Konrad Miller

The photograph above shows my grandfather, Konrad Miller in his World War I uniform. Grandfather served in the Russian army as an officer. Usually, non-Russian soldiers were placed in the front lines to be killed off first. This tragic misfortune happened to his brother Jacob. Grandfather, the oldest son, likely got some preferential treatment in that he attended Russian school as well as German school. Since he was literate in Russian (im wort und schrift), he became an officer as most of the Russian soldiers were illiterate.

Grandfather returned to a Norka that was very different than the one he had left 3 or so years previously. The family endured the years up to December 1924 when they left for Kanada. Given what occurred during the following years in Russia; they did come to the promised land.

1921 is a year that most descendants of that area heard about. My grandfather vowed that never again would his family or he go hungry. To date, none of us have.

Johannes and Heinrich Miller

The photo above shows my father Johannes Miller and his brother Uncle Heinrich Miller. The photo was taken on a farm just north of Stony Plain, Alberta in January of 1925; just after the family’s arrival in Canada. They are wearing the traditional winter wear which included the “dulup” (dooloop) and “Filzstiefel” (felt socks).

Contributed by Reuben Miller. See Reuben's website on the German-Russians of the Volga-Canada.