Galka, Saratov, Volga

Submitted by Jayne Wunsch Dye:

Galka was founded in the 1760's on the Bergsite of the Volga.

Merrill Yonkin, the other Galka village coordinator, planned to attend the Modesto convention and will have the information about what occurred there in regard to Galka and Village Night.

Here is my contribution:

Last year I finished and printed the English translation of Maximilian Praetorius' Doctoral Thesis in Economic History related to Galka. It was available at the convention in Modesto but no copies were purchased. It has been sent out this year to several interested persons and there are currently four copies on order waiting until I get back home.

One copy went to a Professor (History of Economics) at Waseda University in Japan who was writing a paper on Galka this year. He used the English version as one of his sources and did compliment me on it - after he had already read the original version in German. I have not seen his paper, published since the last VC reports, which is in Japanese in any case.

There has been sporadic interest in Galka and three new researchers this year. I help all I can by connecting people with other searchers looking for the same surnames. I have not uncovered a lot of new information. Eldon Laubhan’s book came out and does mention some Galka-born persons, descendents, and also some from Galka who went to Erlenbach. This was very interesting and new information to me.

I have made several new contacts this year. This has been very helpful.  I have also received pictures and letters from my own father's family descendents who are now in Germany.

Best of luck to all searchers and VCs.

Submitted by Dorothy and Merrill Younkin:

The inquiries this year for the Galka village has been the about the same as for the past several years. There was one significant exchange of information from a person living in Maine about the Germans from Russia who were sugar beet farmers in Colorado. I was able to provide information about her relatives who lived in that area.

I continue to support the efforts of The Lower Volga Villages Sheets and thank Rolene Kiesling for continuing the effort of Kathy O’Malley in publishing this newsletter. I believe this newsletter provides valuable information about Galka and surrounding villages of Dreispitz, Dobrinka, Holstein, and Schwab.

I am now spending time reviewing records of the inquiries from past years to determine if there may be some benefit to making some kind of a follow up. I have had some repeat requests for additional information, but I often wonder if the information we are providing is accomplishing the long-range goals of AHSGR.

My plans for attending the Modesto Convention were cancelled at the last minute due to recurring medical problems. I was looking forward to this convention.

As Village Coordinator for Galka, I will continue to be active in supporting this effort for AHSGR.

Glückstal Colonies Research Association

Includes colonies: Bergdorf, Glückstal, Kassel, Neudorf, Grigoriopol, and Hoffnungstal

Glueckstal Web site

Margaret Freeman F052 / L
Newsletter

The year 2004 was a banner year for the Glückstal Colonies Research Association; a group organized to research and preserve the history, genealogy and folklore of the Glückstal colonies of Glückstal, Neudorf, Bergdorf, and Kassel, and their daughter colonies. The Glückstalers of New Russia and North America, A Collection of History, Genealogy and Folklore, an 800 page book was published by the Glückstal Bicentennial Committee and presented at the Germans from Russia Heritage Convention in July. The accompanying documentary, Heaven is our Homeland, the Glückstalers of New Russia and North America, premiered on the West Coast during the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia Convention in Modesto. The Midwestern premier took place several weeks later on July 21 in Bismarck, in front of an overflow crowd at the State Historical Society of North Dakota Auditorium, and was cosponsored by the State Historical Society of North Dakota and GCRA.

Ron Vossler, with assistance from Jan and Thomas Stengl, Allyn Brosz, Barbara Horn and James Klein wrote the documentary script. Road Show Productions produced it for GCRA, with Bob Dambach and Homer Rudolf as executive producers. Allyn Brosz was narrator for the documentary and Ryan Schumacher was the graphic designer for the DVD and VHS jacket.

Many thanks to the Bicentennial Committee, under the direction of Homer Rudolf, Ph. D., chairman, and Harold Ehrman, desktop publisher. In addition to the 800 page book, there are 2 CDs that contain an additional 2000 pages of information. The committee included: Jan Huber Stangl, Thomas Stangl, James Klein, Allyn Brosz, Sally Gross Sologuk, Barbara Geiger Horn, Gwen Pritzkau, Penny Raile, and Margaret Freeman. Additional support came from Rev. Ross Merkel, computer preparation by Richard Sandmeier, genealogy preparation by Herb Tabert, and Russian translations by Donn Koenig.

