São Borja is the oldest municipality in the Brazilian state of Río Grande do Sul. It was founded in 1682 by the Jesuits as the first of Seven Missions, and named São Francisco de Borja, in honor of Saint Francis Borgia. It is located on the banks of the Uruguai River which separates Brazil from Argentina.
Some of the earliest Volga German immigrants to Brazil settled originally in Santa Manoela. German settlers from Germany also settled in this area.
In the colony, there was a Roman Catholic church called the Chapel of São Jose do Morrotral (Saint Joseph of Morrotral). Priests from the São João (St. John's) parish in Montenagro served the group in Santa Manoela and later priests from the parish of Santo Antônio (St. Anthony) in Estrella.
Not much remains of Santa Manoela, although there is a large cemetery and the chapel is still there.
Germans began settling in this area in 1914.
The colony of Virmond was settled by Volga Germans on 14 April 1879.
Colônia Tavares Bastos (called Streckerau by the settlers) is located in the municipality (district) of Ponta Grossa in the state of Paraná, south southwest of the city of Ponta Grossa. It was settled by Roman Catholic immigrants most of whom came from the Volga German colony of Streckerau, although some had been born in other colonies and moved to Streckerau before immigrating to Brazil.
The first group arrived in Rio de Janeiro aboard the SS Argentina on 18 October 1876.
Linha Taquari was one of the subunits of Colônia Octávio founded by Volga German settlers in 1878.
Carlos Alberto Schwan identifies Santa Maria in the Lapa Municipality as a place settled by Volga German immigrants to Brazil.
The colony of Santa Quitéria was settled by Volga Germans on 16 March 1879.
The families did not remain there long, assimilating into surrounding communities.
The colony of Pugas was founded by Volga Germans in the 1930s about 70 kilometers from the city of Palmeria. It was also known by the name Marcondes. All that remains there is the cemetery.
A reconstruction of this village was built by Arnoldo Miller Bach, himself a Volga German descendant, and now operates like a museum.
The colony of Papagaios Novos was settled by Volga German Lutherans on 9 June 1879.