No tsars, no emperors, no kings

“Whereof what’s past is prologue; what to come, in yours and my discharge.” 

https://www.nokings.org

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Pawlowsky, Bergdorf parish, Glückstal enclave

While working on a genealogy project this weekend, I stumbled across a place of birth named Pawlowsky or Khutor Pawlowka . The place name does not appear in gazetteers of known places where Germans lived. It sporadically appears in sources as a surname unrelated to the German population. The parish where the baptism occurred was in Bergdorf, part of the Glückstal enclave in Kherson province.

The khutor was easy enough to find. I looked through the Glückstal parish records and found when other births occurred in the location. Coupled with already knowing the location of Bergdorf (Colosova, Moldova today), it was a matter of  paging through old maps looking at Bergdorf and then scanning the surrounding area. Pawlowsky appears 12 km (7.5 miles) NE of Bergdorf, right next to Martienskij-Karaban (Karabanove, Odesa Oblast, Ukraine today), another village that does not appear in GR gazetteers but was a known place where Germans lived from Bergdorf baptism records. 

The earliest map on which it appears by name is the Schubert map from 1868. It disappeared from maps after WWII.

Schubert map showing Bergdorf (lower left) and Pawlowka/Pawlowsky (upper right) and a few of the daughter colonies served by the Bergdorf parish. Source: EtoMesto

The surnames that appear in parish records associated with Pawlowsky are Flemmer, Göbel, Laitenberger, Lippert, Leicht, Maier, Scheuffele, Schmidt, Spitzer, and Wolff. It appears there were just a handful of families. There may have been others, but it was a small khutor and baptisms may have not noted the birth place and used just Bergdorf instead.

Translations of the Glückstal parish records, including Bergdorf, can be found at this link on Black Sea German Research. Each record links to the scan on FamilySearch so you can download a copy.

The pin for Pawlowsky will be added in the next round of map updates, but for now, this is where it was.

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Last updated 8 June 2025

1829 South Russia Neighborhood

Land of the Settled Nogai Tatars on the Azov Sea with the neighboring countries and German colonies 1829

This map is from the book entitled Bruchstücke aus einigen Reisen nach dem südlichen Russland, in den Jahren 1822 bis 1828: mit besonderer Rücksicht auf die Nogayen-Tataren am Asowschen Meere [Fragments from some journeys to southern Russia in the years 1822 to 1828: with special reference to the Nogayen Tatars on the Sea of Azov] by Daniel Schlatter.

Schlatter was a Swiss Baptist missionary who was interested in the Muslim Nogai Tatars living in Taurida province. The Nogai had been exiled from their land near the Sea of Azov by the Russians and then resettled back. They were one of the many population movements the Russians carried out to make room for European colonists, until the European colonists themselves were moved out of the way during WWII.

This book is considered culturally significant and has been digitized by several organizations from the Bavarian State Library to Zürich Central Library to Google Books. The map does not appear in every digitized version.

Given the title of the book, you would not think there would be anything related to the German colonies in it, but there is because the Germans were neighbors of the Nogai as well as the Doukhobors and Malokans, two pacifist groups who sought freedom from the Russian Orthodox Church. Along with the map, the book contains a fairly detailed summary of the European colonization of southern Russia up until 1826, including the German colonies (Protestant, Catholic, Mennonite, Separatists), Jewish settlements, Bulgarian colonies, Greek-Russian settlements (referred to as the Danube settlements), a paragraph on the German colonies in the Volga region down to Sarepta in Astrakhan province, and a brief mention of German colonists in Russian Poland near Warsaw and Bessarabia.

It also contains the full text of the “Privilegium der Mennonite der Rußland,” the document that contained  extended exclusively to the Mennonites in Russia by Tsar Paul I on 6 September 1800. I knew about this document but had not seen the text before now. 

Translated and annotated map.

The “Land of the German colonists” noted on the map was the Prischib enclave, founded in 1804, with Catholic, Lutheran and Reformed faiths. The “Land of the Mennonites” was the Molotschna Colony founded in 1804. The “Land of the Württemberg Colonists” was the Berdyansk enclave founded in 1822. 

