart because of the policy of destruction from within speak only a little German,32 and then not High carried out by

57 German, but their regional dialects (that of Nie- to those preachers chosen by the churches whom they derhessen for the Volga Germans; Swabian for the considered to be gifted and ordained them as pastors. Black Sea Germans; and a mixture of dialects). Even However, these men did not always exhibit the where a large percentage of the population is German, human and vocational qualities needed, which put as is the case in many towns, Germans are not even more of a strain on the already tense relationship allowed to have their own school. There are between Church Lutherans and Lutheran Brethren directives, of course, that German lessons should be (the latter, who saw themselves as the "chosen," often provided in schools for those whose mother tongue it looked down on the "worldly" Church Lutherans), is and whose parents request it, providing there is a particularly as the newly ordained pastors came certain minimum number (ten pupils); but these direc- mostly from the ranks of the Brethren. tives are often deliberately obstructed by the regional or local administration or unwittingly neglected. The Both traditions have their own form of church life: hours allowed are far too few (a maximum of three to Church Lutherans celebrate their Sunday service four hours a week, and only one to two hours a week (which generally lasts two hours) according to the old liturgy.33 During the service, ordained pastors preach in the higher classes); 34 and German lessons for Germans are often transferred a sermon or lay preachers read a prepared sermon. to, lunch time or the afternoon, so the pupils are not The sacraments—baptism and Communion—are sup- motivated. Because of very small print runs, there are posed to be administered by ordained pastors, as are hardly any textbooks. Most German pupils only have sermons and confirmation, but as there are currently the opportunity to learn German as a foreign only about sixty pastors for 490 German Lutheran language—as it is taught to Kazakhs or Russians. churches (registered and unregistered), it has not been What is learned is minimal, and often the result is just possible to establish hard and fast rules. In many frustration. The few German pupils who live near churches, Communion is still distributed to Lutherans schools where German is taught as a main foreign and Calvinists in different ways: Lutherans receive language (with a high number of German lessons) are the consecrated wafer and wine while kneeling, fortunate, as are those who live near special schools, whereas Reformed believers stand to receive where, as well as German language lessons, various unleavened bread and wine. The sermon is always the other subjects are taught in German (in some cities). focal point. Lutheran Brethren hold their "meetings" Generally speaking, however, parents have at best the after the service, and also on Wednesdays and opportunity of fighting for German lessons. Saturdays, when they sing Brethren hymns and three or four brothers "bring the word" (preach on Bible German Lutheran Churches in the U.S.S.R. passages they have selected themselves and appeal for repentance and conversion). The fresh start made by German Lutherans in the U.S.S.R. after 1941 would have been inconceivable Church youth work, officially not permitted, is without the Brethren communities, who (unlike the generally undertaken in the choir, which provides a Mennonite Brethren) broke away from their mother framework for all the charitable and social work church in only a few instances. This explains the which the churches carry out illegally. Brethren features of Lutheran church life among the Since the Lutheran churches generally adhere Germans in the Soviet Union. On the other hand, uncompromisingly to the language of the Reformer, significant impetus for post-1941 developments also there are serious difficulties with the younger came from the Lutheran tradition: in 1957 Pastor generation who still know only a little German: many Eugen Bachmann of Tselinograd was able to register young people drift away to the Evangelical Christians a German church for the first time since 1941; and Baptists, who have strong Mennonite German Pastor Arthur Pfeiffer of Moscow organized the sections in the German settlements, are very active provision of spiritual literature for the churches which with regard to mission, offer an attractive youth were still illegal and tried, without success, to effect program, and while encouraging the use of German, organizational unity between the Estonian Lutheran do not oppose the use of Russian. The Pentecostals, Church and the German Lutherans in Russia; Pastors too, are making inroads among the Lutherans in this Johannes Schlundt (who served in Prokhladny, way. Caucasus, 1970-73), Bachmann, and Pfeiffer undertook lengthy, dangerous journeys to minister to the scattered churches; they also gave theological instruction

