Subjects and citizens in the context of the original question means pretty much the same. Subjectship though is a political and legally binding relationship between a person and a monarch. Since all colonists gave an oath upon their arrival they became subjects of the Russian monarchy. All Russian subjects were divided into different social estates (German: Stand, Russian: soslovie), including gentry, commoners (Bürger), clergy, tradesmen, miscellaneous and farmers. Farmers were divided into two main groups: free and serfs. Colonists had a special status that was treated as a separate social estate. Some colonists changed their colonist's estate to become tradesmen and commoners in Saratov, Orenburg, Moscow and St.Petersburg (maybe also gentry, while making careers in the state and military services). That was possible either after their decommissioning (when found non capable of farming) or upon amortization of the crown debts. German agricultural colonists in Russia became to be called settlers-owners after the 1861-1871 social reforms of the Emperor Alexander II. Best regards, Sergej Kindsvater, > Date: Mon, 8 Nov 2010 17:39:28 -0800 (PST) > From: "S. Zitzer" <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [GV] Russian "citizen" question > To: Rosemary Larson <[email protected]> > Cc: [email protected] > Message-ID: >        <[email protected]> > Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed > > >   From what I read in the last AHSGR Journal that is what > it sounded like to me -- there was no such thing as citizenship. > >     Sally > > On Wed, 3 Nov 2010, Rosemary Larson wrote: > >> The U.S. constitution was written for the express purpose to do away with >> kings, czars, etc. >> >> Today other countries also have citizens but in earlier times people were >> "subjects" of whomever was in the ruling class of the various countries, >> principalities, etc.. >> >> Rosemary Larson >> AHSGR VC >> >>

A newsletter about Volga-Germans of and from eastern Michigan is planned to debut in early 2011. The plan is to focus on VGs that settled or passed through Sanilac and St. Clair counties particularly, but will also include Huron, Saginaw, Bay and Genessee counties. To be published on a quarterly basis (again, that is the plan), it include stories of those of us who descended from VGs, stories about them, genealogical materials, databases (e.g. naturalization information and church records) and tips on how to go about conducting a genealogical search. Many of the home villages were in the Katharinenstadt area.   It is hoped that previously unpublished data will be available, particularly certain church records, and that permission will be given to publish that information. Genealogical searches can also be commissioned.   Those who are interested, please contact me. Distribution will not be made to those who do not express an interest.   Thanks.   Bill Pickelhaupt