SHITOMIR & MORE, 1993

Herb Poppke

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Copyright* 2001, Roger W. Ehrich, 1407 Locust Avenue, Blacksburg,
VA 24060, ehrich@vt.edu

* This compilation and the enhanced images were prepared by Roger W. Ehrich at the suggestion of Rachel Schmidt of GRHS and Dale Wahl. This work is copyrighted by Roger Ehrich; however, the images and annotations themselves are the work of, and have been placed in the public domain by Herb Poppke so that they may be freely used with proper attribution. The negatives and double resolution raw image scans are in the possession of the Germans from Russia Heritage Society, Bismarck ND. -re

Herb Poppke
3015 NW Market Street #B117
Seattle, WA 98107-4272
(206) 789-0871
In the fall of 1993 I made a 32-day "solo" trip to the Ukraine. I traveled with a car, driver, and translator. The trip was arranged by the MIR Corp. in Seattle, WA. My Ukrainian headquarters were Kiew and Odessa. I did some scouting around in Kiew and Odessa, but my major activity was in Germanic settlement areas. I compiled a FOTO-ALBUM for each of these areas:

GLÜCKSTAL Foto Album, 1993 (NW of Odessa)
SHITOMIR Foto Album, 1993 (Volhynia)
TEPLITZ Foto Album, 1993 (Bessarabia)
GROSSLIEBENTAL Foto Album, 1993 (Odessa area)

Since copyrights and resolution make it impractical to include most of the maps in the online albums, I have produced 4 SUPPLEMENTS. These contain the maps and other items omitted from the online versions. I have made 3 copies of each of the SUPPLEMENTS. They are located at:

GRHS, Bismarck - (701) 223-6167
Herb Poppke, Seattle - (206) 789-0871
David Poppke, Bismarck - (701) 223-7990
ENJOY!!
November 2001
Herb Poppke

Place Name Index
Map Index

Abbreviations:

HRHeritage Review, GRHS.
HdRHeimatbuch der Deutschen aus Russland.
HdBHeimatbuch der Deutschen aus Bessarabien.
HHSHeight's Homesteaders on the Steppes.
HPSHeight's Paradise on the Steppes.
HMGHeight's Memories of the Black Sea Germans.
BHKBessarabien Heimat Kalender
AWPAHSGR Workpaper
GWPGRHS Workpaper
JLAHSGR Journal
SBGRHS Stammbaum
ACAHSGR Clues
WVWandering Volhynian Newsletter
GCRGlückstal Colony Research Newsletter.
PSGPuget Sound, GRHS, Newsletter.
BRDBeacon Review, Denver Area(?).

Please click on the thumbnail images to view them in higher resolution

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 ZHITOMIR (Shitomir)

50° 15.0' N × 28° 39.4' E.
135 km WSW of Kiev.

77 km South of Korosten.
81 km ESE of Novograd-Vol.

E-5-6 on map A03.
713 Germans in 1926.
Monday, 20 Sept 1993.

Map 354.8 W/Fasova
Map 287.4 w/Fas. Rud.
Map A03.1 w/Lesov. #7

  • (a) 32K4A Exhaltation of Jesus Christ. On Castle Hill.
  • (b) 32K3A Ex. Jesus Christ.
  • (c) 32K5A View from Castle Hill to area of Historical Preservation. Old Town.
The Farmers Market is a must
  • (d) 32K0A Plaque at entrance to "Polish" Cemetery.
  • (e) 32K2A WW II Memorial. Sergei, Victoria, Herb, and Ruslan.
  • (f) 32K00A Iron Crosses. The Cemetery is over grown with trees. Sometimes they plant a tree with each burial. There are some Germans in the cemetery(?).
  • (g) 31K37 The Kiev Gang: Sergei = Translator. Ruslan = Archivist. Victoria = Kostya's wife. Andrey = Driver. Herb Poppke = Me!
  • (h) 31K32 Zhitomir Archivists. Tamara Aleksandrov NA Isakova (red) Galtsna Gumyenlik (blue)
  • (i) 31K33 Archivist. Ruslan Kondratuk. His brother, Sergei, often serves as translator (not the above Sergei)
The Archives hold several items of interest:
  1. A book that lists the villages. Gives the number of houses and people. Also the distance from nearby cities. LIST OF THE VILLAGES IN THE VOLHYNIA GUBERNIA Zhitomir 1911.
  2. 2 June 1916 Newspaper. The Volhynia Gubernia News. This lists 7526 families who were deported in 1915. By Village. (Not deported, but land expropriation)
  3. A 3 x 5 Card File that lists the first settlers in a number of villages. Translator:
    Sergei Kaspirzny
    254116 Ukraine
    Kiev Oblast
    City of Kiev
    V. Vasilevskoy Street 13, 26

    Archive:
    Gosudarstvyenniy Arkhiv
    262003 Ukraine,
    Zhitomir Oblast,
    City of Zhitomir,
    Street: 8 - Go Marta, #20.

