The Volga Germans – A Review

Today I am reviewing The Volga Germans by Sigrid Weidenweber. This is book two in a trilogy, The Volga Flows Forever. My e-book copy was provided by MediaGuests.

About the Book
The Meiningers had set out for Russia seeking to improve their lives, to escape the political and religious turmoil often surrounding their otherwise picturesque German homes and villages. They dreamed of the faraway place awaiting them. They colored the soil beneath the vast steppe rich and black in their minds ready to be tilled. And there would be a neat little house ready to receive them. In their wildest dreams, they could not have imagined what actually awaited their arrival. There were no houses, no fields nothing but grass as far as the eye could see. It was almost evening; they were hungry, wet and cold and felt like orphaned children.

These German immigrants and their descendants civilized this bleak Russian frontier, converted the harsh steppe into fields of waving grain dotted with wind-driven flour mills, and in this isolated place, developed a culture that was uniquely their own. They survived savage attacks of marauding tribes, the unpredictable often harsh climate, and the vagaries of tsarist edicts. Sigrid tells the fascinating story of these remarkable people in The Volga Germans.

The Volga Germans is the second volume in Sigrid Weidenweber’s trilogy The Volga Flows Forever. Catherine, the first volume, brings to life the fascinating historical character of Catherine the Great who invited her native countrymen to settle the Russian frontier. In the final volume, From Gulag to Freedom, she follows the Volga Germans through the hardships of collectivization and deportation during the Soviet years to finally immigrate to the San Joaquin Valley of Central California.

About the Author
You can read about Sigrid Weidenweber in her biography page here.

My Review
As I stated, this is the second book in a trilogy. I read the first book as well, which centered on Catherine the Great and her reign in Russia. This second book focuses on the Germans she brought from their war-torn homeland to settle the Russian frontier along the Volga River.

This is a book that is rich in history. The Germans were promised fertile lands, theirs for the taking, to farm and start a new life. What they found was vastly different. It was a wild area of the steppe with extreme conditions in both winter and summer, making farming a daunting challenge. They were resented by the Russian peoples of the areas, especially the native tribes who used every opportunity to attack them. The Russian government was far from their reach and so they relied on each other as they fought to survive and love their new land.

Ms. Weidenweber weaves a tale based on extensive research into the area, people, and happenings of the Volga River. The flavor of the story is true to life and gives one a taste of the hardships and joys found by these German pioneers of the Steppes. While the books in this series are large, they are well-written and engaging. They are worth every moment spent “curled up with a good book.” In fact, you can count on coming away with a new respect and knowledge of the history of this brave group. I can highly recommend The Volga Germans to any who have an interest in historical fiction or German ethnic stories, or just have a passion for a great tale.

You can purchase a copy of the books at Amazon.com
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