Volga Relief in the 1920's

From 1920 to 1924 there was a terrible famine in the Volga German colonies in Russia. The famine was so severe that one-third of the entire population of the German colonists fell as victims. The Russian government was responsible for these deaths because the Bolshevistic government allowed the international community to help these victims of famine only after over 100,000 had lost their lives.

In 1920 there was a drought, but the German farmers had learned, from the years of living in the Volga region, to store up food to last at least two years. The government took away the complete stock pile of food by means of the requisitioning bands. After that the famine was inevitable!

At that time the Schillingers in Russia were helped by the Schillingers who had migrated earlier to America. The Schillingers in America, especially in Lincoln, Nebraska, donated a large sum of money to help save their fellow Schillingers in the old homeland.

A list of Schillingers who received Volga Relief Society packages from the American Relief Administration representative Jacob Volz in 1922. The list was first published in Die Welt Post, May 1, 1924, page 2:

Amalia Damm, Maria Katharina Damm
Phillip Felsing, Peter Felsing
Elisabeth Geier, George Geier
Jacob Gilbert
Maria Harres
David Hellmuth
Johann Peter Kaufmann
Peter Kerber
Phillipp Kriss (the old schoolmaster)
Elisabeth Mauder
Eva Katharina Maul, Christine Maul, Elisabeth Maul, David Maul, Christine Maul
August Schaadt, Elisabeth Schaadt, Katharina Schaadt, Katharina Schaadt
Kathrin-Marie Schmidt, Maria Schmidt
Jacob Schuetz
Jacob Sinner
Elisa Katharina Schilling
Elisabeth Walter, Luise Walter
Marie Katharina Worster

Jacob Volz and Professor Peter Sinner, of Schilling, went through the village of Schilling seeking out the very poorest of its inhabitants, and Professor Sinner compiled the list above. Jacob Voltz wrote later: "in the evening Mr. Sinner said to me: 'Mr. Volz, this was one of the most beutiful days of my life, because I was allowed to bring joy to our poor people'."

Information about Schilling residents from a letter sent by Schilling Schoolmaster Heinrich Rusch, February 18, 1926.

Persons in Schilling over 80 years of age:

Maria Catharina Silbert, nee Maul, Born: 16 January 1837
Elisabeth Margaretha Mauter, nee Kroell (wife of Jacob Mauter),
     Born: 21 March 1837
Elisabeth Catharina Walz (mother of Martin Walz),
     Born: 30 October 1842
Elisabeth Catharina Harras, Born: 7 December 1842
Konrad Kaufmann, Born: 24 December 1842
Catharina Roh, Born: 6 March 1843
Jacob Kaufmann, Born: 5 September 1843
Maria Margaretha Schadt, Born: 27 January 1845

152 children were born in Schilling in 1925, 63 died.