American Historical Society of Germans from Russia

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Journal of the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia

Fall 2019 Volume 42, No. 3 Editor, Robert Meininger Professor Emeritus, Nebraska Wesleyan University

Editorial & Publications Coordinator, Allison Hunter-Frederick AHSGR Headquarters, Lincoln, Nebraska

Editorial Board

Irmgard Hein Ellingson Timothy J. Kloberdanz, Professor Emeritus Bukovina Society, Ellis, KA North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND

Velma Jesser, Retired Educator Eric J. Schmaltz Calico Consulting, Las Cruces, NM Northwestern Oklahoma State University, Alva, OK

William Keel University of Kansas, Lawrence, KA

Mission Statements The American Historical Society of Germans from Russia is an international organization whose mission is to discover, collect, perserve, and share the history, cultural heritage, and genealogical legacy of German settlers in the Russian Empire.

The International Foundation of American Historical Society of Germans from Russia is responsible for exercising financial stewardship to generate, manage, and allocate resources which advance the mission and assist in securing the future of AHSGR.

Cover Illustration A Lutheran church in the Village of Jost. Photo provided by Olga Litzenburg. To learn more, see page 1. Contents

Jost (Jost, Obernberg, Popovkina, Popovkino; no longer existing) By Dr. Olga Litzenberger...... 1

Maternal Instincts By Christine Antinori ...... 7

Krummy Quarter By Eleanor Sissel...... 10

Why I am Passionate about Genealogy By Shirley Wilcoxon...... 13

The Immigrant Woman By Norma Pipkin...... 14

Remembering My German Russian Youth in Greeley, Colorado By Clarence Kissley...... 18

Russian German History and Heroic, Victim, and Redemptive Narratives, Part One By Otto Pohl...... 20

Onomastics: A study of Names, Origins and meanings By Peter Reinkordt...... 27

AHSGR Journal / Fall 2019 i The Journal of the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia is published by AHSGR. The Journal welcomes the submission of articles, essays, family histories, anecdotes, folklore, book reviews, and items regarding all aspects of the lives of Germans in or from Russia. All submissions are subject to review by the Editorial Board. Manuscripts should be typed, double-spaced with endnotes. Submit an electronic copy of the article by email attachment or mail a compact disc or flash drive containing a copy of the computer file. We can accept IBM-compatible Microsoft Word™ files. Our style guide is The Chicago Manual of Style, 15th Edition (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2003), and translations follow the Transliteration Standards approved by the Library of Congress and the American Library Association, which can be reviewed on the Internet at http://lcweb.loc.gov/catdir/cpso/roman.html. Please indicate in your email or cover letter whether you have photos or illustrations to accompany your article. Photos or illustrations sent on disc should be in JPEG format. Unless you instruct us otherwise, submissions not published in the Journal will be added to the AHSGR Archives.

Members of the Society receive the AHSGR Journal, Newsletter and surname exchange publication Clues. Members may also qualify for discounts on books, published historical records, maps and other materials available for purchase from the AHSGR Bookstore; search of Societal records for historical and genealogical research purposes; and, German and Russian translation services. Membership categories and annual dues are: Standard, $50; Sustaining, $100; and Supporting Organization, $50. Individual Life Memberships are: $1,050, ages 26-40; $900, ages 41-55; and $750, ages 56 and older (with option to be paid in five equal installments). Junior Memberships are: Youth (under 15 years) $8; and Student (15-24 years) $15.For information on how to become a member of the Society contact AHSGR by visiting our website at www.ahsgr.org, or use the address, telephone number or email address shown below. Because AHSGR is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, donations beyond the basic dues of Sustaining/Contributing members are tax deductible as allowed by law.

The International Foundation of AHSGR (IFAHSGR) is a non-profit 501(c)3 corporation that is the fund-raising arm of AHSGR. IFAHSGR accepts monetary gifts, bequests, securities, memorial gifts, trusts, and other donations. Checks may be written to either IFAHSGR or AHSGR and will be used wherever designated. The two main funds are the General Operating Fund of the Society and the Endowment Fund of the Foundation. The General Operating Fund is used to help defray the day-to-day operating expenses of the Society. Endowment Fund gifts are permanently invested and earnings are made available for the general operation of the Society. You also may support a specific project or activity, such as Russian Archives Retrieval, Publications, the Library, Folklore, or Membership Recruitment. Designate where you want the money spent or invested. Every dollar is used to carry out the mission of AHSGR. Donations are tax deductible as allowed by law.

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ii AHSGR Journal / Fall 2019 JOST (Jost, Obernberg, Popovkina, Popovkino; no longer existing)

By Olga Litzenberger

Geographical Location When Founded on July 5, The original founding group of the village was com- 1767, and Territorial Membership During the 19th prised of 73 families (232 persons) from Brandenburg, and 20th Centuries. Hessen-Darmstadt, Saxony, Mecklenburg, Prussia, and other German territories. The German colony was founded on the left bank of the Volga and in close proximity to the river, Of the 232 original colonists, most were of the about 50 kilometers [ca. 30 miles] from Pokrovsk. Lutheran religion. Only ten persons, the Peter Schled- Between 1871 and 1918 the village was part of the erwitter and Johann Martin Meserburg families, were administrative district of Tarlizki, the rural county members of the Reformed denomination. of Novousenski and the Samara Government. The Welfare Office in Saratov granted each household After the establishment of the “Work Commune of arriving in the colony 25 rubles, one or two horses, Volga Germans,” Jost became the administrative and a cow. Most of the initial settlers were tillers of center for the village soviet [Communist-style local the soil, and by their occupation in their former homes council]. From 1922 to 1928 it was part of the Kuk- they fit the goal of colonist recruitment for the purpose kus Canton (Volski); after the administrative reform of cultivating an agricultural area in a wild, untamed in the ASSR [Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic] region of steppes. In addition to farmers, the original of Volga Germans, the Kukkus Canton was annexed family heads included ten shoemakers, five weavers, to the Rovnenski Canton (Seelmann). By 1935, the four blacksmiths, three tailors, three millers, two bak- Kukkus Canton was reestablished. ers, two masons, two butchers, two traders (a rarity in the colonies), one charcoal man, one dye master, one Brief History of the Settlement. hat maker, one tile layer, one merchant, one smith of weaponry, one carpenter, one furniture maker, one The German colony was established on July 5, 1767. book binder, and one soldier.1 Recruitment of the colonists and physical layout of the colony of recruited settlers were carried out by two private agents, Pictet of Geneva and the Frenchman le Roy. The colony was named in honor of its first leader, Johann Gottfried Jost (Justa, Jost), a 44-year-old ma- son from Saxony, who had come to Russia with his wife Maria Dorothea and his 15-year-old son Johann Gottfried. A second name for the colony was Oberberg [Upper Hill/Mountain]; it was proposed by settlers who were overwhelmed by the grand view of the steep right bank of the Volga. However, the colonists did not accept this name and continued to call the colony after the name of its leader. The colony received its official Russian name Popovkina via an edict issued on February 26, 1768. Wagon train of German colonists

AHSGR Journal / Fall 2019 1 Also among the first colonists was Johann Georg Möhring, a teacher in whose memoirs one finds greatly detailed descriptions not only of the recruitment process and the great trek to Russia but also of the first years of the existence of the colonies.2 Möhring’s life story is typical for thousands of the initial colonists. From the remembrance of the schoolmaster, one learns that he was recruited in February of 1766 as a future colonist and made the long trip full of difficulties and deprivation as soon as the following April. In August of 1766, his first wife, one of many such casualties, died in Nizhny Novgorod. The colonists did not reach the Volga region until August of 1767. According to Möhring, regardless of their own wishes, all colonists were required to do agricultural work, and those who refused were punished. In February 1768, Möhring was elected to take Johann Jost’s position as community leader. It took many years before Möhring, who worked as clerk, interpreter, leader and assistant in the censuses in the colonies, was finally acknowledged as unfit for the occupation of farmer. Yemelyan Pugachev

Möhring describes in great detail the attacks from the In Jost, which had been plundered by nomads and Kirgiz-Kaizachs, Turkish nomadic people which lived Pugachov troops, the destroyed home and abandoned in tribal groups and constantly staged treacherous raids household of the former community leader were left from the steppes into German colonies on the left side abandoned. of the Volga. Möhring claimed that these raids had very serious consequences for the German colonies. The Russian government finally recognized the terrible The Kirgiz took colonists as prisoners, plundered and consequences of the attacks. After 1776, it surrounded burned homes, and killed the resisters. In 1774, the colonies with earthen berms, ditches, and bastions colony had to submit to attacks by Ye. Pugachov’s and sent regular troops to protect the border areas. It groups, which carried out plunder, violence, and was under these kinds of difficulties that the colonists murder. “In the settlements of the meadow side, after had to make the broad steppes of Russia arable. With various attacks, not a few colonists were killed or taken great effort and deprivation, the colonists rebuilt their prisoners, and there was much plundering,” as noted villages. By the beginning of the 20th Century, Jost in reports of the Welfare Office following the raids.3 once more had more than 200 households. Most of the colonists’ homes were built with wood. As did many colonists, in 1774, Möhring and his family fled to the Anton colony on the right side of the Much in the history of the German settlements Volga. Möhring tried to return to Jost on November changed drastically with the onset of Soviet power. In 17, 1774. According to his own report, he found no April 1921, some residents were put in prison for orga- residents left. nizing an anti-Soviet uprising.4 During Soviet times, a machine shop was established in Jost, and more than By June 1775, Möhring tried to obtain a position as 100 local residents decided to establish the village schoolmaster or sexton in any whatever colony would called Neu-Jost, about 6 miles away. In September take him. He did not dare to go back to Jost. In Oc- 1941, the Germans of the village were deported; since tober, 1775, he and his wife and two step-daughters 1942 the place has been called Oktyabrskoye. resettled in the colony of Svonaryov Kut (Stahl), where he worked as a school teacher until 1781.

2 AHSGR Journal / Fall 2019 Russian language. He suggested to increase funding for instruction of Russian and to establish in that school a position for a second teacher of Russian.6

According to statistical information (collected by the superintendent for the meadow side, J. Erbes, in 1906) on the condition of schools in the German colonies of the 2284 residents of the village, some 280 children were of school age. Still, attendance at school was not universal. For example, in 1906, thirty children could not attend school because their parents were poor or the children were busy every day working in some trade or other occupation. During that same year, 57 boys and 17 girls were taught in the semstvo [state- run] school, which employed two teachers.

The parish school was attended by 82 boys and 94 girls, and it employed two teachers as well.7 Both Evangelical Lutheran Church (1859) in the village Jost schools were supported financially by the church Schools and School Instruction. community. During Soviet times, both schools were closed, and one public school opened in their place. The first schoolmaster in Jost was the 24-year-old Johann Georg. He was born on August 4, 1743, in Religious Denominations of the Residents. the small market place of Altenstadt in Württemberg. From 1749 to 1756, he attended gymnasium (the The colonists were of the Evangelical-Lutheran faith. classical high school). In 1760, he began studies at Some were members of the Reformed sect. Likewise, the University of Tübingen but did not finish due to the Silesian War.

The first classes (in Jost) took place during the very first year of the colony, temporarily in the home of the schoolmaster. In the parish school, all children between ages 7 and 15 were instructed. School was held from 8 to 11 in the morning and from 2 to 4 in the afternoon. However, instruction was given only during the winter. From spring to the fall, the teacher and the pupils worked in the fields.

Like all colonists, the schoolmaster was forced to work the land too, even though he had no experience at all in it. In 1775, he resettled to Svonaryov. He he worked there as a teacher and sexton until 1781.5 During the 1870s, a semstvo (state-run) school was opened in Jost.

During the year 1900, the inspector of public schools turned to the superintendent on the meadow side, J. Erbes, and notified the latter that Popovkina had a Store/Barn in Kukkus with the banner inscription “Save every school for 600 children and only one teacher for the Soviet kopek for the Soviet Economy!” Photo from the 1920s.

