Descendants of Volga Germans share memories of victims of Stalinist repressions

Some of the Germans who had lived near the Volga River, and who suffered from deportation during Stalin's time, after returning to Russia found their houses occupied and settled in other territories, the members of the German community in the village of Verkhniy Eruslan, Volgograd Region, have reported. Now, the descendants of the deportees are studying those events trying to restore the historical memory.

In October 2021, the deportees' descendants reported that even 80 years after the deportation of Volga Germans from Volgograd, the issue of reasonable actions of the Soviet authorities remains open.

Anatoly Zyakin, the chairman of the church council of the Lutheran community of the village, showed the interiors of the local Lutheran church. 21 years ago, a Lutheran community was registered in the village; now it has 15 members. According to Zyakin, the church is gradually being restored with the help of the community and at the expense of sponsors.

Anatoly's maternal family was deported in September 1941. According to him, the whole grandmother's family was scattered to different places in the USSR. Anatoly's grandmother ended up in the village of Ladyzhenka, Akmola District of Kazakhstan. According to her stories, the deported Germans were "very much helped by local Kazakhs"; they sheltered the newcomers.

In 1958, the family returned to Russia; but they were not allowed into Laub, as their house had been occupied long ago. They settled in the village of Gnadentau, which was renamed as Verkhniy Eruslan after the war. Other Anatoly's relatives had already settled there before.

Lydia Damzen, a member of the Lutheran community of Verkhniy Eruslan, also told the story of her family. Her ancestors – the Miller family – had lived in Gnadentau. During the deportation, Lydia's parents were children.

The woman has noted that her family members did not express any resentment against authorities for the deportation and the deprivations and sufferings associated therewith.

Let us remind you that in Soviet times, the mass deportations of Balkars, Chechens and other Caucasian nations were justified by myths about their mass betrayal and desertion.