Neudorf / Odessa S. Russia Data; Glueckstal / Odessa S. RussiaData; Hoffer Genealogy; Remmick-Hubert Home Site

Last Updated:  28 June 2013

Hoffer Family Page 11

A German-Russian Colony / Odessa S. Russia

Dates and Events [Neudorf dates in red]: 1763 - 22 July: Catherine II "the Great" issued and invitation through a Manifesto which invited people to migrate to Russia which began a huge number of Germans to migrate from 1763 to the 1800s   1801 to 1825 Alexander I  [House of Romanov] reign as Tsar of Russia began 1803 - Duke Richelieu is appointed governor of Odessa Province Arrival of 2,990 German immigrants arrived 1804 - 20 Feb : Tsar Alexander I issued his call for new colonists to settle the new territories near the Black Sea Decree Promised the following additons to Catherine II's Manifesto of 1763: each family would be given thirty or sixty hectars of land 1806 to 1812 - Russia at War with Turkey 1807 to 1809 - War of Collation against France 1808 to 1809 - The first small group of Germans who migr. from Germany arrived and were housed in Liebental until the spring of 1809 when they were guided to the area which would become known as Neudorf, a German-Russian Colony in the Province of Odessa, S. Russia the land incorporated 3 deserted chutors [not named] which had three wells, 1 dessiatine tract ( three acres) of vineyards which was kept had harvested through the following years 1809 - Spring of 1809 Councilor  von Rosenkampf "supervised" the establishment of Neudorf Each family received 91,424 rubles from the Russian Royal Crown and with the money was provided seeds.  Unfortuately, most of the colonists were not farms and lack the knowledge of how to toil the soil and raise animals. Neudorf a German-Russian Colony /Village was founded and would be a part of the German-Russian community known as Glueckstalers located in the Karamanova Valley and held the following borders: north was Rehmanovka  estate and Bergdorf colony which was next to the Dniester river valley touched the Parkanovka estate on the northeast estates of  Thomanov and Shippki to the south west was the colony of Glueckstal  colony held 5,810 dessiatine of land hills, mounds, valleys, a few level tracts The eastern half of the properties of the village had rich black humus soil.   The western half had black humorous soil mixed with sand which was good for winter rye, winter wheat, lentils, barley, maiz and potatoes Had 500 dessiatines of wooded valleys  [oak, ash, linden, apple, pear]  100 houses  for each family of colonists were built of stamped earth in the early years and exchanged for stones supplied from the quarry near the Dniester River, which was about 8 miles in distance;  added later were stone walls, with avenue of trees Councillor Rosenkampf named the colony Neudorf The first 100 families 259 males and 231 females 28 families from Wuerttemberg 37 families from Alsace 7  families from Palatinate (Pfalz) 11 families from Baden 2  families from Saxony 3  families from Prussia 11 families from Hungary  [Austria-Hungary, now Rumania] 1   family from Warsaw The other German-Russian colonies in the Glueckstal group were: Bergdor Glueckstal Neudorf Kassel 1812 - Russia's conquest in Bessarabia Napoleon invades Russia Plague in Odessa kills 2,656 people 1813 - failed crops Only the seed could be harvested from the first crop 1814 - Duke Richelieu returns to Paris where he becomes part of the new French government Count Langeron is appointed new governor of Odessa Province 8 more families migrated to Neudorf from Prussia  failed crops  school house was built by the community who, also,  purcased two bells 1815 - 3 families from Galicia and some families left and migr. to Grusinia and Bessarabia the village of Neudorf  the population had increased to 657 males and 589 females no report on this year's crop 1815 to 1819 - schoolmaster was hired but attendance was not required and therefore was irregular to about 1819 when attendance became more regular 1816   Adam Wahl was mayor  and noted as have migr. from Rittershofen Alsace  Two men who were mayors, dates not known were Karl Schheppe and Jakob Job. 1816 to 1821 Crops were good 1818 - 1845 General Inzow was the President of the Welfare Committee 1819 - Stephan Weiss took office as mayor 1822 - failed crops, only the seeds were harvested 1823 - locusts caused damage to the grain fields and meadows 1823 to 1827 Grasshoppers Plagued the areas  1825 - Tsar Alex. I visits south Russia and dies while touring the Crimea Nicholas I, brother of Alexander I, begins is reign as Tsar of Russia Decembrists Revolt fails and leaders are arrested.  The Majority were sent to Siberia and exile which meant those who owned land in S. Russia was sold or changed ownership within the families   Mayor Michael Bollinger encouraged the building of a church and new school house since the old one could no longer whole all the children 1825 Mayor Michael Bollinger lead the way for the building of a Envangelical Lutheran Church that cost 15,000 rubles. 1828 - 1,400 head of cattle died of disease or had to be destroyed because of the disease 1828 to 1829 Russia is at War with Turkey 1829 - Hailstorm destroyed all ("major damage") crops and trees were also damaged 1830 - Polish Revolt Church building was completed 1831 - 1832  Epidemic of smallpox 1831 - Twelve died of cholera 1833 - "Black Year"  [no rain, no crops, famine and food relief] Welfare Committee advanced seed and subsistence money to the improvished in the colony 1835 - Affairs of the colonies came under the Ministry of Imperial Domains Failed crops and just the seeds were harvested 1834 - Epidemic of smallpox 1837 - Epidemic of measles A community granery was built A good crop was reported 1838 A good crop was reported 1840 - The newly elected Mayor Johann Schauer started the campaign of raising funds for a new school house which continued for two years; Councillor Michael von Hahn gave 300 rubles for the project 1841 - The seed planted was doubled and crops became productive 1842 - Central schools were established in Russia New school house was built with funds raised under Mayor Johann Schauer and the old school was remolded Schauer's new project was to raise funds for improving the church plus establishing the avenue of trees leading to the church and adding a stone wall around the church yard.. 1843 - Invasion of mice; someone added up the known killed mice of 10,120 Measles reported 1844 - 400 head of cattle died or were destroyed because of disease Welfare Committee, again, advanced see and subsistence money to the impoverish in the colony Epidemic of smallpox 1845 - Double the seed was harvested Many sheep were destroyed or died from epidemic of disease 1845 - 1846 916 sheep destroyed or died from disease epidemic 1845 - 1848 Michael von Hahn, Staatsrat , became President  of the Welfare Committe 1846 - Measles reported "Neural" fever took lives of young and old people 1847 - Drought which resulted in deaths of 675 livestock plus the lost of 3,000 rubles paid out for grain and another 1,000 for other cost 1848 - 25 April - frost killed all the fruit trees and vines were damaged;  damaged was estimated as 3,000 to 4,000 rubles 1848 - 1853 Baron von Rosen became Presidents of the Welfare Committe April 25  Sever frost damaged all fruit trees and vines.  