AHSGR Journal / Fall 2019 3 members of the Reformed Church were residents of Kukkus (Volskaya), the center of the parish.

The Parish.

Until 1821, the colony of Jost was part of the Warenburg (Privalnoye) parish. From 1821 on, it belonged to the Lutheran-Reformed parish of Kukkus (Privalnoye) formed in 1821.8 Other communities that were part of the Kuk- kus parish were Kukkus (Privalnoye), Stahl (Stepnoye), Lauwe (Yablonka), and Bangardt (Saumorye). The members of the church community Kukkus (Volskaya), center of the parish at large, were of the Reformed sect.

Church Construction Date and its Architec- Return from the Church after the service in Kukkus tural Characteristics. Population Numbers. During the early years after the colony was founded, school was held in the school-and-prayer house. The In 1767, some 232 colonists from abroad resided in first (wooden) church was built in 1805 and financed Jost; by 1769, there were 238. In 1773, the village from community funds. It had no outstanding archi- numbered 219 residents, 154 in 1788, 264 in 1798, tectural features; it was a rather small and modest 343 in 1816, 584 in 1834, 937 in 1850, 1122 in 1859, structure. It served the colonists for more than fifty and 1215 in 1889. During 1865, 266 residents left years. The church was constructed by local master the village to establish daughter colonies in Kazakh- builders, without specific plans or cost estimates. stan. Information from the Russian Empire Census Until the 1930s, the Welfare Office, according to its of 1897 indicated that there were 1399 persons—all own statements, “did not examine or certify plans or Germans—living in Jost. By 1904 the number was cost estimates, leaving it all up to the colonist com- 2200 persons, and in 1910 it was 2207 residents.12 munities.”9 After 1917, the population decreased steadily, due By 1859, a new church was put in the place of the to the influence of Soviet policies: the result of the 10 old one. It provided 670 seats. The church, as was famines in the early 1920s and early 1930s, de- typical for German churches on the Volga, was built kulakization, repressions, and emigration of the in their typical Kontor style, which had taken on its population. According to the All-Russian census of ironic designation from the Welfare Office [“Kontor”], 1920, the village had 1826 residents, a number that which tended to force the building of ecclesiastic was clearly affected by the famine in the early 1920s. structures in a uniform style. Fully justified as well is In 1921, eighty children were born and 147 persons the second designation of the style, “Russian-German died in the village. From the Administrative Office Classicism,” by which many churches (just as the for Statistics of the Autonomous Region of the Volga one in Jost) demonstrated typical characteristics of Germans, we know that Jost numbered 1400 residents classicism—a long “house” and a front hall with pil- in January 1922. lars. Next to the church were the school-prayer house, the sexton’s house with a small addition, a wooden The census of 1826 listed 1356 residents in the village, bell tower, and a burial chamber. of whom 1351 were German.13 In 1931, there were 1658 village residents, all of whom were German.

4 AHSGR Journal / Fall 2019 From the History of the Church Community and the Parish.

The clergymen who served the Kukkus parish in Jost last were imprisoned. Pastor Johann Erbes (1868- 1932), who had served the area communities since 1902, was arrested in 1930 and accused of anti-Soviet activities and espionage. He died in a penal camp near Semipalatinsk. Otto Heinrichsohn Harff (1872 to after 1932) too was arrested in 1931 for counterrevolution- ary activities and died in a penal camp.

During the early 1930s, many churches of all denomi- All that remains of Jost. Photo by author. 2010. nations were closed in a very short time. Some locals 1788-1797 (the parish had no pastor) preferred to close their churches out of precaution so 1897-1821 Bernhard Wilhelm Litfas as not to be accused of loyalty to religion. In 1931, the Presidium of the Executive Committee of the ASSR List of the Pastors of the Kukkus Parish Who Served received from the regional commission (for examining in the Jost Community.17 the religious situation) a report that the church in the 1820-1835 Johan Martin Otto village was still open but that the prayer house had 1836-1840 Vicar Peter August Pundani been closed. The church community still numbered 1840-1852 Ernst Wilhelm David 1561 believers, of whom two had been stripped of 1854-1900 Johannes.Wilhelm Michail Allendorf their civil rights (including all political rights).14 1902-1930 Johannes Erbes 1929-1930 Otto Heinrich Harff On September 15, 1934, the Commission for Cultural Matters of the Central Executive Committee of the Current Condition of the Church and of Other ASSR of Volga Germans referred the news to the Pre- Objects of German Architecture. sidium of the ASSR of Volga Germans that the brick church building was still being used by the faithful, The church does not exist anymore, even though it is and that two bells weighing a total of 13 pud [ca. 500 listed on current maps as Oktyabrskoye of the Engels pounds] remained. The question of repurposing of the Raion and Saratov region. building needed special examination.15 So the church was one of the last Protestant churches in the Volga Today’s Oktyabrskoye can certainly not be called a region to be closed. village. On the acreage of the former Jost (then Okty- abrskoye), where homes formerly stood, only small A February 10, 1938, order of the Presidium of the hills can be seen. No longer visible are parts of former Central Executive Committee and the Supreme Soviet foundations, small rises, and indentions. of the ASSR of Volga Germans ended the church’s existence officially, even though services in it had long Archival Sources. been stopped.16 625 of 666 community members voted for the closure. The Presidium of the Central Executive State Historical Archive of the Volga Germans (En- Committee recommended turning the building into a gels, Saratov region). 326 items. cultural house. Evangelical-Lutheran Church of the Village Popovkina List of the Pastors of the Warenburg Parish Who (Jost), administrative district Stepnovski, rural county Served in the Jost Community. Novousenski, Government Samara (1934-1965). The 1770-1777 Pohlmann inventory contains an index, two depositories, and 1777-1785 (the parish had no pastor) birth registers for the years 1834-1865.18 1785-1788 Friedrich Konrad Strenge

AHSGR Journal / Fall 2019 5 An Interesting Archival Document. 10 Knyazeva, E.E., Solov’yova, G.F.Liuteranskie cekvi I prihody XVIII Among the lost documents of the Saratov Office for – XX vv. Istoricheskiy spravochnik. SPb, 2001. Chast’ I, p. 213 Settlers from Abroad there is in the State Archive of 11 Schnurr, J. Das protestantische Gottesshaus // Die Kirchen und the Saratov Region a “Document on the Permission das religiöse Leben der Russlanddeutschen. Ev. Teil. [The Protestant for Colonist Koch of the Popovkina Colony to Cede House of God // The Churches and the Religious Life of the German his Property to the Colonist Axt” in 1798,19 confirmed Russians]. Ev. Part. Ed. J. Schnurr. Stuttgart, 1978, p. 325.. by the Monarch on September 16, 1800. It states: “It is strictly forbidden to turn property over to someone 12 Nemeckie naselyonoye punkty v Rossiyskoy Imperii: Geografiya I else under any circumstances, unless in a case where naselenie, Spravochnik / Sost. V.F. Dizendorf. M. 2002, p. 103 someone without children or heirs, who because of his 13 Predvaritel’nye Vsesoyuznoy perepisi naselenya 1926 goda po age is not able to take care of himself, and then only ASSR nemcev Povolzh’ya. Pokrovsk, 1927, pp. 28-83. with permission of the Kontor Office and not out of one’s own initiative; and the recipient must take over 14 GIANP. B. 849. V. 1. A. 834. Bi. 109. debts owed to the State and must make every effort to assist in taking care of the person who is no longer 15 GIANP. B. 849. V. 1. A. 890. Bi. 77. able to take care of himself.” 16 GIANP. B. 976. V. 1. A. 45. BI. 1.

ENDNOTES 17 This list, with minor changes and attempts at precision, is taken from E. Amburger. Cf. E. Amburger, Die Pastoren der evangelischen 1 Calculated from Einwanderung in das Volgagebiet: 1764-1767 Kirchen Russlands von Ende des 16. Jahrhunderts bis 1937. Ein [Immigration to the Volga Region], publisher Alfred Eisfeld, ed. by biographisches Lexicon. [The Pastors of Evangelical-Lutheran Igor Pleve; vol. 2 Kolonien Galka-Kutter. Göttingen, Göttinjger Arbe- Churches of Russia from the End of the 16th Century until 1937. A itskreis, 2001. Biographical Lexicon,] Martin-Luther Verlag. 1988.

2 Chronologische Anmerkungen. Memoiren des gewesenen 18 The information on the inventory and registers of personal status Schulmeisters zu Swonarewka Johann Georg Möhring aus dem 18. contained in the State Archive of Volga Germans was prepared for Jahrhundert [Chronological Notes. Memoirs of the former schoolmas- this article by employees of the archive. ter of Svonarevka Johann Georg Möhring, from the 19th Century]. Published by Pastor Johannes Kufeld // Friedensbote 1901. 19 GASO. B. 180. V.2.A. 512.

3 Pleve I.R., p. Nemeckie kolonii na Volga vo vtoroy polovinbne. XVIII veka. M. 1998. 157. EDITOR’S NOTE: Thanks to Alexander and Nancy Herzog for the translation of this article. Thanks to Olga Litzenberger for providing 4 German, .A.A., Nmeckaya avtonomiya na Volga. 1918-1941. Hast’ the photographs. 1. Avtomnaya oblast’. 1918-1924. Saratov. 1992. P. 107

AHSGR RECORDS 5 Pleve. I.R., Nemeckie kolonii na Volga vo vtoroy polovine XVIII Jost - 1798 Census veka,. p. 223 Jost, Russia Birth Records (1794-1866) 6 GIANP B., 1831. V. 1. A. 289. BI. 38.

7 GIANP B., 1831. V. 1. A. 299. BI. 41.

8 The respected German researcher Karl Stumpp states incorrectly that the Kukkus parish had been established in 1767. Cf. Stumpp, K., [translatred title:] Record of Ev. Pastors in Individual German and Mixed Parishes in Russia and the Soviet Union, not Including the Bal- tic and Poland. // The Churches and the Religious Life of the German Russians. Ev. Part. Ed. by J. Schnurr. Stuttgart. 1978. pp. 116-235.

9 Terjohin, S. Poseleniya nemcev v Rossii. Arhitekturniy fenomenen. Saratov. 1999, p. 117.

6 AHSGR Journal / Fall 2019 MATERNAL INSTINCTS By Christine Antinori

Christine Antinori’s story won first place in the 2019 AHSGR Storytelling Contest. Winners were announced at the annual convention in Lincoln, Nebraska, in July.

“Give it some time. But not too much time….” These She walked me to school every day, made my are some of the wisest words of advice I’ve ever re- breakfast and lunch, and even came to school with ceived. Many years later, I relied upon these words me sometimes. She brought snacks, multi-colored when making a critical life-altering decision that ornamental pepper plants, and Christmas cactus as would have a profound impact on many people’s lives, “class gifts.” Sometimes she came just to visit, including my own. so she became “another mother” to my classmates as well. This story, a true story, is about the wisdom I learned from my maternal grandmother, a German Russian When I was sick, she made me chicken noodle soup immigrant. Born in Russia, resettled in Lincoln, Ne- with home made egg noodles she made by hand. This braska, at age two in a neighborhood located under- is a skill she taught me too. At least once a year, I neath the viaduct which now runs alongside Husker make by hand, rolling the dough through a small Stadium. noodle cutter and drying the noodles on large white bed sheets throughout my home. Noodles dry much My grandmother was only educated to the 8th grade more quickly in the arid Colorado environment than so she could work the sugar beet fields in Western they did in the humid Nebraska climate! Nebraska and Northern Colorado where I now re- side. Ironically, coincidentally or fate, I moved into Florence never established a career for herself, but the first original German Russian settlement in Fort she worked hard at the jobs she had, especially on Collins not far from the fields my grandmother and the factory line for Russell Stover Candies whose her family likely worked. And perhaps more ironic, origins began in Denver, initially called Mrs. Sto- my neighborhood is now home of Sugar Beet Park, a ver’s Bungalow Candies. In the early 1920’s, they family-oriented, historically themed playground with opened a store in my hometown, Lincoln, and hired an actual sugar beet playscape. my grandma to work the factory line.

