This site contains in excess of 250 megabytes of data on Germans from Russia. This equates to in excess of 1,000 books/files. This data has been extracted, assembled, scanned and made available by many German-Russian (GER-RUS) researchers for the use of all of us.

This effort is not directly affiliated with any group but works closely with GRHS and AHSGR and much of the data came from those organizations. It was established by and is maintained by a group calling themselves the Odessa group that wanted to establish a resource for all GER-RUS folks. The Server is provided by Dr. Roger Ehrich at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg Virginia.

There are 4 types of lists available for early Volga colonists through the 1767. Since this is such a massive subject, I am only focusing on the early information.

1. GERMAN CHURCH LISTS - marriages and baptisms

There were numerous gathering places in Germany in which the marriage and baptism records were kept including Büdingen, Danzig, Lübeck, Hessen, Schmidt. For various reasons the colonists stay in those cities was prolonged while they waited to immigrate to Russia (frozen rivers, not enough money, not enough room on ships etc.). During these longs stays there were baptisms but mainly weddings. Even though places from where they emigrated from were not given, many of these names point to the regions of origin.

AHSGR has these lists in German and will make photocopies. I do not know the status of the translation of some of these lists by Brent Mai.

Luebeck, was one of the cities that was a gathering place for people emigrating to Russia. LUBECK MARRIAGES have been indexed at the Odessa Digital Library.

I don't believe the Budingen index is on the internet although an article Budingen marriages (but not an index) it is in the AHSGR Journal 3-1, spring 1980.

2. KUHLBERG LISTS

The "Kuhlberg lists" were compiled by Titular Counselor Ivan Kuhlberg as the colonists arrived in Oranienbaum. More than 20,000 persons, or  6,500 families are reflected in the Kuhlberg lists (for 1766?). They are compiled by ship, with an indication of the date of arrival in Russia, port of departure, the name of ship, and the name of the  skipper. The name and surname of the colonists are listed, the  composition of the family (age of children was indicated), location from which they came, religious confession and place where they desire to settle. AHSGR has not acquired much from the Kuhlberg lists at all.

 Dr. Pleve uses the Kuhlberg lists for the information about a family's arrival that he provides at the top of each chart.

The only published source of the Kuhlberg list that I am aware of is  published in: The German Colonies on the Volga: The Second Half of the 18th Century, by Igor R. Pleve (Translated by Richard Rye). The Kuhlberg list is for the ship Anna Catharina, which lists passengers arriving in May, June, and August 1766. It is Addendum #4 in the book.

There are approximately 6 families listed per page and there are 40 pages. So approximately 240 families are listed out of the total 6,500 families. The names in this list would probably be found in villages in 1767 since it generally took one year for the settlers to travel from Oranienbaum to the Volga. For sale in the AHSGR store.

Pleve also mentions in that addendum that he will publish a complete list of all 20,000 colonists arriving in Oranienbaum in 1766 compiled by Kuhlberg. I am not aware that this list has been published yet.

3. TRANSPORT LISTS

The Transport Lists were compiled as colonists arrived in Saratov by  Russian army officers who escorted the transports. In addition to the names of all members of the family and the ages of the children, also births and deaths were listed. These lists were not completely preserved. The years of 1766 and 1767 are covered but the exact dates of each transport are not indicated. There are a total of 7,501 individuals mentioned on the nine transport lists. AHSGR acquired copies of nine of the transport lists of German colonists of the journey from Oranienbaum to German colonies along the Russian Volga.

(I believe that there are only 9 lists preserved?). Note: Since the lists were compiled in 1766 and 1767, colonists from Volga villages that were settled before those years, would not be included.

Source: Transport of the Volga Germans for Oranienbaum to the Colonies on the Volga 1766-1767 by Brent Mai. For sale by AHSGR in the store, complete listing of 7,501 individuals. Full name index.

The Kuhlberg lists and the Transport Lists are two very different sets of documents. The Kuhlberg lists were compiled as the colonists arrived in Oranienbaum. The Transport Lists were compiled as they arrived in Saratov (hence the information about deaths along the way, and the re-arrangement of families due to marriages, etc. that you mentioned you discovered among the Yagodnaya Polyana colonists). AHSGR has not acquired much from the Kuhlberg lists at all.