Loss of 3,000 to 4,000 rubles to the community The colonist  reported they owned 5,810 dessiatines, which equals about 15,687 acres. Also reported: there  were 208 families with a total of 1,246 persons  1853 - 1856 Crimean War Baron von Mestmacher became President of the Welfare Committee 1855 Nicholas I dies Alexander II's reign as Tsar begins 1856 - 1858 Islawin became President of the Welfare Committee 1856 - 1866 Alexander von Hamm became President of the Welfare Committee 1861 - Alexander II signs the Liberation of Serfs and the Land Distribution Act Because there were villagers who were not Evangelical Lutherans,  the followers of the Reform Church gained  the Royal Crown 's approval for their Reformed Parish on 4 Jan 1861 1863 - Corporal punishment  of boys and girls prohibited in school The foundation of their Reform Church  / school was laid in the spring of 1863 1864 - Reform Church/ School was completed before  18 Oct. 1864 when their first prayer meeting was held on the second level. Zemstvo [self government body] is established 1865 - Corporal punishment of women abolished 1866 The village church (the old Evangelical Lutheran Church) was enlared and a massive tower and slender steeple was added.  It could seat 500 There would be constant strife between the two religious fractions and many impasses of the spending of the communal funds occured. 1867 - 1871 Vladimir von Oettinger became President of the Welfare Committee There was an Oettinger family in Neudorf but not known at this time if they were relations 1872 - First group of German colonists migrate to USA 1874 - Army Services became required in the German-Russian communities and the exemption given to them by Catherine II "The Great" was no longer valid 1877 - Welfare Committee abolished 1880 - abolition of salt tax occurred 1881 - Tsar Alexander II is killed by a revolutionary's bomb Alexander III, son of Alex. II, begins reign as Tsar of Russia, who begins to Russianize Russia which effects the German-Russians Ministry of Public Enlightenment is given the charge of German-Russian  schools 1892 - Famine strikes most of Russia 1893 German-Russian and all villages holding foreign names were given Russian names  1894 - Tsar Alexander III dies Nicholas II, son of Alexander II, begins his reign as Tsar of Russia 1898 Frederick Hoffer, the elder,  owned a large farm outside of Neudorf, according to records, and his elder son, Frederick, sold the property after his father died and left with his younger brothers for the USA in 1898 with the Shauer family and settled for a time in Tripp, ND and later settled in the Tappen and Streeter area.  Their mother Johanna, nee Rott, Hoffer remarried Georg Dockter and they would migr. to the USA a few years later.. Frederick Hoffer  b. 1878 Neudorf/ Od. S. Russia and  the photos below are his siblings. L to R: Christina Hoffer [b. 1888],  Jacob  Hoffer [b. 1883] and Rosina  b. 1876] Hoffer By 1903 . Tthe village had and Evangelical Lutheran and a Reformed Church schools that instructed 365 students The village had a co-op store, two stores that were privately owned, a beer hall, three dairies, three oil presses (flax and sunfloers), flour mills run on steam,  and, a  cement tile factory. 1904 to 1905 Russo-Japanese War 1905 - 22 Jan. - Bloody Sunday 30 Oct - October Manifesto: Gave Russians a constitution, a future Duma, and civil liberties were guaranteed 22 Dec. -  Uprising of the workers in  Moscow 1906 - 10 May: Meeting of the First Duma 1912 to 1913 - Balkan Wars 1914 - 1918 1 Aug Germany declares War On Russia:  The Great War [known later as WW I] began 1915 By 1915 most houses had been made of stone which held the family in one part and the horse and/or cow barn in the other part.  Buildings and fences for pigs, chickens and other animals were located in the "back yard" of the main building.  There were stone  fences/ walls along the street in front of the house.  Some houses had "summer kitchens"...  The roofs were made of reeds, tile or metal.  There were no sidewalks.  Furniture was made locally...  There wee musical instruments such as violins, zithers, reed organ and accordians.  A few horns. There were 10 Hofer and 6 Hoffer houses . Jakob Hoffer lot #132 Ludwig Hoffer lot #131 K. [Katharina?] Hoffer lot #103 Ludwig Hoffer lot #157 K. Hoffer lot #216 J. [Jakob?] Hoffer #142 Numbers of Handicrafters, who were also farmers  were listed: 3 blacksmiths 5 carpenters 4 wagon bilders 5 shoemakers 1 tailor 1 baker Animals listed: 1,154 horses 1,191 cows 564 poultrly 362 sheep 820 pigs 1917 - 12 Mar : Provisional Government meets 15 Mar: Nicholas II abdicated for himself and son and expresses his favor toward his brother Michael plus the continuation of the Provisional Government 16 April : Lenin returns to Russia to lead the Bolsheviks 16 - 18 July: First attempt of the Bolshviks to seize power 6 Nov [24 Oct OS]: Russian  Bolshvik revolution began... Royal Family taken into custody of the Bolsheviks Conflict between Red Army and White Army began 1918 - Reported that  ex-Tsar Nicholas II is assassinated and his family had been taken to a safe place  Reported that the uncrown Tsar Michael is assassinated Conclusion of Peace with the Central Powers with Germany's defeat Russia become known as the U.S.R.R. and the Bolsheviks began to call themselves "communists"   1918 to 1920/21 - Great Civil War 1920 - 116,539 German-Russians were reported to have left Russia for the USA 1921 to 1922 - The Great Famine: some 250,000 German-Russians are reported to have starved to death 1924 - 21 Jan: Death of Lenin Stalin "the Bloody" rises into power 1928 to 1929 - Stalin's Policy on Collectivization began Stalin's elimination of "kulacks" began Huge waves of people, including an unknown number of German-Russians, sent to Siberia to concentrations camps where millions perished 1932 to 33 - Second Great Russian famine occurred 1941 - 22 June: Germany invaded the U.S.S.R. 16 Oct 1941 - Germans invaded Odessa 1944 - 250,000 German-Russian are carried off to Siberia while more than 80,000 escape to Germany,  England, China, Canada, and other places around the world 1945 - Population In Neudorf: Number of people: 2,262 Number of families: 490 Number of children without fathers: 115 Number of people deported from Neudorf: 277 Number of people killed: 5 Number of people who starved to death: 22 1964 Kruschev gives amnesty to the German-Russians

