06 January 2017

Hoffnungstal, Tiraspol District, Odessa Area

The German-Russian Handbook by Ulrich Mertens indicates there are ten German villages in different areas of Russia named Hoffnungstal, not including the Klein-Hoffnungstals and the Neu-Hoffnungstals.

Plat map of Hoffnungstal
Source: Homesteaders on the Steppe, p.362
The name Hoffnungstal translates to "Hope Valley," so you can understand the popularity of the name. Hope literally hangs on a name sometimes.

Hoffnungstal (to be very specific, the one in the Tiraspol District, Hoffnungstal parish, Odessa area, located 47°14'78"N, 30°10'55"E) was a Mother colony founded in 1817 (some sources say 1819) by 280 Separatist emigrants primarily from Württemberg. Although Hoffnungstal was considered a part of the Glückstal colonies in Karl Stumpp's Emigration from German to Russia in the Years 1763 to 1862, it is generally accepted that it is its own enclave with plenty of movement between the Hoffnungstal and Glückstal areas.

Hoffnungstal became its own parish in 1837, with nineteen German villages a part of it. A large stone church was built in 1842 by the community

The town had a volost building for the district's administrative offices.  There was also a post office, an apothecary, a flour mill, an inn (hostel) and a monopolka (government liquor store).  The town also had vineyards and produced good quality wine.

Location of Hoffnungstal

Year   Population
1817     280
1858   1145
1881   1899
1885   2019
1890   2132
1894   2349
1903   2414
1907   2497
1915   2255
1926   1887
1943   2552









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