AHSGR acquired the Transport Lists in their entirety. What that means is that only the ones acquired are known to exist. Dr. Plehve in his dissertation also mentions that only the lists for these 9 Transports have been found. I don't know where the remaining transport lists are, if they were ever made??

Dr. Plehve uses the Kuhlberg lists for the information about a family's arrival that he provides at the top of each chart. He also uses the 1767 Census (often called the Original Settlers Lists) to identify from where the colonists came in "Germany". I don't know that he uses the Transport Lists at all in the preparation of the charts (although maybe he does, I've never asked him that question).

I believe that Stumpp had access to parts of the Kuhlberg lists when he was preparing some of the lists in the Stumpp Book. However, most of his Volga information comes from the marriage lists in Germany, not from Russia at all.

By Brent Mai

4. ORIGINAL IMMIGRANT LIST or FIRST COLONIST LISTS or 1767 CENSUS  REVISION (all the same thing)

The lists of the first colonists was compiled after the establishment  of the majority of the colonies. At the order of the Chancery of Oversight of Foreigners in St. Petersburg, the Saratov konora of Oversight of Foreigners, through November and December of 1767 conducted a census, or as it was then called a "revision" of all the settlements of the Volga.

As far as I know there are 3 sources for these original immigrant list / first colonist lists.

Source: The Emigration from Germany to Russia in the Years 1763 to 1862 by Karl Stumpp. Only 4 Volga villages have listings in this book for the original immigrants, Balzer, Yagodnaya Polyana, Semenovka, and Dietel.

Sold by AHSGR.

Einwanderung in das Wolgagebiet, 1764-1767 (Immigration to the Volga Region, 1764-1767), by Dr. Igor Pleve and edited by Dr. Alfred Eisfeld. Volume 1. It includes 22 original immigrant lists for colonies: Anton, Balzer, Bangert, Bauer, Bettinger, Boaro, Boregard, Brabander, Cäsarsfeld, Chaijsol, Degott, Dehler, Dietel, Dinkel, Dobrinka, Dönhof, Dreispitz, Enders, Ernestinendorf, Fischer, Frank, and Franzosen. This books is for sale at AHSGR.

The German Colonies on the Volga: The Second Half of the 18th Century By Igor R. Pleve (Translated by Richard Rye). This book includes lists of first settlers of ten German colonies on the Volga: Seewald, Kautz, Schuck, Leichtling, Kamenka, Vollmer, Preuss, Merkel, Rothhammel, and Kratzke. This book is available at AHSGR.

Just announced is the book Einwanderung in das Wolgagebiet, 1764-1767 (Immigration to the Volga Region, 1764-1767), by Dr. Igor Pleve and edited by Dr. Alfred Eisfeld. Volume 2. This may become available for sale by AHSGR.

Currently is sold in Germany. It includes the colonies of Galka -  Kukkus, listed alphabetically. This may (unconfirmed) include the villages of: Galka, Goebel, Graf, Grimm, Herzog, Hildmann, Hockerberg, Hoezel, Holstein, Hoelzel, Huck, Hummel, Husaren, Hussenbach, Jost (Yost), Kamenka, Kaneau, Katharinenstadt, Kautz, Kind, Koehler, Kolb, Kraft, Krasnoyar, Kratzke and Kukkus.

So it looks like the orginal immigrant list for most of those villages in the last half of the alphabet, L - Z are generally not available (except Leichtling, Merkel, Preuss, Rothhammel, Schuck, Seewald, Semenovka, Vollmer, Yagodnaya Polyana).

List of Norka Records from 1833 to 1911 in the Engels, Russia Archive In Need Of Restoration

Most people think that they need Church Books for Genealogy, and that is why we had a fund-raising drive to help restore them - but, if you look at the list below, you will see that actually the Village Administrative Records and Registers are of much greater genealogical value. Church Books are the "cherry on top", but not essential for genealogical family reconstruction.

