At Home In Russia, At Home On The Prairie

What causes a region--a place--to imprint itself upon the people who are born and live there? What is the connection between landscape and memory? What is forgotten and what is remembered? Prairie Public's newest documentary in the Germans From Russia series shows how a territory can endure in the minds of the descendants of those inhabitants after years, even after generations, have passed.

[@dannymcreynolds1060]

Thank you for posting this, my mother and i watched and reflected on our ancestors that came from Ulm Germany to Gluckstal Russia (current day Moldova) before coming to America and settling in Beulah before my grandparents moved to the Pacific Northwest. With the current war in Ukraine, we actually learned that our roots are more Ukrainian then we thought! Our family even kept a pocket full of sunflower seeds! 🌻

[@emmamiller7022]

Hallo DANIEL. Meine Vorfahren kamen auch aus Ulm Stuttgart. 1820 emigrierte nach Russland. Glückstal -Bergdorf. Name KURLE: Mit Sonnenblumen Kerne In der Tasche, das haben deine Vorfahren GUT gemacht 😊 .

[@bladehoner3185]

This is such a good presentation. 9 of my 4th great grandparents were Germans from Russia. This gave me understanding of how they came to settle in America.

[@sandytrimble5081]

This video is the only one I have found so far which has the recipe for Kasnip which my family has made as long as I can remember. I of course have our recipe but its great to know it is still being called by its German name - I agree cheese buttons does not do it justice.

[@lieslvista]

This was wonderful! My family first came to ND in 1888 and many more followed in the decade following. My family moved from ND when I was 6 (because they needed work). While I grew up hearing my dad and family speaking the language, I never acquired it because we left too soon. I can understand it, but cannot speak it. My first memory is waking up from a nap in my dad’s tractor cab (he was plowing or something). It’s a really wonderful first memory. 💕

[@haleysoule5394]

my grandmother came from Odessa , Her name was Katherina Reub Wall, She grew up in Wishik ND , She was a wonderful grandmother. The ladies in this vidio have the same accent as she had. great memories.

[@KristenOckertFineArt]

+Haley Soule My grandmother also came from Wishek and I also picked up on the accents on here, too! So interesting! My Grandma was from the Herr family [her mother was Lydia Herr who married a Roehm].

[@michaelcallahan3960]

my mother ruby( woltje) mothers elizabeth (vetter) mothers name was josephine woiteshek... black sea germans.........

[@bobell2]

Thank you for preserving the amazing story of these Germans from Russia. All four of my grandparents came from Russia to Saskatchewan in the 1890s and I grew up there in an environment similar to that shown in your documentary. Thank you for the wonderful memories :)

[@jimfischer4703]

Thank you. A Fischer here. Family from North Dakota.

[@galoa91]

Love this video. I am nota German from Russia, but was raised near Orrin. Also worked in Rugby for several years. I remember all the wedding dances and parties. So much fun---and the food!!!

[@Charhartman1988]

Great video. It brought back lots of memories of stories I've heard from my parents and grandparents. We owe so much to our ancestors.

[@joemeyer7860]

Wooo. What a great piece. MSG Singer and Ron Volk are my cousins. Small world.

[@carolhatcher979]

What a great documentary! My Mom's family came from Russia and my cousin, Fr. Thomas Welk is in the movie! Loved it!!

[@michaelturman1397]

I am full blooded German and I never ever knew about those beautiful stories, plus I don't understand their German. I guess if they would go to Germany now, nobody could understand them. I think I will write to the ZDF {a German television station} in Germany and see if they could bring those heart breaking stories on Television. we have a lot of Wolga Deutsche living in Germany now, I think a t of them or their descendant would love to see it. because their is still one word we use and you can not translate it, IT IS "HEIMWEH "

[@hollygrosshans3529]

My family in North Dakota spoke the low German dialect that is common in Southern Germany- Black Forest area where our ancestors are from.

[@ginajk8857]

Das Deutsch ist doch gut zu verstehen ...

[@oswaldboelcke5470]

I love this stuff. So interesting.

[@greenbelly2008]

I´m a Wolga Deitsch from Entre Ríos, Argentina. Greetings.

[@juliehawkins3907]

Hello!

[@NCdeA0228]

Great video, very heart touching ❤️

[@randaljbatty]

My grandmother came from this heritage, so I found the narrative to be particularly interesting.

[@algs229635]

Thank you for putting several subtitles, it was very pleasant to watch these memories; greetings from Latin America Brazil

[@jackdouglas254]

I am reading a delightful, insightful book called "Spaces Of The Mind," and so far, it seems to be touching on some of this as it relates to the migration from Russland (Russia) from the Black Sea region to America. The whole tale is utterly fascinating. My father's family has many Germans (though I do not believe any of them lived in Russia), and I married a gorgeous German-American lady myself. I would die to protect her, I love her so much. But then, I have always had a great love and fascination for the German side of the family since childhood in north Idaho. It is like Bavaria where I live. In a world gone mad, our little corner seems tranquil and peaceful, an island of sanity. "Spaces Of The Mind" also relates to the tale of the Lakota people on the Great Plains, and I have a desire to learn about that as I grew up in and practice law in what is Indian country (Kootenai Tribe of Idaho) and have always loved the Indians. We are blessed to have them on the land with us. The Lakota have always been a passion of mine, since their history is so intertwined with our own in the American West.

