Researching in Asiatic Russia

Overview The earliest German colonies in Asiatic Russia were founded in 1882 by Mennonites from Molotschna and the Volga area. However beginning in the 1890s, a more substantial migration of German colonists (from both the Black Sea region and Volga area) headed east toward the Ural Mountains and Siberia to find new lands to colonize.
The German population of this region increased from 15,000 in 1897 to 100,000 in 1914. (Source: From Catherine to Khrushchev by Adam Giesinger, p. 136-138)

In later years (1920s-1940s), the Soviet government deported people to Siberia as a punishment for those accused of anti-Soviet activity. However, at the end of the 19th century, this area was considered a desirable source of new, unoccupied land to colonize.

 

Key areas of settlement:

Siberia/Ural Colonies

Colonies of Origin

Years Founded

Neu Samara colonies/Pleschanowo

Molotschna Mennonites

1890-1891

Orenburg Mennonite colonies/Djejewka

Chortitza & Molotschna Mennonites

1894-1903

Orenburg Lutheran colonies

Odessa and Bessarabia

1890-1895

Ufa colonies near Dawlekanowo

Mennonites & Lutherans, various areas

1894+

Ufa colonies W and NW of Ufa

Molotschna, Lutherans & Catholics

1906

Aktyubinsk

Black Sea and Volga Germans

1907-1912

Chelyabinsk and Kustanay regions

 

 

Petropavlovsk and Koktshetav regions

 

1889+

Akmolinsk/Zelonograd region

 

 

Omsk region

 

1893+

Slavgorod region on the Kulunda steppes

 

1890+

Pavlodar area

 

 

Semipalatinsk

 

1898+

Dzahambul-Tashkent

Molotschna and Volga Mennonites

1882


Church Records
Some church records for German settlements in Asiatic Russia are available here. Also check the Family History Library. Search on the town (or country) to find if microfilm is available for the area you are researching.


Families who settled in Asiatic Russia:

* Linejewka (German) submitted by Eugen Beck

* Linejewka (English) submitted by Eugen Beck and translated by BSGR 2022