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Labor Commune (Autonomous Oblast) of Volga Germans was founded
On October 19 1918 the Council of People’s Commissars of RSFSR adopted a decree which stipulated foundation of one of the first national-territorial autonomies in the territory of Soviet Russia — the Labor Commune of Volga Germans.
Mass inflow of German colonists to Russia was encouraged by decrees of Catherine II. Eager to quickly inhabit undeveloped eastern and southern outskirts of the country, with special manifestos of December 4 (15) 1762 and July 22 (August 2) 1763 she initiated agricultural migration of German colonists, firstly to Baltic lands finally annexed in 18th c, especially Estland and Livonia (Livland).
On October 19 1918 following the decree of the Council of People’s Commissars of RSFSR “pursuing the goal to consolidate struggle for socialist liberation of German workers and the German poor of Volga region, developing principles, which underlie the Charter of Volga Commissariat on German Affairs, … as well as in accord with unanimous wishes expressed at the first Congress of the Council of Deputies of German colonies in Volga…” it was decided to establish an Autonomous Oblast (Labor Commune) of Volga Germans out of parts of Saratov and Samara provinces.
The document encompassed seven articles and initially was called “The Decree on German Volga colonies”. In 1920s the name of the decree was corrected and now it is known as “The Decree on Volga German Oblast Foundation”.
In accordance with this act all the power within the stated territory belonged to the executive committee, elected by the Congress of Deputies of Volga German colonies, and local Councils of German workers and the German poor.
Disagreements between the executive committee of the Council of Deputies of Volga German colonies and provincial Councils of Deputies were settled by the Council of People’s Commissars and the Central Executive Committee.
Article 7 of the decree specified that the cultural life of German colonists: use of their mother tongue at schools, local administration, in the court and social life — was not subject, in accordance with the Soviet Constitution, to any limitations.
From October 19 1918 to May 1919 an administrative center of oblast was the town of Saratov, then — the town of Marxstadt (from May to June 4 1919 — Yekaterinenstadt). Oblast covered 3 districts (Russian: uezd): Golokaramyshskiy with its center in the village Goly Karamysh, Yekaterinenstadtskiy with a center in the town of Yekaterinenstadt, and Rovensky — with its center in the village Rovnoye. On December 19 1923 oblast was reorganized into Volga German Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic with its center in the town of Pokrovsk (from 1931 — Engels).
The Volga German ASSR occupied the territory of 28 200 square km in the lower part of Volga region, which bordered on Saratov, Stalingrad (today Volgograd) oblasts and Kazakh SSR. The 1939 census numbered its population at 605 500 people, where Germans made up 60%.
As relations between the Soviet Union and Germany were becoming tenser the attitude towards Germans in the USSR was changing: in late 1930s outside the Volga German ASSR were closed all national-territorial establishments — German national soviets of the village and districts, whereas at schools where teaching was carried out in German language the Russian language was introduced instead.
With the beginning of the Great Patriotic War was launched deportation of Russian Germans to remote regions of Russia (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Siberia) with abolishment of German schools and colleges, libraries etc. After introduction of the Decree of Presidium of Supreme Soviet of USSR “On migration of Germans, living in Volga regions” of August 28 1941 the Volga German ASSR was abolished, and its territory was inherited by Saratov and Stalingrad (Volgograd) oblasts.
Lit.: Герман A. A. Немецкая автономия на Волге. Саратов, 1992. Ч. 1; Декрет о создании области немцев Поволжья // Декреты Советской власти. М., 1964. Т. 3 (11 июля — 9 ноября 1918 г.). С. 438-440; Ерина Е. М. Очерки истории культуры немецкой автономии на Волге. Саратов, 1995.
Based on the Presidential Library’s materials:
Гросс Э. Я. Авт. Соц. Сов. Респ. немцев Поволжья. Покровск, 1926;