[@michaelturman1397]

Jack, you must be a very good man, writing so beautiful about your wife, my grandmother being German herself, born and raised in gorgeous Bavaria is just loving your comment. she says that a " Gentleman " like you, still exist is unbelievable " THANK YOU " [those are her words] your wife is a very lucky lady !!!!

[@debbierichards485]

Jack Douglas , yes where we live is a lot like Bavaria. Love our community :)

[@sherrysojka346]

Enjoyed this very much. Stumbled across looking at a LI Wilder video. Love the pioneering/homesteading/immigration themes.

[@arminandelisabethblischke9113]

Thank you, love this series. Our family are the Germans in Hungary. Lot of similarities, hardships, joys, language and the good food dishes.

[@Orrcy1]

Great video. Thanks. I'd love to see one on the move from Germany--mostly Alsace--to Russia in the early 1800s too.

[@jackdouglas254]

I have always been a student of, and interested in, the Germans in Russia and what happened to them. Many of them settled in the USA, my country. People have heard of the Volga Germans perhaps, but I know few that know of the so-called "Black Sea Germans." This is so very fascinating. Thank you for posting this. I am glad someone made this video and then it was posted for the world to enjoy.

[@NichtNameee]

Greetings from germany

[@dustymoosevintage4764]

My grandparents escaped in 1914. I only wonder what happened to the rest of them. So sad...

[@juliehawkins3907]

My grandfather went Awol from the Russian army! He and my gramma went to Argentina!

[@AndreiLop]

a truly great story, thank you

[@Nakazny]

Thank you for this video. My grandparents were are in the Kutschurgan.

[@goodgrandma2758]

I’m Volga German from Ellsworth KAnsas. It is very similar in Ukraine. We have Little Odessa near where I live. My ancestor’s were poor Catholic immigrants who were homesteaders. Bierochs were a favorite. 🎉

[@arizonarider6998]

I have a journal my Great Grandpa kept about the journey to Russia and then to the United States and on to Kansas .

[@fritzruttimann1517]

Very interesting documentary! Sehr interessante Dokumentation!

[@nancylynn7614]

Thank you for sharing. Your video was very interesting. We don't realise how lucky we are with what we have.

[@sanderson9515]

Among my forebears were Germans from Bessarabia, now part of Modova but in the 19th century part of the Russian Empire. They emigrated in the late 19th century and ultimately settled in North Dakota. In this video, several statements made parallel what we heard as kids. See: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bessarabia_Germans

[@bobell2]

Hi Jacob. My relatives came from Rastadt village in the Beresan area north of the Black Sea and settled east of Regina in Saskatchewan.

[@floridaislandgirl1039]

Beautiful! I would so love to visit one day.

[@lindamooney5531]

What wonderful memories and lives. God has blessed y'all greatly.

[@RobynStoner]

I am looking for information on THOMAS FETTIG (FETTICH), born 1880 in the Strasberg colony of the Kutschurgan District, and died in 1971 in Dickinson, ND, USA. His father was Anton Fettig, Sr. born 1840 in Strasberg. The picture to the left is Thomas' great grandson.

[@ja4264]

Thank you for sharing this. I lacked knowledge of this part of my ancestry until I researched my family tree. My mom's paternal grandmother was the child of immigrants from what used to be called Glückstal. They ended up near/in Grand Forks, ND and eventually moved west to Spokane, WA. If anyone is familiar with the DUTT family, please feel free to get in contact with me.

[@bobell69]

Good informative video on the German Kutschurgan Colonies of South Russia produced by Prairie Public Broadcasting. If your name is Ell, Schan, Hagel, Dengler, Silbernagel, Wolfe, Welk, Wald and your family came from the Black Sea region, you are most likely to have a connection to the Kutschurgan.

[@cherylhager9987]

and Hager ;)

[@jacobirwin]

Hi Bob, my great grandparents, Simon Riehl and Melania Riehl (Hein), moved from Krasna, Bessarabia to Saskatchewan around the exact same time. Their daughter, my great grandmother, Elisabeth Anne Riehl, was born in Saskatchewan. Maybe we are related!

[@BlackWolf9988]

sorry for my bad english my fathers family imigrated from the original strassburg to strassburg (Kutschurhan) they lived there until the second world war. there are some stories from one of my great grandfather back then when the communist got to power there was a police officer who came in there village with a list of names one of them was my great grandfather a neighbour told him that his name was on the list he told him "listen you have to go away before they kill you" he ran away and lived on a near mountain for a half year when he came back the they took another neighbour instead of him they these men on the list never came back they got executed. As the second world war begann they flee away from the village they ran first to poland then to germany at the end of world war 2 they then lived in russia sibiria years later in the 80s 90s they finally lived in germany to this day. i wounder if someone knows my family Schweizer from back then?