Ordering information for the book and documentary is available at the website listed at the top of this report. Our website is popular and received many “hits” this year, reports web master Penny Raile. GCRA maintains a List serve at the NDSU site. Information regarding participation in the List serve is available from the GCRA address or by writing to me at the email address above.

The twice a year the GCRA Newsletter continues, now publishing 64 pages of research information and Glückstal colonies news annually. Sally Sologuk has generously taken on the editorship of the newsletter.

Another huge task, the managing of finances, has been taken over by Gary Schlaht.

Our 2004 accomplishments are truly a result of our working together to achieve the goal of celebrating the 200th anniversary of the establishment of our Glückstal Colonies.

Glückstal, Glückstal, Odessa, Kherson

Glueckstal Web site

Margaret Freeman F052 / L
Newsletter

Glueckstal Colonies Database

See Glückstal Colonies Research Association

Glückstal Daughter Colonies

See Glückstal Colonies Research Association

Gnadenfeld, (Neu-Moor/Moor), Samara, Volga

Gnadenfeld Web Site

Irma A. Waggoner W098

Gnadenfeld is a small daughter colony on the Wiesenseite of the Volga, formed from the mother colonies of Moor, Balzar, Hussenbach, Norka, Dönhof, and others.

Due to the small population of Gnadenfeld, I do not receive many requests for information. Occasionally I get an inquiry from someone researching Gnadenfeld, Bessarabia, Russia.

I have four people wishing to purchase 1857 Gnadenfeld census records from Russia, but have received no response from Russia when I email regarding these records.

I continue to collect surnames from Gnadenfeld and Moor, including ship records, declarations of intent, naturalization records, census records, and obituaries.

Since I live in Lincoln, Nebraska, I am available to look up information at AHSGR for researchers.

Graf, Samara, Volga

Kevin Rupp R311 / L

As with my other villages, I still get a few inquires from these colonies.

Most of my spare time has been used to compile the 1873 family listing of Katharinenstadt, which I hope to have done soon so that I may concentrate more on my regular colonies. I am in contact with a family from Louis, Russia, who has sent me a few items on the Pink family. I still have the 1893 family list of Graf that I need to compile.

It is good to see that other Village Coordinators are getting census data out of Russia.

Grimm, Saratov, Volga

Grimm Web Site

Grimm Mail List

Ken Leffler L259
Newsletter

This year was again a slow year for data on the Volga village of Grimm (Lesnoi Karamysch). There are 114 surname charts on order from Russia. These charts are not among the charts that were committed to be delivered by the end of the year 2004. I was told that these charts will be delivered in 2005.

Through the hard work of Grimmers John Groh, working with Luydmila Koretnikova from Volvograd, we did receive some village meeting data and some birth and baptism records from the late 1800s. Thanks to Dona Reeves Marquardt and Lyle Hettinger, most of the German script and Russian have been translated, while some are still being translated.

Please excuse the tardiness of this report and any typing errors. I suffered a major stroke on August 10th and am still in the recovery process. Thanks to all the Grimmers who sent cards, messages, and prayers my way during this time. Lets hope that 2005 will be a better year for us.

Güldendorf, Grossliebental, Odessa, Kherson

Curt Renz R002

I have completed the following projects during this past year:

• Extracted births, marriages, and deaths for Güldendorf family members recorded in the St. Petersburg Consistory records concerning families that have moved to the daughter colonies of: Annental, Eigenfeld, Gnadenfeld, Lichtenfeld, and Wilhelmstal.
  
  
• Found approximately a dozen obituaries for those having Güldendorf connections born in Russia and added these to my files.
  
  
• Updated all Güldendorf family groupings and published them on http://www.odessa3.org  under Collections - Village Compilations - Renz Compilations.
  

Herzog, Saratov, Volga

Roger A. Toepfer T095

Jerry Braun B489 / L

See Fischer village for combined report.

Hoffnungstal, Akkerman, Bessarabia

Curt Renz R002

During this past year, I have completed the following:

• Found additional obituaries for those having Hoffnungstal connections born in Russia and added these to my files.
  
  
• Updated all Hoffnungstal family groupings and published them on http://www.odessa3.org  under Collections - Village Compilations - Renz Compilations.
  