A German-Lutheran congregation in Vinogradnoye, Central Asia, 1981. Harald KalninS is on the far right. Photo ® Lutheran World Federation. The Lutheran World Federation declared its old Volga colonies.) Kalnins is not allowed to ordain interest in the German Lutherans in Russia many any pastors for the approximately 275 unregistered years ago and, with the permission of the Soviet churches.35 authorities, has been able to send Bibles, hymnbooks, To the present day there are hopes that the German and copies of the liturgy to these churches on a Lutheran Church in Russia will one day be allowed to number of occasions. In 1980 they finally succeeded have its own church organization headed by a bishop in gaining official recognition of Senior Pastor Harald (Kalnins). At the end of 1985, however, there were Kalnins from Riga as Superintendent of the German various indications that the Soviet authorities might Lutheran churches in the U.S.S.R. He had been want to bypass Kalnins and were considering a union allowed to visit the German churches periodically between the Germans in Russia and the Lutheran since the death or emigration between 1972 and 1973 Church of Estonia or Latvia. The leadership of both of of the last three pastors who had received theological these churches is skeptical about such plans-after all, training. However, Kalnins has no right of with at least 150,000 to 200,000 active members and jurisdiction; he is allowed to visit his churches from probably some three hundred registered churches time to time, but he was not allowed to participate in soon, the German Lutheran Church in Russia is much the 1984 Congress of the Lutheran World Federation larger than the Estonian and Latvian Lutheran in Budapest. He ordains preachers as pastors, Churches combined. instructs churches, settles disputes, and distributes Such a union would at least ease the problem of books received— which obviously benefit only the theological training: German Lutherans from Russia registered churches. There are just sixty ordained would be able to study at the theological institutes in pastors available (with no theological training as Tallinn or Riga, something which has so far not been such) for the approximately 225 registered German possible, because there is no overlapping German Lutheran churches (11 of these in the area of the church organization.

59 Prospects russification and similar attempts by the state to level It is still possible to talk of church life among the everything out and for encouraging the preservation Germans in the U.S.S.R. The religious communities of their separate identity. were, and continue to be, the only institutions with a The religious communities have made a con- broad influence which deliberately resist russification siderable contribution towards preserving the German and see the preservation of the German language and language and a sense of national identity. But it is a national identity as their responsibility. For all of clear that they will not be able to do this for much them, the question as to whether they will be able to longer without any institutions to attract a German- preserve their national and denominational identity if speaking intelligentsia and leadership, and this the German language is lost is growing more applies to the theological sphere as well. Without far- pressing. Most Lutherans and Mennonites reply to reaching Soviet concessions on linguistic and cultural this question with a blunt negative, for in many cases encouragement of the German minority in the their churches are threatened with depopulation, U.S.S.R., painful developments—from a religious whereas churches like the Baptists and Mennonite point of view too—will be inevitable. Brethren, who allow the coexistence of both languages, can point with pride to flourishing youth Notes work. It is argued that the churches of all denominations 1. Livonia and Courland correspond approximately should switch quickly to using Russian in their to present-day Latvia—RCL Ed. services, before they lose their young people. Those 2. Article 6.1 of Catherine IPs manifesto, 22 July who have studied the situation carefully are very 1763. Quoted in Karl Stumpp, Die Auswanderung skeptical about such generalized advice offered from aus Deutschland nach Russland in den Jahren a distance: if the Mennonite Brethren switched to 1763 bis 1862 (Stuttgart, 1985), pp. 15-16. Russian they would encounter in the Russian and 3. Gerhard Bonwetsch, Geschichte der deutschen Ukrainian Evangelical Christians and Baptists a Kolonien an der Wolga (Stuttgart, 1919), p. 28. denomination closely related to their own, with