    • (j) 31K34 Kostya & Victoria.
      Konstantin Samoylenko
      252055 Ukraine
      Kiev Box 153
      Prospekt Pobedy 21-12
      Travel Agent.Translator.
    • (k) 31K29 Herb, Oksana (wife)
      Andrey Kononyenko
      254205 Ukraine
      Kiev Oblast
      Prospekt Obolons Kiy
      City of Kiev
      Dom 16 "E" Kv. 108
      Driver. Lada Car.
    • (l) 31K31 Street Urchins. These bucket brigades were common. Car Washers. (Zhitomir)

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 FASOVA (Fasovaya, Fasowaja)

50° 37.5' N × 28° 38' E.
40 km N. of Zhitomir.
37 km S. of Korosten.

This was (is) a non-German town.

It is not listed in Sallet, Leibbrandt, or the 1962 Heimatbuch.

  • (a) 32K6A Sign and Herb P.
  • (b) 32K8A Front view of cows.
  • (c) 32K9A Rear view of cows.
Moving cows from and to the pasture was a common sight. Just like in the good-old-days. Just like in Denhoff, ND.

These cows didn't look too good. I saw more of the all-red cows. They looked better. Black & whites were seen in Rosovka.

There might be more on cows in a later section.

Tuesday, 21 Sept. 1993

Map P354.7 w/Appendix.
Located at E-4 on map A03.

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 FASOVAYA RUDNYA (Fassowaja Rudnja)

50° 38' N × 28° 39' E.
42 km N of Zhitomir.
35 km S of Korosten.
2 km NNE of Fasova.

Tuesday, 21 Sept. 1993

500 People in 1904.
See 1962 Heimatbuch, p21.

Map P354.8 w/Fasova
Map A03.1 w/Lesov. #7

Located at E-4 on Map A03.

We spent only about 5 minutes in Rudnya. We did not see much of a village.

Rudnya = Mine (?)

  • (a) 32K10A Kolkhoz, collective.
  • (b) 32K11A View of Village.
  • (c) 32K12A Valentine. Chewing bubble gum.
Leonhard Kremring
Rossbergstrasse 7
72639 Neuffen, Germany

In letter of 30 May 1993 writes:

Born 21 Aug 1921 in Rudnya. Rudnya was a large, pure German village. Dr. Stumpp lived with them for 3 months in early 1942. Leonhard work with Stumpp for awhile on the Village surveys.
Leonhard is working on a Village History, Village Plan, and List of People.

Leonhrd also lived in Krasnoritschka = Krassnaja Retschka about 6-1/2 km west of Rudnya. See Rosovka.

I have a list of 40 families whose land was expropriated and who may have been deported in 1915. Copied from the 2 June 1916 Volinskiya Gubernskiya News, page 7, at the Zhitomir Archives. Some names are: Radke, Otto Schneider, Schmitke, Schultz, & Minke.

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 COLONY LESOVSHCHINA #13

50° 50.0' N × 28° 33.8' E.
15 km SSW of Korosten.
5 km N of City of Lesov. #10.

266 people in 1904 per Sallet, Leibbrandt, and the 1962 Heimatbuch.

Founded in 1869, and 218 people in 1904 per Kremring (see Rosovka).

This Colony was a scattered settlement, and not a village. The buildings seem to have been located on both the east and west side of the N-S Highway.

The Colony is shown on the Soviet map P316 having the dates of 1913, 32, 33, & 37. Earlier and later maps that I have do not show the Colony.

I am told that in the early 30's the Colony was made into a Collective (Kolkhoz).

In the late 30's this Col. and Rosa Luxemburg were consolidated into the village of Lesovshchina #4 (map 117).

Lesovshchina 4 is now Rosovka #18.

Tuesday, 21 Sept 1993.
The # designations are my own way of keeping these places straight.

  • (a) 33K28A Old Cemetery. The trees mark the location There is nothing to be seen(?). Located about: 1500 Yds. east of Highway. 700 Yds. So. of E-W road. 700 Yds. SW of Equipment yard in Rosovka. 100 Yds. So. of power lines. (So. of Rosovka)
  • (b) 33K29A Old German House. With new brick facing.
  • (c) 33K26A Raisa and Herb P. In Rosovka.
See Rosovka and Kolkhoz Rosa Luxemburg for more information.

I can find no evidence that the "Lesowschtschisna" #7 shown on the Stumpp map #3, 5 km SE of Ushomir, ever existed. A mistake(?).

The City of Lesovshchina, #10, 19 km. So. of Korosten, is a large Ukrainian town, and not the German village of Lesovshchina.