The Priscib and Molotschna settlements were separated by the Molochna (Milky) River. 

C “Land of the German colonists” — Alt-Monthal, Alt-Nassau, Carlsruh, Durlach, Friedensfeld [Friedrichsfeld], Grünenthal, Heidelberg, Hochstädt, Hoffental, Kronthal [Kronsfeld], Kostheim, Leutershausen [Leitershausen], Neu-Montal, Neu-Nassau, Neudorf, Prischib, Reichenfeld, Rosenthal, Tiefenbrunn, Walldorf, Wasserau, Weinau. 

B “Land of the Mennonites” —Alexanderthal, Alexanderwohl, Altenau, Blumenort, Blumenstein, Elisabeththal, Felsenthal, Fischau, Franzthal, Friedensdorf, Fürstenau, Fürstenwerder, Gnadenheim, Grossweid, Halbstadt, Ladekop, Lichtenau, Lichtfeld, Liebenau, Lindenau, Marienthal, Montau [Muntau], Morgenau [Marganau], Münsterberg, Neukirch, Orlof, Pastwa, Petershagen, Pordenau, Praganau, Rosenort, Rückenau, Rudnerweide, Schönau, Schönsee, Shordau [Schardau], Steinbach, Tiege, Tiegenhagen, Tiegerweide, Wernersdorf.

The area labeled F shows the land on which Württemberg Separatists had settled. The area between was that of the Nogai. Even the Separatists’ colonies were separate.

F “Land of the Württemberg Colonists” — Neuhoffnung, Rosenfeld, Neuhoffnungsthal.

You can view/share/download all of the images in this post here. 

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Last updated 4 June 2025

1911 Volksfreund Kalender

These images are from the 1910 and 1911 editions of the publication Volksfreund Kalender für das Jahr 1911. The map of the Volga region is from 1910, and the colonies are from 1911. It’s always interesting to see historic photos of structures in the colonies. The colonies included are Balzer, Bangert, Bauer, Grimm, Krasnoyar, Kukkus, Messer, Neu-Norka, Stahl-am-Tarlyk and Yagodnaya Polyana. You can view/share/download all of the images here. 

1910 Map of the Volga Colonies

This was an insert in the back of the 1910 edition of the Volksfreund Kalender. Source: Wolgadeutsche

Yagodnaya Polyana

Jagodnaja Poljana was founded on 16 September 1767, one of the last Volga Mother colonies established.

Jagodnaja Poljana. The church. 1911 Volksfreund Kalender, p. 170

Jagodnaja Poljana. Church and district school. 1911 Volksfreund Kalender, p. 170

Jagodnaja Poljana. Community school and fire station. 1911 Volksfreund Kalender, p. 160

agodnaja Poljana. Potash and syrup factory. 1911 Volksfreund Kalender, p. 161

Jagodnaja Poljana. On the rye field. 1911 Volksfreund Kalender, p. 163

Jagodnaja Poljana. The source. 1911 Volksfreund Kalender, p. 162

Stahl-am-Tarlyk

Stahl-am-Tarlyk was founded on 13 August 1767.

Stepnaja (Stahl). The church. 1911 Volksfreund Kalender, p. 175

Stepnaja (Stahl). The mountainside is visible in the distance. 1911 Volksfreund Kalender, p. 175

Neu-Norka

Neu-Norka was founded in 1852. Colonists were living there as early as 1847. It no longer exists. 

Neu-Norka. School and prayer house. 1911 Volksfreund Kalender, p. 178

Messer

Messer was founded on 7 July 1766.

Ust-Solicha (Messer). The church. 1911 Volksfreund Kalender, p. 164

Ust-Solicha (Messer). The pastorate. 1911 Volksfreund Kalender, p. 165

Kukkus

Kukkus was founded on 26 June 1767.