regard 4. c.f. Hermann Dalton, "Geschichte der Refor- to dogma and theology, and with an already established identity as a church so that, as is already mierten Kirche in Russland" (Gotha, 1865), pp. evident, they would lose their specific Mennonite 230-42; Stumpp, op. cit., p. 33; Die Evangelisch- identity. For the German Catholics in Russia, the Lutherischen Gemeinden in Russland, Fine his- national element has never been as important as it has torisch-statistische Darstellung (published by the for the Lutherans, for example, so the loss of the Central Committee of the Benevolent Fund for German language would not trouble the basis of faith Evangelical-Lutheran churches in Russia: Vol. 1, of German Catholics to the same extent. It is quite St. Petersburg, 1909), pp. 110-90; Joseph Aloy- different for the Lutherans who, to a large extent, feel sius Kessler, Geschichte der Diozese Tyraspol bound to the language of the Reformer and to a (Dickinson, North Dakota, 1930), pp. 278-80. Germanic way of life; (Kessler was the last Catholic-German bishop in for them it would mean introducing something totally Russia before the Revolution.) new, foreign even, into Russian spirituality, and in the process purging everything specifically German. 5. Benjamin H. Unruh, Die niederländisch-nieder- What is to be feared, according to insiders, is that if deutschen Hintergründe der mennonitischen the Russian language were adopted, many German- Ostwanderungen im 16., 18., und 19. Jh. (Karls- Lutheran families would lose not only their language ruhe, 1955), p. 230ff. but also their denomination, and fall prey to the 6. Stumpp, op. cit., pp. 95-98; Dalton, op. cit; pp. religious indifference widespread in the U.S.S.R.—or 204-28. that they would turn to the established church of the 7. Dalton, op. cit., p. 200. Evangelical Christians and Baptists or even to the 8. Johannes Schleuning and others, Und siehe, wir Pentecostals. leben! Der Weg der evangelisch-lutherischen On the other hand, more recent students have Kirche in vier Jahrhunderten (Eriangen, 1982), p. shown that even when Germans in Russia do lose the 66; Kessler, op. cit., pp. 280-86. German language, they still preserve their national identity—and that this offers a possibility for resisting 9. Erik Amburger, Geschichte des Protestantismus the general program of in Russland (Stuttgart, 1961), p. 80. 10. Irmgard Fleischhauer, Das Dritte Reich und die Deutschen in der Sowjetunion (Stuttgart, 1983), p. 12; Schleuning, op. cit., p. 72 gives 250,000 Germans in Volhynia, of whom approximately 50,000 were probably Baptists. 11. The Schuize, as in Germany, was the elected village mayor. He was subject to the German district administration, the Oberschulzenamt, which consisted of the elected Oberschuize (chief 60 mayor) and two other elected members. Conti- 24. nuity was maintained by the Schreiber (clerks) at village level and the Gebietsschreiber (district clerks) in the Oberschulzenamt—the permanently employed secretaries. Only the Ober-schulzenamt were subject to Russian administration—the Tutelkamlei in Saratov or the Fur-sorgkomitee (welfare committee) in southern Russia. 12. Gottlieb Beratz, Die deutschen Kolonien an der unteren Wolga 2nd ed: (Berlin, 1923), pp. 230- 38. 13. See note 11. 14. Amburger, op. cit., p. 111. 15. Theophil Meyer (ed.), Luthers Erbe in Russland (Moscow, 1918), p. 2. This is a commemoration published in connection with the celebration of the 400th anniversary of the Reformation. Meyer was the last bishop of the Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Russia. 16. In the Volga villages alone there were over 80,000. See Die Evangelisch-Lutherischen Ge- meinden in Russland, pp. 110-87. Dalton, op. cit., gives an estimate of 42,000 Calvinists among the Germans along the Volga and in the Black Sea area in 1860. 17. Kessler, op. cit., pp. 279-84. 18. Gerd Stricker, "Mennonites in Russia and in the Soviet Union," -RLC Vol. 12, No. 3, pp. 293-314. 19. The Molochnaya is a small river north of the Sea of Azov. The principal town is Molochansk. The German central villages were Prischib (Lutheran) and Halbstadt (Mennonite), present-day Molo- chansk. 20. Volhynia, with between 40,000 and 50,000 Bap- tists (see Schleuning, op. cit., p. 72), on account of its proximity to the West and its late colonization by Germans from Russian Poland as well as from the German Empire—particularly after 1860—is an exception, since many immigrants were already Baptists. 21. Amburger, op. cit., p. 111. 22. Wilhelm Kahle, Geschichte der evangelisch- lutherischen Gerneinden in der Sowjetunion, 1917-1938 (Leiden, 1974), pp. 67-143, 587-88. 