Map P354.71 w/Lesov. #10.
Map P117.4 w/Chernogobov.
Map P316.4 w/Rosovka.
Map P319.4 w/Rosovka.
Map A03.4 w/Rosovka.

The old buildings shown on this sheet are now (1994) located in Rosovka. They might have been German(?).

  • (d) 33K14A Barn (?)
  • (e) 33K25A Tamara's Backyard. See Rosovka.
  • (f) 33K13A House or Barn ??
Kremring (see Rosovka) writes that the Colony was original "pure" German. Later on some Ukrainians moved in. Biloshitsky (see Rosovka) said that in 1925 the Colony was 10% Ukrain.

The old structures west of the Highway, and other scattered buildings, all have been removed. The land has been cleared for mechanized farming.

Les = Lis = Forest or woods. There are many places with the name "Lesovshchina" or something similar. This area had been forested.

My father gave as his place of birth the village of Lessofisna, Lesoffesno, Lessoschino, and similar. I think that this Colony might be the correct place(?)

My father, Theodore, also said that he worked in a sawmill. It fits.

Colony Lesovshchina #13

In the Zhitomir Archives there is a copy of the Volhynia Gubernia News, No. 56, 2 June 1916, that lists about 7526 families who were deported-? in 1915. It lists the man's full name and the amount of land he owned. (Actually a list of land expropriation. They might have been deported also.)

It would be nice if we could get a micro-film of this Newspaper. Have.

On page 12 there is a list of 25 families who were deported(?) from Lesovshchina. I only copied the man's last name: ?
Kupe, Minikh, Bonkovski, Freilig, Vitrin, Geldel (Heldel), Gein (Hein), Braun, Marquart, Lang, Gartke (Hartke), Kleinrad, Burschtaler, Ortlieb, Kunke, Bredin, Klyaprat. See Mai book at AHSGR, not deported, but land expropriation.

Also at the Archives is a list of 16 families who purchased 611 Dessiatin or 1650 acres of land from a German Colonist by the name of Anton Pol. 3 April 1875, Document 39, Fond 29, List 1:
August Pashkovskyj, Eduard Straus, Gottfried Schultz, Gottfried Geske (Heske, Keske), Gottfried Arandt, Ludwig Beskau, Martin Domdes, Karl Mundt, Ludwig Pankomin, Michael Schilke, Karl Desdely, Stefan Pashkat, Jan Becker, Samuel Kreschmann, Anna Nehring, Ferdinand Kaufmann. (Wasn't there a US Senator named Karl Mundt from S. Dak?)

There is a book at the Archives that lists the villages, giving the number of houses, population, and the distance from neighboring cities.

For the Colony Lesovshchina it gives 36 houses and 310 People. This agrees pretty well with the 266 people in 1904 giving in Sallet.

LIST OF THE VILLAGES IN THE VOLHYNIA GUBERNIA, Zhitomir 1911.

I am familiar with the following contemporary names that have a Lesovshchina connection:
Malkowski, Reinke, Brandt, KLAPPRAT, Poppke, Albrecht, BRAUN, Hempler, NEHRING, Schräder, Zander(?).

Note that the underlined names also appear in the above lists.

There are a number of places with the name "Lesovshchina" or similar.
City of Lesovshchina #10, 19 km So. of Korosten. Ukrainian.
Lesovshchina #6, 2 km SW of Lesov. #10.
Lesovshchina #16, 1 km SE of Lesov. #10.
Lesovshchina #15, 4 km WSW of Lesov. #10.
Lesowschtschisna #7, 5 km SW of Ushomir. Did not exist(?).

Ewald Degen, 246 Seven Persons Drive, SW, Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada, T1B 2E1 writes in a letter of 20 Oct. 1993:

He was a friend of Leonhard Kremring (see Fasovaya Rudnya).
Degen knows(?) Waldemar Wilzer who was a teacher in Lesovshchina shortly before WWII.
Degen knew a family by the name of Hempler from Lesovshchina.
Degen lived in Krasnorechka (Krassnaja Retschka) about 38 km So. of Korosten in the Volodarsk area.
A Nehring family left Lesovshchina in the early(?) 30's and moved to Krasnorechka. Mr. Nehring was dragged-off in 1938. The wife and children moved to Canada.
Neither Degen nor Kremring mentioned the relocation of the Germans from the Rosovka area to the Volodarsk area. I did not ask.

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Map A03.4
 ROSOVKA #18

50° 49.8' N × 28° 34.6' E.
15 km SSW of Korosten.

Map P354.71 w/Lesov. #10.
Map P354.7 w/Fasova.
Map P117.4 w/Chernogobov.
Map P319.4 w/Rosovka.
Map P316.4 w/Rosovka.
Map P287.4 w/Fas. Rud.
Map A03.4 w/Rosovka.

