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. 

    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)

    Sample from Map 1
    © 2003, GRHC

    Sample from Map 2
    © 2003, GRHC

     

    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: