ethnic Germans in Kazakhstan

[Leroy]

I read that Stalin moved ethnic Germans from the Volga region of Russia to Kazakhstan. Are there still ethnic Germans in Kazakhstan. If so how many?

[Wayees]

Yes, there are still a lot of ethnic Germans living in Kazakhstan. About 700000-800000 people.

[Leroy]

Wayees wrote:

Yes, there are still a lot of ethnic Germans living in Kazakhstan. About 700000-800000 people.

Are they located in a city or where are they?

[Wayees]

As far as I know most of the german population is concentrated in the northern part of Kazakhstan.

[gerkaz]

There used to be around 1 million ethnic Germans living in what today is Kazakhstan. After the Kazakh independence, most of them moved to Germany (the German government under chancellor Kohl (till 1998) set up a program to allow them to return to Germany because they 'suffered' long enough under different regimes). Now, there are only around 200000 left, living mostly in the Northern part of the country (Astana, Petropavl, Karaganda). They are organised in an association called "Wiedergeburt" (rebirth). There is also a German House and a German theatre in Almaty where you probably can get more information. Or ask the German embassy...

[Leroy]

gerkaz wrote:

There used to be around 1 million ethnic Germans living in what today is Kazakhstan. After the Kazakh independence, most of them moved to Germany (the German government under chancellor Kohl (till 1998) set up a program to allow them to return to Germany because they 'suffered' long enough under different regimes). Now, there are only around 200000 left, living mostly in the Northern part of the country (Astana, Petropavl, Karaganda). They are organised in an association called "Wiedergeburt" (rebirth). There is also a German House and a German theatre in Almaty where you probably can get more information. Or ask the German embassy...

organized in an association called rebirth. Does that mean they have a high birth rate or is that unknown.

[Wayees]

Leroy wrote:

<quoted text>
Does that mean they have a high birth rate or is that unknown.

:) lol

[gerkaz]

Under the socialist regime, they were denied many rights. So being able to form an assocation and getting 'democratic' rights, for them it seemed to be like being reborn. At least that's my interpretion. In addition, they are very religious so it might have to do something with this, too...
Concerning the birth rate, since most of ethnic Germans in KAZ are very old and the young ones don't understand the culture anymore, I think it has nothing to do with it...

[kaz10]

I heard that kazakhsatn is multinational society with many russians and germans. i though since half of the population is russian etc, most people are mixed by now already. is not it some kind of natures magic that you always see an interracial marriage when you mix two peoples together. i suppose kazakhstan is one of the countries that have highest euarsian people, maybe higher than philiphine, maybe mixed people are proud becuase everyone likes white caucasoid people becuase they have better body etc.

[enzo]

Hello! I'm just carrying on a study about germans in central Asia...can anyone tell me a site of these germans associations where I can get more information about the present situation? Thank you for your help!

[Wayees]

The only source i could find in english:
http://www.humanrights.kz/problems_05-1.php

There is a lot more different information about this subject in russian language. If you need it i can post it too.

[enzo]

Wayees wrote:

The only source i could find in english:
http://www.humanrights.kz/problems_05-1.php
There is a lot more different information about this subject in russian language. If you need it i can post it too.

Yes, it would be really helpful, as I can speak russian too...thanks for your help, I'll keep you updated with my research!:-)

[Kazakhstan]

gerkaz wrote:

Under the socialist regime, they were denied many rights. So being able to form an assocation and getting 'democratic' rights, for them it seemed to be like being reborn. At least that's my interpretion. In addition, they are very religious so it might have to do something with this, too...
Concerning the birth rate, since most of ethnic Germans in KAZ are very old and the young ones don't understand the culture anymore, I think it has nothing to do with it...

just wonder if those Kazkah Germans who have returned to germany feel acepted by the German society?
Is there any of you who miss Kazakhstan?

[sashkavilly]

Kazakhstani germans like amish in US living in rural areas dress up like in midevil times. riding on horses and carriages. i'm afraid they are must be sectants too.

[peter]

i am of german descent (dad is mennonite, mom is volga german). is was born in the pavlodar region of kazakhstan, later moved to germany in 1989. now there is a big movement of our people moving to canada (which is were i now live). i guess it all has to do with the fact that in russia we were picked on for being germans, once we moved to germany we were being picked on for being russians. when i grew up in germany, i thought of myself as russian. once i moved to canada, people once again called me a german.
i think that many russian germans came to germany expecting to be coming home. i remember my family being amazed that you could just go into a store and buy whatever you wanted, in russia at that time there were many shortages and line ups and not so much choice.
for the most part russian-germans have assimilated pretty well into german society (they crime rates are among the lowest among the different groups in germany, they picked the language up pretty well).

[BILL]

Peter that is an interesting phonomenon, the history of the Russo-Germans has been so long in the making that all decendents should just consider calling themselves Volgans.

[Andrew Bruckner]

peter wrote:

i am of german descent (dad is mennonite, mom is volga german). is was born in the pavlodar region of kazakhstan, later moved to germany in 1989. now there is a big movement of our people moving to canada (which is were i now live). i guess it all has to do with the fact that in russia we were picked on for being germans, once we moved to germany we were being picked on for being russians. when i grew up in germany, i thought of myself as russian. once i moved to canada, people once again called me a german.
i think that many russian germans came to germany expecting to be coming home. i remember my family being amazed that you could just go into a store and buy whatever you wanted, in russia at that time there were many shortages and line ups and not so much choice.
for the most part russian-germans have assimilated pretty well into german society (they crime rates are among the lowest among the different groups in germany, they picked the language up pretty well).

I have German surname,but great grandparents stayed in UK from Volga to USA in 1906. Hard to explain that family came from Russia but were Germans!

[Stephany McDowell]

There's this crappy little cafe called cafe 501 in America that serves German chocolate that tastes like Crisco. If anything. At least bring Kazakhstan some German chocolate, genuine German chocolate when you visit cause it's nasty in the states.

[Stephany McDowell]

There is this crappy little cafe in the states called cafe 501 that served me this German Chocolate cake about a year ago. It was horrid. It tasted like Crisco Baking Grease. I gagged. So Please. Germany. If you visit Kazakhstan, Bring them some real, genuine German Chocolate. I've had pretty much real German chocolate before and it was so good I almost passed out. SO, sneak past customs and give em a bite!!!!!!!!!!