  • (a) 32K14A Sign and Herb P.
  • (b) 32K21A Community Center. We ate lunch there. The "Klub."
  • (c) 32K25A Nikolay Biloshitsky.
Nikolay, b1925, is quite knowledgeable about the area. He traveled with us for a couple of days. 260127 Ukraine, Zhitomir Oblast, Korosten Raion, Selo Rosovka.

Map P117 shows the village of Lesovshchina #4 at the present (1994) location of Rosovka #18. Map P117 is based on Soviet maps dated from 1933 to 1943, so my guess is that the name "Rosovka" dates after WWII (?).

I have given the #4 to the village of Lesovshchina, and #18 to Rosovka. This is my way of keeping these places straight.

The village of Lesovshchina #4 was formed in the late 30's by the consolidation of Colony Lesovshchina, Kolkhoz Rosa Luxemburg, and other scattered settlements.

Many of the buildings now in Rosovka had been in other locations. Moved and re- built.

Tuesday, 21 Sept. 1993.
Biloshitsky said that there were about 115 houses and about 400 people in Rosovka now. (??)

These pictures are at the Community Center (Klub).

  • (d) 32K22A Potatoes.
  • (e) 32K27A School Girls.
  • (f) 32K23A The Cooks.
Their potatoes were small, like lemons. I never saw any large potatoes. They ate lots of potatoes.

The School Girls came by bus from Korosten for lunch. We also ate lunch. Food was good.

The Klub is located at the SE corner of Rosovka. Also at the SE edge of town are the Cattle Kolkhoz and the Machinery & Tractor Kolkhoz.

See Kolkhoz Rosa Luxemburg and Colony Lesovshchina for more complete information.

Biloshitsky's father, Paul, was killed in WWII. Biloshitsky's grandfather, Vasiliy, was deported in 1936 and has not been heard from.

Biloshitsky's neighbors, Rudolph and Albert Schräder, were deported in 1937 A Schräder from Kholosno was deported in 1915. See Kholosno.

George Maser of Seattle knew that I was interested in this area. So in 1991 he spent a day exploring for me. He came up with Rosovka, Biloshitsky, and Tamara. A big help!

  • (g) 33K11A Nikolay and Nina Biloshitsky. Nikolay put on his good clothes to travel with us.
  • (h) 34K13 Hand Washer. Works like a soap dispenser. Note the bar of soap and the towel on the fence.
  • (i) 34K15A Nikolay & Nina. My Automatic Lens Cover gave me problems.
  • (j) 32K24A A woman at the Klub.
  • (k) 33K24A Tamara.
  • (l) 34K14A We ate lunch at Biloshitsky's.
Later, when we were at the Korosten Museum, Grishchyenko told us that there was an older woman in Rosovka who hangs out at the Klub. (See Korosten). She was born in Rosovka and might be a source of information. Her name is Grishchyenko, Nina Gratsianovna. I just noticed that they have the same surname!

Well, we didn't get back to Rosovka, but I think that the pictured woman might be Nina Grishchyenko(?).

  • (m) 33K18A Nikolay, Tamara, and my translator, Sergei.
  • (n) 33K17A Nik., Tam., Serg.
  • (o) 33K15A Tamara's house.
Sergei and my driver, Andrei, were from Kiev. Andrei's car was a Lada. It ran fine.

Tamara Lapina is an ethnic German who was adopted as a child by a Ukrainian family. Tamara did not know this until she was an adult. Her German name had been Zara Dreihel. In 1991 she visited 2 sisters in Andernau(?), Germany.

Biloshitsky had told us that the German Army, in 1942, relocated the Germans from the Rosovka area to the Volodarsk area. I did not know that Volodarsk was about 42 km SSW of Korosten.

Biloshitsky took us to Veselovka, about 12 km SSW Korosten, and showed us a German Cemetery, etc. At the time I thought that this was the "Volodarsk" area. Wrong. I don't know if the Germans from the Rosovka Area were moved to the Veselovka area.

Grishchyenko (see Korosten) told us that the Germans from the Rosovka area were relocated to the area 13 km west of Korosten in 1942. To Chernogubov Khutor. We did not check this out.

It might be that the Germans were relocated to all three areas(?). This relocation was a form of "ethnic cleansing." See HR 24/1 March 1994, p36 & p42 for another example.

See Chernogubov Khutor. See Veselovka.

  • (p) 33K21A Tamara's Pillows.
  • (q) 33K16A Mushrooms (?) on Tree Stump.
  • (r) 33K12A Nina's Pillows.
They liked to have a nice "front-room" for show. Fancy pillows and covers.

A colorful rug on the wall behind the sofa.

They also draped cloths over pictures and other items. And over Grave Markers.

