The Island of Germany
What Germans found and
lost in the steppes of Altai
Переключение языка
In the West of the
Altai region there is about a dozen villages that stand out among others. They are clean,
well-organized, and cozy. Most of the previous century only Germans used to live there.
In the course of one hundred years, people in the Altai offshoot of Germany have managed to preserve their language, cuisine, and traditions even better than in their historical homeland. Surprisingly, they have also preserved a lot of the Soviet heritage. For example, collective farms are thriving and throbbing there.
Read in our multimedia project how the Germans have been coping with challenges and earning respect, and why not all of them have immigrated back to their ancestral land.
In the course of one hundred years, people in the Altai offshoot of Germany have managed to preserve their language, cuisine, and traditions even better than in their historical homeland. Surprisingly, they have also preserved a lot of the Soviet heritage. For example, collective farms are thriving and throbbing there.
Read in our multimedia project how the Germans have been coping with challenges and earning respect, and why not all of them have immigrated back to their ancestral land.
Lost in time
Few villages in the
Altai region can boast of being a destination for organized tours. Not because of being a
prominent person's birthplace or being otherwise famous, but just because the village itself
is unusual. Podsosnovo is exactly that kind of place.
In Podsosnovo all
streets are straight with the houses strictly aligned along them. Most of the homesteads
look as if they are participating in The Best Household of the Year competition. The roads
are made of asphalt or gravel with neatly trimmed lawns on both sides that is why even in
autumn there is almost no mud here. The village itself is compact and neat. It is a complete
opposite to the familiar look of dilapidated Russian villages. By contrast, Podsosnovo looks
esthetically pleasing even on the map.
Uniform green
fencing marks the perimeter of the village and plates with street names in two languages
shine in the beginning of every street. All public buildings including the club, community
center, library and gym have preserved their original condition since the Soviet times. The
shop of a famous Altai retail chain is located in a well-maintained convenience store
building. Lenin and Karl Marx look at the village from the recently renovated façade of the
local administration hall. Marx's name is written in German, by the way.
One can still hear people speaking German here,
although Germans are in the minority these days as compared to pre-Perestroyka time, when they
made 95-99% of population in Podsosnovo and 15 neighboring villages.
When a bus full of
tourists from Yarovoye resort with a special tour to Pososnovo stops in the last street by
the Krieger family house, the driver announces the stop: "Fairy Tale".
Vladimir and
Liubov Krieger have already retired, but Vladimir keeps on working in the
collective farm. His position is similar to that of an inspector. Reporting only to the
chairman, he makes sure that work is properly organized in every field. Active and full of
energy, the Kriegers are willing to share their life story with us.
“
"In 2008
our homestead was awarded the 3rd prize in the Altai region. We have been
offered to participate in the competition again, but now we have to apply ourselves,
unlike the pervious years, when the authorities picked the participants
independently. We will not apply, though. Why fish for complements? We do it for
ourselves and not to show off. It does not feel right if we nominate ourselves,"
tells Liubov Krieger.
Vladimir is pure German and Liudmila is a child
of a mixed marriage.
Her father is Russian and her mother is German
Her father is Russian and her mother is German
“
"My mother
told me: get married to a German, they are hard-working. Love is not the main thing.
It will end, when the there is no money. The most important thing is respect towards
each other. I can't stay idle for more than an hour myself," shares her memories
Liubov.
Once Liubov went to
visit their children in Germany for a month. During the holidays they spent all the time
together, but when her children went back to work, Liubov began to feel depressed. She took
some yarn with her on the trip. During the holidays she knitted a lot of clothing for the
kids, filled the home fridge with meat dumplings, did everything she could around the house
and was almost ready to walk back home, not to stay idle in the foreign land.
According to her words, her husband Vladimir also prefers to keep busy. Due to health issues Liubov is not able to take care of the garden. The head of the family does all the household work.
According to her words, her husband Vladimir also prefers to keep busy. Due to health issues Liubov is not able to take care of the garden. The head of the family does all the household work.
“
"Everything
there [in the garden] is in perfect order. Not a single extra grass blade. Our
neighbors tell him to take some rest at least on Sundays! He comes home, sits down
and all his body starts aching. But he can't sit still, he has to stand up and do
something again, even if it is shoveling snow back and forth," says Liubov Krieger.