Volga Church Books, or more accurately Church "Registers", include the following types:

1) Birth and Baptism Register

2) Wedding-Marriage Register

3) Death & Burial Register.

4) Confirmation Register.

sometimes also:

5) Betrothal Register

6) Pre-Marriage Questionnaires

(Russian somewhat confusingly called it "Exams before Marriage", but on questioning, I now know that it was the Questionnaire which the Priest/Pastor made the couple answer to verify that they were still single (or widowed), knew each other, liked each other!, were marrying each of of free will, etc...

7) also a List of Congregation Members (Membership List of the Faith/church)

NOW comes something NEW:

8) Personal Books - more accurately :

"Parishioners' complete life-long Register/Records" (a person's religious CV kept by the church)

I wrote the archives and asked what it might mean.

It is also technically a "Church Register" - but here each member is traced through life:

Birth + Baptism

Confirmation

Bethrothal and Reading of the Bans (marriage must take place within 40 days of reading the bans)

Pre-marital Questionnaire.

Wedding

Death and Funeral

also:

movement and resettlement to new parishes, as population moves.

and other facts of religious life :

e.g.: "communions, confessions, extreme unction, etc "

Village Administration Books

Let's call them "Rural Administration Registers" the "Census" or "Revision" or "Population Count".

plus

"Family-(unts) Register" (aka "Family Lists" similar to mini-village-census) These are spread-sheet like registers which each rural ('volost') administration had to keep of each family unit: (a 'volost' is an administrative unit comprising about 4 villages/hamlets ).  The Family lists are known as "Po-semeunyi spiski" in Russian and include the following information:

Births, marriages, deaths;

Movement from village to village;

Entry into military call-up;

Return from national military service;

Arrival of new brides into the rural administration area (village); expulsions (prisoners expelled to Siberia or elsewhere); de-registration from village commune (when person moved to another village commune or to town); and renunciation of Russian citizenship (when villager applied to leave Russia, e.g. emigrate to America).

So, these are the documents we are trying to help save and restore those in poor conditions.

Vera Beljakova-Miller

More information about Family Lists

Russian Census (Revision) Data:

Listed below are the exact years during which census was taken in Russia, usually during the winter period, when population was least mobile.

Extract:

3) REVIZSKIE SKAZKI (revision lists)

Church books are not the only (or best) research source for Russian genealogy.

(( 2c) Evangelical (Lutheran)
Russia mandated the keeping of records in 1832. There were two diocese offices, one in St. Petersburg and the other in Moscow. The registers were kept in German, until the law of 1891 required that they be kept in Russian. ))

Both archivists and researchers told me that the best place to begin research is in the revision lists.
Revision lists were kept between 1719 and 1858 to support a national poll tax.
They covered 95% of the population.

The poll tax was announced by Peter I in 1718 and was undertaken in 1719.
He instituted it in order to change the basis of taxation from households to individuals.
It still took several years for the returns to come in.
In the meantime Peter I died.

The 2nd revision was initiated in 1743 by Elizabeth.

The 3rd revision, 1761-1767, coincided with the ascension of Catherine II to the throne. It included females for the first time.

The 4th (1778-1787, was the first to be conducted by the region fiscal chamber (kazionnaia palata), established in 1775 to handle income and expenses of governmental institutions, the collection of taxes, and the conduct of revisions.

The 5th revision was in 1794-1808.

The 6th revision was in 1811-1812.

The 7th revision was in 1815-1825.

The 8th revision was in 1833-1835.

The 9th revision was in 1850-1852.

The 10th revision was in 1857-1859.

The last three revisions noted changes in families during the interim between the revisions.

The tax was imposed on all male persons of the lower classes at a rate of 80 kopeks a year. Nobility, clergy, officialdom, army, and higher strata of the urban population were exempt -- about 10% in the 19th century.

Separate volumes were kept for the different classes of society.

Terms:
dvorianstvo -- nobility

dukhovenstvo -- clergy

kupechestvo -- merchant

meshchane -- urban dweller

krest'iane -- peasant

inorodtsy -- native peoples

kazaki -- cossaks

from:
http://feefhs.org/frl/ru/rusgens.html