Leonhard Kremring
Rossbergstrasse 7
72639 Neuffen, Germany
(See Fasovaya Rudnya) Gave much information in a letter of 30 May 1993.

Kremring writes that he worked with Stumpp for a bit on the Village surveys. Stumpp lived with the Kremrings for about 3 mo. in 1942.

Kremring has a copy of the survey for the Colony Lesovshchina. Actually this would have to be for the Village of Lesovshchina #4: (???)

115 Germans in 1941 before the start of the war.
127 Germans in 1941 after the occupation.
287 Ukrainians in 1941 before the start of war.
276 Ukrainians in 1941 after the occupation.

65.8% of 38 = 25 German families without a head. (When?)

19 Men, 39 Women, 16 Child. 1 to 5, 41 Children 6 to 15, 12 Babies = 127 in 1941.

26 Men and 6 Women were deported from 1921 to 1941.

Kremring mentioned that the Colony was a "Steusiedlung." A scattered settlement and not a typical German village.

  • (s) 33K20A Tamara's Stove.
  • (t) 33K22A Tamara's Stove.
I think that this is 2 sides of the same stove.

There seemed to be one of these Ukrainian Stoves in every house and/or summer kitchen.

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 KOLKHOZ ROSA LUXEMBURG #14

50° 20.2' N × 28° 36.9' E.
13 km South of Korosten.

This was not a village as such(?), but a long settlement along the road east of where Rosovka is today (1994). K.R.L. extended from about 1 km west of the R.R. to about 3 km east of the R.R.

Rosa Luxemburg is not listed in Sallet, Leibbrandt, nor the 1962 Heimatbuch.

To get a better picture of K.R.L. you need to read the Colony Lesovshchina and Rosovka material.

  • (a) 32K15A Sergei & Andrei. Machinery & Tractor Kolkhoz. I don't know what the words mean.
  • (b) 32K26A Cattle Kolkhoz. This was called Kolkhoz Rosa Luxemburg. It might be a part of the Machinery Kolkhoz(?).
  • (c) 32K18A Kolkhov Barns.
The black & white cattle apparently were dual-purpose. They said that most would be used for meat. About 20 were in the dairy barn. The dairy cows did not have big udders like our Holsteins. The dairy tanks and pipes were rusty and dirty. Did not look very sanitary.

Map P316.4 w/Rosovka.
Map P319.4 w/Rosovka.
Map P354.71 w/Lesov. #10
Map P117.4 w/Chernogubov.
The Soviet map P316 with dates of 1913, 32, 33, & 57 shows Rosa Luxemburg. Earlier and later maps do not show K.R.L.

Tuesday, 21 Sept. 1993. Kolkhoz = Collective Farm. The #14 is my own method of keeping these places straight.

  • (d) 32K20A Entrance to the Machinery & Tractor Yard.
  • (e) 32K16A Incinerator, etc.
  • (f) 32K19A Plow. Note that this is reversible(?).
The Machinery and Cattle operations are located at the SE corner of Rosovka.

The Kolkhoz was formed in the early 30's. I have no information on its earlier history. In the late 30's K.R.L. and Colony Lesovshchina #13 were consolidated into the village of Lesovshchina #4 (map P117).

Because of the name "Luxemburg" and the fact that they joined up with the German Colony Lesovshchina, I had assumed that K.R.L. was German. I have since been told that Rosa Luxemburg was a German revolutionary. She and her husband were assassinated in the 20's. She became a Martyr. A number of Soviet places are named after her.

Also, the majority of the people in the village of Lesovshchina #4 were Ukrainian. I now think that K.R.L. was Ukrainian(?).

The village of Lesovshchina #4 is now Rosovka #18.

We were told that there was nothing left of K.R.L. east of the H.R. When I was east of the R.R. I could find no trace of K.R.L.

The consolidation of scattered settlements into villages seems to have been a common practice.

There seemed to have been many(?) scattered settlements in Volhynia.

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 CITY OF LESOVSHCHINA #10, aka #5

50° 47.4' N × 28° 34.5' E.
E-3 on map A03.
59 km North of Zhitomir.
19 km South of Korosten.
11 km SSE of Ushomir.

Not listed in Sallet. Not listed in Leibbrandt.

This is a Ukrainian City. It never was a German Dorf.

Some Germans may have lived here(?). Some Germans may be living here now(?).

We did not look for any German Church, School, or Graves.

Wednesday, 22 Sept. 1993.

1993 = 500(?) homes = 2000(?) people.

A 1911 book gives: 301 homes, 1560 people.

The City had been mainly on the east side of the Highway. Extending in a NE direction. The 1992 map shows the City extending on the west side of the highway.

The area had been forested. There is a Titanium mine just SE of the City. There is a Titanium processing plant just to the SW of the City.

