Charles, I'm sure others will have lots to add to my thoughts, but relations between the Volga Germans and the Russians (both the government and the citizens) were adversarial from the beginning. Catherine had granted the "GVs" incentives that the Russians resented. This resentment was intensified after her death, culminating in the Russian government undoing many of the incentives - most notably the military service exemption, which led to the departure of many GVs in the 1870s. This is not to say that at the individual level there was "always" animosity. Ken Pelzel (Rohr, Dreher, Staab) ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.

Charles - maybe you could read "Lilia's Story" on my web page. In there you will read about their experience with the Russian families they had to live with when they were sent to Siberia. Thelma Mills http://mariental-louis.com On 6/22/07, KLpelzel@aol.com <KLpelzel@aol.com> wrote: > > Charles, > > I'm sure others will have lots to add to my thoughts, but relations > between > the Volga Germans and the Russians (both the government and the citizens) > were > adversarial from the beginning. Catherine had granted the "GVs" incentives > that the Russians resented. This resentment was intensified after her > death, > culminating in the Russian government undoing many of the incentives - > most > notably the military service exemption, which led to the departure of many > GVs > in the 1870s. > > This is not to say that at the individual level there was "always" > animosity. > > Ken Pelzel (Rohr, Dreher, Staab) > > > > ************************************** See what's free at > http://www.aol.com. > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > GER-VOLGA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > -- http://www.mariental-louis.com/