There has always
been a cult of cleanness and order in German villages, admit the Kriegers. They say that
people would save money on bread,
but keep their houses in order.
but keep their houses in order.
Outdoor structures in the Kriegers'
household
“
"We lived
poorly, but always kept the house clean. The most important thing for me was not to
be considered a "ruzemachka" or a slatternly woman", recalls Liubov Krieger with
laughter. "When we had a considerable household, nobody could say that we had
several cows and 30-40 pigs, because we basically followed them with a shovel
immediately cleaning everything".
The Kriegers point
out that the Germans in Altai have always treated money in a special way in comparison to
the Russians.
“
"My
grandfather worked as an accountant in the collective farm and many considered him a
stingy man. Even at home he would record everything: the amount of milk the cow
gave, the number of eggs laid by hens, what we used up from the reserve, and so on.
When later we found those records in the attic, we were amazed. However, it was
clear that it was not greediness, but prudence. Grandfather said: all the money
earned with hard work, will always be respected. And if a person wastes it, he has
no respect towards his labor", recollects Vladimir Krieger.
We
are a part of history
What made thousands of Germans settle down
in the dry Kulunda steppes so far away from European borders?
Like many other German villages in Altai, Podsosnovo emerged due to the migrants from the Volga region, Trans-Dniester and Ukraine.
Like many other German villages in Altai, Podsosnovo emerged due to the migrants from the Volga region, Trans-Dniester and Ukraine.
Land scarcity and hunger made them take off
and move far beyond the Urals to unexplored Siberia in search of better life in the lands
promised by the agrarian reform of Peter Stolypin, the Head of the Council of Ministers of
the Russian Empire.
By October 1917, there
were 104 German settlements in the territory of the present Altai region with total
population of more than 20 thousand people.
Svetlana Henrichs
“
"The
migrants established villages around water sources. "If the water is there, we'll be
able to provide for the rest", they said to Stolypin. They lived in mud huts during
the first two or three years, but it was extremely hard with our Siberian snowstorms
in the vast open areas. There are no woods at all in that region and our ancestors
started to build adobe houses. Adobe is a kind of brick made from three components:
straw, water and clay," tells Svetlana Henrichs, a school director in Grishkovka
village
of the German national region.
of the German national region.
Adobe bricks are
interlaid with liquid clay, which is a prototype of modern cement. The walls made from such
material were quite robust and could keep the warmth inside rather well.
Svetlana Abramovna is very proud of the Museum of German culture located in her school. It has a reconstruction of the Altai Germans adobe house with the interior. The museum exhibits include a German sewing machine, books, clothes of the first settlers, archive photos, utensils, and furniture with their stories as well as many other things.
Svetlana Abramovna is very proud of the Museum of German culture located in her school. It has a reconstruction of the Altai Germans adobe house with the interior. The museum exhibits include a German sewing machine, books, clothes of the first settlers, archive photos, utensils, and furniture with their stories as well as many other things.
“
"When my
father would tell me about our family history in relation to the state politics and
when he would mention the names of Stalin, Khrushchev, I always realized that we are
a part of history", recalls Svetlana. "We are far away in Siberia, but we are a part
of something great. After the revolution there was no oppression here. There was
even relative freedom. We went through collectivization a little easier than the
rest of the country, because we lived in communes working all together and it was
normal for us to help each other".
After the beginning
of the war Stalin issued an order of August 28, 1941, "On resettlement of Germans living in
the Volga region", and the state attitude to Germans immediately changed.
They were massively deported. People were given just one day to pack with an order to take as little as possible with them. Germans were deported from the Volga region into the distant areas of Siberia, Kazakhstan and Middle Asia. In September and October of 1941, a total of 446 480 Soviet Germans were deported. During the years of the war this number increased to 950 thousand people.
They were massively deported. People were given just one day to pack with an order to take as little as possible with them. Germans were deported from the Volga region into the distant areas of Siberia, Kazakhstan and Middle Asia. In September and October of 1941, a total of 446 480 Soviet Germans were deported. During the years of the war this number increased to 950 thousand people.
In those days
nobody asked the question "Why?" People understood that such were the times. Trials and
tribulation offered by God and destiny had to be overcome with honor.
