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Orenburg, Orenburg Oblast, Russia

Volga German settled in the city of Orenburg, both before and after the 1941 Deportation.

From 1938-1957, Orenburg was known as Chkalov (named after prominent test pilot Valery Chkalov).

Of importance to Volga German history, Orenburg was a major center of the Pugachev Rebellion (1773-1774), the largest pesant revolt in Russian history.  After fleeing Orenbaum, Pugachev's forces led incursions into the region of the Volga German colonies during August of 1774.

Weimann (Luzern)

Joseph Weimann, a farmer, and his wife Dorothea arrived from Lübeck at the port of Oranienbaum on 8 August 1766 aboard the galliot Anna Katharina under the command of Skipper Johann Joachim Janson.

Joseph Weymann [sic], his wife Dorothea, and newborn son Anthon [sic] are recorded on the list of colonists being transported from St. Petersburg to Saratov in 1767.

Joseph Weimann, a miller (Müller), and his wife Maria [sic] are recorded on a list of Beauregard recruits appended to the 1767 census.

Lea*

Anton Lea, a miller (Müller), his wife Ottilie, and daughter Maria (age 9-months) are recorded on a list of Beauregard recruits appended to the 1767 census. It is not known in which colony they settled.

The 1767 census records that Anton Lea came from the German village of Stein.

There are no known surviving male lines of this Lea family among the Volga German colonies.

Knoll (Unknown)*

Johannes Adam Noll, son of Johannes Heinrich Noll (born 13 December 1697) & Maria Anna Hofacker (26 November 1700 - 17 February 1731), was baptized 18 September 1722 in St. Martin's Catholic Church in Orb. He married in St. Martin's on 3 February 1750 to Eva Brasch, daughter of Johannes Adam Brasch & Maria Barbara Eckert. Eva Brasch had also been baptized at St. Martin's on 15 November 1723.

Menger*

The Movement Tables for the 1767 census of Kind records that Anna Barbara Menger, daughter of Johann Menger, moved to the colony of Basel where she married Christoph Faber.

Anna Barbara Menger from Kind, wife of Heinrich Christoph Faber, is recorded on the 1798 census of Basel in Household No. Bs22.

There are no known surviving male lines of this Menger family among Volga German colonies.

Darmstadt*

The Movement Tables of the 1767 census of Kind record that Elisabeth Darmstadt, daughter of Johann Darmstadt, moved in 1774 to Meinhard where she married Ludwig Meinhard.

Elisabeth Darmstadt, wife of Ludwig Meinhard, is recorded on the 1798 census of Meinhard in Household No. Mn27.

There are no known surviving male lines of this Darmstadt family among the Volga German colonies.

Spohr*

Kaspar Spohr, a single man, arrived from Lübeck at the port of Oranienbaum on 15 September 1766 aboard a ship under the command of Skipper Hans Karholm.

Casper Spor [sic] is recorded on a list of colonists being transported from St. Petersburg to Saratov in 1767.

Kaspar Spohr, a single farmer, is recorded on a list of Beauregard recruits (No. 152) appended to the 1767 census. It is not known in which colony he settled.

The 1767 census records that Kaspar Spohr came from the German village of Örlenbach.

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