Ken Yes it was 2000 the year We went for the first time. You can get by with English in Saratov but not everyone, mostly the younger ones speak English. The Archives is strictly Russian. I never run into anyone speaking German except a few cousins, but they preferred Russian. Feel free to ask any questions anytime, that's what we do here. Have fun Kenny Stugart YP, PB ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Kenny, Thank you so much for your message and the URL for your web site! What a great trip you had to Saratov. I wasn't clear on the year you actually went on that trip. Was it 2000? I am about a year from retirement, and want to really immerse myself in genealogy at that time. Hopefully this will include a trip to Saratov and the villages where my ancestors lived. Will I get much out of it if I don't speak German? Do the Saratov residents and officials speak Russian or German? I probably would include a stop in the Czech Republic which is where my Pelzel / Pelzl ancestors came from. I have many other questions for you, but I feel like I am imposing on you and don't want to do that. However, I'd like to correspond with you in the future if that's OK. Sincerely, Ken Pelzel (Pelzl, Rohr, Staab, Dreher