  • (a) 32K13A Sign, Tolya & Herb.
  • (b) 33K1A Church.
  • (c) 33K0A Grain Shocks. Note that shock is topped with an up-side-down bundle. This is in the outskirts of the City.
#10 is aka #5

The designation of City and #10 are mine in order to avoid confusion. The name Lesovshchina or a similar version appears often. Colony Lesovshchina had been nearby. There is another Lesovshchina about 23 km ESE of Zhitomir.

Les or Lis = forest.

Map P287.4 w/Korosten.
Map P354.7 w/Appendix.
Map P354.71 w/Lesov. #10.
Map A03.1 w/Lesov. #7.

References: My typescript of 10 Apr. 92.

A book in the Zhitomir Archives: List of the Villages in the Volhynia Gubernia. Zhitomir 1911. Heimatbuch of 1962.

In addition to #10, I have in the past used #2 and #5 to designate this City.

  • (d) 34K7A Old Building.
  • (e) 34K8A Old Building.
  • (f) 33K4A A kolkhoz-type building.
The Mishchuk Home.
  • (g) 33K5A The Mishchuk's Schwengelbrunnen
  • (h) 33K6A The Mishchuk's Schwengelbrunnen
  • (i) 33K9A The Mishchuk's Flowers
"Schwengelbrunnen"

There are many of these in Ukraine. Some are equipped with electric pumps. Has the name any connection with a farm "singletree" or "whiffletree"?

The green and yellow was attractive.

There is a nice Ukrainian stove in their summer kitchen.

  • (j) 33K7A Root Cellar.
  • (k) 33K10A Mishchuk Family. Volodimir Ivanovich, born 1952. Oksana, b 1978; Nadya, b 1952.
  • (l) 33K8A Oksana & Nadya.
260110 Ukraine, Zhitomir Oblast,
Korosten Raion, Selo Lesovshchina,
No street was given, House #10.

Located on east side of the Highway.

We had lunch with them. They also gave us a couple of bottles of Vodka.

Nadya is a school teacher.

  • (m) 34K11A Doll. About 20±" tall. This was given to me!
  • (n) 33K2A Tamara Pilipivnya Lopatuk. Granddaughter Inna.
  • (o) 34K9A A Street Scene. The young girl is not the mother. She was most attractive. The older woman was in charge of the twins. The automatic lens cover failed me, or I failed the camera.
260110 Ukraine, Zhitomir Oblast,
Korosten Raion, Selo Lesovshchina,
No street name given,
No House number given.

Located about a block(?) east of the Highway, and about a block(?) south of the Church.

We were also given a supply of apples.

Map A03
I, Herbert, am searching for relatives of my father, Theodore Poppke (Popke). Theodore was born on 4 August 1887. Theodore was born in Colony Lesovshchina in eastern Volhynia(?). Also given as Lesowschtschisna, Lesoffesno, Lessofisna, Lessoschino, and similar.

Theodore's mother died when he was about 1-1/2 years old. Theodore was taken in and raised by the Karl Albrecht family. Albrecht taught Theodore the Blacksmith trade.

Theodore worked in a sawmill with Louis Seifert, a fellow Blacksmith. Seifert was born in Makakowka/Volhynia.

Theodore's last Russian residence was in "Esposisch"(?). Theodore arrived at New York on 4 August 1910. Theodore traveled under the name of "Emil Weckwert" of Boritscherwalde. Theodore's traveling companion was Emil Schmalz of Boritscherwalde. Theodore also knew Gustov Schmalz, and August Krieger of Boritscherwalde.

Theodore's father had been in the Franco-Prussian war, 1870-1871(?). Theodore's father had been wounded(?). The father's speech and hearing were impaired(?). There were 8 children in the family(?). At least 2 were boys(?). One of the girls was named "Martha"(?).

Herbert Poppke
3015 NW Market St., B117
Seattle, WA 98107 		David Poppke
1414 No. 16th St.
Bismarck, ND 58501

- a
 LESOWSCHTSCHISNA #7 (my #7)

50° 49.4' N × 28° 30.5' E.
5 km SE of Ushomir. E-3 on map A03.

The Stumpp Map (my A03) is the only place that shows Lesowschtschisna at the above location. I can find no supporting evidence that there ever was a village by the name of Lesowschtschisna at the place indicated by the Stumpp map.

When I was in the area during the fall of 1993, none of the people I contacted could confirm a Lesowschtschisna at that location.

I have many old maps of the area and none show a Lesowschtschisna at that location.

A book at the Zhitomir Archives gives 10.7 km from Ushomir to Colony Lesovshchina. List of the Villages of Volhynia Gubernia Zhitomir, 1911.

I think that the Stumpp map is in error.

Theodore Poppke probably was not born at Lesowschtschisna #7.

