German Russians

     Agh! This corset is killing me. I am Czarina Catherine II of Russia.  I look out my window and look at my countryside while holding my stomach tightly. There is something missing. I twirl my finger in my soft hair of curls. The agriculture and economic development is not right.  We need more workers. Germans!  Because they are smart and talented. The problem is how do we get them to come to Russia?      My, my, I have been searching for an idea to get the Germans to come to Russia. Well I know that they would like free land, that would be nice.  Maybe self government and religious freedom. Those are definitely things that they would like, of course.
     My workers think that I have a wonderful idea. It makes me so happy to hear that. I shall send the Germans a letter inviting them to come to Russia. It will help Russia so much if they come. Well, I better get to work!
     I picked up my quill and dipped it into the ink sitting near the dim light of my candle.  The hour was late, but, I was determined to finish the letter before retiring to bed.  I decided to appeal to the mayor of Stettin, a small German city, the city in which I was born in 1729.  I wrote…

December 4, 1762

Dear Mayor Werner Burkhardt,

     I am inviting you to have some Germans to come live in Russia. It could be good for both of us. We will put many offers in for those who would like to come…
     They have not written back for months, it is making me so anxious and worried. I do hope that they agree and will come. I will not be discouraged.  I shall write a more detailed letter to the bigger of Germany! The manifesto!

Manifesto of the Empress Catherine II

issued

July 22, 1763

By the Grace of God!

       We, Catherine the second, Empress and Autocrat of all the Russians at Moscow, Kiev, Vladimir, Novgorod, Czarina of Kasan, Czarina of Astrachan, Czarina of Siberia, Lady of Pleskow and Grand Duchess of Smolensko, Duchess of Esthonia and Livland, Carelial, Twer, Yugoria, Permia, Viatka and Bulgaria and others; Lady and Grand Duchess of Novgorod in the Netherland of Chernigov, Resan, Rostov, Yaroslav, Beloosrial, Udoria, Obdoria, Condinia, and Ruler of the entire North region and Lady of the Yurish, of the Cartalinian and Grusinian czars and the Cabardinian land, of the Cherkessian and Gorsian princes and the lady of the manor and sovereign of many others. As we are sufficiently aware of the vast extent of the lands within Our Empire, We perceive, among other things, that a considerable number of regions are still uncultivated which could easily and advantageously be made available for productive use of population and settlement. Most of the lands hold hidden in their depth an inexhaustible wealth of all kinds of precious ores ….

     This time I will send out imperial commissaries to other regions of Germany to let them know that I am serious, and then maybe more people will come. This time I think and hope that it will work! What do you suppose I can expect their answer will be!
     A messenger arrived today with word from Captain von Kotzer.  He was very successful in Frankfort.  After offering the Germans free transportation, lodging, and food for the trip many have agreed to come.
     The Germans have come!  They have settled on the Volga River north of the Caspian Sea.  They have made wonderful farms that I would love to visit someday.  I am getting old, though, and the journey would not be easy for me.

~          ~          ~

     I was sitting at my table eating a breakfast of eggs and I thought of how proud my Grandmother Catherine would be if she were still alive.  It has been five years since her sorrowful death.  I, Alexander I, now rule Russia.  My Grandmother has done great work with inviting the Germans, but I hope to carry on what she has done by writing another manifesto.  I am willing to bet that they will be anxious to come.  I will make it easy for them…only 300 gulden in cash will be the requirement.  But, I only want the Germans that have special skills.  I will send the manifesto tomorrow, July 10, 1803.
     The response to the manifesto was enormous.  By 1914 there were more than 2 million German people in the two Russian areas set aside for their colonies, near the Volga River and the Black Sea region.
     In the year 1866 the trouble and disappointment began.  Alexander II stopped the immigration of Germans into Russia and Alexander III took away the tax-break privileges and then many more privileges.  The Germans were not told that they did not have to serve in the military and this especially bothered the Mennonites because it was against their religion to fight in wars.  The Russian Germans had been getting lots of letters from their relatives that had immigrated to America and many decided to leave Russia and come to America.  Large numbers began to arrive in America in 1872 and continued until 1914.  Many of the Mennonites moved to Canada and the Catholics and Lutherans moved to western America.  A large number settled in South Dakota.  There are many families in South Dakota that have German Russian heritage.  A couple of the more famous ones are Tom Daschle and Lawrence Welk. 
    America is very fortunate to have had German Russians come to the United States so many years ago.  They have helped us in many ways with their skills, talents, and hard work to make America what it is today.