Headline: Resolution of the Village Councils of Grimm and Norka in the Volga German Region of Russia
Minutes of the general meeting of the Citizens of the Village of Grimm, Kanton Balzer, Region of the Volga Germans, from the 17th of January, 1924.
Attending the meeting were: Chairman Comrade Ehrlich, Secretary Jacob Staehle, Representative of the Volga German Bank of Agricultural Credit Comrade Dummler and 535 members of the community.
The agenda was:
1. Choosing a member of the Revision Committee to replace the resigning Friedrich Schott.
2. Report by Comrade Dummler about the Volga German Bank of Agricultural Credit and the Association of the Volga Germans in Berlin.
Citizen Jacob Salzmann was chosen to replace the resigning Friedrich Schott.
The meeting heard the report about the Volga German Bank of Agricultural Credit, "Conduct and Doings of Schmidt, Schleuning & Co." and decided: To express to the Association its contempt and distrust. The Association is not one that represents our interests, which are the interest of the farmers and workers. We wish to request that our compatriots in America place their full trust in the authorized representatives of the Volga German Bank of Agricultural Credit, A. P. Schneider in North America and F. L. Deulow in Argentina for the sending of money and to utilize only these and to avoid all others. We are convinced that money sent to us through these representatives is the quickest, best and cheapest way.
After this the meeting was closed.
Chairman Ehrlich
Secretary J. Staehle
The agenda was:
1. Choosing a member of the Revision Committee to replace the resigning Friedrich Schott.
2. Report by Comrade Dummler about the Volga German Bank of Agricultural Credit and the Association of the Volga Germans in Berlin.
Citizen Jacob Salzmann was chosen to replace the resigning Friedrich Schott.
The meeting heard the report about the Volga German Bank of Agricultural Credit, "Conduct and Doings of Schmidt, Schleuning & Co." and decided: To express to the Association its contempt and distrust. The Association is not one that represents our interests, which are the interest of the farmers and workers. We wish to request that our compatriots in America place their full trust in the authorized representatives of the Volga German Bank of Agricultural Credit, A. P. Schneider in North America and F. L. Deulow in Argentina for the sending of money and to utilize only these and to avoid all others. We are convinced that money sent to us through these representatives is the quickest, best and cheapest way.
After this the meeting was closed.
Chairman Ehrlich
Secretary J. Staehle
Report From Norka
Agenda Nr. 5, Community Meeting of Norka, Kanton Balzer, of the Autonomous Socialist Soviet Republic of Volga Germans, Jan 21, 1924.
Present were: Chairman of the Village Council Joh. Hohnstein, 350 community members and G. M. Dummler, representative of the Volga German Bank of Agricultural Credit.
After opening, the meeting agenda was suggested by the chairman:
1. Report of Comrade Dummler about the work of our emigrants in Germany during the famine years of 1921-1922 up to today and about our Volga German Bank.
2. Miscellaneous
After we citizens of Norka had heard the report from our former teacher and now representative of the Volga German Bank of Agricultural Credit, G. M. Dummler, about the "Hunger politics" of the Association of Volga Germans in Berlin during the famine years 1921-22 under the leadership of F. P. Schmidt-Schleuning and like minded associates with similar attitudes against our government, against our compatriots who wished to help us and had heard the goals and over all non-profit work of our Volga German Bank of Agricultural Credit, we unanimously decided to request all our Volga Germans in North and South America to place their full trust in the authorized representative of the Volga German Bank of Agricultural Credit, Alex Peter Schneider in North and Jacob, son of Jacob Deulow, in South America and turn to them in all questions pertaining to the affairs of our Bank concerning assistance for building the economy of our Autonomous Republic, concerning immigration and emigration questions, and to follow their advice and to totally dismiss the Association of Volga Germans in Berlin under the leadership of F. P. Schmidt, J. Schleuning, A. Schwab, K. Meier and Co. These select men could, as in former times, exploit our free Volga Germans in a truly oriental way and feast at their expense. They remain under the illusion that the old times have returned where they, like Pharaohs, could indulge their insatiable impulses. These men have earned our contempt. These men do not represent our or our farmers interests.
We give the Soviet government authority over our own Autonomous Republic and have confidence in it's foreign representatives. We know our rescuers. We thank only our current Soviet government which brought about the October Revolution. We owe them our national freedom, our ability to work the arable land as free farmers and we will seek out and eliminate the failed plans of the former Nikolaus wherever we find them in our land.
The meeting designated the Presidency to carry out this resolution.
Chairman of the Norka Village Council: J. Hohnstein
Members: Schnell, G. Echleicher, W. Schadt, H. Allgtag (Secretary)
Present were: Chairman of the Village Council Joh. Hohnstein, 350 community members and G. M. Dummler, representative of the Volga German Bank of Agricultural Credit.
After opening, the meeting agenda was suggested by the chairman:
1. Report of Comrade Dummler about the work of our emigrants in Germany during the famine years of 1921-1922 up to today and about our Volga German Bank.
2. Miscellaneous
After we citizens of Norka had heard the report from our former teacher and now representative of the Volga German Bank of Agricultural Credit, G. M. Dummler, about the "Hunger politics" of the Association of Volga Germans in Berlin during the famine years 1921-22 under the leadership of F. P. Schmidt-Schleuning and like minded associates with similar attitudes against our government, against our compatriots who wished to help us and had heard the goals and over all non-profit work of our Volga German Bank of Agricultural Credit, we unanimously decided to request all our Volga Germans in North and South America to place their full trust in the authorized representative of the Volga German Bank of Agricultural Credit, Alex Peter Schneider in North and Jacob, son of Jacob Deulow, in South America and turn to them in all questions pertaining to the affairs of our Bank concerning assistance for building the economy of our Autonomous Republic, concerning immigration and emigration questions, and to follow their advice and to totally dismiss the Association of Volga Germans in Berlin under the leadership of F. P. Schmidt, J. Schleuning, A. Schwab, K. Meier and Co. These select men could, as in former times, exploit our free Volga Germans in a truly oriental way and feast at their expense. They remain under the illusion that the old times have returned where they, like Pharaohs, could indulge their insatiable impulses. These men have earned our contempt. These men do not represent our or our farmers interests.
We give the Soviet government authority over our own Autonomous Republic and have confidence in it's foreign representatives. We know our rescuers. We thank only our current Soviet government which brought about the October Revolution. We owe them our national freedom, our ability to work the arable land as free farmers and we will seek out and eliminate the failed plans of the former Nikolaus wherever we find them in our land.
The meeting designated the Presidency to carry out this resolution.
Chairman of the Norka Village Council: J. Hohnstein
Members: Schnell, G. Echleicher, W. Schadt, H. Allgtag (Secretary)
Sources
Die Welt-Post, April 24, 1924, page 3.
This translation provided courtesy of Hugh Lichtenwald.
This translation provided courtesy of Hugh Lichtenwald.
Last updated March 7, 2016.