Geschichte der Russlanddeutschen

The Seven Years' War had just ended when, in 1763, an edict from Empress Catherine the Great promised anyone wishing to settle in Russia a life of religious tolerance, exemption from military service, and financial support. With the horrors of war still fresh in their minds, many from the Rhineland, Bavaria, Baden, and Hesse responded to her call, marking the beginning of the history of the Volga Germans. In his masterful narrative, György Dalos recounts the story of the Volga Germans from the 18th century to the present day. He emphasizes how they experienced World War I, the October Revolution, the Stalinist dictatorship, and subsequently collectivization, deportations, and forced labor, before gradually beginning to be rehabilitated, with Perestroika eventually providing many with the opportunity to return to Germany.

The German-Russian relations experienced a remarkable upswing in 1763 with Catherine II's invitation manifesto. The enlightened monarch encouraged the settlement of her realm and the exploitation of its natural resources. Central Europe had just been devastated by the Seven Years' War (1756 – 1763). Consequently, many from the Rhineland, Bavaria, Baden, and Hesse saw their future along the lower Volga and in the Black Sea region. They were drawn by Catherine's promises of religious freedom, exemption from military service, and tax relief. A century later, their descendants witnessed how the reforms of Alexander II significantly affected their material and social status. The minority, which numbered around 1.7 million in 1897, was also increasingly exposed to rising nationalism, which escalated into hostility as they were labeled "traitors" during World War I. Pogroms, deportations, and economic ruin were initially halted by the October Revolution.