German Villages & Maps

Major German Colonies in South Russia

This list includes only the ancestral villages of tour members from 1996-2003. North Dakota University Libraries sponsored Journey to the Homeland Tours. 

• The Germans from Bessarabia (University of Alberta)
• Germans from Russia Settlement Locations - Google Maps of Ancestral German Colonies (1700-1939)
• German-Russian Village Plat Maps (Black Sea German Research Group)
• The Villages of South Russia, Prepared by the Germans from Russia Heritage Society
• Germans from Russia and Eastern Europe Settlement Locations - prepared by Dennis G. Bender

GRHC staff and volunteers created two maps designed for easy identification of mother and daughter villages of South Russia and to show their approximate geographic locations. Accompanied with the maps is a special supplement: "Mother Colonies Reference List for Map One and Map Two." The two maps originally became available in 1999, with the updated revisions completed in 2001. 

Four of Dr. Karl Stumpp’s maps from the GRHC Archives were used as reference to create these maps:

• “Place from where in the year 1814 emigrations to South-Russia, especially Bessarabien took place” (1972)
• “Karte der deutschen Siedlungen in Bessarabien” (1940)
• “Map of the settlements in Danzig, West Prussia from which the Mennonites emigrated to Russia in the years 1789-1807” (1963)
• “Karte der Detuschen Siedlungen im Gebiet (Oblast) Odessa (1955)

Definitions of common village name-beginning and ending

• "berg" = mountain or hill
• "klein" = little, small or short
• "burg" = castle
• "lieben" = to be in love or fond of
• "dorf" = village
• "ruhe" = rest, peace or quiet
• "feld" = field
• "gross" = big, large or much
• "stadt" = city
• "heim" = home
• "tal" = valley
• "hof" = farmstead, or yard

 

Bessarabian Villages

German Names	Year Founded	Religion	Current Russian Names
Alt-Elft* (Akkerman District)	1816	Lutheran	Sadowoje (Fere-Champenoise Mare)
Alt-Postal* (Akkerman District)	1823	Lutheran	Malo-Jaroslawetz Mic
Arzis* (Akkerman District)	1816	Lutheran	Arzis
Beresina* (Akkerman District)	1816	Lutheran	Beresino
Borodino* (Akkerman District)	1814	Lutheran	Borodino
Brienne* (Akkerman District)	1816	Lutheran	Peterwunsch / Cherwonoglinskoje
Dennewitz* (Akkerman District)	1834	Lutheran	Prjamobalka
Eigenfeld (Akkerman District)	1880	Lutheran	Nadeshda
Emmental	1884/86	Catholic
Friedensfeld (Akkerman District)	1879/81	Lutheran
Friedenstal*(Akkerman District)	1834	Lutheran	Mirnopolje
Gnadental* (Akkerman District)	1830/33	Lutheran	Dolinowka
Hoffnungstal* (Akkerman District)	1842/48	Lutheran	Nadeshdowka
Jargara (Kahul District)	1882	Lutheran
Josefdorf (Bender District)	1865	Lutheran	Placinta
Katzbach* (Akkerman District)	1821	Lutheran	Lushanka
Klöstitz* (Akkerman District)	1815	Lutheran	Weselaja Dolina
Krasna* (Akkerman District)	1814/16	Catholic	Krasnoje
Kulm* (Akkerman District)	1815	Lutheran	Podgornoje
Leipzig* (Akkerman District)	1815	Lutheran	Serpnewoje
Lichtental*(Akkerman District)	1834/47	Lutheran	Swetlodolinskoje
Neu Arzis*	1821 / 25	Lutheran	Weshnjaky
Neu Elft* (Akkerman District)	1825	Lutheran	Nowosjelowka (Fere-Champenoise Mic)
Neu Sarata (Kahul District)	1889 / 90	Lutheran
Paris* (Akkerman District)	1816	Lutheran	Weselyj Kut
Pharaonowka (Akkerman District)	1892	Lutheran
Plotzk* (Akkerman District)	1839	Lutheran	Draguli / Faraonowka
Rosenfeld (Akkerman District)	1872/90	Lutheran
Sarata* (Akkerman District)	1820/22	Lutheran	Sarata
Sofiental (Akkerman District)	1862/63	Lutheran	Carpenko / Sofiewka
Sofiewka (Kahul District)	1892	Lutheran	Kahul
Tarutino* (Akkerman District)	1814	Lutheran	Tarutino / Anschakrak
Teplitz* (Akkerman District)	1817/18	Lutheran	Tepliza
Tschiligider	1884	Lutheran	Gighir
Wittenberg* (Akkerman District)	1814/15	Lutheran	Malo-Jaroslawetz Mare / Malu Mare

