Collection on Germans from Russia

Collection

Identifier: MGFR

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Collection on Germans from Russia consists of documents dated 1804 to 2013, with the bulk falling from 1960 to 1980. It contains genealogical information on German Russian families, publications, maps, and sermons. Most materials are in English, but some are in German and Russian.

Dates

Creation: 1804-2013
Creation: Majority of material found within 1960-1980

Creator

Colorado State University. Libraries (Organization)

Restrictions on Access

There are no access restrictions on this collection.

Restrictions on Use

Not all of the material in the collection is in the public domain. Researchers are responsible for addressing copyright issues.

History

During the eighteenth century, Catherine the Great, and later her grandson Alexander I, invited Germans to settle rich farm lands along Russia's Volga River. Those that settled the region came to be known as Germans from Russia, or Volga Germans. The Volga Germans were granted considerable autonomy in matters of language, law, religion, and social customs by the Russian Government. Political turmoil in Russia and changes to their autonomy at the end of the nineteenth century motivated thousands of Volga Germans to immigrate to the United States, where they settled on the plains of Kansas, Colorado, and the Dakotas. In the late 1970s, Volga Germans were Colorado's second largest ethnic group.

After settling in the United States, Germans from Russia were noted for their large role in agriculture, specifically the farming of sugar beets. Along with their impact on the overall culture of the areas they settled, Germans from Russia developed their own smaller communities which included German language newspapers and church services.

Extent

5 linear feet (2 record cartons, 1 flat box, 2 oversize folders, 1 map roll)

Language of Materials

English

German

Russian

Additional Description

Abstract

Germans from Russia, or Volga Germans, originally came from Germany. During the eighteenth century, Catherine the Great and her grandson Alexander I invited Germans to settle rich farm lands along Russia's Volga River. They enjoyed about one hundred years of prosperity and considerable autonomy in matters of language, law, religion and social customs. Political turmoil in Russia at the end of the nineteenth century motivated thousands of Volga Germans to immigrate to the United States, where they settled on the plains of Kansas, Colorado, and the Dakotas. In the late 1970s, Volga Germans were Colorado's second largest ethnic group. The collection contains genealogical information on German Russian families, publications, maps, and sermons.

Arrangement

The collection consists of 4 series in 2 record cartons, 1 flat box, 2 oversize folders, and one map roll:

Series 1: Genealogy, 1910-1976 and undated

Series 2: Maps, 1932-1978 and undated

Subseries 2.1: Karl Stumpp, 1954-1972 and undated
Subseries 2.2: Miscellaneous, 1932-1978 and undated

Series 3: Publications, 1804-1809, 1931-2013 and undated

Series 4: Miscellany, 1899-1926 and undated

Acquisition

Collection on Germans from Russia was acquired from Delores Miller, Luann Lind, Ruth Valladao, Lydia Ruyle, Ken Rock, and others between 1990 and 2017.

Related Collections

The Manuscripts collection contains the Collection of Genealogical Research on Germans from Russia in Northern Colorado, the Saratov Ephemera Collection, the Papers of Ida Hettinger, and the Ron Bauer Collection.

The University Archive holds the Sidney Heitman Germans from Russia in Colorado Study Project Collection, the Records of the International Center for German Russian Studies, and the Papers of Kenneth W. Rock.

Processing

This collection was processed in December 2015. Materials were rehoused in acid-free folders and boxes. More than two copies of documents were weeded. Maps and inserts housed in roll 1 were deacified in January of 1990. Bound texts were removed to be cataloged as part of Special Collections.