Despite continuous relocations and troubles, customs and traditions were preserved. Under any circumstances Germans kept on setting up their houses and creating families. "The Word of God helped a lot, it was a great power!" says Svetlana Henrichs.
Despite continuous relocations and troubles, customs and traditions were preserved. Under any circumstances Germans kept on setting up their houses and creating families. "The Word of God helped a lot, it was a great power!" says Svetlana Henrichs.
After deportation
Germans were sent to labor camps. Formally all the mobilized people were considered free
citizens, but in reality those labor armies were essentially camps with strict laws, cruel
attitude and local abuse of power. NKVD or People's Commissariat on Internal Affairs was in
charge of the mobilized population. Mobilized people worked in extraction of mineral
resources, timber logging and construction.
Alexander Schneider is one of those who went through the labor army trials. He is 89 years old now and he remembers those years with bitterness and hard feelings.
Alexander Schneider is one of those who went through the labor army trials. He is 89 years old now and he remembers those years with bitterness and hard feelings.
“
"I was
attracted to the labor army in 1942 at the age of 15. They took me to a coal mine in
Anzhero-Sudzhensk in the Kemerovo region. I was forced to work 300 meters under the
ground. The conditions were worse than in jail. A working day lasted for 12 hours
and we worked even longer during the weekend. Apart from Germans there were Tatar,
Kazakh, Kalmyk, Uzbek, and Japanese prisoners of war. The food was extremely poor.
We had only nettle and goosefoot to cook a kind of soup with no fats at all. We had
to walk in line like prisoners with two guards on each side and one gard behind, all
of them with dogs. If you made a step left or right, they would shoot. Without
warning. It is scary to even remember those times. I came back only in 1950 on New
Year's Eve",
tells his story Alexander Schneider.
tells his story Alexander Schneider.
Then the attitude
of the state towards Germans changed quite fast. However, for a long time they were not
allowed to have passports and were obliged to register with local commandants every week.
Those who came back from the labor army were watched especially closely. Only in 1956 Altai
Germans were completely rehabilitated.
Ivan Borgeno is another long term resident of Podsosnovo. He is 88 years old, but he looks as if he is a bit over 60. Ivan Yakovlevich speaks Russian with a heavy accent choosing his words with care. He lives alone in his house, keeps up the household, and drives his old Lada2106 to a local catholic church every Sunday. According to his words, after-war years were particularly hard for Altai Germans as well
as for the country in general.
Ivan Borgeno is another long term resident of Podsosnovo. He is 88 years old, but he looks as if he is a bit over 60. Ivan Yakovlevich speaks Russian with a heavy accent choosing his words with care. He lives alone in his house, keeps up the household, and drives his old Lada2106 to a local catholic church every Sunday. According to his words, after-war years were particularly hard for Altai Germans as well
as for the country in general.
“
"It was
very hard. I was the only working person in the family. My mother fell ill. Life was
like that back then: those who were stealing – could get by, those who were not –
could not survive. So many people died of hunger at that time! At least I could take
home some wheat", tells Ivan Yakovlevich.
Ivan
Peters, the former chief economist of Grishevka collective farm and the village
ex-chief, recalls that his parents kept secret that they had been deported from Ukraine for
a long time.
“
"My mother
is Siberian German. Her parents relocated to Altai in the beginning of the
20th century. As they said, father's parents "were evacuated" here from
Ukraine in 1941. Now we know that it was not evacuation, but expulsion. Father kept
quiet about it for a long time, it was dangerous. His parents are buried here, they
died of hunger in 1943", recollects Ivan Peters.
Ivan Peters'
parents met each other here in Altai. Like all the local Germans at that time, they settled
down in a house made from adobe clay. Already ten years later they managed to live decently
according to standards of the time, build a big house and provided their children with good
education.
As a rule, in
German settlements they spoke different dialects of German. Sometimes Germans from
neighboring villages would not understand each other's speech. However, they still openly
interacted.
Fyodor Ekkert, former head of the German national region, remembers that in the first grade at school he could not speak any Russian. This was the case with all children, because at home and outside they spoke only in German.
Fyodor Evaldovich says that in the 60-s and 70-s life started to change for the better. It did not happen by itself, it was a result of persistence and hard work of the German community.
Fyodor Ekkert, former head of the German national region, remembers that in the first grade at school he could not speak any Russian. This was the case with all children, because at home and outside they spoke only in German.