* The original Bessarabian colonies

Beresan Villages

German Names	Year Founded	Religion	Current Russian Names
Alexanderfeld (Nikolajew District)	1866	Lutheran	Adamovka / Tiligulo-Beresanka
Felsenburg (Nikolajew District) Felsenburg (Odessa Region)	1860 1880	Catholic ?	Welidarowka Kalinowka
Gnadenfeld (Odessa Region)	1857	Lutheran	Selenji Jar / Neikowka
Halbstadt (Odessa Region.)	1869	Catholic	Katjuschino
Johannenstal* (Odessa Region .)	1817 / 20	Lutheran	Michailowka
Karlsruhe* (Odessa Region .)	1809 / 10	Catholic	Kalestrowo
Katherinental* (Odessa Region .)	1817	Catholic	Jekaterinowka
Landau* (Odessa Region .)	1809/10	Catholic	Schirokolaniwka / Nova Marianowka
Munchen* (Odessa Region .)	1809/10	Catholic	Maloje Poretchje
Neu Karlsruhe	1869	Lutheran/Catholic	Olgino
Neu_Karlsruhe	1867	Catholic	Baschlanka / Olgino
Rastadt* (Odessa Region)	1809/10	Catholic	Bolshoye Poretchje
Rohrbach* (Odessa Region)	1809/10	Lutheran	Nowo-Swetlowka
Speyer* (Odessa Region)	1809/10	Catholic	Pestchany Brod / Jasnopolje / Schparowa
Sulz* (Odessa Region)	1809	Catholic	Stepowje / Malaschewskoje
Waterloo* (Odessa Region)	1819 / 27-33	Lutheran	Borodino / Stawkij
Worms* (Odessa Region)	1809	Lutheran	Winogradnoje / Wernoje.

* The Beresan mother colonies.

Kutschurgan Villages

German names	Year Founded	Religion	Current Russian Names
Baden* (Odessa Region)	1808	Catholic	Ocheretowka
Elsass* (Odessa Region)	1808/09	Catholic	Schtscherbanka / Tscherbanka
Georgental (Odessa Region)	1857/58	Catholic	Sekretarka
Johannestal	1864	Catholic	Michallowka
Kandel* (Odessa Region)	1808	Catholic	Rybalskoje
Neu Kandel (Odessa Region)	1931	Catholic	Karl Liebknecht-Chutor
Neu Kandel (Odessa Region)	1872	Catholic	Bogunskoje
Kellersheim (Odessa Region)	about 1870	Catholic	Mandrowo-Deutsch / Nisamoschnoje
Neu Mannheim (Nikolajew Region.)	1870	Catholic	Marianowka
Mannheim* (Odessa Region)	1808	Catholic	Kamenka / Baraboj
Muehlenback and (Langenberg)	1885	Catholic and (Lutheran	Besilien / Bezilowa-Wikowa / Bizilajewka
Selz* (Odessa Region)	1808 / 09	Catholic	Limanskoje
Sewerinowka	1917	Catholic	Severinovka
Strassburg* (Odessa Region)	1808	Catholic	Kutschurgan

* The Kutschurgan mother colonies.

Glückstal Villages

German Names	Year Founded	Religion	Current Russian names
Bergdorf* (Odessa Region)	1809/10	Lutheran	Kolosowo
Berlin (Hoffnungstal District)	1867	Lutheran	Worobjewka
Glückstal* (Odessa Region)	1808/09	Lutheran	Glinoje / Glinnaja
Hoffnungstal (Hoffnungstal District, Odessa Region)	1817/19	Lutheran (Separatist)	Zebrikowo
Hoffnungsfeld (Hoffnungstal District, Odessa Region)	1856	Lutheran	Tarasowo / Torosowo / Torossowo
Kassel* (Odessa Region)	1810	Lutheran	Veliko-Komarowka (Gross Komarowka)
Klein Neudorf (Odessa Region)	1855	Lutheran	Nowoselowka / Malaja-Karamanowa
Neudorf* (Odessa Region)	1809	Lutheran	Karmanowka / Komanowa
Neu Beresina (Hoffnungstal District, Odessa Region)	1865	Lutheran	Siminowka / Malaja Siminowka / Zamanowka
Neu Glückstal (Hoffnungstal District, Odessa Region)	1860	Lutheran	Cybulelewka / Zybuljewka

* The Glückstal mother colonies.