Hoffnungstal, Glückstal, Odessa, Kherson

Harold Ehrman E126
Data Assistant

See Glückstal Colonies Research Association

Huck, Saratov, Volga

Huck Web Site

Dennis Zitterkopf Z005

Russian researchers continue to report there has been no change in status in the availability of Huck records for the period of 1858 to 1888. This is particularly frustrating and disappointing because many of the inquiries I've received are asking for information during this dark period (especially for those from Argentina). I received another inquiry about the village this year from a person living in Saratov.

The web site has been moved to a new address and now lists over 50 researchers for the village. Ray Peterson received another surname chart and the 21 surname charts known to exist for the village are listed with instructions about how to obtain a copy (many are privately owned and not available through AHSGR).

 A new series of photographs, taken during a 1993 visit to the village by Lela Miller and others, has been added to the photograph section of the site. We have not located any photographs taken during the early 1900s but continue to be hopeful some will be found.

Translations of Huck related letters indexed in the AHSGR booklet "Letters from Hell" are being posted on the Huck site as they become available. Copies of the German text from Die Welt Post have been distributed to researchers who volunteered to provide translation help for the project. The letters add a personal touch for Huck descendants to the stories of starvation and hardship that our ancestors endured during the 1920 and 1930 period. Translation help for the remaining issues is still needed.

Village Night at Modesto was well attended by persons interested in Huck. Our biggest problem was being able to talk in spite of the background noise in the large room. That is a problem that has plagued Village Night for several years because persons for all the villages are seated in one or two large rooms.

The big announcement for the year was the long awaited roll out of the Huck village surname database. It certainly is not complete because not every researcher has agreed to share their surname data, but it does exist and I can now use it as a tool to help other researchers. Completing what we have in the database is the result of the work of four good volunteers: Jeanne Reynolds, Marcie Fox, Bev Rayburn, and Shirley Haslam. 

Hussenbach, Gashon, Samara, Volga

Hussenbach Web Site

Paul Lais L235 / L

Submitted by Louis Potter.

There are two Hussenbach villages. The original Hussenbach village, Linevo Ozero (Linevo Osero), lies on the west side (Bergseite) of the Volga. The Hussenbach daughter colony known as Gashon (Gaschon), lies on the east side (Wiesenseite) of the Volga. Linevo Ozero was founded in 1767, while Gashon was founded in 1850.

Neither village received much in the way of inquiries this past year.

I was unable to attend the convention at Modesto this year due to illness. However, Shirley Hurrell graciously hosted the Hussenbach table and was able to help several people with their research.

The Hussenbach descendants know that Russian researchers have not been able to come up with a list of Original Settlers, so I have begun a project that might possibly bridge that lack of information by gleaning what I can from the documentation that came with the charts (in German) received from Russia. It will also be helpful to see what the GO Project produces for Hussenbach. I appreciate the hard work of those involved.

Hussenbach, Linevo Ozero, Saratov, Volga

Hussenbach Web Site

Louise Potter P051 / L

See Hussenbach, Gashon, Samara, Volga above for combined report.

Johannesdorf, Karlsruhe, North Caucasus

Bonnie J. Anderson

The Caucasus villages, which number over 150, remain a major chapter of our GR history that is just beginning to unfold, through the Caucasus Research Project for AHSGR and GRHS, and through individual VCs. These project coordinators and VCs are a small but dedicated group.

Because of setbacks in Russian translation from the loss of Rick Rye's availability, my heavy work schedule, and a series of computer problems, progress for the Caucasus project slowed greatly last year. Research inquiries continue at a light, but steady pace for co-coordinator Arthur Flegel and me. The year's personal highlight came through an inquiry about Johannesdorf that led to the discovery of my Schilling relatives living in Kazakhstan.

VC status for Johannesdorf, Karlsruhe and Katharinenfeld
(with Caucasus project overlaps):

1. Johannesdorf (and other N. Caucasus villages) - A contact in Stavropol has agreed to provide research information from several North Caucasus archives. If all goes well, this would be a major step in accessing archive information for AHSGR and GRHS members.
   
   Another contact for archival retrieval in Baku concerning S. Caucasus German settlements in (now) Azerbaijan is available; however, a Russian-language intermediary is needed for e-mail correspondence.
   
