VGI Updates

David "Sweeney" Schriner, son of David & Katherine Schriner [originally Schreiner], was born in the Volga German colony of Kraft on 30 November 1911. He and his parents arrived from Hamburg at the port of New York City aboard the Kaiserin Auguste Victoria on 6 February 1912 - recorded as passengers in transit to Calgary, Alberta.

Father Raphael Loran was born in 1872 in Karlsruhe (Beresan Region). He studied theology at the Catholic Seminary in Saratov and was ordained in 1897.

He served from 21 January 1898 to 31 August 1898 as the vicar of the Catholic Church in Saratov as well as in Mariental. He then served in Schuck from 1901 to November 1904. He taught at the Central School in Katharinenstadt from 1904-1910. From 1910-1911, he served as a parish priest in the Catholic Church in Katharinenstadt.

Father Georg Rießling was born 26 August 1851 in the Selz (south Russia). He was ordained on 21 June 1877 in Semenovka. He also served in Köhler. In 1880, he was in Luzern. From 1882 to 1904, he served the parish in Katharinenstadt.

August Siebengar, son of Peter Siebengar, was born in Kamenka on 12 June 1888. He started medical school in 1909 at Kazan University, transfering to Saratov State University from which he graduated in 1914. He worked in a number of medical clinics and hospitals among the Volga German colonies, particularly in Balzer. From 1934 to 1938, he served as the head of the Second City Hospital in Engels.

Karl Dorsch, son of Peter Dorsch, was born in 1862 in Holstein. He was a teacher in the Central School in Grimm, serving as the Head Master from 1886 to 1916. He was denounced by fellow teachers for insulting the czar and removed from office and from the school. In January 1917, he was a teacher in a private gymnasium in Balzer.

Georg Dinges, son of Heinrich Dinges, was born 30 November 1891 in Blumenfeld. He married Emma Schlotthauer. He was educated at the University of Moscow, graduating in 1917 with a Ph.D. The title of his thesis was "The Russian Influence on the Dialects of the German Colonists in the Samara and Saratov Provinces." He was a linguist, ethnologist, and professor. He participated in the official organization of the Autonomous Volga German Republic, and in November 1918 took a position at the University of Saratov where he served in a variety of positions.

Father Zottmann was born 27 June 1826 in Ornbau, Bavaria. He studied philology and theology at Würzburg, Munich, and Eichstadt. He became a private teacher in St. Petersburg from 1853 to 1858, when he moved to Saratov. He studied at the Catholic Seminary there and was ordained 29 June 1860. He served in a variety of capacities in the Catholic Church in Saratov.

Father Seewald attended the Catholic Seminary in Saratov. He was ordained 1 June 1875. He served the parish in Husaren.

Father Andreas Schönberger, son of Johannes Schönberger, was born in Seelmann in 1885. He graduated from the Catholic Seminary in Saratov and was ordained in 1906. He served the parishes of Rothammel (1914-1917), Husaren (1917-1928), Semenovka (1928-1930). He was arrested on 10 March 1930 along with other Catholic priests accused of plotting against the government. Following a series of trials he was executed on 3 November 1937.