23. The flight of some 350,000 Ukrainian Germans, accompanying the retreat of the German army after 1943 into the Warthegau (the Poznan region, now in Poland) is known as the "long trek." Most of the fugitives were overtaken by the Red Army in the Warthegau in 1945. Some managed to flee as far as the Elbe before being overtaken by Soviet troops. About 100,000 settled in the West, but many of them were discovered by Soviet search parties and were handed over to the Soviet Union by the British and American military authorities. They were promptly "repatriated"—i.e., sent to join the other Germans in Siberia and Central Asia. See note 24. Trudarmiya (laboring army): the whole, able- churches (both registered and unregistered); in the bodied population—men between the ages of six- summer of 1985 he spoke of a total of 450 teen and sixty, and women, too, as long as they Lutheran churches, of which 222 were then reg- did not have any children under fourteen years istered. old—were sent to these forced labor camps. The 29. Such as an "Evangelical-Lutheran Church for compulsory places of exile for old people and Germans in the Soviet Union," a "Conference of women with children were called kommendan- German Mennonites," or a "Conference of tura—kolkhozy and industrial towns in Central Autonomous Mennonite-Brethren." Asia and Siberia. They lived freely in the towns 30. 1979 census. and villages designated but had to report regularly 31. Dziennik Polski, London, quoted in Deutscher (weekly at first) to the local NKVD commander. Ostdienst of 7 February 1986, noted that the 25. The amnesty for Germans in the Soviet Union was possibility of creating an autonomous region for one of the results (along with the release of the Germans in western Siberia (centered around last German prisoners of war) achieved by Dr. Slavgorod) was receiving official consideration. Konrad Adenauer, the first German Federal 32. Of all those who claim German nationality, only Chancellor, when he visited Moscow in 1955. 57 percent speak German as their first language. 26. Thus only a very few German churches were able The rest can speak only a limited amount of to register before the 1970s, although many German—and the younger they are, the more this illegal churches had sought registration—not only amount decreases. with the legally required dvadsatka (twenty), but 33. This comprehensive liturgy was part of the 1832 often with hundreds of signatures. The Lutheran church decree. Naturally it has been modified churches in Alma-Ata and Semi-palatinsk, for slightly (and excludes intercessions for the royal example, spent seven to ten years requesting family). permission to register before it was finally 34. Printed sermons from the eighteenth and nine- granted. teenth centuries are preferred (e.g., Brastberger, 27. Vladimir A. Kuroyedov, Religiya i tserkov v Modersohn). sovetskom obshchestve (Moscow, 1984), p. 144. 35. Wilhelm Kahle, Die lutherischen Kirchen und 28. At Christmas 1985, Superintendent Harald Gemeinden in der Sowjetunion seit 1988-1940 Kalnins reported that he knew of 490 Lutheran (Gutersloh, 1985), p. 213.

61 BOOKS AND ARTICLES RECENTLY ADDED TO THE AHSGR ARCHIVES Frances Amen, Mary Lynn Tuck, 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. F1035 .G3L333x TX715 .P37x Lehmann, Heinz. Parkston Centennial Cookbook (Olathe, KS: The German Canadians 1750-1937. Immigration, Cookbook Publishers, Inc., 1985), 118 pp. Courtesy Settlement and Culture. Trans. from German and ed. of the Dakota City Jaycees. by Gerhard Bassler (St. John's, NF: Jesper-son Press, Compilation of recipes, plus old-time household 1986), 541 pp. Maps, charts, illustrations, index, hints and remedies that were reproduced from a book bibliography. Donated by translator. circa nineteenth century. This valuable reference on the immigration to Canada of a large number of Germans from various PT2631 .064A96x parts of Europe includes extensive material about Ponten, Josef. Germans from Russia. The settlement histories Aus deutschen Dörfern: Zwischen Maas und Hkein delineate the national origins of the immigrants along und an der Wolga (Leipzig, [East] Germany: with their religious affiliations. Letters and diaries Gesellschaft der Preunde der Deutschen Blicherei, written by the settlers were used in some parts of the 1927), 67 pp. book. Their day-to-day lives are carefully A collection of three short works, the first of documented. which tells of the author's childhood in the villages of Lontzen and Raeren (Belgium commune). The second PS3563 .A775P7 is a poem written for a wedding at the Castle Schönau Marzolf, Arnold H. in 1914. The third is the first chapter of the book Prairie Poems: Poetic Dreams of Prairie Themes Wolga Wolga and is set in the fictitious German (Bismarck, ND: Tumbleweed Press, 1974), 249 pp. village of Bell-mann along the Volga River. Donated by Ned G. Schall. Collection of poems, spiritual in quality, that PF3116 .R42x reflect the author's love of the prairie and his respect Rechlm. F. for