Wolskaja (Kukkus). Overall view. 1911 Volksfreund Kalender, p. 174

Krasnoyar

Krasnoyar was founded on 20 July 1767. 

Krasnojar. Partial view. 1911 Volksfreund Kalender, p. 179

Krasnojar. Colonial office: head, 2 assistants, clerk, his assistant, daywatchman. 
1911 Volksfreund Kalender, p. 177

Grimm

Grimm was founded on 1 July 1767. 

Lesnoi Karamysch (Grimm). Church and prayer house. 1911 Volksfreund Kalender, p. 157

Lesnoi Karamysch (Grimm). The district school. 1911 Volksfreund Kalender, p. 158

Bauer

Bauer was founded on 20 July 1766. 

Karamyschewka (Bauer). Street with church and bell tower. 1911 Volksfreund Kalender, p. 172

Karamyschewka (Bauer). Wedding procession after the ceremony. 1911 Volksfreund Kalender, p. 173

Bangert

Bangert was founded on 1 July 1767. 

Saumorje (Bangert). The church and part of the district school. 1911 Volksfreund Kalender, p. 171

Balzer

Balzer was founded on 28 August 1765. 

Goloi Karamysch (Balzer). Right: church and pastorate. Left: community school and prayer house. 
1911 Volksfreund Kalender, p. 157

Goloi Karamysch (Balzer). Iron foundry. 1911 Volksfreund Kalender, p. 169

Goloi Karamysch (Balzer). The progymnasium. 1911 Volksfreund Kalender, p. 167

Goloi Karamysch (Balzer). The source. 1911 Volksfreund Kalender, p. 168

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Last updated 25 May 2025

Map Update — South Russia

The maps for South Russia and the Black Sea Region have been updated, including noting the former German colonies that are in Russian-occupied territory in Ukraine. 

Special thanks goes to Chris Kullman who did some excellent location work in northern Bessarabia based on some Kischinew parish records. He’s also been translating and indexing these records for Black Sea German Research.  The records span from 1835 to 1939. Check them out at this link. Use your browser search to look for Kischinew (Kischinev) Parish or just scroll down to get to the records available by year.  

New Colonies

A note about the colony additions in Bessarabia—there are two new ones that have similar or the same names: Alt-Sarata (today Sărata Veche) and Neu-Sarata (today Sărata Nouă). These are located in northern Bessarabia and were settled by Germans from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, from villages in Galizien and Bukovina. Don’t confuse them with Sarata (est. 1822) and Neu-Sarata (est. 1889 with its own parish in 1901) in southern Bessarabia. I put notes on everything. Hopefully it will be clear. 

Below are the new colonies added along with alternate names, spellings and current name in parenthesis. 

Bessarabia: Algina (Algine, Albina), Alt-Sarata (Alt Sarata, Sărata Veche, Fălești District), Kodiasi (Kodiasy, Codiasi, Codiasy, Gudias, Gudjas, Coada Iazului), Lembehn (Limbeni, Linbeschty, Alibeni, Limbenii Vechi), Lipkani (Lipkan, Targ, Lipcani Târg, Lipcanis, Lipkanya, Lipcani), Neu-Sarata (Sărata Nouă, Fălești District), Neu Scholtoi (Neu-Sholtoy, Neu-Scholtoti), Otake (Ataki, Otaki, Otaci), and Staftschani (Staftschan, Staftczan, Stavchany).

Don: Budenovka (Bohdanivka) and Peski (October Revolution farmstead, Piski).

Ekaterinoslav: Gruzkoe (Gruzkoe Plescheeevo, Chasov-Jurt, Chasiv Yar) and Shcherbinovka (Shcherbynivka, Dzerzhynsk, Dzerzhinsk, Toretsk).

Occupied Territory

The Russo-Ukrainian War frontline has been updated on the South Russia and Black Sea Region maps. There are 301 former German colonies in occupied territory as of 20 May 2025. This number does not include all of the Crimean peninsula, another 290 colonies, which has been occupied by Russia since 2014.