[@trisholsen2438]

Thank you for specifying (kirtschurhan) is strassburg. My 2nd great grandparents came from there in 1901. I only know what I learn from family tree information on (ancestry.com)

[@goodgrandma2758]

My family’s names were Stoppel, and Bruning.

[@sherrysojka346]

Oh yes and I never knew there were Germans from Russia.

[@juliehawkins3907]

I think there are a lot of people who don't know.

[@juliehawkins3907]

I think there are a lot of people who don't know.

[@michaelziegler3660]

Thank you for creating such a thoughtful and interesting document which hopefully will live long after that last German Russians have left their Great Plains farms. MZ, Rugby native

[@thecryingdutchman8922]

The German people suffered so much through history. Great to see how these Russian Germans found their peace.

[@tlockerk]

Question on photo of women spinning: at 44:04 anyone know if it is flax they are spinning? It looks like it on the spindle, but the bits in front of the woman carding look like cotton or wool?

[@ullractolytos6560]

Speaks to me

[@mollyjones4165]

Little House on a Russian Prairie.

[@anibaldietrich4825]

gutt geschichte mein familien ist der dheler und brabander russland...mir sain argentinien unser heimat..

[@soundknight]

Dam that's a pretty place

[@marylfixdunleavy1580]

All of my fathers side came from Russia now Ukraine in the late 1800s and early 1900 they lived in North an d South Dakota their names were fix ,fritz, volk , ochs,Schell. And Hartman so many Germans from Russia

[@scottweisel3640]

Collectivization took a productive agricultural area, and created mass starvation for millions. It is a lesson that should not be forgotten.

[@ww2storebcn612]

Very interesting history about the Germans from Russia. Thanks for sharing.👍Many years ago I found an ID card belonging to a Volksdeutsche (Black Sea German), who was evacuated in 1944 from Odessa to Poland. Recently I dedicated a video to her (“Nr. 963733 the Story of a Heimkehrerin” in my channel)

[@chippydoodle8731]

Awesome documentary! My people originate from Russia, then moved to Poland. My Dad always called it "The Old Country". But so sad how Communism and their IRON FIST destroys people. I worry about what is happening in the U.S. The young are being brainwashed that Communism is GOOD. Until they do their homework on Communism and speak to those who suffered under it, like the Cubans, they will continue to believe the LIE they are now being taught in our schools and universities. Sounds like nirvana on paper, but translates to OPPRESSION in reality. The principles of freedom must be taught today at HOME or the U.S. is DOOMED.

[@terrimcwilliams852]

That was the main reason my great grandparents left. They were pacifists. They left in 1908. Went to north Dakota.

[@alexreichert1245]

The phrase "At the risk of being drafted in the dreaded Russian army" (7:49) - is absolutely uncalled for. It is enough to look at any encyclopaedia of the 19th or beginning of the 20th centuries to realize that the major bulk of the Russian top brass were of German origin and there were quite a few Germans made brilliant carriers in the Imperial Army. The mayor reason for immigration was a matter of faith denomination.

[@scottweisel3640]

Enlisting because you would like a military career is one thing, but being conscripted for 20 years doesn’t sound like an attractive prospect. The political changes in Russia were catastrophic for bot Russians and Germans and many chose to leave for America. Who knows, maybe America will become oppressive enough some day to trigger another migration.

[@scottweisel3640]

Conscription into the Russian Army for 20 years was a virtual death sentence and an economic hardship for the families. The Russian army under the Czars and the Soviets was poorly led and equipped, and was known for taking heavy casualties.

[@georgfriedrichhandel4390]

It's cruel to hear these people saying that if they spoke German in school, they would get punished. Right after our independence from Britain, there were actually more German speakers living in America than there were English speakers and there was fear that America would become a German-speaking nation. If that had actually happened, would English speakers have been punished for not speaking German?

[@ghostlyimageoffear6210]

As someone with a Volga German heritage, I think it was correct to dissuade them from speaking German in school. I experience hispanics who refuse to speak English at my workplace and those who know English but refuse help until they can be babysat in their own language. In either case, they came here, we didn't go there. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. It is very devisive, no melting pot at all, balkanization weakens our country. And p.s. the English created the country, risked, fought and died for it. Why should the founding stock compromise or capitulate?

[@georgfriedrichhandel4390]

@@ghostlyimageoffear6210 While you make some persuasive arguments in favor of a common language, the Founding Fathers never declared an official language. English may be the language of the majority but it has never been declared the official language of the nation. Nowhere in the Constitution has English been enshrined as the official language. Therefore, legally, we cannot compel Hispanics or any other immigrant group to speak or even learn English if they choose not to.

[@dianebellis5322]

&

[@olgaberry9987]

winderful

[@brianbarth6181]

Anti Russian propaganda from the usual source. My family was quite proud to serve in the Russian army of the time. Quick to the cavalry. They served from St. Petersburg to Krasnodar. These are Mennonites and other folk.

[@scottweisel3640]

They seem to be mostly Catholic, not Mennonites. Mother Russia broke faith with these people. Forcing 20 years of conscription on someone would make most leave.

[@sherrysojka346]

Enjoyed this very much. Stumbled across looking at a LI Wilder video. Love the pioneering/homesteading/immigration themes.