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Who are the:
1) Germans from Russia?
2) American Historical Society of Germans from Russia
(AHSGR)?
3) California District Council of AHSGR?
First posted: April 1996
Who are the Germans from Russia?
The Germans from Russia are descendants of Germans who settled in
Russia during a period of approximately one hundred years, from
about 1763 to 1862. The history of German settlements in Russia
began with the reign of Tsarina Catherine II (Catherine the
Great) and her issuance of a manifesto in July 1763 enticing West
Europeans to settle in Russia.
The manifesto of the Empress promised much to the new settlers:
freedom of religion, freedom from taxes for a five to thirty year
period, freedom from military service and generous allotments of
free land to farmers.
By the end of 1767 German settlers, coming primarily from central
Germany, had organized more than one hundred colonies along the
Volga River, near Saratov, Russia. By 1869 the German population
in the Volga region exceeded 250,000.
Extensive German settlements of a second area in Russia, the
Black Sea Region, began in 1803 when Czar Alexander I, a grandson
of Catherine II, issued a similar decree enticing foreigners to
settle in South Russia.
Several major colony groups were founded in the Black Sea region
and extending into the Crimea and to the Caucasus. The Black Sea
Germans came primarily from southern Germany but a substantial
number (Mennonites) also came from the Danzig area in
Prussia.
German colonization of Bessarabia began in 1812 when Russia
acquired this territory from the Ottoman Empire. Two other areas
in Russia where large numbers of Germans settled were Volhynia
and the Baltic provinces.
In Russia, the Germans lived in closed colonies (isolated from
their Russian neighbors) and retained their language, religion,
food and culture. The settlers were to find however that the
generous provisions made in the manifesto of Catherine II and
Alexander I were not going to be honored forever.
Beginning in the 1870's their special rights were gradually taken
away. The colonists became subject to the military draft, lost
their right to local self-government, and the right to keep their
own German-language schools. As the conditions in Russia became
less and less favorable, the Germans looked to the New World for
resettlement.
They began emigrating to the United States (to Kansas, Nebraska,
California, North and South Dakota, Colorado and others), to the
prairie provinces of Canada, and to South America. A substantial
number remained in Russia, however, to face the bitter
consequences of the Russian Revolution and the World Wars.
An estimated two million people of German ethnic origin remain in
the CIS today, living primarily in the Asiatic part far to the
east of the colonial homes of their forefathers.>
What is the American Historical Society of Germans from
Russia?
The American Historical Society of Germans from Russia (AHSGR),
founded in 1968, is an international, nonprofit, educational
organization. AHSGR is actively engaged in researching the
history, culture and folklore of Germans from Russia.
AHSGR publishes and disseminates such information to assist
members in their genealogical research, and it acts as a forum to
bring together people of German-Russian heritage to discuss and
develop a better understanding of their culture.
The AHSGR organization is headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska
where a one block German-Russian Heritage Center has been built.
AHSGR is composed of more than fifty chapters in eighteen states,
and three Canadian provinces with more than 5,800
memberships.
AHSGR members annually receive four Journals with interesting
articles on German-Russian history and culture; one issue of
Clues, a guide to German-Russian genealogical research;
and, three newsletters. In addition, members have the use of
more than 1,500 books, manuscripts and other publications in the
AHSGR archives through inter-library loan.
A one-week International Convention is held every year. The next
Annual International Convention will be held Bloomington,
Minnesota, near the Minneapolis airport, on June 9-16 1996.
What is the California District Council?
The California District Council (CDC) is an intermediate
organization between the nine California chapters and AHSGR,
International. Its purpose is to strengthen our Society's
goals; share good ideas, locate and trade program resources;
unite to speak with one voice on issues; have an organization and
energy in readiness to meet the needs of the Society; stimulate
members to proceed with genealogical research; and, to renew our
sense of "family" among members.
CDC's major activities are the Spring German from Russia Heritage
Fest (held at varying locations), and the fall Genealogy Seminar
held in conjunction with the Central California Chapter's
Oktoberfest at Fresno, CA.
The CDC voting membership is composed of the president and one
delegate from each chapter, and five California members of the
AHSGR Board of Directors and International Foundation. CDC
represents more than 900 California chapter members.
The Council meets four times a year, with two of its meetings
held in conjunction with its spring and fall activities.
Election of CDC officers occur at the February meeting.
The chapters in CDC are (from north to south): Sacramento
Valley; Lodi; Mt. Diablo; Golden Gate; Central California;
Central Coast; Golden Empire-Bakersfield; Ventura; and,
Southern California.
AHSGR annual dues are $35.00 and each local chapter has dues
ranging from $5 to $10. For information write to:
AHSGR in California
3233 North West Street
Fresno, California 93705-3402
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