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Location: Volga > Maps
Volga Maps
The Volga Valley lies about 450 miles southeast of Moscow, on either
side of the Volga River. Saratov was the major Russian city in the area.
The landscape on either side of the Volga River was vastly different.
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On the west side of the Volga River, the banks rose steeply to a wooded
range of hills traversed by deep gorges. The whole area was covered with
tall grass and bushes. This area was called the Bergseite,
meaning hillside in German.
The area on this side settled by the German
colonists began about 30 miles south of Saratov and stretched south
nearly to Kamyshin. Only ten of the villages were on or near the Volga
River. The others were some distance West, along smaller rivers whose
waters flowed westward into the Don. One village, Yagodnaya Polyana
was initially all by itself about 40 miles northwest of Saratov. A few
years later in 1772, another village, Pobotschnaya was established nearby.
Of the 104 original mother colonies, 44 were on the westside (Bergseite).
This area corresponded to the Saratov province. Occasionally our ancestors
would list the name of the province, either Saratov or Samara on their
paperwork as their home instead of the name of their village.
Go to Bergseite map.
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On the east side of the Volga River stretched a low level grassy plain,
sloping gently towards the river and crossed here and there by small
sluggish tributaries. This side was called the Wiesenseite
in German, meaning meadowside.
The main area of settlement began about
20 miles upstream from Saratov and stretched northeastward along the
Volga and eastward along both the Great and the Little Karman. The other
villages were in a group farther south, along the Volga banks about
50 miles downstream. 66 mother colonies were established on the Wiesenseite.
The east side of the river corresponded to the Samara province.
The majority of the nearly 70 daughter colonies were established on
the Wiesenseite, east and southeast of the mother colonies. Just a dozen
daughter colonies were established on the Bergseite, south of the mother
colonies.
Go to Wiesenseite map.
Source: From Catherine to Khrushchev by Adam Giesinger
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There are 2 "must have" Volga maps available.
For easy reference of village locations is the
Germans from
Russia Color Map of Volga Villages.
This 11 X 17 inches map is laminated and printed in color. This well designed map
identifies original mother colonies (villages), daughter colonies, religious affiliations,
rivers, and cantons. The reverse side illustrates the area of the German Volga Republic as
well as the area surrounding the Volga. Available from
NDSU Libraries.
Map #6 of the German Settlements in the Volga Area
(Karte der deutschen Siedlungen
im Wolgagebiet) is the original Volga map. Cartographer: Karl Stumpp. Size: 19 1/2" x 27 1/4".
The large black and white map includes most of the smaller German settlements as well as
the larger mother and daughter colonies. This is the original Volga map that many references
cite. The coordinates on this maps are the defacto standard for German village locations in
the Volga. This map is available from AHSGR in the
online store.
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©2005 Patrice Miller patrice@webbitt.com
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