23 February 2017

Neu-Alexandrowka, Akkerman, Bessarabia

Neu-Alexandrowka, a Protestant daughter colony in Bessarabia, was founded in 1913.

Today, Neu-Alexndrowka is defunct.

Plat map of Neu-Alexandrowka
Source: 1986 Heimatkalender der Bessarabiendeutschen
Map courtesy of the Black Sea German Research plat map collection

Location of Neu-Alexandrowka


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Parapara, Ismail, Bessarabia

Parapara was founded in 1916 by settlers from Basyrjamka, Hoffnungsfeld, Gnadental, Neu Arzis and Neu Elft. It was a part of the Arzis Protestant parish.

In 1939, the population was 160.  Today the village is defunct. 


Plat map of Parapara
Source: 1986 Heimatkalender der Bessarabiendeutschen
Map courtesy of the Black Sea German Research plat map collection

Location of Parapara

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Ebenfeld, Cahul, Bessarabia

Ebenfeld was founded in 1914 by settlers from Neu Sarata.  The 1923 census recorded 25 households with 99 inhabitants.  The population grew to 157 over the next 10 years, and by 1939, there were 255 in habitants.  On 23 August 1939, the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact was signed.  The German villagers, numbering 180, were repatriated to Germany, forced to leave their homes, workshops and land. After their exodus, the name of the village was changed to Cîmpul Drept.  It is now in Moldova, and the 2004 census recorded a population of 410, none of whom declared German ethnicity.

Plat map of Ebenfeld
Source: National Archives and Records Administration & Dale Wahl Collection
Map courtesy of the Black Sea German Research plat map collection
Location of Ebenfeld

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21 February 2017

Neu-Oneschti, Chisinau, Bessarabia

Neu-Oneschti was founded 1890 near Alt-Oneschti (founded 1885) and Strymbeni (founded 1881). All three were Protestant colonies settled on leased land.  Although the population in 1904 was 170 and 324 in 1939, Neu-Oneschti is now defunct.

Plat map of Neu-Oneschti
Source: Jarbuch der Deutschen aus Bessarabien 1992
Map courtesy of the Black Sea German Research plat map collection
Location of Neu-Oneschti
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Alt-Oneschti, Chisinau, Bessarabia

Alt-Oneschti was founded in 1885 on leased land near neighboring Strymbeni (founded 1881) and defunct colony Neu-Oneschti (founded 1890).  The leased land was probably a part of the Russian village of Oneşti.  This village actually dated back to 1528. It's name changed to Purceleni sometime around 1632 and then back to Oneşti after the German population was repatriated back to Germany in 1939.  

In 1904, the population was 170, and in 1939, the population was 351.  Today the village continues to be called Oneşti, is in Moldova, and, in 2004, had a population of 1,196.

Plat map of Alt-Oneschti
Source: Jarbuch der Deutschen aus Bessarabien 1992
Map courtesy of the Black Sea German Research plat map collection

Location of Alt-Oneschti

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Strymbeni, Chisinau, Bessarabia

Plat map of Strymbeni
Source: Jarbuch der Deutschen aus Bessarabien 1992
Map courtesy of the Black Sea German Research plat map collection
Strymbeni was a Protestant daughter colony founded on leased land in 1881. It is located just northeast of neighboring colonies Alt-Oneschti (founded 1885) and defunct colony Neu-Oneschti (founded 1890).

Today, Strymbeni is still called Strîmbeni and is situated in Moldova.






Location of Strymbeni





























































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19 February 2017

Defunct Villages: Bessarabia

Nearly a third of the German villages that have been mapped across Ukraine, Poland, Moldova, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Russia are defunct. And they are haunting beautiful.

A defunct village is one that no longer exists for any of a variety of reasons.
  • It may have been abandoned by its original German settlers due to poor farming or living conditions. 
  • It may have been resettled intentionally by the Russian government. 
  • It may have been attacked by nearby tribes causing settlers leave.
  • It may have been evacuated prior to advancing armies.
  • It may have been destroyed during or after military invasions.
Nothing remains but empty fields, scarred earth, the bones of structures that once stood...and the stories we still tell of our German ancestors who lived there.

Below is a short video with images of the 44 defunct villages in Bessarabia. 




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15 February 2017

Galizien Map Update

Today we have updates for the Galizien colonies, our German cousins in the old Austrian Empire next door to the Russian Empire. Several more links to village plat maps have been added along with a few corrections and clarification of some of the sources.

As always, you can get to all of our maps either from the menu on the right hand side of this page or from our Maps and Data page.

Galizien Colonies
Germans from Russia Settlements Map (all villages) 

Enjoy!
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12 February 2017

Bessarabia Map Complete

Dennis has been spending some time going over Bessarabia again to make sure every village is accounted for from Karl Stumpp's Map of German Settlements in Bessarabia is on our map.  There have been a number of adjustments, a few additions, and he's also added a link to the current village in Google maps in the sources for each. You can click on this link and see information about the town as it exists today, sometimes including items such as population, area, time, temperature and photos. We'll be adding this to other areas over time.