   The Russian guest speakers at the AHSGR and GRHS conventions from the Odessa and Saratov archives indicated willingness to check for documentation of Germans migrating to the Caucasus. From other sources I recently obtained (copies of) two Russian archive documents of this type.
   
   
2. An evaluation of Fatma, a historical novel about a South Caucasus German family in Katharinenfeld, is in process through GRHS member and journal editor, Jim Gessele, to gauge interest in translating this work.
   
   
3. New professional translators have been contacted concerning two newer Russian books about the North Caucasus Germans, however, the cost is daunting. Meanwhile, source searches continue for archival information, and older and new publications of historical interest in German, Russian, Georgian, Azeri, etc.
   
   
4. Planning for a tour to Caucasus German villages was begun in 2003 through Robert Schneider, a GRHS member and travel agent. The tentative itinerary: visits to South Caucasus villages located in Georgia; tour of the capital, Tbilisi, and surrounding historical sites; retracing the route taken through the Greater Caucasus Mountain range in 1817 by the earliest German settlers. Travel routes and possible inclusions in the N. Caucasus also are being researched.
   
   
5. Some archive records, such as a 1941 deportation list, were obtained in 2003 from the Georgian Central Archives by a GR traveler. Through continuing contacts in Georgia, we hope to retrieve copies of additional archive information, including church records.
   
   
6.  Information on Caucasus villages and individuals remains paper-based, due to time and computer issues last year, plus the variety of information types. Approaches to digitizing and where the information should reside remain under consideration.
   
   
7. A new Caucasus VC: Milo Bauder, a GRHS member, has generously volunteered as GRHS VC for Elizabethtal, S. Caucasus. His 2003 trip chronology to several S. Caucasus German villages and related Bauder ancestry was presented via Powerpoint this year to a large audience at the GRHS convention. He recently published an English translation of a Georgian book about the Germans who settled there. Milo also has other translation projects in process, including a German video. His work and information is be available to AHSGR members. For further information, please contact me or Milo Bauder.

 

Johannestal, Berezan, Odessa, Kherson

Johannestal Web Site

Ray Heinle

Having moved to Arizona, I was faced with moving the Johannestal website from its old location on Comcast.net to Cox.net. The new URL is listed above. This site is in need of updating, since it has changed little in recent years.

I prepared a number of family histories for various descendants of Johannestal. These included reports on the Will, Delzer, and Eissinger families. I hope to begin updating the huge Johannestal database soon, and add more information.

I have been receiving by e-mail various files scanned by Valentina Fromm at the Mikolaiv, (Nikolaev) Ukraine Archives. Many of these files concern Johannestal residents who were verschlepped (put into prison and quite possibly executed) by the Soviets from 1937, 1938, 1939, and maybe1940. Harold Ehrman documents this in his website: http://www.ehrman.net/.

Other files concern deaths and marriages in various Black Sea colonies. Most of this data is being digested by the BDO (Beresan District, Odessa) organization, but I would like to go through these and add some to the Johannestal website.

Josefstal / Schwabe Khutor, Saratov, Volga

Josefstal Web Site

Edward R. Gerk G054

This has been a good year for obtaining archival documents, among which are the births, death, and marriages for Josefstal for 1908 to 1914. Also obtained were various village government decisions, featuring the signatures of all males in the village old enough to vote.

Passport applications for various years were also obtained, along with a list of villagers who left Josefstal for America in 1892.

On order are the military draft records for the village, for various years. This includes names and dates of birth of those males drafted into the army.

The 1858 census is also on order. Although published in an earlier issue of the Journal, I found that some important head of household data was missing, for whatever reason, and not published. I intend to put the complete census on the web site.

We now have a complete inventory of what files are in the Josefstal village archive held in Volgograd, for the period 1858 to 1917. Also available now is the village inventory for the period 1918 to 1941, covering the Soviet period.

I continue to get some inquiries from my web site dealing with Josefstal.

Copies of all documents I received go to AHSGR. 

Jost, Samara, Volga

Jost Web Site

Taryn M. Holmes

The following surnames are currently being sought. It is the most activity Jost research has had in the last three years: Dellos; Reinhard; Flach; Buschel/Bischel; Stier; Schabenland; Wenig; Merk; Ehoff; Shimmel; Metzler; Fuchs; Termer; Ring; Grusser; Meisner; Horn; Brase

A Jost database is beginning to take form. Two family connections were made through these records. I would like to transfer this information to the website so that it is easily accessible. A completed index for the 1798 census is posted at the site.