Though she had no formal education, she valued “Here’s a little secret I’ll share with you” my grand- education. Despite her financial modesty, she and my mother Florence said to me one day with a twinkle grandfather, John Kaufman, somehow managed to in her eye. “Those swirls on top of those candies tell scrape enough money together to send their daughter you what is inside!” Grandma would describe how to college in Omaha. a “dot swirl to the left” was the mark for a nought filling. A “zig zag pattern was on the caramels,” She Florence (Firestone) Kaufman was my maternal was particularly fond of the Pecan Delight candies, grandmother by birth. By choice as a result of years of also known as Turtles. raising me as a small child and through adolescence, I acknowledge her in my heart and mind as my mother. All of the most important life lessons I’ve learned are solely and most deservingly attributed to my

AHSGR Journal / Fall 2019 7 grandmother. A devout Christian, she read the Bible If you are comfortable sharing any information, multiple times a day, each time marking lightly where I would be interested to learn more however, she left in a light #2 pencil mark. She said “Never go again, I respect your privacy. to bed angry at anyone” and “Forgive everyone”; the Bible tells us to do this. Christine Antinori

Honest, kind, patient, reliable, uncomplicated, and *** (though she struggled financially through much of her life), she was generous beyond her means. She was Hi Christine! I apologize for the delay in get- always wanting to feed you something. My grand- ting back to you. We recently moved to a new state, new home, son went away to school, yada mother had the ultimate maternal instincts. yada yada.

Those same instincts stirred my curiosity in 2017. I’m so glad you reached out to me! I wish I had Being an only child and curious about my own fam- some information for you about our family, but I ily origins, I decided to take a DNA test through don’t. I, too, am an only child but I’m adopted. 23andMe: DNA Genetic Testing & Analysis. Within All my adoptive parents were told was my bio- weeks, my results were in. Confirmed ethnic heritage, logical parents were in their teens and I’m a mix German almost 40%. No surprise there. However, at of Italian and white Russian. I took the DNA the top of my genetically closest relatives list was test to find out more about myself (guess how an unknown individual identified as “AS,” a female much Italian DNA I have—none!) and maybe get with 13.8% and 38 DNA segments shared on maternal a match with someone, like you (!), to find out Haplogroup H1C. A 100% verified, accurate match, a bit more about my past. I was born in Omaha she was predicted and identified to be my first cousin. in 1968. That’s all the information I have. Did HOW? WHO? Until this time, the only cousins I had your mom or aunt mention anything about her known were Matt and Andy. having a baby she gave up for adoption when she was a teenager? I wish I had more details What should I do with this new information? Should for you, but I have nothing. If nothing else, it’s I reach out to this “AS”? The decision was a difficult pretty cool for me to have a cousin. My adoptive one as I had long given up on the idea I might have family wasn’t close to their siblings so I didn’t more relatives out there somewhere. “Give it some have the extended family experience growing up. time, but not too much time.” Weeks went by and I finally decided to take a chance and reach out to the If you have any information you feel comfortable sharing, I’d love to know. If not, I understand. mysterious “AS”. Below is the actual message thread Have a terrific weekend! between us as a miracle unfolded! Amy Sandy Hello. Thank you for sharing your info with me. I respect your desire for privacy. I’m an *** only child and my grandparents and parents are deceased. My genetic test results are show- Hi Amy. ing that you are genetically related to me very closely which I’m curious about. I’m assuming Yes, I was told by my aunt, the same story as you this is on my mother’s side. She had one sister shared, about a girl she gave birth to when she who I was very close with for many years until was a teenager and was not able to be a mother adulthood, now estranged. My family surnames at that young age. on my mother’s side, were Kaufman, Firestone (I believe, actually, Freustein). I knew both of I am pretty certain my aunt is your biological my great grandparents and grandparents on my mother. I do have more knowledge and infor- mothers side. mation but will only share what I know if you ask me.

8 AHSGR Journal / Fall 2019 If you would like to talk instead of email that’s now has reunited with her first born daughter, has two fine with me! I’ve always, (until now) been the grandchildren, and my cousin’s have a sister! The or- only girl in my family on both sides so it’s cool nament on the Christmas tree that was always placed having a cousin and a GIRL cousin! for Amy is now one she can see first hand and have her own children added to that tradition. My number is xxx-xxx-xxxx. I live in Fort Collins. Home today and tomorrow. For me, as an only child with my parents deceased never having any children of my own from my pre- Christine Antinori vious marriage, God has somehow blessed me with the ability to start my own family. Many years later My new-found cousin Amy and I ended up talking for and beyond anything I thought possible, I’m soon to quite some time by phone. When she sent me a photo be the proud and overjoyed mother of twins, a boy of herself, I was in shock! Amy looked like my grand- and a girl, due to be born late this summer through mother Florence! After visiting with Amy for weeks, I a surrogate. They will, without question, have my asked her if she would like me to try and connect her grandmother Florence and grandfather John’s names with her birth mother. I was 100% certain her mom as their middle names. would want to meet her and especially, know she has grandchildren! Again, the advice “Give it some time, What I will teach my children are the same lessons my but not too much time” circled through my mind. I beautiful, faithful, honest, God-loving grandmother told Amy I would give this serious thought. Florence taught me. And I will ensure they know of their German Russian heritage as I take them to play Thinking more about the lessons my grandmother at Sugar Beet park. taught me about forgiveness, I decided to connect Amy to her birth mother. As a last ditch effort and through a AUTHOR BIO lot of sleuthing, I was able to locate my cousin Andy. Christine Antinori was born and raised in Lin- I called him at work and made myself very clear that coln, Nebraska, by her my call to him was extremely important and would maternal grandmother, be life changing. I assured him this was no joke and I Florence (Firestone) needed just a few minutes of his time and his full at- Kaufman. Christine spent tention. He said, “Okay.” I said “Andy, your mother’s a significant amount of daughter, Amy, wants to meet her. Your mother needs time at her great-grand- to know she is alive and that she is a grandmother to mother’s home (Christina two children….” and Peter Firestone) help- ing both her grand mother and great-grandmother with Andy agreed to contact his mother, tell her about chores and cooking. As she was growing up, she has what occurred, and ask her to check her Facebook fond memories of hearing folk-stories about the neigh- accounts for messages from me and from a woman borhood hexes (witches) that lived under the bridge named Amy. Weeks later, I got an email message from by the railroad tracks, helped make runzas, kolaches, Amy that she and my aunt had finally connected! They dumplings, and cleaning; lots and lots of cleaning! To were planning to meet in person at my aunt’s home this day, Christine still does not understand why her in Iowa along with my cousins Matt, Andy, and other great grandmother put wet laundry out to freeze on the member’s of the family. clotheslines in the winter. She is looking forward to become a mother of twins later this year and passing As proud Germans from Russia know and, as my along all of the good and important lessons she learned grandmother Florence consistently showed me from her German Russian grandparents. through unwavering unconditional love, family should be first—no matter what. Through anger, tears, and pain, you should never abandon your family. My aunt

AHSGR Journal / Fall 2019 9 THE KRUMMY QUARTER By Eleanor Sissell

Eleanor Sissell’s story tied for second place in the 2019 AHSGR Storytelling Contest. Winners were announced at the annual convention in Lincoln, Nebraska, in July.

You might wonder why people would call a perfectly good quarter section of land a Krummy Quarter. I think that my cousin Gary Krumm would know why. Gary is a serious hard working person at his jobs. However, he can be very jovial and funny with his friends. They often called him Krummy. Gary’s family lived on this land with our Grandparents, to help with the farm work after my parents moved to California.

Kukkus Home Kukkus was started as a small village of 51 families, located along the meadow side of the Volga River in Russia. The homes were located in the town close to the village Church. The streets were lined with lovely trees. The houses were long buildings, which included the family home, with an attached barn and a shed for keeping equipment and repairing tools. There were flowers and other plants in the front yard. A large Volga River Scene from Kukkus garden, fruit trees and animal pens were behind the My grandfather, Philipp Krumm, was born on the 5th house. The wife and older children tended the garden of June 1882, in Kukkus, Samara, Volga, Russia. His and animals, which were to be eaten by the family. parents were Johannes Krumm and Anna Margaretha The horses were well attended to by the men because Fuchs. His father died when he was about 10 years old. they were used for farming chores. His mother remarried, but Philipp did not like his step father so he moved in with his Uncle Andreas Krumm The farm’s crops were in narrow strips, away from and his family. His 5th great grandparents moved to town, near a source of water. The whole family would Russia, in 1767, at the invitation of Catherine the go out to their parcel of land to care for the crops and Great, Empress/Czarina of Russia and were German to do harvesting. Tending the crops was not easy to do. farmers there. Catherine offered free transportation, The crops had to be watered from buckets carried by food, animals, wood to build homes and churches, hand. The horses were used only for working in the plus freedom of religion, speaking their own German field. The weeds and close plants had to be thinned out language and exemption from the Russian military. and pruned each spring by hand. The crops were taken

10 AHSGR Journal / Fall 2019 by horses and wagons to their assigned destination. work. Philipp married Anna Maria (Emma) Maser The larger parts of the crops were sent to other areas, on January 9th, 1907, in Lincoln, Lancaster County, on boats by government orders, or sent to nearby vil- Nebraska. Their marriage was arranged for them by lages. The family was able to keep a small amount of their Church, or a marriage broker, as it was done in the crops to feed the family and animals. Russia. They lived on New Hampshire Street in the North Bottoms of Lincoln. Her parents were Andreas Grandpa Krumm’s family was quite small. He had a and Marie Katherine (Lehmann) Maser. Marie was younger brother who died of a childhood illness. It was born in the village of Schilling, Russia. Andreas and quite common for families to lose family members to Marie were married in the village of Kukkus. Emma diseases. He had a younger sister named Margaret. She and her family emigrated to Lincoln in 1898. The married and had two children, but never left Russia. newlyweds lived around the corner from her parents They and other people of the village were rounded up who lived on Charleston Street. The Maser grocery by the Russian secret police. They were forced to dig store was on the corner and the Church was across the a hole in the middle of town. Then they had them line street, on the other corner of Charleston Street. Philipp up around the hole and shot them so they would fall worked at the Railroad Roundhouse in Lincoln. into the hole. Grandfather had never cried so hard in his life as when he received the letter describing the death of his sister and her children.

Philipp emigrated from his village in Russia with his Uncle Andreas Krumm. He listed Philipp as his son, but Philipp was actually Andreas’s nephew. Andreas arrived at the Port of St. Paul, Minnesota, on the 10th of December 1902. Andreas and his family went to Winnepeg, Canada. Philipp told me he could not de- part from the ship because his eyes were swollen and red from a strong wind, blowing dirt from the land to the ship. Philipp said he was able to get off the ship in Galveston, Texas. He apparently was then able to Kukkus Church go to Canada to be with his Uncle. Philipp and Emma had one child, Johannes (John) born in Lincoln. Andreas and family went from Canada to Philipp left Canada, coming to America on the 22nd Montana a few years later through the port of Pem- of December 1902, riding on the Canadian Pacific bina, North Dakota. Philipp and Emma moved from Railroad. He then went to Lincoln, Nebraska, to find Lincoln to Fromberg, Carbon County, Montana, to help on his Uncle Andreas‘s farm. They loaded up their horse drawn wagon to move to Montana. They had five more children in Montana: my Aunt Marie, my Father Andrew, and my Uncles Herman, Alfred, and Henry. After a few more years, land became available in Nebraska. Philipp moved his family to Madrid, Perkins County, Nebraska. He rented his farm land for many years in the area now called “the Krummy Quarter”. Their last child, my Aunt Thelma, was born in Madrid.

