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Balakovo, Saratov Oblast, Russia

Balakovo is the first major Russian town north of the Volga German colonies - on the east side (Wiesenseite) of the Volga River. It is located just north of the former colony of Schaffhausen.

Over the years, many Volga German families lived in Balakovo - both temporarily and permanently.

From 1956 to 1971, the Saratov Hydroelectric Station (Dam) was constructed across the Volga River near Balakovo. Today, Balakovo is the sight of one of Russia's nuclear power plants (first unit began operation in 1985).

Knüppenberg

Johannes Knüppenberg from Kukkus and his family are recorded on the 1798 census of Anton in Household No. An14.

Georg Friedrich Knippenberg from Anton is recorded on the 1811 census of Straub in Household No. 43 along with a note that he arrived in Straub from Anton in 1805.

The death of Georg Friedrich Knippenberg in 1831 is recorded on the 1834 census of Straub in Household No. 29.

Descendants of this family are recorded on the 1834 census of Anton in Households No. 18, 24, & 51.

Brott (Orlovskaya)*

Widow Elisabeth Brott settled in the Volga German colony of Orlovskaya on 3 August 1767. She is recorded there on the 1767 census in Household No. 93.

The 1767 census records that Elisabeth Brott came from the German village of Silkerode.

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

Bortl*

Elisabeth Bortl (age 11) is recorded on the 1767 census of Nieder-Monjou in Household No. 37 along with her stepfather Nikolaus Spahn. The 1767 census does not record from where Elisabeth Bortl came.

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

Bäcker / Becker (Näb-1)

Friedrich Becker, a farmer, his wife Maria, and children (Amalia, age 16; Johann [Moritz], age 10; Georg, age 7;Johannes [Mangus], age 3; Peter, age 2-weeks) arrived from Lübeck at the port of Oranienbaum on 24 July 1766 aboard a barque named Georg under the command of Skipper Adam Bairnsfair.

Johann Friedrich Becker, his wife Anna Maria, and children (Johann Moritz, age 11; Johann Georg, age 7; Georg Magnus, age 3; Amalia Katharina, age [1]7) are recorded on the Transport List of those moving between St. Petersburg and Saratov in 1767.

Schröder (Näb)

Johann Heinrich Schröder, a farmer, his wife Elisabeth, and children (Elisabeth, age 9; Philipp, age 7; Martin, age 4) are recorded on an appendix to the 1767 census of Nieder-Monjou in Household No. 14 along with a note that they settled in the colony of Näb in 1768.

The 1767 census records that Johann Heinrich Schröder came from the German village of Rommersberg [?].

Bäcker / Becker (Näb-2)

Heinrich Becker, a single farmer, and his brother Johann (age 17) arrived from Lübeck at the port of Oranienbaum on 24 July 1766 aboard a barque named Georg under the command of Skipper Adam Bairnsfair.

Brothers Joh. Heinrich and Joh. Georg Becher [sic] are recorded on the list of colonists being transported from St. Petersburg to Saratov in 1767.

Johann Heinrich Becker, a single farmer, is recorded on the 1767 census of Nieder-Monjou in Household No. 89 along with a note that he relocated to the colony of Näb in 1768.

Pilen*

Johannes Pilen, his wife Maria Eva, and daughters (Gertrude, age 4; Elisabeth, age 2) are recorded on the 1767 census of Leitsinger in Household No. 26 along with the orphan Nikolaus Friedrichs (age 17). The 1767 census does not record a relationship between the Pilen and Friedrichs families.

The 1767 census records that Johannes Pilen came from the German region of Kurtrier.

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

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