the people who established homes there. Some of Erstes Übungsbuch für den Unterricht in der the verses are a bit melancholy, while others are deutschen Sprache (St. Louis, MO: Concordia humorous. Publishing House, n.d.), 47 pp. Donated by Chris Giese. DK511 .B4M389x Exercises for teaching the German language. Mayor, Konstantin. Prepared for grades three and four of the school year. Der Weg aus der Steppe 1940 (Ludwigsburg, West Germany: Self-published, 1985), 190 pp. Maps, CS71 .R455 1985x illustrations. Remmick-Hubert, Judy A. Deals with the lives and fates of the Bessara-bian Remmick Family History, (Lafayette, CA: published Germans, who lived in the Black Sea area between by author, 1985), 400 pp. Photos, maps. Donated by the Prut and Dniester Rivers. Forty color photographs author. help document the 1940-1944 resettlements of these Compilation of nine generations, beginning with Germans first to camps in Franconia, Saxony, the "Remmick Legend." Worms/Odessa, South Thuringia, etc., in the German fatherland, from Russia, was the area to which the Remmick ancestor whence they were sent as settlers to Upper Silesia, migrated. A brief sketch of memories of Odessa, as East Prussia, Danzig-West Prussia, etc., in the recalled by Edward Remick, is included, plus many Ostgebieten (Eastern Territories). A great deal of historical and genealogical notes. autobiographical material is also included. Mayer comes from the village of Seimeny.

62 CS71 .B785 1985x Russland, 1959), 10 pp. Several maps, illustrations. Riedel, Viola A. Donated by Mrs. George Rath. Brungardt (n.p., 1985), 359 pp. Photos. Donated Dr. Stumpp indicates the areas in which Soviet by author. Germans now live. In addition, he briefly discusses A genealogy record of seven generations of the some aspects of the geography of those areas: the families of Balthasar and Margaret Schamme climate, farm sizes, industrial developments, Brungardt. Their ancestral village was Herzog on the occupations, and natural resources. Examples of the meadow side of the Volga River. Peter Brungardt and cultural changes the government regulations and the family left Russia in 1876 and settled in Victoria, resettlement itself necessitated are presented. Some Kansas. pre-resettlement history is also provided. The descriptive information serves as an orientation, an CS1 .R66x introduction to these topics. Hoots Digest (Salt Lake City, UT: Progenitor CS71 .U578 1986x Genealogical Society, monthly). Unruh, John D. Genealogy magazine with a variety of features The Daniel Unruh Story. Additions and index by relating to libraries, institutes, and other sources of Florence LaRue Barth May (n,p., 1986), 73 pp. genealogical and historical materials. AHSGR has Photos. Donated by Florence L. May. February-May and July 1986 issues. Family record has been updated and indexed to CS71 .S356 1986x allow for easier reading. This Mennonite family from Schnabel, Geraldine, compiler. the Crimea area came to Dakota Territory in 1873. Schnabel Family History, 1846-1986 (Parker, SD: published by author, 1986), 95 pp. Photos. Donated BX8141 .U57x by author. Unruh, Melvin 0. and Gerhard G. Baergen. Konrad Schnabel, who was born in Germany and The Baergen Heritage 1725-1975 (n.p., 1975?), 120 immigrated to South Russia about 1815, founded the pp. Photos, music score. Donated by authors. Lutheran colony called Kassel Colony. The history Depicts the Baergen family, whose roots go back continues with the genealogy of the descendants of to Holland, Germany, East Prussia, and southern his grandson, Ludwig Schnabel, who was born in Russia, in the United States and Canada. Emphasis is Kassel. Eventually the family immigrated to the U.S. given to their Mennonite heritage. Includes six and settled in South Dakota. generations. CS71 .M3775 1986x F644 .T87S48 1986x Vollmer, Velma Martin. Seventy-fifth Anniversary, Tuttle, North Dakota The Martin Legacy (Hibbing, MN: published by (n.p., 1986), 457 pp. Donated by Herbert Poppke. author, 1986), 289 pp. Photos, maps. Donated by Compilation of the business, social, and family author. life of Tuttle. Includes many biographical accounts Author has done considerable research on the and photos of families and individuals. Martin name and its origins. Johann Daniel Martin PG2640 .R844 1985 was born in South Russia, and his son Christian was Smirnitskii, A. I. born in Atmagea, Dobruja, Romania. A town plan Hussko-angliiskii slovar': okolo 55,000 slov with names of the inhabitants is included. The Martins (Moscow: "Russkii iazyk," 1985), 764 pp. came to North Dakota in 1907. Brief family histories This Russian-English dictionary includes accompany the family charts. approximately 55,000 entries, notes on English and DK511 .V65V64x Russian grammar, the Russian sound system, and the Volz, Victor. Russian alphabet. Deutsche in Russland. Schicksalsweg der Wolga- deutschen (Schoneck, West Germany: published by DK34 .G3S7846 1959x author, n.d.), 380 pp. Map of Hussenbach and a partial Stumpp, Karl. map of the Volga Region. Donated by Elaine Engel. Die heutigen Wohngebiete und berufliche Auf- Brief history of German immigration into gliederung der Deutschen in der Sowjetunion. Offprint from Heimatbuch der Deutschen aus Russland, ed. by Karl Stumpp (Stuttgart, West Germany: Landsmannschaft der Deutschen aus