Fyodor Evaldovich says that in the 60-s and 70-s life started to change for the better. It did not happen by itself, it was a result of persistence and hard work of the German community.
“
"The
economy here was strong in spite of permanent drought conditions. We have the lowest
crop yield in the region. We are lucky if we get a good harvest once in 10 or 20
years. It was extremely hard. We arranged irrigation systems, increased cattle
stock. If we had not worked hard, we would not have such villages. The way they look
proves that we are not quite a normal people (he chuckles). If I go out and painted
my fence green, my neighbor will paint his fence blue tomorrow to make it all
brighter and more beautiful", tells Fyodor Ekkert.
Turbulent 90-s
The 1990-s brought
about two important events to Altai Germans. First and foremost, they managed to restore the
German national region.
Initially it existed from 1927 till 1938. After those years all German villages were a part of the Slavgorod region.
However, it was the second event that became life-changing. Altai Germans started to migrate back to their historical homeland in large numbers. Most of them left between 1992 and 1995, but later on dozens of families still kept leaving for Germany. According to Ekkart's estimates, just about 8-10% of first inhabitants currently live in the region. However, almost half of the current population are "indigenous" Altai Germans, because Germans from Kazakhstan started to come in place of those who had left.
Initially it existed from 1927 till 1938. After those years all German villages were a part of the Slavgorod region.
However, it was the second event that became life-changing. Altai Germans started to migrate back to their historical homeland in large numbers. Most of them left between 1992 and 1995, but later on dozens of families still kept leaving for Germany. According to Ekkart's estimates, just about 8-10% of first inhabitants currently live in the region. However, almost half of the current population are "indigenous" Altai Germans, because Germans from Kazakhstan started to come in place of those who had left.
“
"People
arrived here with a different understanding of culture. We had to work closely with
regional leaders in order to keep the face of the villages. We would say: "My dear,
you have seen what it used to look like! Please, clean around your fence, plant some
flowers, even the plainest ones!" Gradually new inhabitants fit in and could not
live in a different way any more", tells Fyodor Ekkert.
Not only the look
of the villages, but also the economy was preserved. Ekkart points out that their collective
farms are one of the few of the kind in the whole region. Fyodor Evaldovich recalls, when
the country was totally collapsing in 1990-s, they raised a legitimate question at regional
meetings: "Shall we submit the crops and share them?" The people replied "No". Especially
the Germans from Kazakhstan were against it, says former regional head. They had been
through it and they knew that it could lead only to another collapse.
Then, at those meetings it was decided to keep collective farms, even though it would be very hard in the beginning. Enthusiasm of local heads played a big part in this decision, notes Fyodor Ekkert.
Then, at those meetings it was decided to keep collective farms, even though it would be very hard in the beginning. Enthusiasm of local heads played a big part in this decision, notes Fyodor Ekkert.
“
"There were
a lot of difficulties with the banks that did not want to give loans to farms. So we
had to change official names in order to correspond to the current legislation.
However, the content stayed the same and these are still collective farms",
remembers Fyodr Ekkert. "Everybody was amazed, when I was telling about it at
conferences in Moscow. In 1998 in Germany I discussed it with Gordeyev, the then
Minister of Agriculture, during one event. He refused to believe it. Yes, the whole
country was moving in a different direction at that time".
Nowhere to go
– Why have
not you left for Germany? Have the migrants managed to find their place in a new
homeland?
Ivan Peters:
"My
brother left for Germany in 2007 and two years later my sister followed him.
Nine out of twelve siblings of my wife also left. We visited them three
times. Of course, they invite us to move as well. I can't say that I'm so
happy with my life here, that I would not want to move. However, it is
possible to live here, too. Of course, this life is not an easy one: we have
cows, two calves, pigs, rabbits, hens, and a large garden. We could drop
these household activities, but as long as you keep moving, you stay alive.
My wife often laments that we should be leaving, too, but then she calms down and we stay. It is easier for us as compared to those Germans, who want to come back here. There are such people as well. A few families returned, but it is still a rare situation. As a rule, those are the people who could not become a part of that system. They could not overcome themselves and start cleaning the streets, for example. They prefer to work as a school teacher here. Others start to miss Russia and come back. When they are here, they start to miss Germany. I tell them: you did not miss Russia, you missed the village and the community. Thus, they are neither here, nor there anymore."
