Dark Clouds Incoming

I remember how strange I felt when my husband spoke to me in Russian at the train station. I realized that even he now also had to comply with the banning of our language. My husband had arrived in St. Petersburg as early as the start of the 20th century, and helped to manage one of the largest textile manufacturers in Russia. He had a good command of the Russian language, but he still struggled somewhat with the pronunciation, as do most people who learn this challenging language at a later stage in life. You could tell that he was of southern German descent from a mile off though, something I had previously observed with some amusement, but now, filled me with a deep sense of foreboding. I listened with horror as he told me about the murder of one of the officials from the German Embassy, and of the multiple confrontations that had occurred between Germans and Russian mobs. Everything German was being attacked; dismissals were the order of the day. Many Russian citizens with German roots found themselves in great distress and often thrust into profound moral conflicts. Yes, they were subjects of the Russian Empire and therefore citizens, but German blood that could neither be denied nor silenced still ran in their veins. For some, the proverbial Germanic loyalty took precedence and simplified things; and yet there were also many who found themselves forced to conceal their heartfelt hopes and thoughts.

It is generally not widely known how large a German population there was in Russia before the Great War. Apart from the German citizens themselves, who came to Russia in their thousands and, thanks to their hard work and excellent skills, were welcomed and highly valued, there were also the Baltic Germans, as well as a large immigrant population. A significant part of this latter group had initially come to Russia at the invitation of Catherine the Great, Russia’s visionary empress, and herself a German princess. Catherine’s intention was that these immigrants would be role models and teachers for her subjects. She smoothed the way for these energetic settlers by giving them preferential treatment and numerous privileges. As a result, successful colonies and wealthy towns and villages were established, especially along the banks of the Volga River. No open-minded Russian will deny the positive influence that this influx had. In the course of the war, however, and in blind hatred, many of these flourishing settlements were destroyed and their inhabitants permanently displaced.

Numerous Germans also lived in St. Petersburg, the capital of the Russian Empire and we had a rich and varied life there. The steeples of five large protestant churches rose high above the jumble of Russian streets. To each one of these churches belonged a number of different German schools, such as high schools, secondary schools, and girls’ schools, as well as schools for orphans. Several of the city’s best hospitals were founded and run by Germans. German doctors, scientists, business people, engineers, technicians and experts in all fields were held in high esteem by the Russians. During Lent, for example, the Greek-Orthodox Christians forego worldly pleasures, and at this time of year, the great Imperial Mikhailovsky Theater was filled to capacity with German audiences, enjoying the performances of famous guest stars from all over the world.