People > Our People
Our People
At the time of grandfather's death, the words "our people" were constantly used by members of the family. The phrase had a double meaning. It referred not only to one's relatives, but also the the Volga Germans as a whole. To a great extent the two meanings were interchangeable, because the only relative that a person was likely to have were Volga Germans. -- Emma Schwabenland Haynes
The Volga Germans often referred to themselves as Unsere Leute, which translates to "Our People". This term provided a sense of community and belonging in both Russia and the early years of settlement in the America's when much of the world surrounding them was culturally distinct.
Below are links to short biographies of "Our People" that migrated from Russia and made Portland their new home. We are grateful for those who have shared the story of their families.
Please consider writing your own family story. You can download a template in Microsoft Word format to get you started. Simply replace the fictitious text with the real facts about your family, attach a few photos, and send it to us. That's all there is to it!
Below are links to short biographies of "Our People" that migrated from Russia and made Portland their new home. We are grateful for those who have shared the story of their families.
Please consider writing your own family story. You can download a template in Microsoft Word format to get you started. Simply replace the fictitious text with the real facts about your family, attach a few photos, and send it to us. That's all there is to it!
Please contact us if you would like to contribute a short biography and a few photos of your family. Here's a template in Microsoft Word format to get you started.
Last updated March 22, 2018.