My wife often laments that we should be leaving, too, but then she calms down and we stay. It is easier for us as compared to those Germans, who want to come back here. There are such people as well. A few families returned, but it is still a rare situation. As a rule, those are the people who could not become a part of that system. They could not overcome themselves and start cleaning the streets, for example. They prefer to work as a school teacher here. Others start to miss Russia and come back. When they are here, they start to miss Germany. I tell them: you did not miss Russia, you missed the village and the community. Thus, they are neither here, nor there anymore."
Федор Эккерт:
«Конечно, у меня, как и у всех немцев, было желание переехать в Германию.
Остановила, пожалуй, неготовность к той жизни.
Однажды во время очередной поездки в Германию нашу делегацию повели на экскурсию – на кладбище. И там один мужчина копал вручную могилу. И было видно, что ему тяжело – почва каменистая. Он услышал русскую речь, понял, откуда мы, и потом украдкой подошел к нам и сказал: «Не вздумайте переезжать. Я в России был председателем облпрофсоюза, а здесь видите, чем занимаюсь…»
Не секрет, что наши соотечественники там в основном занимаются неквалифицированным трудом – подметают, убирают, в лучшем случае стоят у кассы в магазине. Впрочем, есть и примеры успеха. Например, одна женщина открыла свою клинику. Но таких – единицы».
Однажды во время очередной поездки в Германию нашу делегацию повели на экскурсию – на кладбище. И там один мужчина копал вручную могилу. И было видно, что ему тяжело – почва каменистая. Он услышал русскую речь, понял, откуда мы, и потом украдкой подошел к нам и сказал: «Не вздумайте переезжать. Я в России был председателем облпрофсоюза, а здесь видите, чем занимаюсь…»
Не секрет, что наши соотечественники там в основном занимаются неквалифицированным трудом – подметают, убирают, в лучшем случае стоят у кассы в магазине. Впрочем, есть и примеры успеха. Например, одна женщина открыла свою клинику. Но таких – единицы».
Иван
Боргено:
«У
меня никогда не было желания уехать. А сестры уехали туда. И сын. Он не
хотел, но жена его вынудила, поставила ультиматум: «Или Германия, или
развод». Родственники уговаривали и меня: «Приедешь – квартиру дадут». А
хозяин бы мне потом сказал: «Хочешь жить – выкупи, если нет – освободи». А
здесь меня никто не выгонит.
Как они там устроились? Квартиры купили старые. Старший сын с дочерью года два свою ремонтируют. Крышу, отопление – там все надо переделать. Летом был здесь и говорил: «Папа, мы так мучаемся». Там уже не как раньше. Там уже не чисто, не аккуратно. Сейчас многие хотят вернуться. А не могут – денег не хватит купить квартиру здесь. И дети там у многих женились, уже их не оставить. Нелегкая жизнь у них. Внук говорит: «Тяжело. Знал бы, никогда бы туда не поехал».
Как они там устроились? Квартиры купили старые. Старший сын с дочерью года два свою ремонтируют. Крышу, отопление – там все надо переделать. Летом был здесь и говорил: «Папа, мы так мучаемся». Там уже не как раньше. Там уже не чисто, не аккуратно. Сейчас многие хотят вернуться. А не могут – денег не хватит купить квартиру здесь. И дети там у многих женились, уже их не оставить. Нелегкая жизнь у них. Внук говорит: «Тяжело. Знал бы, никогда бы туда не поехал».
Любовь Кригер:
«У нас братья, сестры, дяди, сын – все там. И полный комплект документов на выезд у нас уже собран и лежит. Но мы не поедем. Во-первых, не хочется дом бросать – это же что-то живое, дорогое. А во-вторых, хорошо там удалось устроиться тем, кто в первую волну уехал – им и подъемные давали, и деньги за авиабилеты компенсировали, и т. д. А потом калитку стали прикрывать, и мы это чувствовали. Сейчас кто приезжает – сразу попадает в долговую яму. Им уже никуда не деться».