63 Russia, some general information about the Volga PG2693 .A4 1977 Region from early development through 1941, Alekseev, D. I., I. G. Gozman, and G. V. specific information about Hussenbach (including a Sakkarov. list of inhabitants from 1820-1941), and the author's Slovar' Sokrashchenii Russkogo lazyka [Dictionary of experiences (his family had a second home in the abbreviations in the Russian language] (Moscow: Izd- Russian village Zhirnoye, for example). vo "Russkii lazyk," 1977), 2nd ed., 414 pp. In Russian. Donated by Alexander Dupper. CS71 .W372 1986x This dictionary deciphers and explains 15,000 Wardin, Albert W., Jr. Russian-language abbreviations used both currently The Heritage of the Wardin Family of Oregon and in the past. Included are letter, compound word, (Nashville, TN: published by author, 1986), 64 pp. and graphical abbreviations which indicate countries, Photos. Donated by author. parties, organizations, establishments, educational Names researched are Raz from Switzerland, institutions, industrial enterprises, etc., trademarks of Broweleit from East Prussia, Wardin from Germany, machines, instruments, etc., and measuring units. This and Klemm from Ukrainian Volhynia. Charts are also may serve as a manual for workers of the press, radio, given for the Roth and Rust names. There is much and television. It provides information to specialists detailed history of all the families. engaged in lexicology and word formation and is of CS71 .P426 1986x great help to foreigners using the Russian language. Weston, Adeline Perman. (Annotation provided by Dr. Dupper.) Perman-Permann: History and Genealogy D811.5 .B776 1987 (Sacramento, CA: published by author, 1986), 281 pp. Brown, Liane I. Maps, photos. Donated by author. Refuge (Greenville, SC: Unusual Publications, 1987), Neu-Gluckstal, Ukraine, was the birthplace of the 199 pp. Photos. Donated by Bob Jones University Permanns. They experienced the terrible privation of courtesy of Julie Nye. the 1917 Revolution and were eventually sent to This true story opens with the Guddat family Siberia. Some of their descendants managed to get to huddling in a bomb shelter in East Prussia where they Germany. Others came to Hutchinson County, South had spent many nights. Later, they manage to flee Dakota. Brief histories of individual families and safely to an uncle's farm. Thus begin sixteen months genealogy outlines are included. of life under the eventual Russian occupation of an F706 .R85W53x area that is now part of Poland. The family survives Wheeler, Marianne Sauter, compiler. brutal treatment and harsh conditions through constant faith in God's grace. The story's chronology Bibliography of Materials Pertaining to the Germans From Russia (Central Oklahoma Chapter of AHSGR, begins with air raids in July 1944 and ends with 1986), 36 pp. Donated by compiler. refuge in America in 1958. Handy guide for the researcher interested in JV 6450 .B76 1986 pursuing Oklahoma history and genealogy, particularly the western counties. The majority of the Brownstone, David, Douglass L. Brownstone, bibliography lists books dealing with 43 Oklahoma and Irene M. Franck. counties. At least one Oklahoma library location is Island of Hope, Island of Tears. (New York, NY: provided with each citation. Penguin Books, 1986), 307 pp. Photos. Donated by Allyn Brosz. GR 1901 (perm.) A compelling account of the immigrants who The Year Book of the Congregational Christian passed through Ellis Island. It contrasts the hopes and Churches (New York: The General Council of the determination of those who were permitted to Congregational Christian Churches, yearly). Donated establish residence in the United States and the tears by family of Adam and Marie Litzen-berger Dippel. and tragic abandon of those who were turned back. AHSGR has 1920.1940,1949, and 1950 year- One chapter, "Angels of Mercy,'* tells of the many books. These provide a directory and statistical data— organizations which were dedicated to making the concerning colleges* churches, and pastors —relative homeless and oppressed truly welcome. On the other to the Congregational Christian Churches and other hand, it reveals the shameful exploitation of children Congregational Christian organizations in the United in the cotton mills and clothing factories. Many per- States. sonal experiences are related in detail.