Many years later Philipp and Emma retired from farming and moved to Ovid, Sedgwick County, Colorado. Marie married Harry Shalla, (a county Clerk). The Main Street Kukkus Shalla’s settled in Grant, Perkins County, Nebraska

AHSGR Journal / Fall 2019 11 and raised three children. My father, Andrew also I married Alton Sissell on married Phoebe Schlieper in Grant. They had two April 9, 1961, at Merced, children in Madrid, Nebraska, and six more in Merced, California. He had just Merced County, California. Herman and Alfred never graduated from United married. Henry married Marie Nein in Sedgwick, States Air Force Aviation Sedgwick County, Colorado, and had four children. Cadets and was awarded Thelma married David Nein, also in Sedgwick, and the silver wings of a Nav- had four children. igator, with a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant. The Krummy Quarter still exists, at the intersection of We had a daughter and Road 765 just west of Road 337, in Perkins County, a son born in Merced. Nebraska. The farm land still grows wheat and corn. Alton was transferred to The house, animal sheds, and other buildings are no March Air Force Base, longer there, but the Krummy Quarter will always Riverside, California, live in my heart. where another son was born. Big Spring, Texas, was our next destination, as Alton was accepted for Air AUTHOR BIO Force Pilot Training. We had our last child, a daughter in Big Spring. I was born in Merced, California on February 12, 1941. My parents were: Andrew Krumm and Phoebe I joined The American Historical Society of Germans Elizabeth Wineland Schlieper. I was raised on a farm, from Russia in 1981, and I am a Life Member. Our seven miles from town, and we grew fig trees and four children are also Life Members. I have served as peach trees. I have two sisters and five brothers. Farm Genealogy Chairman, on the National Board and have life was hard as I worked in the orchards, alongside served several terms as President of the Sacramento the Mexican laborers, filling 40 pound lug boxes with Valley Chapter and the Chapter Librarian. I am the figs and peaches. Village Coordinator for the village of Kukkus and have 18,801 persons in the village database.

The Krummy Quarter

12 AHSGR Journal / Fall 2019 WHY I AM PASSIONATE ABOUT GENEALOGY By Shirley Wilcoxon

Shirley Wilconxon’s story tied for second place in the 2019 AHSGR Storytelling Contest. Winners were announced at the annual convention in Lincoln, Nebraska, in July.

Everything has been a day there were more questions than answers. I went to the at a time, a piece of infor- library and the Federal Archives. I poured through cen- mation at a time, and a new sus records and history books. The more I learned, the clue to be curious about. I more questions I had. I became addicted. I expanded guess if I am going to be my search to my Volga German families. addicted to something, it might as well be family. I As I continued researching, I came to many brick don’t think anything is more walls. It was as though our ancestors disappeared. important. God brought us They could no longer be found. They were among into this world in the love the forgotten ones. It was as if they lived their lives and bond of our family. I in vain—ashes to ashes, dust to dust. It was as though want to celebrate what He has given us. they were blown into the unknown never to be thought of again. I did not want that to happen to our family. We may be scattered, we may have been distracted, we We are an important link in a chain started many may not have seen each other for years, perhaps we centuries ago. I do not want our chain to be broken. didn’t even know each other, but there is a connection What I am doing today is not for the benefit of today’s that cannot be denied or ignored. I may not have seen generations. It is for the benefit of our grandchildren you in many years, but you have been fondly in my and their grandchildren so that our lives, our trials, thoughts. I feel an immediate bond when we recon- our accomplishments, our victories, and our love will nect. It is as though the years have suddenly vanished. live on forever in the hearts and minds of our family to come. The Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines curiosity as 1: desire to know: a: inquisitive interest in others’ concerns: nosiness b: interest leading to inquiry .

My curiosity was peaked when my mother was going through her mother’s papers. There was a tablet marked “Stites Family History–Do Not Destroy”. It appears my Grandma Alice and her sisters started collecting family history. It was a jumble of names, dates, notes, letters, and handwritten copies from unknown books talking about distant family members as they pioneered across the country. I wanted to know more. I wanted to know who these people were and how I fit in. Once I organized what I could, I found

AHSGR Journal / Fall 2019 13 AUTHOR BIO family came on the S.S. America in 1888. Other Shirley Wilcoxon is the President of the Denver Metro ancestors also immigrat- Chapter and the AHSGR Society Membership and ed. The families settled Public Affairs Chairperson. Shirley is a very passion- in the Kansas areas of ate person dedicated to the growth and success of our Herzog/Victoria, Walker, organization and the preservation of our history and Pfeifer, and St. Peter. culture. She administers several social media groups Her Russian villages and pages promoting AHSGR, DNA, and genealogy were Herzog, Marien- in general. Shirley is a second generation American tal (Pfannenstiel), Graf, on her German Russian Father’s side of her family. and Kamenka. Shirley Her lineage goes back to the founding fathers of is a widow and a proud America on her non-German Mother’s side. Shirley’s mother of three children Riedel and Dreiling family came on the S.S. Mosel in and seven grandchildren. 1876. Her Stremel and Schaefer families came on the S.S. Herder in 1877. Her Braun/Brown and Becker

THE IMMIGRANT WOMAN By Norma Pipkin

Norma Pipkin spoke at the 2019 AHSGR Convention in Lincoln, Nebraska. This below script is in memory of her great-great-grandmother, Anna Eva Spötter Rupp, who was born July 2, 1828 in Obermonjou, Russia, and died December 29, 1902 in Munjor, Kansas.

Anna in prayer: Vater unser, der du bist im Gegrüsst seist du Maria, voll der Gnade, der Herr Himmel, geheiligt werde dein Name, zu uns ist mit dir; du bist gebenedeit unter den Weibern komme dein Reich, dein Wille geschehe, wie und gebenedeit ist die Frucht deines Leibes, im Himmel also auch auf Erden. Unser tägliches Jesus. Heilige Maria, Mutter Gottes, bitte für Brot gib uns heute, und vergib uns unsere Schuld, uns Sünder, jetzt und in der Stunde unseres wie auch wir vergeben unsern Schuldigern, und Todes. Amen führe uns nicht in Versuchung, sondern erlöse uns von dem Übel. Amen (Translation: Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among woman and (Translation: Our Father, who are in heaven, blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us now and in will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us the hour of our death. Amen) today our daily bread and forgive us our tres- passes as we forgive those who have trespassed Im Namen des Vaters, und des Sohnes und des against us. And lead us not into temptation but Heiligen Geistes. Amen deliver us from evil. Amen) 14 AHSGR Journal / Fall 2019 (Translation: In the name of the Father, and the not come right away. We wait to hear if we can make Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen) life here. We make decision und in 1878 unsere ganze Familie (our whole family), 15 come all together und Ach, I have just finished praying mein Rosenkrantz we come to Hays with train. Die gute Leit (the good (my rosary). Since we have arrived for 12 years here people), they come und get us in Hays with der Wagon. in America, I have prayed and thanked Gott (God) so Und we find here another Obermonjou, that is what many times that we have made a life for our Kinnerje we called our Dorf (village) in Russland. Ja, but here (children). in America they say it Munjor. Wann we get here we are so arm (poor). Mir hun ga gon Geld (we have no Na ja, here I’m babbling like a babbelgush (blabber money). We use what Gott make. The Mannsleit dig a mouth), and you don’t even know me. I am Anna Eva hole in ground; they call that dugout and 15 live in it. Spötter Rupp and I have 62 years. Mein Mann ist der Rupp’s Conrad (My husband is Conrad Rupp) and We do same thing in Russland when die alte Leit together we have ten children born. Mir hun bloss drei (old people) first come there. But here in Kansas we Söhne (we have only three sons) und sieben Töchter see people who live in sod house so mein Mannsleit (seven daughters). In Russland (Russia) before we (my guys) build me dirt house. Everywhere there is come to America we are 15 in Haus. My drei Eldeste dirt; the floor, the walls, the ceiling und heilige Gott, Kinnerje (three oldest children), der Johann Jacob, wann es geregnet hot (dear God, when it rained), we der Philip und die Anna Catherina, they are verheira- get mud, Schlange (snakes). Es war nett schön (it was tet (married). Our Anna she go live with der Beforts not nice), but we do what we have to do. Anton Familie (Anton Befort’s family). But our Söhne (sons) they stay with wife and Kinnerje (children) with You see my new house here. I am so proud. There is us in Haus in Russland (Russia). We need our sons to this limestone überall (everywhere). We are so poor. feed us, so we live 15 in Haus. We have not money to buy this wood in Hays. But God has put this limestone into earth and with a strong Ach du lieber, ich bin so kalt (Oh dear,I am so cold). back, you can have all that you want. The Mannsleit I must first put mistholz (manure logs) in fire. Wann have cut all these stones by hand. Ja, that first day we die first people come here to Kansas in 1876, hei du moved from that half-sod, half-dugout into this stone Zeitkom (what a sight), there was nothing to burn, no house, I have cried so hard. Nein, I was not sad, I was trees, no nothing. What we do? We do what we learn so happy to have this. We now have a wood floor, no in Russland. We take manure from cow und horse more dirt und I can make alles sehr sauber (everything und we put in straw und viel Wasser (much water). very clean). You know every one from die Familie und das Dorf (village), we all come together und die Jungen (boys) Have you seen our new stone church? Ach, it is so they ride horses and ox through manure and straw to beautiful. So, we have named it for St. Francis of As- mix it. Dann die Weibsleit (then women) we take up sisi. We just dedicate it in this year of our Lord, 1890. skirt to knee and we walk sometimes up to knee in When those first families get here in 1876, there was this. Everyone laugh and have good time. When we nothing. No Catholic church, no priest—nothing. The are done, we go to the big Volga river to wash. The people made this big wood cross and placed it in the Mannsleit (men) they ride ox. They have four heavy middle of the village. Every Sunday, everyone went logs together, and they smooth out manure and straw. there to pray their rosary, the mass, and the litanies. Then it must dry. We cut it and turn it and it dry more. Very soon these good people built a wood church for When all is fertig (done), we bring it in and make stack God. Nobody had a wood house, everybody had a for winter. Everyone say this is best to burn and give dugout or a sod house, but in two years, there was a best heat. We never get cold. wood church for God. Ja, when we come in 1878, we were so happy to have a church. So now, we could I tell you more about when we get here to Kansas. Our make it of stone. Ach, my Amalia told me that this first people leave our village Obermonjou in 1876. We stone church has cost $3,600. The stone, we would get free, just hard work.

