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History
Portland circa 1923. Image source: Library of Congress (Public Domain).
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The story of the Volga Germans as a distinct ethnic group begins in the mid-1760's when Western Europeans were actively recruited to become colonists in Russia. The goal of Catherine the Great's government was to entice skilled farmers and craftsmen to settle on their eastern frontier along the lower Volga River. Approximately 30,000 people would take advantage of her offer.
This website provides more information about where these people originated in Europe and why they decided to migrate to Russia. After little more than 100 years in Russia, some would decide to move again, this time to the America. After briefly settling in the midwest, some Volga Germans were lured by promising stories about the Pacific Northwest. Many chose to make Portland, Oregon their new home where a close knit community was established in 1881. The impacts of two world wars, the subsequent cold war, changing demographics, government policy decisions, and assimilation would ultimately dissolve this enclave, leaving few recognizable reminders. Although most Portlanders know little about this ethnic group, the Volga Germans have become a successful and integral part of the community. |
Last updated October 2, 2018.