There have also been two live contacts in Germany with the Termer family. Both were born in Jost and returned to Germany with their families. I am hoping that the communication continues.

I am actively searching for Mrs. Pauline Lampel of Germany. She had previously written a letter to AHSGR naming many families from the Jost village and may have further information.

Kamenka, Saratov, Volga

Kamenka Web Site

Rosemary Larson L033 / L

There have been numerous requests from researchers during the past year. Many requests came from Volga Germans in Argentina, Brazil, and a few from Canada.

The Kamenka website has been updated and I have added the known vorsteher (Town Mayors) of Kamenka and the priests that served St. Mary's Church for many years.

Karlsruhe, Burlatzki, Caucasus

Map 13, Quadrant H-3

Bonnie J. Anderson

See Johannesdorf village for combined report.

Kassel, Glückstal, Odessa, Kherson

Randal Boschee B395

See Glückstal Colonies Research Association

Katharinenfeld, Luxemburg, South Caucasus

Bonnie J. Anderson

See Johannesdorf village for combined report.

Katharinenstadt, Samara, Volga

Katharinenstadt Web Site

Raynona Bohrer B444 L

We have been in contact with cousins living in Germany and in Katharinenstadt/Marx. They are working on getting the city hall records that still exist. We now have a map of the town and will be making copies as requested. We will send it in a mailing tube, so there will be no folds.

There were no inquires this year, but we are still trying to get records any way possible. Marvin is still above ground so far. 

Kautz, Saratov, Volga

Kautz Web Site

D. Michael Frank F244

On the 20th of May 1767, 30 emigrant families, 141 people (74 males, 67 females) from Germany settled the Volga German community of Kautz, Russia, approximately 68 miles southwest of the present city of Saratov. The village of Kautz no longer exists, having been bulldozed. Surnames of Kautz are: FRANK, REITER, SCHREINER, KNAUB, GRADWOHL, HARDT, FUCHS, POPP, FRICKEL, KLEIN, MICHEL, OSTWALD, SCHUMAN, WEBER, NEUBAUER, GLOCKHAMMER, RIEL, STAHLEY, HERMONY, MEIER, SCHONEMAN, and ZIMMERMAN.

This year I have had numerous inquiries for information concerning Kautz. Interested individuals have acquired fourteen compact disks reflecting the ten volumes of Unser Leute von Kautz. With each compact disk, I work up charts in Family Tree Maker reflecting the known family of the requestor. In many cases, new information from the requestor is received and incorporated into the Kautz database. The Kautz CD was updated this year to condense the index of all names in all volumes. That project took about 3 weeks. There have also been seven requests for copies of various surname charts.

Earlier this year my cousin, Dorothy Brandner, and I gave a small presentation on Kautz genealogy to the Rainier Chapter in Tacoma, Washington. It was a cordial event with a good German potluck.

Work for the 11th volume of Unser Leute von Kautz is about 40% complete. It will be added to the CD once it is complete and all indexes on the CD will be updated to reflect the new information.

I am also working on converting each of the 19 Kautz surname charts to GEDCOM format, so requestors will not have to enter all the information by hand when they receive a chart.

Köhler, Saratov, Volga

Joe Gareis G265

Nicholas & Barbara Bretz B296

Submitted by Joe Gareis and Barb Bretz.

The 19th century village censuses for Köhler are currently on route from Russia. We expect to receive copies in the coming weeks. Comprehensive lists of inhabitants of the village have been available for 1978, and more recently for the year 1767. However, we lacked a comprehensive listing covering the much larger village populations of the 1800s. We hope that this data will help fill that gap and provide a valuable resource. We are not exactly sure what the final contents and format of the census data will be, but we hope to make this information available soon through AHSGR.

I am still waiting for completion of the genealogical chart on the Gareis family. At least one other chart (Rickert) is also still on order.

 We have done some small-scale translation work, including a chapter from Imherr’s book, Verschollene Heimet an der Volga, containing a brief history of the colony.

Kolb, Saratov, Volga

Sarah (Kanzler) Hammarstrom H419

Thelma (Koch) Sprenger S653 / L

Pauline Dudek D018 / L

Submitted by Thelma Sprenger.