Note: Bergdorf, Glückstal and Neudorf are located in Moldova; Kassel is located in Ukraine.

Liebental Villages

German Names	Year Founded	Religion	Current Russian Names
Alexanderhilf* (Odessa Region)	1805	Lutheran	Alexandrowka / Dobro-Alexandrowka
Annental	1806	Lutheran	(Alt-Annental) / Beljary
Franzfeld* (Odessa Region)	1805/09	Catholic	Michailowka / Nadlimanskoje / Karagoli
Freudental* (Odessa Region)	1805/06	Lutheran	Mirnoje / Nikolajewskoje
Friedensfeld (Odessa Region)	1887	Lutheran	Zillekowa
Großliebental* (Odessa Region)	1804/06	Lutheran	Velikodolinskoje / Mariiskoje
Güldendorf* (Odessa Region)	1817/30	Lutheran	Krasnoselka / Kutusowo
Josephstal* (Odessa Region)	1804	Catholic	Josifowka / Sergejewka
Kleinliebental* (Odessa Region)	1804	Catholic	Malo-Dolinskoje / Xeniewka
Lustdorf* (Odessa Region)	1804/05	Lutheran	Olgino / Chernomorka
Mariental* (Odessa Region)	1804/05	Catholic	Marianowka / Georgijewka
Neu-Freudental	1828	Lutheran	Marina
Neuburg* (Odessa Region)	1805	Lutheran	Nowo-Gradowka / Wladimirowka
Peterstal* (Odessa Region)	1805	Lutheran	Petrodolinskoje / Petrowka

* The Liebental mother colonies.

Crimean Villages

German Names	Year Founded	Religion	Current Russian Names
Adamsfeld	1865	Lutheran	Dshelal / Djelal
Alexaudertal	1870	Lutheran	Saurshi / Saurshi-Deutsch
Alataj	1871	Catholic	Altai
Argantschik	1883	Catholic / Lutheran	Argentschik
Borangar / Borongar	circa 1871	Lutheran/Mennonite	Borongar / Tashly-Konrat
Bulatschi	1879	Lutheran	Bulachi (Neu-Friedental)
Friedenstal	1804/05	Lutheran	Kantakuzowo / Chan-Tokus
Heilbrunn (near Feodosia and Zuerichtal)	1805	Lutheran	Temesch-Ely
Hoffnungstal	1873/83	Lutheran	Kul-Oba / Aschen-Huegel
Kronental	1810/11	Catholic	Bulganak / Bulgansk
Molla-Ely	1882	Lutheran	Adsha-Ul / Adsial
Neusatz (near Simferopol)	1804/05	Lutheran	Tschukartscha
Rosental	1804/06	Catholic	Aromatnoje / Schaban-Oba / Tschabanika-Buruntscha
Sudak	1804/05	Lutheran	Sudak
Taimas (near Feodosia)	1897	Lutheran	(Taimas-Deutsch)
Zürichtal (near Feodosia)	1804/05	Lutheran	Dshajlaw

 

Other Black Sea German Villages

German Names	Year Founded	Religion	Former or Current Russian Names
Blumental (Saporoshje District)	1822/28	Catholic	Lugawoje / Kopani
Heidelberg (Saporoshje District)	1809/10	Catholic	Shurawlewo
Karlstal (Odessa Region Nikolajewskejo District)	1899	Lutheran	(Schellenberg)
Nesselrode (Birsula District, Odessa Region)	1873	Lutheran	Kuljalkin / Kujalnik
Rosenfeld (Odessa Region)	1853	Lutheran	(Neu-Frendental)
Schönfeld (Odessa Region)	1873	Catholic	Gaschar / Koschari (Bruennen)
Schirajewo (Stepanowka District, Odessa Region)	1874	Lutheran	Shirajewo
Tiefenbrunn (Saporoshje District)	1820/14?	Lutheran and Mennonite (Molotschna)	Kolodeznoje
Walldorf (Saporoshje District)	1808/09	Catholic	Podgorje

 

Additional Resources:

• 1993 CIA Map of Ukraine (133K)
• Outline Map of Moldova with Glückstal Colonies (6K)
• Outline Map of Ukraine from the CIA World Factbook
• Internet Medieval Sourcebook: Maps and Images (Fordham University)
• Ukraine Maps, Perry-Castañeda Map Collection, The University of Texas at Austin