AHSGR Journal / Fall 2019 15 But there was the wood for the ceiling and roof. I tell parents of the Junge (boy) always have the wedding Amalie that we do not have much, but we must always at their house. give to God first. All my Mädche (girls) Anna Catherina, Anna, Lizbet, Ja, I must tell you about our Catherina, und how pretty Anna Maria, Barbara, Amalie, und our Catherina must her Hochzeit was. What is this Hochzeit? Well, it is sew for this wedding. The Braut (bride) she wear dark the wedding. But this story is ein Liebesgeschicht—a blue—with this dark full skirt, tight blouse with long true love story. I tell you already, we were here in 1878 tight sleeves, und a very high neckline und many but- und our Catherina was 14. She was such good help to tons down the front. They make an apron, with very me on that long trip und here in Obermonjou, she put pretty flowers sewed on it. Ach, my girls do such pretty that white wash many times on our dugout walls. She stitches. On her head, she had small cap, rolled to look was 18 und so pretty und there was this Junge (boy), like crown, with pretty beads on it. Johann Dechant. Well this Junge is always making eyes at our Catherina at church und wann he see her The Mannsleit (men) have their work too, because at work. One night while we were all in Bett (bed), they must kill a pig und a steer and they make sau- ja him und his friends, I think they have too much sages. Und because it is so cold in January we can Schnapps, because they are singing so laut (loud) have fresh meat for the Mahlzeit (dinner). Well, two outside our house. I sing for you what they say: “Rote weeks before the big day, we have to send two men of Backe, Dicke Bein, Anna Catherine, Du Bist Mein”. our town to invite guests. We call them the Hochzeit What it means: “Red cheeks, fat legs, Anna Catherina, Läder. They start at opposite ends of Munjor and they you belong to me.” The next day, mein Mann und ich, go to the house on guest list. They have cane und I we don’t say much, but Catherina, she keeps her eyes save the cane that they use. They have poem und they down, because she knows this Junge, Johann likes her. tell the Frau (woman) she is invited. If she come to This Johann found a friend that could talk to mein our Hochzeit, she tie a ribbon on cane. She then give Mann about taking Catherina for his wife. We called Schapps to the Hochzeit Läder. By the time they fin- this man a Friersmann (go between or matchmaker) ish and get all the ribbons they are full of Schnapps. in our village. Nein, Johann could never ask Catherina Gott sei dank (Thank God) that we have canes with herself, nor could he ask mein Mann. ribbons, or we would never know how many are coming to our dinner. He needed this Freiersmann. One night, we have this knock at our door. Mein Mann opened und he was Ach, I remember that January 16 day so well. You not surprised to see Johann und his Freiersmann. I know it is Tuesday. We do not have wedding on Sam- was here sewing und Catherina was in the loft. Well, stag (Saturday) because this is before the Lord’s day, they talked and talked. About crops, about weather, Sunday. Montag (Monday) we get ready for wedding about land. Denn mein Mann get the Schnapps. I don’t and now it is Dienstag (Tuesday). In early morning know if they needed this Schnapps, but soon after this before 8:00, Katharina und Johann were here in our Freiersmann, he ask my Konrad if our Catherina would house. We laid down this white sheet, und they both marry this Johann. I did not look up from my sewing. knelt down facing each other. Konrad und ich, we took I knew my Konrad like this boy. He could work hard. holy water, und we blessed these young people. Then So, Konrad says, let’s get our Catherina in here and we all walked to our church und they got married at she can say if she want you or not. I think Johann took 8:00 in the morning. We come back home und we have another schluck (taste) of that Schnapps. So, I go to whole day to eat, drink, und dance. We had sausages, find our Catherina, und she has heard it all. She come beef, chicken, noodles, kartoffel und kläs (potatoes into the room smiling and say yes to Johann. Ach, and dumplings) und Dinne Kuchen (coffee cake) und what a pretty match they make. They want to marry frisches Brot und Butter (fresh bread and butter). soon, so we set the Hochzeit for January 16. We have We ate und we cleared out the house und we had our so much to make ready. We would have the eating and dance. Then it is late. Die Mannsleit (the men) they dancing at our house, because Johann does not have must go and feed animals. So the Weibsleit (women) his parents. They stayed in Obermonjouj, Russia. The make what we call the Hochzeit Suppe (Wedding

16 AHSGR Journal / Fall 2019 soup). I tell you how to make this because it is so gut. EDITOR’S NOTE: The Immigrant Woman is based You can take one half of a beef heart and one of the on Norma Pipkin’s research into the period of 1878- kidneys and take a knife and cut it up. Denn, cut up 88, and on the stories of several Volga Germans and some of the beef meat too. You put this in a big kettle photographs of the time. The Immigrant Woman is with water and throw in salt and vinegar. When this Norma Pipkin’s tribute to her great-great-grandmother meat is done, you make your Kläs (dumplings) and Anna Eva Spötter Rupp. It is based on her research put many in this soup. After this you throw in you sour into the period of 1878-88 and based on the stories of cream. This is our favorite for weddings, because we several Volga-Germans and photographs of the time. A have all this fresh meat. local woman made a dress from the period and Pipkin then asked the Video Production class at Hays High For our Catherina we have only one day for a wedding. School to video her presentation. They produced the There are some families, they have more money, they video and several DVDs, which Pipkin offered to have weddings for three days. AHSGR. The video is 45 minutes long and has more than her 30 minutes presentation. She also has added Ach du lieber, ist es so dunkel geworden. (Oh dear, other material to complement her live performance. it has gotten so dark). Ja, it is so dark und here I go Pipkin’s intent is to educate and interest others about on and on about weddings. Soon mein Mann will be the Volga-German women and their struggles on the here und I have no supper for him. Ich muss mich prairie. The DVD is available in the AHSGR store. eilen (I must hurry). Since I think of weddings now, let me sing you our most beautiful song for the Braut und Bräutigam (Bride and Bridegroom). We call it the Brautlied (Bridessong). We always sing it for this happy pair. It is a toast to their life together and everyone sings this to them before we start the dancing. I’ll sing it while I work.

Brautlied Sing mit fröhlichem Gemüte Sing with joyful exultation Bräutigam mit deiner Braut. Happy bridegroom with your bride; Die dir heute Gottes Guete, Whom today God’s loving kindness Zur Gehilfen anvertraut, Placed as helpmate at your side. Dass sie dich in angst und Plagen, That in all your trials and struggles Trösten soll in dieser Welt. She may e’er your comfort be, Und die Bürde mit dir tragen, And in patience share your burdens, Welche dir beschwerlich fällt. Which alone you could not bear.

AHSGR Journal / Fall 2019 17 REMEMBERING MY GERMAN RUSSIAN YOUTH IN GREELEY, COLORADO By Clarence Kissler

Clarence Kissling was a panelist for the “Growing Up Roosian” presentation at the 2019 AHSGR Convention in Lincoln, Nebraska.

My parents Jacob K. Kissler and mother Annalis from German Russian families. I think I remember Weidemann Kissler were born in Frank, Russia, and one time that my mother wore a hat to church. The immigrated to the United States the summer of 1913. men always wore suits. They were married shortly before leaving Russia and both were 19 years old. They first came to Grand Is- Life At Home land, Nebraska, and then to Greeley, Colorado. At home, I recall my mother being rather quiet. She did speak some English but preferred German. My fa- My family consisted of three sisters and two brothers ther spoke English, German and Russian. They never that were born several years before me. Except for encouraged me to speak German. At our home, they my brother Elmer, who joined the Navy, they were kept a large German Bible with family names, some all married and had children of their own. Due to the Russian wooden spoons, and a small silver Samovar age difference, I had very little interactions with them. on the dining room table. I remember my mother do- I was born late (1935) and was the only remaining ing laundry every Monday morning and then hanging youngster living at home until 1957. up her basket of clothes in the back yard.

A FEW MEMORIES OF MY EARLY YEARS. Medical Incident I vividly remember one incident. At about the age of Food five, I sprained my ankle. It was painful. My mother My mother was a great cook. Our meals consisted of took me to see her sister, Mrs. Eckhardt. She had me Rival Couga, Schnitz soup, Maldausen dumplings sit on a wooden chair, and after soothing my ankle, with blackberries, Kudval and Glace, home made gave it a sharp twist. I think the whole neighborhood noodles and soup with butterballs and homemade hear my reaction. I got up from the chair and walked sausage. The kitchen was an exciting time, when the without any pain. Mrs. Eckhardt certainly must have pig’s head was boiled in a pot of water, washed and some kind of uneducated medical abilities. I also recall salted the intestines for the liverwurst sausage. We also that when my mother had a headache, my father would had syrup from sugar beets and tons of dill pickles in pick her up at the back and shake her. The headache the crock pot. I never saw my mother without wearing would go away. an apron, except for going to church. Social Activies Church The main social activity was in the evening, visiting My pastor was Dr. Reverend Schonhauer. I recall that the homes of many German Russian families. As a he was very strict, and we always had to sit in the front young person, I would sit and watch them having a pew to behave. He came unannounced to our home good time, playing gin rummy, hearts, canasta, and once a year to visit with the family and have a glass of Chinese checkers. Especially the Gies family. Mogen David wine. I think maybe he came to check on me. My entire confirmation classmates were all

18 AHSGR Journal / Fall 2019 I also recall the Saturday mornings going to the Riva to avoid starvation. Other letters were received dur- theater and for a dime watched the Lone Ranger ing the 1950’s about the living conditions in Frank. and the latest serial. And I remember listening to the It was with one of these letter that I was fortunate to Shadow on the radio, and the waiting for my secret locate several family members and in 1991 and 1995, code ring. And, the Lone Ranger and Fibber McGee my wife and I were able to go to Russia and visit with and Molly. My first viewing of TV was in the window immediate family members. The Winter 1991 AHSGR of Montgomery Wards. Journal describes this visit.

At about eight or nine years old, my father took me Community Acceptance to a number of German Russian weddings. He played Life at home was pleasant. During my years at home, the old button accordion with the Adolph Lesser’s my parents always provided for me and encouraged band. I would sit at the corner of the bandstand and my activities. Our home at 505 10th Street was warm watched all of the events of the wedding. Sometimes and kept in good condition. We enjoyed many eve- they would last two days or more. nings sitting on our front porch, enjoying life together in our East Side German Russian home. I am grateful Education to have had German Russian parents. I was the first member of my family to earn a college degree, attending the University of Northern Colorado for a BA and MA in educational administration. Both of my parents had only limited education at the Church School in Frank, Russia. Many of my classmates were Germans from Russia. I attended Lincoln (Ward) elementary school, Meeker Junior High School, and f Greeley Central High School. I was very active in var- sity sports in school, a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity at UNC, and Boy Scouts.

Love of Country I was taught how valuable it was for my father and mother to become Naturalized Citizens of the United States. I was taught to respect our flag and the impor- tance of voting. My father’s birthday was on the 4th of July. My wife and I vote at every election.

Respect for Others At home, I was taught to show respect for others. Our East Side neighborhood contained a majority of Ger- mans from Russia and others as well. Our neighbor family was Japanese, a Jewish family (Winograds) across the street and a Latino family in our basement apartment. We were all part of the same community.

The Family Heritage While at home, I learned that it was important to learn about my family that remained in Russia. My parents continued to write and receive photos and letters from Frank, Russia. One letter written to my father in 1922 confirmed the food they sent was sent was received

AHSGR Journal / Fall 2019 19 RUSSIAN GERMAN HISTORY AND HEROIC, VICTIM, AND REDEMPTIVE NARRATIVES, PART ONE By Otto Pohl

Otto Pohl spoke at the 2019 AHSGR Convention in Lincoln, Nebraska. This is part one of his presentation.

There has to be a full development of the historical followed in the vein of Eric Schmaltz and dealt with narrative of the Russian German people from their the activists of the Russian Germans in the USSR in initial heroic origins, through the horrible events of the seeking to overcome the legacy of the Stalinist depor- Stalin era and World War II, to a rebirth that reclaims tations and forced labor, it did not go far enough. Nei- and builds upon their initial heroism. Such a narrative, ther the failed attempt to restore the dissolved Volga of course, has to be based upon the historical facts German ASSR or the mass resettlement from Siberia, at hand and thus is not an easy task. It is, however, Kazakhstan, and Central Asia to Germany have been I believe a necessary one. I am going to make a first sufficiently developed as redemptive narratives. attempt here in the hopes that later myself and others can improve upon it. It is the goal of the second and ultimately successful phase of Russian German activism that I wish to Initially my research and writing came from an aca- explore as a possible redemptive narrative to perhaps demic orientation and sought to fill in the huge lacuna provide the group in its widest definition with an presented by the Stalin era regarding the historical overarching useable past. This requires a number narrative of the Russian Germans. This de-facto re- of preliminary steps, some of which I have already quired the creation of a victim narrative. While such a undertaken. One is to document the earlier victim narrative reconstruction found support among scholars narrative from which the group needs to be redeemed. in the former USSR and Germany, I found there was I have done extensive work on this topic and will in considerable resistance among many Americans and the course of this paper provide a brief outline of the Canadians of Russian German heritage in adopting genocide against the group as well as new informa- such a narrative. I now understand that this resistance tion unearthed from the archives and other sources in was on a base level correct. A victim narrative can recent years on this subject. only really be embraced by a people if it is concluded with a redemptive one. Both the Jews and the Arme- Another is placing it in a larger historical context. The nians have national narratives where their respective Russian Germans are not the only and indeed not even genocides are followed by the reemergence of their the largest group of Germans to physically return to homelands as modern states Phoenix like from the the areas of Central Europe now constituting the Fed- ashes. The narrative for the Armenians does not end eral Republic of Germany. At the end of World War with the Ottoman physical annihilation of half their II, the victorious Allies forcibly expelled millions of population and the dispersal of the other half across Germans living in eastern regions of Germany such as the globe in 1918. Nor does the Jewish narrative end East Prussia, Silesia, and Pomerania as well as groups in 1945 among the displaced survivors of death camps living outside Germany such as the Sudetenland in and death marches in Europe. Instead the narrative Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Poland into the terri- continues along a redemptive arc after the end of the tory that became the Federal Republic of Germany genocide in the case of Armenia the Armenian SSR and the German Democratic Republic. Incorporating from 1923 on and in the case of the Jews the State the history of the Russian Germans into the larger of Israel after 1948. Even though some of my work history of the ingathering of other groups of eastern