See the Change Log for a full list of updates and the Sources for new additions. 

Ethnographic Map of the Rural Population of Bessarabia

Finally, for fun, here is an ethnographic map of the rural areas of Bessarabia published in 1920 based on data from 1907. There are many of these maps of this area because it was so ethnically diverse and stayed that way. The lightest blue shading is where it notes Germans living, mostly in the southern part of the province. 

Ethnographic map of the rural population of Bessarabia. Based on data from V.N. Butovich in 1907 and other sources, compiled by L.S. Berg. Published by the commission for the study of the tribal composition of Russia at the Russian Academy of Sciences. Lithograph of the cartographic department. Printed in 1920. Scale 10 miles per inch.

Source: EtoMesto

Maps Updated

Germans from Russia Settlement Locations (full map) 

European Russia (European settlements only)

Black Sea Region (settlements around the Black Sea, including the Caucasus)

South Russia (administrative region as of 1914)

Bessarabia Province

Don Host

Ekaterinoslav Province

Kherson Province 

Taurida Province

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Last updated 21 May 2025

Treffen Tuesday Rewatch: What They Carried

Many thanks to AHSGR for hosting Treffen Tuesday and making the recordings available for rewatch. Below is my presentation from this past Tuesday.

Enjoy!

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Last updated 1 May 2025

Map Update — Southwest Krai

Overdue on a few additions to the provinces of the former Southwest Krai, I decided to do some clean up at the same time. 

The Southwest Krai was a part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth until Poland was partitioned in the late 1700s. Today the former region crosses the Ukrainian oblasts of Cherkasy, Khmelnytskyi, Kyiv, Rivne, Vinnytsia, Volyn, Zhytomyr with a small number in Odesa and Mykolaiv and in Transnistria, Moldova.

One update is returning to the historical spelling of “Kiev” for the ancestral province. That was the spelling then. The current is “Kyiv” and is used in the current name of the city and of the oblast in Ukraine. The content of this project is being presented as historical documentation to aid in the understanding of the history of German from Russia when they lived in Russia. This means using historical place names and spellings. 

The other update that accounts for so many colonies being touched this time is shortening the Ukrainian and Russian Wikipedia URLs. 

For details on what colonies have been added or updated, see the Change Log. The Sources have also been updated with the addition of the very interesting “Polish Tactical Map of Western Ukraine 1924-1939” from EtoMesto. I will need to spend more time with it when I have a moment. 

The following maps have been updated: 

Kiev Province

Podolia Province

Volhynia Province

Southwest Krai

Germans from Russia Settlement Locations (big map)

Map updates will be on hold for a couple of months as I get ready for convention season this summer. I will be presenting virtually at AHSGR and FEEFHS. 

More to come. 

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Last updated 21 April 2025

Treffen Tuesday: Storytelling Through Objects

I am presenting at the next Treffen Tuesday on April 29th.

This presentation will explore storytelling through the “eyes” of the treasured objects our Germans from Russia ancestors brought with them and left behind for their descendants. Part show-and-tell. Part how-to. Part what-if.

Treffen Tuesday is a free Zoom event hosted by the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia the last Tuesday of every month. Register here to join in.

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Last updated 8 April 2025

AHSGR 2025 Convention

The American Historical Society of Germans from Russia (AHSGR) has posted its 2025 convention program and registration link.

“Preserving Our Heritage” is the theme. Instead of concurrent speakers for each time slot to pick and choose from, attendees will attend panels of speakers on the subjects of Germany, Russia, or America, followed by a roundtable discussion among the attendees and speakers. 

I will be presenting as a part of the Russia panel. This will be my fourth time presenting at the AHSGR convention. 

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Last updated 2 April 2025

Mapping German Migrations to Siberia

Given that I have fielded several questions in the last few weeks about Germans in Siberia, particularly about those around Omsk and in Northern Kazakhstan, I thought I would share two maps that might help understand the path they took during those voluntary migrations.