- a
- b
- c
- d
- e
 LESOBUDA (Lesovska Buda, Lissa Buda, Lesovskaya Buda)

50° 45.7' N × 28° 33.6' E.
3 km south of Lesovshch. #10
55 km N. of Zhitomir.
22 km S. of Korosten.

Not listed in Sallet, 1962 Heimatbuch, or Leibbrandt.

Map P354.71 w/Lesov. #10.
Map P354.7 w/Appendix.
Map P117.4 w/Chernogabov.
Map P319.4 w/Rosovka.
Map P316.4 w/Rosovka.
Map P119.4 w/Kolbashchina.

  • (a) 32K30A Andrei = Driver. Evdokiya = Woman. Sergei = Translator.
  • (b) 32K33A Nadya, Children.
  • (c) 32K31A Nadya's house.
A book at the Zhitomir Archives calls this a "Colony" and lists 75 Houses and 582 People. List of the Villages in the Volhynia Gubernia. Zhitomir 1911. Page 226.

The designation "Colony" and the fact that many German people lived in Lesobuda indicates that this village was indeed a German Colony.

We did a bad job in Lesobuda. We failed to get Nadya's full name and address. Also, didn't get the names of the children.

Evdokiya said that the old cemetery is now under the Titanium Plant located to the north of Lesobuda.

Wednesday, 22 Sept. 1993

See the 1962 Heimatbuch.

Les = Lis = Forest
Buda = Hut (?)

  • (d) 32K32A "Schwengelbrunnen." This one is equipped with an electric pump. Note the white hose near the top rim.
  • (e) 32K34A Stork's Nest.
I have a list of 53 families who were deported (?) from Lesobuda in 1915. Copied at the Zhitomir Archives from the 2 June 1916 VOLINSKIYA GUBERNSKIYA NEWS, page 12. #56. Listed were the man's complete name and the amount of land that he had. I copied only the surname:

Obshohestvo(?) Kolonistov(?), Tein (Hein), Fester, Kesling, Kinets, Gein (Hein), Schmiedt, Seifert, Schultz, Stober, Mor, Brezemler, Ressler,Straus, Lyausch, Fuks, Geller (Heller), Domday, Schmuland, Otto, Maier, Divert, Kinert (Ginert), Albrecht, Kollert (Gollert), Penner, Kelert (Gelert), Braun, Meisner, Minikh, Reizler, Schiewe, Gompler (Hompler, Kompler), Markhel, Gausmann-Liske (Hausmann), Geidel (Geitel), Freilich, Glaser, Scheiwe, Pitter (Peter, Bitter, Pieter), Breidoff, Nehring, Penner, Dräger.

Some of the names were repeated.

Some of the names are the same as appear in other villages in the vicinity.

My father, Theodore Poppke, gave as his village "Lesoffesno", his foster father was Karl Albrecht, and he worked in a sawmill with Looey Seifert. Fred Otto lived in my home town of Goodrich, ND.

Is it possible that Les + Buda = Woodworking Plant or maybe Sawmill?

See Lesowschtschisna #7 for more on Theodore Poppke.

I think Stober also lived in Goodrich(?).

Now, 1994, as I look at these names, I am having a hard time explaining why we spent so little time in Lesobuda. We were always in a hurry, and sometimes not too sharp. Maybe stupid.

I need to go back!

- a
- b
- c
- d
- e
 TITANIUM MINES

These are located just east of the Highway and about 2± km south of Lesovshchina #10.

And about 57 km north of Zhitomir, and about 21 km south of Korosten.

  • (a) 32K36A Andrei the Driver. Sergei the Translator.
  • (b) 33K00A Pond.
  • (c) 32K35A Road.
  • (d) 32K28A The Plant. This processing plant is located west of the mines, and SW of the City of Lesovshchina #10. Looking North. The man on the bicycle is riding south toward Lesobuda. Note conveyor at left.
  • (e) 32K29A The Conveyor. Looking North. The conveyor runs west from the mines and then turns north into the plant. The conveyor crosses the Highway at the sign "Lesovshchina" shown on 32K13A. See City of Lesovshchina.
I was surprised to see this operation out on the Plains. I thought that this type of thing went on in the mountains.

Titanium is used in steel. Evdokiya in Lesobuda said the old cemetery was buried under the titanium plant.

SOME ADDED COMMENTS, 27 Oct. 2001

I know almost nothing about my father's backpround. Theodore Poppke was born on 4 Aug. 1887 in Lesovshchina, Volhynia. I have found little more.

In March 2001 I received a note giving me some information from the St. Petersburg Records from a Mr. Diethard Kolewe, SGGEE #014, 1-845-534-1366 dkolewe@hvc.it.com. The Storm King School, Cornwall-on-the-Hudson, NY 12520 Diethard's parents came from Western Volhynia. Diethard was born in WWII in German Poland. Diethard is a school teacher.