20 AHSGR Journal / Fall 2019 Germans into modern Germany is something that was to the fate of the Russian Germans during World War first impressed upon me by Tony Waters when I was II. There is much that remains to be researched and writing the article “Volk auf dem Weg: Transnational written about concerning both these waves of violent Migration of the Russian Germans from 1763 to Pres- state repression and the comparatively lenient peri- ent Day.” The mass migration of ethnic Germans from ods in between during which it almost appeared as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Siberia to if, at least, the Volga Germans were on the verge of Germany in the 1990s was as Eric Schmaltz noted developing into a distinct splinter nation much as the at a conference panel we presented at University of Afrikaners broke away from the Dutch or the Que- Ghana in September 2015 the single largest movement becois the French. This process, however, was never of the Russian Germans in their history. It exceeded completed and the violent uprooting of the population the immigration of ethnic Germans into the Russian from its areas of settlement in European areas of the Empire, the late 19th and early 20th century emigra- USSR and its dispersal across Siberia and Kazakhstan tion to the New World, and the massive internal de- permanently precluded such a development. Rather portations in the USSR in 1941 by significant margins. than tracing the history of the Russian Germans dur- Can the massive migration of ethnic Germans from ing the Tsarist and early Soviet eras, I shall proceed the former USSR and their integration into modern as I initially intended with the events starting in 1941 German society serve as a redemption narrative for which led to the permanent destruction of the ethnic the horrible victimization they suffered during the German communities in the Volga, Black Sea, Cau- 1940s? Is this where what Samuel Sinner refers to casus, and other European regions of the USSR. The as the Open Wounds of the group finally be healed? Second World War saw the general erasure of the Can these wounds heal to become scars? This paper 177-year presence of these German communities and will seek to explore this possibility with optimism their annihilation as viable collective organic units uncharacteristic of the author in hopes that those of that could be reconstructed like happened with other us in the Russian German diaspora in North America deported nationalities such as the Chechens, Ingush, can embrace an historical narrative that is complete, Karachais, Balkars, and Kalmyks. honest, and points to the success of the future rather than the suffering of the past. The center of the Soviet deportation operations against Germans in the USSR during World War II were the Most people here are probably familiar with the ba- Volga Germans living in the Volga German ASSR, sic outlines and details of the heroic narrative of the Saratov Oblast, and Stalingrad Oblast deported 3-20 initial settlement of German colonies in the Russian September 1941. The Supreme Soviet issued the Empire, their various successes in overcoming a host public and official decree for the deportation of the of obstacles, and the factors that spurred emigration Volga Germans on 28 August 1941. I have translated to the Western hemisphere. You are also most likely the document into English and reproduced it below. aware of the successful repetition of this basic pattern of agricultural settlement and prosperity in the Ukaz of the Presidium of the Supreme US and Canada by the various German from Russian Soviet Union SSR immigrants from the 1870s up to the First World War. So I will not spend too much time on this aspect of On resettling Germans, living in the region of the group’s history. the Volga

The middle of the 19th Century constitutes a golden According to reliable reports received from mili- age in the general historical narrative that has been tary authorities among the German population constructed by scholars and others for the Russian living in the region of the Volga exist thousands Germans. Likewise the brief periods of the early and tens of thousands of saboteurs and spies Soviet era in between the massive waves of violence who are now awaiting a signal from Germany 1918-1921, 1928-1933, 1937-1938, and 1941-1949 that they set off explosions in the region settled by Volga Germans. appear as highly tarnished silver ages in comparison

AHSGR Journal / Fall 2019 21 On the presence of this large number of sabo- from these jurisdictions to Kazakhstan, Altai Krai, teurs and spies among the Germans, living in the Krasnoiarsk Krai, Novosibirsk Oblast, and Omsk region of the Volga, nobody informed the Soviet Oblast. The single largest group came from the Volga authorities, therefore the German population German ASSR and numbered 371,164 people. An of the region of the Volga concealed amongst additional 46,706 Volga Germans from neighboring themselves enemies of the Soviet people and Saratov Oblast and 26,245 from Stalingrad Oblast Soviet authorities. brought the number of deported Volga Germans up to 444,715 or 56% of the total. Outside the Volga In the case that acts of sabotage are conducted, region the largest number of resettled Germans came according to orders from Germany by German from Ordzhnikidze Krai with 99,990 of which about saboteurs and spies in the Volga German Re- 50,000 had been evacuated from Crimea several public or its adjoining regions, bringing about months earlier.2 By 25 November 1941, a total of bloodshed, the Soviet leadership would according to the laws of wartime be required to bring 693,876 of the German deportees had arrived in their punitive measures against the entire German new areas of settlement divided between 396,093 in population of the Volga. Siberia and 310,195 in Kazakhstan. This represented a thorough ethnic cleansing of the European areas of In order to avoid this undesirable occurrence the USSR still under Moscow’s control of the ethnic and to prevent serious bloodshed the Presidium German communities established during the 18th and of the Supreme Soviet deemed it necessary to 19th centuries. Even quite small German settlements resettle all the German population, living in the such as the 212 living in Armenia found themselves region of the Volga, to other regions, with the forcibly resettled.3 The NKVD systematically evicted provision that the resettled will be allotted land the inhabitants of the numerous German villages in and rendered state assistance for settling in their the Volga, Ukraine, Crimea, Caucasus, and western new regions. Russia; very few of them would ever manage to return.

Those to be resettled are to be assigned to areas The ethnic Germans in the USSR were the single larg- of abundant arable land in the regions of Novo- est ethnonational group subjected to wholesale forced sibirsk and Omsk oblasts, Altai Krai, Kazakhstan relocation during the Second World War but, as noted and other neighboring localities. above, not the only one. Their disproportionate size compared to other ethnic groups subjected to internal In connection with this the State Defense Com- deportation and the special settlement regime makes mittee is directed to quickly undertake the re- them particularly noteworthy in the study of national settlement of all Volga Germans and allot those repression and discrimination in the USSR. Out of an resettled Volga Germans agricultural land in initial 3,266,340 deportees from 1930 to 1948, a full their new regions. 949,829 (29%) consisted of ethnic Germans forcibly CHAIRMAN PRESIDIUM resettled during World War II. In 1948, ethnic Germans SUPREME SOVIET USSR M. KALININ comprised 1,004,398 out of 2,255,420 special settlers or 44.5% in the USSR. In contrast all of the deported SECRETARY OF THE PRESIDIUM North Caucasians, Chechens, Ingush, Karachais, and SUPREME SOVIET USSR A. GORKIN Balkars combined only numbered 608,749 people or 18.6% of the total.4 From fall 1941 until the deporta- Moscow, Kremlin tion of the Kalmyks in late 1943 and North Caucasians 28 August 1941 1 in early 1944, the majority of special settlers in the USSR were ethnic Germans. From 1944 to 1955, The Soviet government recorded deporting ethnic the ethnic Germans in the USSR continued to form a Germans from 23 separate territories in the USSR significant plurality of the special settlers. This made during 1941. The NKVD used a total of 344 train the special settlement regime in many ways a system echelons to internally deport 799,459 ethnic Germans ethnic repression aimed at Germans because of their ancestral origins.

22 AHSGR Journal / Fall 2019 Material Conditions in Exile seven German households to an old farm 7-8 kilometers away. They had no food, fuel, or work, and 18 It is impossible to provide more than a cursory de- people lived in two small huts. They lived in poorly scription of the deplorable material conditions suf- repaired apartments and they suffered from cold and fered by the ethnic Germans in the USSR deported starvation.6 Germans on the kolkhozes named after to Siberia and Kazakhstan even in an above average Stalin and Molotov also completely lacked food and length paper like this one. I have therefore provided had to sell their bedding, blankets, and pillows in order just a few examples from Kazakhstan. In particular, I to eat. They also lacked soap and had already gone have highlighted the experience of some of the Cau- without it for two to three months including the time casian Germans deported from Georgia to Bayan-Aul they had spent in the trains on the way to Kazakhstan. Raion in Pavlodar Oblast. These examples should be The local NKVD district commander recommended sufficient to note the generally poor conditions the to the head of Pavoldar Oblast NKVD that the Ger- internally deported Germans in the USSR suffered man deportees on these kolkhozes be immediately during the 1940s. provided with emergency food. He estimated that many of them could otherwise be dead in two to three The Caucasian Germans deported from Georgia to days.7 The extreme conditions in Bayan-Aul for the Bayan-Aul Raion, Pavlodar Oblast, Kazakhstan suf- deported Germans were replicated throughout other fered particularly horrible material conditions initially. settlements in Kazakhstan to a lesser extent. A special report from 7 December 1941 by the chief of the NKVD of the district detailed these depriva- The lack of planning for receiving the deported Ger- tions.5 The report deals with a total of 910 German mans became apparent everywhere in Kazakhstan and deportees in 263 households in six kolkhozes in the also Siberia. Even such simple tasks as keeping proper district. These six kolkhozes were October, 8th Party train schedules presented problems. On 14 December Congress, Stalin, Molotov, Kyzylasker, and Dawn. 1941, three train echelons carrying 2,508 German Out of these 233 households, only 133 had received deportees from Kubyishev bound for Nurinsk Raion, vouchers in the Caucasus for grain, corn, potatoes, Karaganda Oblast stopped in the train station of the cattle, wine, and other produce. Despite having these neighboring raion of Osokarovsk by mistake. The vouchers, over 50 households from Kirov Kolkhoz chaos of reforming the echelons and reloading the dein Luxembourg Raion in Georgia had not received portees resulted in the special settlers losing over 500 anything in exchange because the vouchers remained pieces of baggage at the station.8 Organizing housing with the kolkhoz chairman, Genrikh Reiser, who had and food for the deportees had no more success. for some unknown reason been left in Kaganovich Raion. Another 130 households had no vouchers and Osokarovsk Raion in Karaganda Oblast itself was a went for more than three days without any bread. The destination for ethnic Germans deported from Moscow lack of food had greatly exacerbated the spread of dis- and Baku. According to the NKVD, there were no eases among the deportees especially among children. escapes or people left behind during the deportation Measles, influenza, and other diseases had infected of this contingent except for one person left in Che- around 80 children and adults by this time. Around liabinsk who would quickly join his family in Oso- 30 children were hospitalized due to measles. Since karovsk Raion. However, the loading of families onto arriving on these kolkhozes a month earlier, a full 20 the deportation echelons had been extremely rapid and German deportees (mostly children) had perished from chaotic. This led to the separation of families. Often measles and other diseases due to a lack of sufficient half of a family would end up in one raion or even food and adequate medical care. The primary reason oblast and the other half in another one. Property also for the lack of food for these German deportees was got lost in this manner. The local NKVD had already that they were given no work on the kolkhozes to earn by mid-December received a large number of requests produce and bread. The eviction of the deportees from by the deportees for family reunification and searches the kolkhozes made their conditions even worse. The for lost fathers, brothers, husbands, sons, and prop- chairman of the kolkhoz October evicted a total of erty. By 18 December 1941 a total of 6,298 deported

