The Center for Volga German Studies at Concordia University

Alexander Augustovich Klaus

Alexander Augustovich Klaus was one of the most notable and accomplished Volga Germans. He was born in Norka on December 13, 1829, the son of the church organist and sexton (a member of the congregation who maintained the church properties). He died on January 7, 1887.

Klaus was Chief of the Division of Colonial Affairs in the Ministry of State Property and prior to that served as Chief of the Saratov Kontora of Foreign Settlers.

Klaus is the author of the the book "Nashi Kolonii" (Our Colonies) which was originally published in the Russian language in 1869. A German language version of the book titled "Unsere Kolonien" which was published in 1887 by the Verlag der "Odessaer Zeitung" in Odessa, Russia.

Klaus also published several articles in the magazine "Herald of Europe".

Source: http://wolgadeutsche.net/lexikon/_Klaus.htm

1) Dietz, Jakob, History of the Volga German colonists. M., 1997,.249, 329;

2) Sinner, Peter, Lower Volga Germans. History. Prominent figures from the Volga colonies. Saratov, 1925,. 18; This source states that Klaus was born in Norka.

3) Cherkazyanova IV Transmission of German schools to the Ministry of Education: the problem of relations between the state,church and society / / Proceedings of the XI International Conference. Moscow, November 1-3, 2006. M., 2007, sec. 142-143;

4) Adelman NY Pavel Ivanovich Bakhmetev: One of the mysteries of the Russian revolutionary movement / / revolutionary situation in Russia in 1859-1861 years. - Moscow: Nauka, 1965.t. IV, sec. 387-398;

5) Schmidt D. Studien über die Geschichte der Wolgadeutschen. Erster Teil. Seit der Einwanderung bis zum Imperialistischen Weltkriege. Zentral-Völker-Verlag, Pokrowsk1930, S. 295, Fußnote 2.