Johannes Rotgau was born in approximately 1792 in the Pfalz.
He served as a soldier in the 11th French Infantry (Jäger) Regiment of Napoleon's Army. He fought against and was captured by the Russians.
Milovidov records that as of 1814 his mother and two sisters were still living in the German village of Himmelbach.
He was settled in the Volga German colony of Stahl am Karaman and was assigned to the household of Kaspar Schiffler. He was working as a weaver.
Johannes A. Rothar from Germany married in Mariental on 12 January 1815 to Kunigunda Stinger from Leichtling.
He is recorded on the 1834 census of Mariental in Household No. 102, on the 1850 census of Mariental in Household No. 160, and on the 1857 census of Mariental in Household No. 175.
Milovidov records that Johann Rothar came from the German village of Himmelbach [Himmelsbach?] in the Unter-Pfalz (Lower Pfalz) region.
- 1834 Mariental Census (Household No. 102).
- 1850 Mariental Census (Household No. 160).
- 1857 Mariental Census (Household No. 175).
- Belousov, S.V. "Prisoners of war of Napoleon's army in the Volga region: the arrangement, content, relationships with the local population." Bulletin of the Samara State University, No. 1 (Samara, Russia: Samara State University, 2006): 48-55.
- Milovidov, B. P. "Prisoners of War of the Napoleonic Army in the Saratov Colonies in 1813-1820: New Documents." (p. 38, #30)
- Parish register of Mariental.
Brent Mai