Friedrich Alexander Wacker
The Rev. Friedrich Alexander Wacker was born in Kamyschin on April 8, 1886, the son of Volga German colonist Georg W. Wacker and Dorothea Reisich. He married Clara (surname unknown).
Friedrich attended grammar school in Astrakhan for ten years, receiving his certificate on June 1, 1906. From 1909 to 1912, he was a theology student at the seminary in Dorpat (now Tartu, Estonia), and in October 1913, he was awarded the degree of candidate of theology. He was ordained on November 3, 1913.
Friedrich attended grammar school in Astrakhan for ten years, receiving his certificate on June 1, 1906. From 1909 to 1912, he was a theology student at the seminary in Dorpat (now Tartu, Estonia), and in October 1913, he was awarded the degree of candidate of theology. He was ordained on November 3, 1913.
Portrait of Rev. Friedrich Alexander Wacker. Source: "Wacker, Friedrich Alexander". Volk auf dem Weg, No. 8-9/2023. p. 57.
Reverend Wacker served the Norka parish from 1913 until 1925. After 1918, he became the Provost of the parishes of the Bergseite colonies.
Provost Wacker served as pastor in Norka during the severe famine in the early 1920s. He coordinated and distributed relief supplies from abroad, primarily from the Volga Relief Society and the National Lutheran Council. Both organizations were based in the United States. During this period, he wrote numerous letters subsequently published in the German-language newspaper Die Welt Post. A collection of those letters, translated from German to English, is listed below, along with links to the English translations.
As early as 1925, Rev. Wacker was sentenced to one year's probation for allegedly possessing counter-revolutionary literature. He moved to Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), where he became the theological director of the Leningrad Evangelical Lutheran Bible Courses, which served as the seminary for training the clergy. This organization endured regular searches and interrogations. Rev. Wacker also served as a member of the Moskauer Deutscher Oberkirchenrat (Moscow German High Church Council).
Provost Wacker served as pastor in Norka during the severe famine in the early 1920s. He coordinated and distributed relief supplies from abroad, primarily from the Volga Relief Society and the National Lutheran Council. Both organizations were based in the United States. During this period, he wrote numerous letters subsequently published in the German-language newspaper Die Welt Post. A collection of those letters, translated from German to English, is listed below, along with links to the English translations.
As early as 1925, Rev. Wacker was sentenced to one year's probation for allegedly possessing counter-revolutionary literature. He moved to Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), where he became the theological director of the Leningrad Evangelical Lutheran Bible Courses, which served as the seminary for training the clergy. This organization endured regular searches and interrogations. Rev. Wacker also served as a member of the Moskauer Deutscher Oberkirchenrat (Moscow German High Church Council).
Rev. Friedrich Wacker. Source unknown.
On October 15, 1930, Rev. Wacker was arrested, along with several Leningrad pastors and parishioners, and exiled to the Dubinino Camp near Bratsk in East Siberia. Thanks to an intervention by the German Foreign Office, he was freed from captivity in 1933. However, Rev. Wacker was forbidden to serve as a pastor, perform any religious activity, or live within 100 kilometers of a major city.
On June 28, 1941, several days after the invasion of Russia by Nazi Germany, Rev. Wacker was arrested again. He was charged with counter-revolutionary activity in a summary trial and was executed on July 10th.
On June 28, 1941, several days after the invasion of Russia by Nazi Germany, Rev. Wacker was arrested again. He was charged with counter-revolutionary activity in a summary trial and was executed on July 10th.
Letters
Letter from Rev. Wacker, published January 12, 1922
Letter from Rev. Wacker, published February 2, 1922
Letter from Rev. Wacker, published February 9, 1922
Letter from Rev. Wacker, published April 20, 1922
Letter from Rev. Wacker, published April 27, 1922
Letter from Rev. Wacker, Elisabeth Aschenbrenner, and Johannes Aschenbrenner, published July 6, 1922
Letter from Rev. Wacker, published August 24, 1922
Letter from Rev. Wacker, published December 21, 1922
Letter from Rev. Wacker, published January 11, 1923
Letter from Pastor Kluck mentioning Rev. Wacker's participation at a conference in Hussenbach
Letter from Rev. Wacker, published February 2, 1922
Letter from Rev. Wacker, published February 9, 1922
Letter from Rev. Wacker, published April 20, 1922
Letter from Rev. Wacker, published April 27, 1922
Letter from Rev. Wacker, Elisabeth Aschenbrenner, and Johannes Aschenbrenner, published July 6, 1922
Letter from Rev. Wacker, published August 24, 1922
Letter from Rev. Wacker, published December 21, 1922
Letter from Rev. Wacker, published January 11, 1923
Letter from Pastor Kluck mentioning Rev. Wacker's participation at a conference in Hussenbach
Sources
Amburger, Erik. Die Pastoren Der Evangelischen Kirchen Russlands Vom Ende Des 16. Jahrhunderts Bis 1937: Ein Biografisches Lexikon. Lüneburg: Inst. Nordostdt. Kulturwerk, 1998. 304. Print.
Kahle, Wilhelm. Geschichte der evangelisch-lutherischen Gemeinden in der Sowjetunion: 1917–1938. Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1974. Print.
Krieger, Viktor. "Wacker, Friedrich Alexander". Volk auf dem Weg, Nr. 8–9/2023. p. 57.
Schnurr, Joseph. Die Kirchen Und Das Religiöse Leben Der Russlanddeutschen. Stuttgart: AER-Verl., 1978: 178. Print.
PERSONALSTATUS der Evangelisch-Lutherischen und der Evangelisch-Reformierten Kirche in Russland. Petrograd, 1914, S. 1-123
Kahle, Wilhelm. Geschichte der evangelisch-lutherischen Gemeinden in der Sowjetunion: 1917–1938. Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1974. Print.
Krieger, Viktor. "Wacker, Friedrich Alexander". Volk auf dem Weg, Nr. 8–9/2023. p. 57.
Schnurr, Joseph. Die Kirchen Und Das Religiöse Leben Der Russlanddeutschen. Stuttgart: AER-Verl., 1978: 178. Print.
PERSONALSTATUS der Evangelisch-Lutherischen und der Evangelisch-Reformierten Kirche in Russland. Petrograd, 1914, S. 1-123
Last updated October 27, 2025