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The History of Norka

It is impossible to consider the history of the Volga Germans apart from the history of Russia. The Volga Germans shared the fate and upheavals of the past centuries with all Russian people.

The history of Norka is a mirror that reflects the major historical events of the period from 1762 to current times: the early years of settlement, famine, war, revolutionary terror, and Stalin's "Reign of Terror."

Encouraged by the Manifesto of Catherine II, Norka was founded by German colonists on August 15, 1767.  This small village on the Russian steppe grew from 218 households comprising 738 people to a town of over 14,000 people.  When  Catherine II's promises were stripped away in 1871 and 1874, many people from Norka chose to immigrate to the United States and Canada.  At the outbreak of war with Nazi Germany, Stalin branded all Volga Germans as "spies and saboteurs" in August 1941.  After 175 years after its founding, life for the ethnic Germans in Norka came to an end when the entire population was banished to Siberia and Central Asia.  Today, descendants of those who lived in Norka can be found in nearly every corner of the world. ​

​Explore the history of this colony and its people. 

Last updated October 31, 2023