I have written about railway maps before, including a timeline between 1835 and 1904, when the Trans-Siberian line was completed. This particular line facilitated migration or resettlement east by Germans when land in Western Siberia was opened. The Trans-Sib stretched from Moscow to Vladivostok, connecting European Russia to the Russian Far East. Moscow, being a rail hub, connected to western Russia, again making it easy for migration. The Trans-Sib reached Omsk, part of the Akmola province at the time, in the late 1890s. It was around Omsk that heavy settlement occurred. 

This map section shows the stops on the “Great Siberian Railway” c. 1903. 
Source: Library of Congress
Podrobnai︠a︡ karta Velikago Sibirskago zheli︠e︡zno-dorozhnago puti ot Varshavy do Vladivostoka, Khabarobska i Port-Artura : s oboznachenīem vsi︠e︡kh stant︠s︡īĭ, razstoi︠a︡nīi︠a︡ mezhdu nimi i okrestnosteĭ do 200 verst : sostavleno po ofit︠s︡ialʹnym dannym. 
[Detailed map of the Great Siberian Railway from Warsaw to Vladivostok, Khabarovsk and Port Arthur: with designation of all stations, distances between them and their surroundings up to 200 miles: compiled according to official data]

This map shows the same are with pins on the known German settlements in the area. Omsk in under the pile of pins circled in red.  

The Great Siberian Railway above map from 1903 is extremely long and narrow map. It includes railway lines from Warsaw to Vladivostok, Khabarovsk and Port Arthur in the Russian Far East. It includes the area surrounding the rail lines up to 200 miles, so it is kind of interesting to see what cropped up along the railway. Like in the U.S. and Canada, being alongside or close to a railway stop meant being able to move goods and people easily. 

Railway lines continued to expand through WWII, so it is important to use a period map when trying to trace the probable route of an ancestor’s migration in the late 1800s into the early 1900s. You may have to use multiple maps, especially if your ancestors were migrating from South Russia to Siberia. Those in the Volga region simply had to find their way to Samara to catch the train to Omsk. You can find several maps in the collection Maps: Russian Railroads (1867-1950) that you may find helpful. 

The map below was recently added to the Russian Railroads map collection. It details the railway and other communication routes of Asiatic Russia and was published in 1901. It is particularly useful for Volga Germans as the northwest corner (far upper left) contains the cities of Saratov and Samara and also Astrakhan on the Caspian Sea. 

Karta puteĭ soobshchenīi︠a︡ Azīatskoĭ Rossīi 
[Map of Communications Routes of Asian Russia]
Source: Library of Congress

This map has a lot of information on it. It includes railway lines open to traffic, junctions (stops), distances between stops, postal roads, major trade roads, telegraph lines, passenger steamship routes, locks, canals, ports, mountains, swamps and sand. Below are the map keys with translations.

Railways

Waterways

Roads and Borders

If you have something specific that you are looking with regards to railway migrations, feel free to contact me. 

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Related Posts and Sources:

1. Detailed map of the Great Siberian Railway from Warsaw to Vladivostok, Khabarovsk and Port Arthur: with designation of all stations, distances between them and their surroundings up to 200 miles: compiled according to official data [Podrobnai︠a︡ karta Velikago Sibirskago zheli︠e︡zno-dorozhnago puti ot Varshavy do Vladivostoka, Khabarobska i Port-Artura : s oboznachenīem vsi︠e︡kh stant︠s︡īĭ, razstoi︠a︡nīi︠a︡ mezhdu nimi i okrestnosteĭ do 200 verst : sostavleno po ofit︠s︡ialʹnym dannym]. Library of Congress
2. Farewell Forever Kleinliebental (posted 15 October 2023)
3. Map of Communications Routes of Asian Russia [Karta puteĭ soobshchenīi︠a︡ Azīatskoĭ Rossīi]. Library of Congress
4. Maps: Russian Railroads (1867-1950) (created 8 November 2019)
5. Russian Railroad Maps 1877-1912 (posted 14 March 2021)

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Last updated 5 March 2025