2004 has been a year of many doctor visits and lots of tests so genealogy research took a back seat.

I have received about a dozen inquiries. I was able to help a few of them, but others I could not.

Doris Evans has added all the new information we have gathered, into her Frank & Kolb database. Some of the family names added to Kolb are Adler, Kanzler, Miller, and Yuckert.

I recently went to an estate sale and purchased a confirmation certificate for Amalia Reiber. It was in two pieces but plan to repair it. These are always so beautiful. She was born in Kolb May 25, 1894 and confirmed Dec. 18, 1910.

The German church records from Philadelphia Congregational Church, Ritzville, WA have been translated and are now added to the historical records of the church. Many Kolb names are in these records.

Kratzke, Saratov, Volga

Kratzke Web Site

Ethel Lock L026 / L

Brent Mai M160 / L

Submitted by Ethel Lock.

Also see the Ährenfeld report.

I received no requests for data from the village of Kratzke this year, but I did receive many requests from people asking about the Frank and Moor villages. These were referred on to those Village Coordinators.

A lot of the last two years work for me was helping other searchers with their family lines, especially Frank and Moor villages.

I feel all of us should make more people aware of the AHSGR mass collections of their obituaries. What a wonderful help they are to a family search. 

Lauwe / Laube, Samara, Volga

Helen Bernice Madden M363 / L

The year 2004 has been rather quiet. While some of the original 101 Volga villages no longer exist, the village of Lauwe still has a small population living there. After the German Russians were allowed to return from their exile in 1941, a few German-Russian families have lived there a short time. I am not aware of any of the original residents having returned. In 1992, I did find a couple of families originally from Dinkel living in the only stucco painted houses in a village of run-down timbered houses.

A year ago in September, it was my good fortune to find Göringer and Markus relatives in Germany. A Markus exchange student from Germany to Colorado (my home state) brought this about. Her Göringer grandmother was about six years old when the family was sent to Kazakhstan in 1941. She grew up there and married a Markus from Lauwe. The family immigrated to Germany in 1996. They now live in Bad Sooden-Allendorf.

There has not been much activity from the Grasmicks, but have heard just recently that a Stieglitz / Stiglitz chart has been received by an individual in Canada.

I have not published a newsletter for two years. I am experiencing some serious health problems, so I may need to find someone to help with the duties of Village Coordinator.

My pet peeve is those people who want Lauwe information but drop the ball when I ask if they are members of AHSGR.

Leichtling, Saratov, Volga

Leichtling Web Site

Darryl W. Boyd B238

During this year, we have updated the Leichtling database five times, adding 31 new names to the Family Group Sheets and Pedigree Charts on our web site. This database contains names of persons who were born in, or lived in Leichtling, and is accessible on the web site. A “newer” version of the database was also added. Both versions are updated at the same time.

Four new names of persons coming from Leichtling to the United States were added to Leichtling Ship Lists.

We had 31 inquiries about Leichtling and were happy to help them. We keep all e-mails by surname. With this information we were able to link several people working on the same lines.

We are still looking for a photo of the Leichtling area, but have not had much luck. If anyone knows of one, please e-mail me. Also, we are always hunting for more information on anyone who lived in Leichtling.

Louis, Samara, Volga

Louis Web Site

Thelma Mills M357

I am excited about some new projects I that have begun this year. I do find them interesting and rewarding.

• I now publish a newsletter for Mariental & Louis. I rather enjoy this project, and I have had a good response to my request for material to use. If there is anyone interested in receiving a copy of my newsletter via e-mail, please let me know. I also send copies to those “Mariental and Louis searchers” who are unable to use the Internet. There are approximately 25 issues mailed out each time. I use the information in Clues to collect these names, so I am awaiting the next issue for more “searchers”.
  
  
• At present, I am producing a database for Mariental. In the future, I will set up a database for Louis.
  
  
• During the year, I have received and responded to approximately 95 inquiries concerning the surnames from these two villages.
  
  
• I am also gathering obituaries as I find them, and I will start publishing these sometime next year, if possible. Often this project is neglected, because I am also involved in the Soar Project.
  
  
• My next project will consist of gathering passenger lists for the Mariental and Louis surnames.