64 DK651 .02C46x where born, when and how many times married, and Census of Selected Odessa District Villages, 1941- when they died. 1943 (n.p., n.d.), 319 pp. Photocopy. Donated by Margaret Freeman. CS 71 .Z57713 1978x Have recently added the following village cen- Goebel, Heinrich P. suses to this book: Blumental (Neu-Sawitzki), The Zitterkopf Glassmaker Families in Breiten-born Kronfcal, Schönfeld, Tichij-kut-StillerOrt. Other (From Hessische Familienkunde, June 1978). village censuses listed are for Bergdorf-Kolosowo, Translation and inserted notes by Lester J. Holtschlag. Klein Bergdorf, Klein Glückstal (Woltschanowo), 22 pp. Submitted by Dennis Zitterkopf. Klein Gliickstal (Tjaha), Neu-Glückstal, A research of documents dating back to the 1600s Neudorf/Odessa, Kassel/Odessa. and 1700s concerning the Breitenborn, Germany, glassworks and the Zitterkopf family genealogy. Of F659 .E9C46 1987x special interest is the Conrad Zitterkopf "General and Centennial Anniversary Book, Eureka, South Dakota, Specific Accounts on Finished Glass." AHSGR also 1887-1987. The Second Fifty Years. Compiled by the has this in German. Centennial Book Committee. (Eureka, SD: The CS71 .H582 1987x Committee, 1987), 638 pp. Photos, map. Donated by Hins, Magdalena Brost and Allan Gustav Hins. Ardella Strobel Bennett. In Search of Home: Hins-Brost-Hoffman-Tiede A fascinating compilation of the history and Kinship; Germans From Russia (Freeman: Pine Hill development of Eureka and McPherson County. Press, 1987), 474 pp. Photos, maps. Donated by Allan Includes many pictures and narratives of business, Gustav Hins. school, and church activities, as well as family History of 1878-1880 pioneer immigrants to histories. One chapter describes in detail the Hutchinson County, South Dakota, is given through experiences of a family from Hoffnungstal, Russia, biographical sketches of each family, family group who came to the Neudorf community near Eureka in records, family lineage records, photographs, and the 1880s. other documents. These families came from M2193 .D48x Bessarabia. Information on Hutchinson County^s Devotional Hymns (Chicago, IL: Hope Publishing churches, cemeteries, schools, and weather is also Company, 1935), 288 pp. Donated by the presented. Litzenberger and Dippel families. Collection of DK34 .G3K55 1985x hymns and songs for use in church services, Sunday Knittel, Marjorie. school, youth meetings, missionary, and mid-week The Last Bridge (Aberdeen, SD: North Plains Press, services. 1985), 167 pp. Illustrations, map. GR 1929 (perm) This is the true story of Elvera Ziebart Reuer and Ellis, William T. her family in three parts, 1914 through 1949. It begins "Voyaging on the Volga Amid War and Revolution." in Grossliebental, Province of Odessa, moves to Photocopy from National Geographic Magazine Bessarabia, and continues on a 2500-mile trek, March 1918, pp. 245-265. Donated by Edward Gerk. eventually ending on the shores of the United States. Interesting narrative of Russia's great waterway— GS71 .L362 1900zx the Volga River—during World War I. It depicts the Lange, Emma as told to Sue Rambow. sight of huge rafts transporting lumber and steamers Emma Lange. Typewritten. 12 pp. Photos. Donated by packed with a great medley of humanity. Quoting the Judy Hagen. author, "No traveler fully knows Russia who has not A brief biography of Emma and her family who sailed down the Volga River." were from Antonufka, Ukraine. Her parents were Amelia Arnd and Andre Pahl. Noted here is their GR 1920 (perm) exile to Siberia, their return to the Ukraine, and their Evangelical Lutheran Church (Klostitz, Molda- journey to Courtenay, British Columbia, via vian S.S.R.). Germany. Included is a family tree. Emma Lange Personnel Book, 1847. Transcription of LDS recently appeared on a British Columbia television microfilm #038904 by Alien E. Konrad. Typewritten. program, "Hunt for History." Tapes on which this 58 pp. Donated by transcriber. booklet is based are 1847-1862 church records that list parishioners' names, maiden names, dates of birth,