AHSGR Journal / Fall 2019 23 urban Germans from Moscow and Baku arrived in movement of the German deportees took precedence Osokarovsk Raion, Karaganda Oblast. Despite a stated over housing, feeding, and clothing them. preference by the local NKVD authorities for placing the special settlers in appropriate work, this was not In Ayaguz raion, Semipalatinsk Oblast, 2,834 Ger- possible for a contingent consisting of doctors, ac- man deportees arrived during 1941. A report from tors, accountants, and other white collar workers. The 22 December 1941 describes the difficult conditions NKVD settled almost all of these deportees on kolk- they faced. The Soviet authorities settled them on 34 hozes where they were assigned to regular kolkhoz kolkhozes and two sovkhozes. They settled between work and only a small number were assigned to areas 10 and 20 families in each kolkhoz. The district was of work in their specialization in Machine Tractor very large geographically, 31,000 square kilometers Stations. The authorities settled most of the deported and almost exclusively Kazkah in its population. The Germans in kolkhozes under compact conditions.9 district had a total of one Russian village. The distance A number of empty buildings in the raion could not from the district centre to the various Kazakh auls be used to house the deportees due the fact that they ranged from 30 kilometers up to 180 kilometers. The lacked glass for windows and heating fuel. Attempts to raion initially was completely unprepared for housing secure glass and fuel by the raion authorities had been the influx of deported Germans. It had neither spare unsuccessful as of this time.10 There was a severe lack housing stock nor construction material. In the fall of of sufficient heating fuel for the deportees. Coal was 1941 when they arrived, it was not possible to orga- rarely delivered and only in small quantities from the nize any type of construction of dug outs or huts for city of Karaganda 150 km away. Instead they mostly them. The raion lacked wood and other construction had to rely on manure mixed with straw to burn to materials except earth to make adobe. There were also keep warm. The deportees also lacked sufficient food, no plans to ship in construction materials by rail from particularly bread, vegetables, meat, and lard. Finally, other oblasts. Some resettlers still could not work on many of them lacked winter clothing and shoes and the kolkhozes due to a lack of warm shoes and clothes. thus could not work outside in the extreme winter The majority of households were headed by women conditions of northern Kazakhstan.11 In essence, the with only 190 old men and teenagers comprising the Stalin regime had dumped thousands of urban German adult male population. The remainder had been taken professionals into a sparsely inhabited rural area of away before the deportation, mobilized for work in Kazakhstan where the houses had no windows, where the rear, or arrested. There were also no highly quali- there was no heating fuel, and where very little existed fied specialists among the arriving deportees, but only in the way of food or winter clothing. kolkhoz workers.14 The problem of a lack of young adult men and specialists became universal throughout A count of those Germans resettled in Osokarovsk the German households resettled in Kazakhstan after Raion had started using the family registration cards the forced mobilization of German men into the labor for the special settlers held by the district commandant. army during the course of 1942. The passportization of the deportees could not be completed in four villages with some 250 people during The German deportees arriving in Ayaguz Raion 1941.12 The report of this news to Major Ivanov, the were counted at the rail station and then again when head of the NKVD Section on Special Settlement, they were transferred to kolkhozes. They were then resulted in a written response on 29 December 1941 recounted when issued new passports which restricted demanding that the reregistration and passportization them to only living in Ayaguz Raion. This process of the deported Germans be completed as well as in- was to be finished before 1 January 1942. In addition, formation collected on their political outlooks. He also the militia instituted strict controls at the train station stressed to the head of the Osokarovsk Raion NKVD and on passenger rail cars to prevent any deported to continue to be diligent in seeking to unmask and Germans from leaving the raion by train. Finally, the liquidate “Fascist agents” among the German deport- NKVD imposed controls on the renting of houses ees as well as prevent them from fleeing their assigned and apartments in the local cities to prevent resettled places of residence.13 Surveillance and control of the Germans from moving there.15 The deported Germans

24 AHSGR Journal / Fall 2019 were to be forcibly tied to the extremely impoverished circumscribed the ability of those deported to them to rural areas where the NKVD had settled them. freely move and choose their place of residence. This system provided the Soviet government with a means Major Ivanov, the chief of the special settlement of imposing punitive disabilities upon whole groups of section of the NKVD, replied to these events on 31 people without resorting to the Soviet courts. Later, the December 1941. This letter reviewed several policies Stalin regime shifted to ethnic criteria and subjected regarding the resettled Germans in Ayaguz Raion. The whole nationalities such as the Russian Germans to first was issuing them grain in exchange for the vouch- special settlement restrictions through administrative ers they received at the time of deportation. This would decrees. prevent them from starving to death but, unlike the next two items, dealt with a suggestion rather than an The SNK passed resolution No. 35, “On the legal order. The next item was to again verify the count of status of special settlers” on 8 January 1945. This German special settlers and strengthen NKVD surveil- document replaced the ad hoc collection of decrees lance of the deportees in order to unmask and liquidate by the NKVD and other organs governing the admin- “Fascist agents” and prevent escapes. Finally, the letter istration of the special settlers with a codified and ordered that exact records of the labor assignments and uniform set of restrictions. This document laid out cases of death among the German deportees be kept the legal disabilities suffered by special settlers. They and reported.16 Ivanov clearly viewed the deported enjoyed far fewer rights than ordinary Soviet citizens Germans as a nest of potential “Fascist agents” that and formed a separate and unequal class of citizens needed to be kept under strict surveillance and control. subject to different laws. Foremost among the legal restrictions the Soviet government imposed upon This emphasis on surveillance and investigation of the the special settlers was their lack of rights regarding German special settlers as well as strictly controlling freedom of movement and choice of residency. Article their movement would receive strong legal enforce- three of the resolution severely limited the freedom of ment in subsequent years. The Soviet government movement of the special settlers. They needed special would develop the special settlement regime into a permission from their assigned NKVD commandant codified system to maintain such controls and surveil- to leave their designated areas of settlement. Leav- lance over particular ethnic groups in the USSR, most ing their assigned area of settlement without NKVD notably the Germans. The legal status of the Germans permission constituted illegal flight and was punish- and other special settlers in the USSR remained in- able as a crime. Special settlers also had to report any ferior to that of most Soviet citizens up until the mid such flight by family members to the NKVD special -1950s. commandants. Article four mandated strict reporting of all changes in family composition to the NKVD. Heads of families or their designated substitutes had Legal Conditions of Special Settlers to report all births, deaths, and escapes to their NKVD commandant within three days. All children of special The special settlement regime imposed upon the forc- settlers had to be registered as special settlers upon ibly relocated ethnic Germans and other targeted eth- birth. Finally, article five obligated special settlers to nonational groups in the USSR restricted their rights abide by the regulations and established order of the in comparison to other Soviet citizens, particularly in special settlement regime and all commands from regards to freedom of movement and choosing their NKVD special commandants. These commandants places of residency. The Stalin regime placed the had the power to punish all violations of article five deported Russian Germans sent to Kazakhstan and with a fine up to 100 rubles or arrest and incarceration elsewhere under the special settlement restrictions in jail for up to five days. The resolution reinforced originally designed for internally exiled kulaks dur- clear legal distinctions between nationalities living ing the early 1930s. The special settlement system under the special settlement regime and the majority combined restricted internal exile and surveillance of the Soviet population. with forced labor. In particular, the special settlements

AHSGR Journal / Fall 2019 25 I have reproduced an English language translation of 5. Special settlers are obliged to strictly observe the relevant document below. the established regime and social order of the places of settlement and obey all orders of the Council of Peoples Commissariats Union of special commandant of the NKVD. SSRs Resolution No. 35 The violation of the regime and social order in From 8 January 1945 the places of settlement by special settlers is Moscow, Kremlin subject to administrative sanction in the form of a fine up to 100 rubles or arrest up to five days. On the legal situation of special settlers Deputy Chairman Council of Peoples Commissariats Union of Council of Peoples Commissariats Union of SSRs RESOLVES: SSRs V. Molotov

1. Special settlers enjoy all rights of citizens Administrative Affairs of the USSR, with the exception of restrictions, Council of Peoples Commissariats Union of provided for in the present Resolution. SSRs Ia. Chadaev.17

2. All able bodied special settlers are obliged to be engaged in socially useful labor. ENDNOTES 1. RGASPI (Russian State Archives of Socio-Political History) f. Towards this goal local Soviets of workers depu- 17, o. 3, d. 1042, l. 112. ties in coordination with organs of the NKVD 2. GARF (State Archives of the Russian Federation) f. 9479, o. 1, are to organize labor arrangements of the special d. 83, ll. 203-204. settlers in agriculture, industrial enterprises, 3. GARF f. 9479, o. 1, d. 83, l. 203. construction, and economic cooperative orga- 4. GARF f. R-9479, o. 1, d. 573, ll. 286-287. nizations and institutions. 5. Viktor Krieger, Rein, Volga, Irtysh: Iz istorii nemtsev tsentral’noi Azii (Almaty: Daik Press, 2006), 200. The violation of labor discipline by special 6. GARF f. 9479, o. 1, d. 86, l. 284. settlers is subject to punishment according to 7. GARF f. 9479, o. 1, d. 86, l. 284 ob. existing laws. 8. GARF f. 9479, o. 1, d. 86, l. 279. 9. GARF f. 9479, o. 1, d. 86, l. 279. 10. GARF f. 9479, o. 1, d. 86, l. 279 ob. 3. Special settlers do not have the right without 11. GARF f. 9479, o. 1, d. 86, l. 279. the authorization of the NKVD special com- 12. GARF f. 9479, o. 1, d. 86, l. 279. mandant to be absent from the boundaries of 13. GARF f. 9479, o. 1, d. 86, l. 280. the region of settlement served by their special 14. GARF f. 9479, o. 1, d. 86, l. 277 commandant. 15. GARF f. 9479, o. 1, d. 86, l. 277 16. GARF f. 9479, o. 1, d. 86, l. 278. Voluntary absence from the boundaries from the 17. V.N. Zemskov, Spetsposelentsy, (Moscow: Nauk, 2005), pp. region of settlement, served by the special com- 120-121. mandant, will be viewed as flight and treated as a criminal matter. EDITOR’S NOTE: This article will be continued in the Winter 2019 4. Special settlers–heads of families or people AHSGR Journal. substituting for them are required within a three day period to report to the special commandant of the NKVD all events that change the composition of the family (birth of a child, death of a family member, flight, ect.).

26 AHSGR Journal / Fall 2019 ONOMASTICS: A STUDY OF NAMES ORIGINS AND MEANINGS

By Peter Reinkordt

Peter Reinkordt spoke at the 2019 AHSGR Convention in Lincoln, Nebraska. This article is based on his presentation.