Aside from adding plat maps, we believe that Bessarabia is now complete. If we're missing any villages that you can help guide us on finding, please let us know.

We have three map updates today, and the list of villages in PDF format has also been updated.  As always, you can get to all of our maps either from the menu on the right hand side of this page or from our Maps and Data page.

Bessarabian Colonies
Black Sea Colonies 
Germans from Russia Settlements Map (all villages) 

 Enjoy!
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10 February 2017

Happy Birthday to Our Map!

Alles Gute zum Geburtstag!  Feliz Cumpleaños!  

One year ago on 11 February 2016, our little map of Germans from Russia Settlement Locations was created for an article in the Germans from Russia Heritage Society's Heritage Review .

It had 103 villages on it.

Cute isn't it? All full of possibilities and white space.

Germans from Russia Settlement Locations map, geboren 11 Februar 2016



They grow up so fast.  3,089 villages and counting.

Germans from Russia Settlement locations map today.


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04 February 2017

Dennewitz, Akkerman, Bessarabia

Dennewitz was a daughter colony in Bessarabia founded in 1834 by 15 families from other colonies in Bessarabia including Alt Posttal, Wittenberg and Kulm.  Some also came from Grunbach in Wüttemberg, from Baden and from Poland.  

 The colony was founded on land that was owned by the Mother colony Teplitz.  The colony was originally named Hamburg after the tenant who owned the land.  However, the Government later named it Dennewitz in memory of the victory over Napoleon in Dennewitz, Prussia.  

Today, Dennewitz is called Pryamobalka (Прямобалка) in the Odessa Oblast, Ukraine.


Plat map of Dennewitz.
Source: Heimatkalender der Bessarabiendeutschen 1984
Map courtesy of the Black Sea German Research plat map collection
Location of Dennewitz

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            03 February 2017

            Tschiligider, Akkerman, Bessarabia

            Tschiligider, also known as Chiligider and Gighir Amara, was a Protestant daughter colony founded in 1884. It is now a part of Novoselivka, Odessa Oblast, Ukarine. 
            The original settlers came from Bessarabian Mother colonies Beresina, Friedenstal, Tarutino, Sarata, Lichtental and Klöstitz.  
            Plat map of Tschiligider in Bessarabia
            Source:  1987 Heimatkalender der Bessarabiendeutchen
            Map courtesy of the Black Sea German Research plat map collection



            Location of  Tschiligider


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            02 February 2017

            Gnadenfeld, Akkerman, Bessarabia

            Gnadenfeld was a Protestant daughter colony in Bessarabia. It is now known as Svitlodolyns'ke, Odessa Oblast, Ukraine.  It was established in either 1873 or 1881 and was a part of the parish of Klöstitz parish in 1904 and Eigenfeld parish in 1939. 

            Plat map of Gnadenfeld
            Source: Cronik der Gemeinde, Gnadenfeld (Bessarabien)
            Map courtesy of the Black Sea German Research plat map collection


            Location of Gnadenfeld


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                      01 February 2017

                      Kisil, Akkerman, Bessarabia

                      Kisil was founded in1909.  Its original settlers came from Plotzk, Friedenstal, Paris, Borodino, Teplitz and Friedenstal.  It's now a part of Ştefan Vodă, Moldova.

                      Plat map of Kisil
                      Source: 1984 Heimatkalender der Bessarabiendeutschen
                      Map courtesy of the Black Sea German Research plat map collection


                      Location of Kisil



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                                Lichtental, Akkerman, Bessarabia

                                Lichtental was a Mother colony in Bessarabia founded 26 January 1834 by families from the districts of Ludwigsburg, Marbach and Waiblingen of Würtemberg and from nearby Mother colony Sarata. It is now a part of Svitlodolyns'ke, Odessa Oblast, Ukraine.  

                                The colony of Lichtental was the third colony founded in the area of the Sarata Tract.  It was originally known as No. III and called Treii Step (Third Steppe) by the Russians. In 1838, discussions began with the Colonist Welfare Committee and the Sarata Territorial board as to what the name the colony should have.  The colonists suggested Lobental, but the Committee responded with another name, Lichtental, to which the colonists agreed.  On 14 July 1840 the name of the colony became Lichtental.  
                                Plat map of Lichtental
                                Source: Lichtental, Bessarabien - Bilder einer schwaebischen Gemeinde
                                Map courtesy of the Black Sea German Research plat map collection 

                                 In Immanuel Wagner's "History of the Establishment of the Colony of Sarata, 1822-1834," Jacob Heer wrote of the naming of the colony. 
                                "The request for the election of this name was, according to a parish notice, the wish of the congregation -- that the bright valley which was not shadowed by any woods, or even any brush, should be an ornament in every way...."
                                Location of Lichtental

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