Владимир Кригер:
«
Life is not all honey there now and many people want to come back. It can
lead to tragedies. One man came here to visit their relatives one day. He
did not want to go back to Germany so much, that he died several days before
the flight. Another man in a similar situation just hanged himself in a
local hospital – he wanted to be buried in his homeland. It can lead to
suicides in Germany, too. There were three brothers, who could not stand
that kind of life: two of them hanged themselves and the third one jumped
from the bridge. So many families broke up there! Here they used to live a
normal life and there they divorce at the age of seventy. As if they have
gone mad in their Germany.
In other words, it's very hard there. My uncle came to visit us once. At first, he was boasting, but after the third shot glass he told us the bitter truth. So we prefer to stay, even though it's hard and the money is scarce, but at least we are at home here».
In other words, it's very hard there. My uncle came to visit us once. At first, he was boasting, but after the third shot glass he told us the bitter truth. So we prefer to stay, even though it's hard and the money is scarce, but at least we are at home here».
– Have
Altai Germans managed to preserve the mentality and culture during more than a century
of their history in Altai?
Fyodor Ekkart:
"I
often tell the story about Berngard, the first regional head, who worked as
a first secretary in the regional committee in Khabary. Once on his way to
Slavgorod he passes through a German village of Kusaka and sees men at work
at 8 o'clock in the morning building a house. In the evening on his way back
the workers are still there. The driver asks Berngard: "Are they laboring
here all day long?". "Yes". "Screw that house!" That's what Bernard replied
to it: "This is why you live in a hut, while they will live in a house".
Talking about the German culture, we pay more attention to it now than in the Soviet time. There are a lot of cultural events and festivals with songs and poetry in German. Before it used to be within the family, now it happens at the regional level. German cuisine seems to be preserved here better than in Germany itself. We still cook a lot of dishes here that they have already forgotten there".
Talking about the German culture, we pay more attention to it now than in the Soviet time. There are a lot of cultural events and festivals with songs and poetry in German. Before it used to be within the family, now it happens at the regional level. German cuisine seems to be preserved here better than in Germany itself. We still cook a lot of dishes here that they have already forgotten there".
Ivan Peters:
«
German people are very result-oriented. We are not accustomed to live at a
guess hoping that we get lucky one day. According to national character
traits, Germans are also responsible, orderly, family-oriented. We are
accustomed to visit each other; we do not envy, but help each other. One
more common rule is "Don't steal, if you can avoid it by any means".
My mother had a week menu and she followed it for many years in a row. Food making technology was passed down from generation to generation. Generally, everyone tries to teach their children everything they can do themselves.
We think in the German language. When we speak in Germany, locals get amazed that we've been able to preserve literary speech so well. They have long diluted theirs with English borrowings. Our parents passed us many things that have dissolved in modern Germany. It concerns culture, behavior and way of thinking».
My mother had a week menu and she followed it for many years in a row. Food making technology was passed down from generation to generation. Generally, everyone tries to teach their children everything they can do themselves.
We think in the German language. When we speak in Germany, locals get amazed that we've been able to preserve literary speech so well. They have long diluted theirs with English borrowings. Our parents passed us many things that have dissolved in modern Germany. It concerns culture, behavior and way of thinking».
Alexander Schneider:
«We have preserved here both the language and the cuisine. The Germans from Kazakhstan were very surprised with it. Unfortunately, it is also gradually disappearing.
I don't think there is a big difference in the mentality of Germans and Russians. That is why we've been always living in peace and friendship with each other. What distinguishes us is the habit to plan ahead for future, while doing our best at present».
P.S.: being different
In the houses of
Altai Germans everything is in perfect order. All the things are in their places, cups in
the cupboards form a straight line, pillows on the beds stand in perfect triangles like in
the army. No extra details, as if everything is perfectly calculated. No hint on "Russian
splendor" anywhere.
In the streets of
the German region everything is very regular, orderly, and clean. Painted fences, neat
houses (even the old ones that almost fall apart), clean land plots. There is almost no wild
grass. The village streets are broad and this is not a coincidence. When planning the
villages, they took into account snowy winters in those fields. It is extremely inconvenient
to clean narrow streets from snow, while if they are even and spacious and less snow is
brought in by the wind, it is easier to put it in order. "And in general it is just
beautiful", point out Altai Germans.
Text and photo: Nastasya Kovalenko
Photo from archives: aussiedlerbote.de, mundohistoria.org, diasporanews.com, P.M.Kuzmina archive, rusdeutsch.ru, bsk.nios.
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