Linguistics is the scientific study of language, its from the north and east, some settled and farmed, origin, development, history and meaning for us as others were often nomadic. Whenever they were able human beings in the context of our place in the world to settle, and the conditions for raising crops and do- as mindful and aware members. It spans a large arc mesticated animals were good, these tribal settlements of investigation and topics—one of them the study of flourished and increased in population from just a few proper names termed “Onomastics.” families of maybe 100 individuals to several hundred still within one tribal unit and even larger groups of Onomastics itself has various strands of topics; they several thousand. In the course of political and social include research into the history and origin of names, changes from the times of the Roman expansion into the environment of the development of proper names, German territories to the establishment of the German the proliferation of names, the migration of names Empire (Franken) under Charlemagne, around 800 from one area to another, creation of new variants CE, not only villages flourished but also towns and —whether new versions or just spelling differences, cities. The number of individuals known by one first as well as the extinction of names or their consolida- name increased exponentially and required differentia- tion. Language as such is not static; it is a living and tion for clarity—thus the proper name, or last name. ever-changing part of human experience and history. Structural societal change such as the development of different social classes furthered this process. We had We focus today on the proper names of one specific aristocrats, craftsmen, merchants, and farmers—now group of German speakers. Germans from Russia are with both first and last names. groups of emigrants who left Russia in the late 19th century to settle in the United States, Canada and Particularly the 11th and the 12th century saw this South America. They had been recruited to the Rus- development–coupled with an increase in written sian Empire in the 18th century from the Palatine area, documentation that included deeds to property and some were Hessians and others came from the Lower contracts between individuals. Most people, however, Rhine and the Lowlands. All spoke their respective were still illiterate; it was the clergy who were gener- “Mundart” or dialect. Looking at their proper names ally among the few that were able to read and write we will have to pay attention to this diversity, but and the common language was Latin. Around the year to start we look at the common history of Germanic 1200, there came a high point of written language in language speaking peoples and that will encompass the vernacular in the form of poetry and song (Min- a huge area of Europe including northern—the Scan- nesang of the Troubadors), as well as the written and dinavian Germanic, the western—English, German recorded well-known epics such as “Nibelungenlied,” and Dutch, and the eastern—extant mostly in literary “Parzival,” “Tristan und Isolde,” and various others. form such as Gothic. Our focus will be the core area We, therefore, also have a record now of different of Germany today. dialects. If we look at the society, landscape and architecture of that period, we would not be as startled Early history describes various Germanic tribes living walking around then as if we had come into the country and migrating throughout this core area. They came

AHSGR Journal / Fall 2019 27 a thousand years earlier. Anyone having traveled in During the time of the Reformation, a number of European countries to visit the historical older parts theologians and scholars changed their German names of towns and cities can attest to that. using Latin or Greek translations such as Praetorius (Schulz), Agricola (Bauer), or Melanchthon (Schwar- Let us now turn to a closer look at the origin of zerdt) and Neander (Pastor Neumann). proper names. In Appendix A are listed five names each in the five major early categories. Practically all Some other factors have also played a role in the sources follow a similar pattern: names that have a creation of proper names. Wars, especially the Thirty connection to the occupation (Meier, Schmidt, Mül- Years War from 1618-1648, brought many peoples ler, Schulz, Bäcker); patronymic (Albrecht, Hinz/ from other European countries into and through Ger- Heinrich, Kunz/Konrad) or are metronymic (Trienes, man speaking lands. They left physical, genetic, and Tilgner); describe a trait (Klein, Kohl, Link, Kühn, linguistic evidence. Martin Luther’s monumental Neumann); link the meaning to a geographical feature achievement of creating a common Standard German (Kuhl, Ebner, Bühl, Sonderegger, Busch); or refer to written language with his translation of the Bible at a specific house or dwelling (Bachmann, Bergmann, the beginning of the 16th century, coupled with Guten- Roth, Frankenstein, Grünewald). I have chosen names berg’s invention of the printing press, had brought that should be familiar to most of us. Some among order into the multitude of dialects, spellings, and these are public figures. At times it is not quite clear vocabulary. However, the chaos of the Thirty Years into which one category we can ascribe the meaning, War caused a major disturbance of this linguistic unity. thus “Roth” can be the ‘cleared land’ or it could be As a reaction to that disorder, scholars and writers of the hair color, or it could even be a carved decoration the late 17th century began to mitigate for a cleansing on the house (in this case a fox=red). Several other of language, of applying standard rules of spelling sub-categories exist—the just stated connection to and to “Germanize” foreign names and words. From an animal “Fuchs” appears, also “Hahn” and others. 1662 until the present time, there have been laws However, they are not as prevalent as sources of many governing not only changed spellings or translations proper names—my own feeling is that animal labels of proper names, but also the naming of children with do not lend themselves well for this purpose because first or second names. In the highly politicized time many invective or swearwords are animal-based, both of the Third Reich, German names with clear Nordic in Standard German and in the dialects. provenance were encouraged and by law, German Jewish citizens had to add “Israel” or “Sara” to their Affe Ochs Kuh Rindvieh Esel Hammel Schwein/ given names as identifiers. Sau/Ferkel Huhn/Gockel Gans Ziege(Zicke) Hund Dackel(Halbdackel) Blindschleiche Kamel Drache Even now, there is an official register of approved first Hirsch Zecke names that parents are urged to consult, and should they want to use a name that is not listed, a legal appeal Another limited source are the titles of aristocrats, must be made. Thus first names can be interpreted as often with the prepositions of “von”, “zu”, “bei” and political statements and when doing research about “auf”. The “von” originally did not necessarily desig- the meaning of names it can lead you to interesting nate aristocratic lineage, it could just mean that a per- discoveries. son “came from” a certain location like our reference to “Sonderegger”—he came from that place that had Research on your own: In 2019 we turn to the Internet been harrowed. He could for a time have been called as our first access point. If you can read German, it “von Sonderegger”. In the 17th century, those “von” increases your sources by more than half, some have prepositions began to disappear from the names of translation features and others don’t. As with anything non-aristocrats; however, some of them retained them. that is not systematically peer-reviewed, you need to be wary. Example: von Seggern here in Falls City, NE

28 AHSGR Journal / Fall 2019 The old German saying: “Papier ist geduldig!” (You tics can often place a proper name into the most likely can say anything on paper) applies even more so to region of origin. Members of the AHSGR will be able the digital world. Some interesting sites are those that to see that well in the location—and names—of the map the frequency, distribution and the location of a villages in Russia and the villages back in Germany. certain name. Another site lists the number of phone (See Appendix B). If you are very serious about doing numbers for a name. There are sites that are region research, use scholarly books that are peer-reviewed. specific and sometimes give general traits that are Many Internet sites also list links to societies, works regional such as the suffixes: -e; -le; -ke; -li. Again, cited, and other reputable sources. someone that has studied German dialects or linguis-

Onomastik

Surnames submitted by our group: AHSGRLC - 26. June 2016 Barthule "bar"-aramaic; "thule" - ger. (Balthazer "Balzer" Barthuly) Bauer Farmer, peasant - ohd. buwen = anbauen (to plant, raise crops) Bausch Mhd. Busch, Wulst, Knüttel (Pina Bausch!) "Bausch und Bogen" Flurvermessung (measurement of land) Buzick Lith. or mhd. butzke = Poltergeist Dittenber Ahd "thiot" = Mensch, Volk" Dürr Dry (drought), can also mean a gaunt, thin, slender built Filbert Eng. hazelnut or lat "Fulbert" (Chartres) Froscheiser Froschhäuser? Geier Vulture, nickname of someone greedy and gähnen = jawn, stand open Hepp Someone from Heppenheim, Hessen or description of a sickle-like knife (vintner) Krumrine Obdt. krumm (bodily deformation) Loos Loose (Lohs) Adolf Loos, A-architect Maul Maw, term used to signify "mouth of an animal" also used in derogatory fashion (halts Maul) Meisinger Could be related to "Messer", someone who measures or Mesner = church custodian Michel From given first name Michael, also "deutscher Michel" = good-natured, simple Roh Raw, can also mean crude, rough Salswasser Saltwater, perhaps spelled with "z" (Salz) Schmidt Blacksmith Severin Lat. severinus = stern, severe; Hl Severin, bishop of Cologne (4./5.C) Spady From Spade, dt. to pronounce second syllable (Spaten?) Spomer Dt. Spamer, location? Vogelsberg Tegtmeier Tegetmeier "Zehntmeier" Amtsname, zinspflichtig (tithing) Von Busch From location=bush, doesn't necessarily signify nobility "von" Weber Weaver Worster Worsted=medium weight yarn

Villages Balzer Derived from given name Balthasar named after (Balthazer "Balzer" Barthuly) Beideck colony was named after its first leader Dietel Kosename from Dietrich (Christian Gottfried Dietel from Saxony.) Frank From Franken (Franconia) early medieval Germanic tribe/ethnic group - Karl d. Grosse (frei) Huck Region of Huck, NE Germany "Winkel, Ecke" Kukkus Lutheran colony Norka Named for the river Norka Schilling From Schillingen, place in Palatinate part of Neu-Beideck Stahl Part of the Warenburg Lutheran district Walter Derived from given first name "Walther" part of the Frank parish

• aus Berufs- und Amtsbezeichnungen (Berufsname)

• vom Vornamen des Vaters (Patronym) oder der Mutter (Metronym)

• von Eigenschaften der Person (Übername)

• von der geographischen Herkunft (Herkunftsname)

• von Besonderheiten der Wohnstätte (Wohnstättenname)

AHSGR Journal / Fall 2019 29 Origin and Development of Names, Especially Surnames

Berufs- und Amtsbezeichnungen (Berufsname) - Occupation

1 Meier (ay,ai,y) Official or foreman, often the administrator of an estate 2 Schmidt One of the most important jobs in the village, next to (see #3) 3 Müller The other very important professional in a village, almost everyone needed him 4 Schulz Also Schultheiss – highest city official, mayor, law officer 5 Bäcker Baker

Vornamen des Vaters (Patronym) oder der Mutter (Metronym) Father or Mother

1 Albrecht Teutonic, means “noble, illustrious” 2 Hinz Heinrich, the “z” ending makes it diminutive 3 Kunz Konrad, see above #2 (saying-“jeder Hinz und Kunz” = Tom, Dick and Harry) 4 Trienes M. Trina or Catharina 5 Tilgner M. Ottilie

Eigenschaften der Person (Übername) Characteristics of the person

1 Klein Also groß, lang, kurz = small, large, long/tall, short 2 Kohl From ‘coal’ i.e. black 3 Link “Links” – meaning a left-hander 4 Kühn Bold, brave, daring 5 Neumann Literally = the new guy

Geographische Herkunft (Herkunftsname) Geographical origins

1 Kuhl Kuhle = hollow, depression, pit 2 Ebner Ebne = plain, geographic; to level, smooth, flatten 3 Bühl Alemanic = hill, ascent channel, chimney, pipe in a mountainous region 4 Sonderegger Egge = harrow, means he lived at the place where the Sonder family had disked land 5 Busch Hedge or bushes as identifier

Besonderheiten der Wohnstätte (Wohnstättenname) Special features of the dwelling or location

1 Bachmann House next to a brook, stream, creek 2 Bergmann House close to a mountain, also occupation = miner 3 Roth House next to a clearing (gerodet), also hair color 4 Frankenstein Two markers = a Franconian next to a rocky area 5 Grünewald Two markers = someone by the “green forest”

30 AHSGR Journal / Fall 2019 Journal of the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia Editorial Board

Irmgard Hein Ellingson earned a master of arts in theology from Wartburg Theological Seminary and holds undergraduate degrees in political science, history, and German. She has been bilingual from birth and also reads old German script. Her research has been published in four countries and in three languages. She serves as an associate of ministry in three Evangelical Lutheran Church congregations, is an adjunct instructor of German at Waldorf College and lives in Grafton, Iowa.

Velma Jesser earned a Ph.D. in educational policy and management from the University of Oregon. Half of her dissertation research on ethics and values was conducted on-site in Germany. She was on the team that published the two-volume Black Sea German Russian Census for the Germans from Russia Heritage Society (GRHS). After more than twenty-five years as a business management professor in Oregon, she moved to New Mexico. She established the first joint chapter of AHSGR/GRHS.

William Keel received a Ph.D. in Germanic linguistics from Indiana University in 1977 and since 1978 has been a professor of German at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, where he is chair of the Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures. He researches German settlement dialects, especially the dialects of Germans from Russia, in Kansas, and adjacent states. He lives in Lawrence, Kansas.

Timothy J. Kloberdanz earned a Ph.D. in folklore and anthropology from Indiana University. His master’s thesis and doctoral dissertation dealt with the Germans from Russia. He has co-authored two books and published more than a hundred articles. He also wrote the script for a prize-winning television documentary. He retired from teaching in 2010 and is now professor emeritus at North Dakota State University in Fargo. He co-edited the award-winning book Sundogs and Sunflowers: Folklore and Folk Art of the Northern Great Plains, which included numerous examples of German-Russian family stories and other folklore.

Eric J. Schmaltz earned a Ph.D. in history at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Since 2005, he has taught modern European and world history at Northwestern Oklahoma State University in Alva. His research concentrates on modern Germany and modern Russia with an emphasis on ethnic and nationality issues. He has contributed a variety of articles and translations to AHSGR, GRHS, and North Dakota State University Libraries in Fargo. Several of his articles and reviews have appeared in local newspapers, interdisciplinary journals, and major international anthologies. He is editor of the GRHS Heritage Review. He is also an executive board member of the endowed Northwestern Oklahoma State University Institute for Citizenship Studies.