See the following web sites:

Neudorf Information On Internet

Erhman's Site:http: //www.ehrman.net/glueckstal/glueckcol.htm

Dale Wahl's Village History: http://pixel.cs.vt.edu/library/history/link/neudorf.txt

Glueckstal / Odessa S. Russia Under Construction

Glueckstal Village History: http://pixel.cs.vt.edu/library/history/link/glukstal.txt Glueckstal Village: http://www.glueckstal.org

Information taken from various sources: (1) Joseph S. Heights  HOMESTEADERS ON THE STEPPE, Odyssey of a Pioneering People pps. 193-196 (2) KARL STUMPP, The Emigration from Germany to Russia in theYears 1763 to 1860 (3) THE GERMAN-RUSSIAN by Karl Stumpp (4) THE CZAR'S GERMANS by Hattie Plum Williams  [Volga Germans' story] (5)  from CATHERINE to KHRUSHCHEV, The Story of Russia's Germans by Adam Giesinger [Volga] (6) THE BLACK SEA GERMANS IN THE DAKOTS BY GEORG REATH (7) AN ENCYCLOPEIDA OF WORLD HISTORY, Edited by Langer -----------BOOK STORES WHICH SELL THE BOOKS MENTION ABOVE: AHSGR Book Store: http://www.ahsgr.org/books.htm GRHS Book Store: http://www.grhs.com/publications.htm NDU GRHC [German from  Russia Heritage Collection] : http://www.lib.ndsu.nodak.edu/gerrus/ or See Remmick-Hubert's :Library Index Page for other books used for these web sites

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