65 available to interested persons from Judy Hagen, 1960 The documents are currently housed at the Piercy Avenue, Courtenay, BC, Canada V9N 3G3. National Archives facility in Suitland, Maryland. They are being filmed by the Genealogical Society of CT251 .M32A3x Utah. The microfilming is scheduled to be completed McQuire, Augustine Keil. in 1988. When completed, the information may be Memories of Augustine Keil, 1904-1981. Typewritten. accessed through any of the Family Research Centers 16 pp. Donated by Dan McQuire. of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, or A brief narrative of a family from the Volga at the Research Room in the Suitland facility. If one Region (probably Straub or Neu-Straub) who cannot visit either source in person, one can write to immigrated to the United States on the ship Palatia the National Archives and Records Service, about April 1902. They eventually settled in the Washington, D.C. Stuyvesant Falls area of New York. This book does not circulate. AHSGR headquarters staff will research it for members and send BV663 .M37 1985 them a copy of the page containing information on a Marzolf, Arnold H. particular surname if found. Parson to Parson (Bismarck, ND: Germans from Russia Heritage Society, 1985), 120 pp. Donated by GR 891 (perm) Ned G. Schall. Schmidt, John P. Entertaining collection of humorous anecdotes A Century Ago Mennonites Came to Kansas With relating experiences of German Russians, Turkey Red Wheat. Typewritten. 32 pp. Donated by Norwegians, Catholics, and Protestants living Ulanda Nichols. primarily in North Dakota. A series of articles first published in the Hutchinson News (August 26,1973 to November JK7192 .A36 1986x 11,1973) celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Oklahoma Department of Libraries. Mennonites introducing Turkey Red Wheat to Kansas Directory of Oklahoma, 1985-1986 (Oklahoma City, in 1874. The author traces the history and background OK: Oklahoma Department of Libraries, 1986), 718 of the Mennonites' migration. pp. Photos, maps. Donated by Ray Wiebe. PN4877 .S57 1985 Discusses the state, federal, school, county, and municipal governments in Oklahoma. A thumbnail Simon, Rita J. sketch with map is given of each county. Public Opinion and the Immigrant. Print Media Coverage, 1880-1980 (Lexington, MA: Lexington R Books, 1985), 239 pp. Donated by Allyn Brosz. CS856 .J4S23 1987 Describes how magazines in the United States Sack, Sallyann Amdur and Suzan Fishi Wynne, covered and interpreted the immigration policy. The compilers. first part gives brief, but useful, information about the The Russian Consular Records Index and Catalog number of immigrants, a summary of major pieces of (New York & London: Garland Publishing, Inc., immigration legislation, and an analysis of national 1987), 897 pp. public opinion poll data beginning in 1937 and A name index of individuals specifically men- continuing to 1980. The second part describes tioned in a document in the Russian consular records magazines and then devotes separate chapters to a in the U.S. and Canada during 1849-1926, the detailed analysis of their immigration coverage. majority dating from 1917 to 1926. It indexes only the Includes index. There are listings for Germans and portion of the records having a genealogical Russians but no listings for Germans from Russia. significance. Included in the files are correspondence, CT235 .Y67A3x banking records, legal certifications, military Yost, Donald A. correspondence and service, certificates of identity, Stories by Grandpa Don (n.p., published by author, and applications for passports and visas. The names 1986). 630 pp. Photos. Donated by author. are coded by a soundex system. In addition to the Compilation of stories beginning with the author's soundex code, information for each entry includes the grandparents, Wilhelm and Margaretha Yost, from surname, given (and maiden) name, residence in the Norka. It continues through the author's early life on a U.S. or Canada, the consulate involved, box number farm in Kansas, his formal education, army life, containing the document, folder or book number. professional career, and retirement in Lincoln, document page number. Nebraska, September 1980. Included are Yost family charts.