The information: Auguste Poppke born 29 Dec. 1884 in Lesowitschtsche. Father = Gottfried Poppke. Mother - Regina Redmann. (I have many spellings of Lesovshchina).

This is the first information that I have ever had about people that could be my people. I don't have a computer. I am too old and decrepit. Possibly someone else can follow-up on this search.

When I was in Volhynia my "Poppke" search centered around #18 Rosovka, and #13 Colony Lesovshchina both located about 15 km SSW of Korosten.

About 3 km south of the "City" of Lesovshchina (my #10, aka #5) is Leso Buda. I spent only a few minutes there. No time. But when I got home I found that I was familiar with several Leso Buda names. I regret not spending more time in the area. #10 Lesovshchina is about 19 km south of Korosten.

A lady of Leso Buda, Nadva, passed information along to her friend who lives a few km to the east:

Olga Oleksandrenko, born 1923. (An ethnic German) see P48.
Selo Moisejewka
260110 Ukraine, Zhitomir Oblast, Korosten Raion
Zhitomir Street
Moisejewka is about 4 km SSE of #10 Lesovshchina.

Olga and I exchanged a couple of letters. She had much information that I at first discounted. I now think that Olga had a lot to offer. I have a file folder on Olga and on Moisejewka. I wish that a younger person would go back to that area and do some more scouting. Including:
#6 Lesovshchina about 2 km SW of #10; #16 Lesovshchina about 2 km SE of #10; #15 Lesovshchina about 4 km WSW of #10; and also Leso Buda and Moisejewka.

The area has changed from 1910. The forests are gone. Titanium Plant. Open-Pit mines. New roads. The old-timers are gone. The Germans are gone.

A sister of Olga came to America. Berta Freilich. No other information. Can any one help?

(Table:) Volhynis Gubernia News Shitomir, 2 June 1916, No. 56
List of people and expropriation of their land.

The land is given in Dessiatin + Square Sashen.
One (1) Dessiatin = 2400 Square Sashen = 2.7 Acres. (1 sashen = 7 feet)

24 sheets of this Newspaper are in the Shitomir Archives. I was told that this was a list of people who were deported. I have since learned that it is a list of land expropriation. The people might have been deported.

Brent Mai put these 24 sheets on the computer. AHSGR has this in book form and on disc(?).

#1569 Renata Freilich is an aunt to Olga Oleksandrenko. See page 41.

Don Miller of Hillsboro, Oregon obtained a Photo-Copy of the 24 sheets.

George Maser of Seattle is now (2001) in possession of these 24 sheets.

(The names Otto, Albrecht, and others are familiar to me)

- a
- b
 KOLBASHCHINA (Kovbaschina, Kowbaschtschina)

50° 50.8' N × 28° 29.3' E.
16 km SW of Korosten.
2 km SE of Ushomir.

Friday, 24 Sept. 1993.
This is a non-German town.

Map P354.7 w/Appendix.
Map P354.71 w/Lesov. #10.

  • (a) 34K21A House
  • (b) 34K20A Man & Wife.
260120 Ukraine.
Zhitomir Oblast.
Selo Ushomir.
Poselok Kolbashchina
(Poselok = Settlement)

Aleksandr Dovzhinets, 1910.
Wife Olga, born 1920.

They gave us a sack of apples. Aleksandr insisted on getting his jacket with the metals before taking his picture.

The Settlement of Kolbashchina does not show on any of my earlier maps. It does show on the 1992 map P354.

Earlier maps show a Khutor Kolbashchina in the vicinity of the present settlement. Also a Khutor Sushets in the vicinity of where Lesowschtschisna might have been.

The 1992 map P354 shows nothing where the Khutors had been. The people told us that the Khutors and other scattered settlements were all consolidated into the new Settlement of Kolbashchina.

The present village of Rosovka was also formed by the consolidation of scattered settlements, including Colony Lesovshchina and Rosa Luxemburg.

This consolidation was part of the Kolkhoz (Collective Farm) program. Large areas were cleared so that they could be farmed on a large scale with machinery. Also, it was difficult to provide services - phones, electricity, etc. - to the scattered settlements.

Our old prairie farms have gone through a similar transition . We have our old ghost towns.

USHOMIR (Uschomir)

50° 51.6' N × 28° 28.7' E.
16 km SW of Korosten.
D-3 on map A03.

17 Germans in 1926.

Stumpp's map #3 shows a village Lesowschtschisna (my #7) 5 km SSE of Ushomir. I have found that village on no other map. So I came to the area to investigate.

Both in Ushomir and in Kolbashchina we found no one who knew of a village Lesowschtschisna at the location described. Because of road conditions we drove no farther SE. The people said there was nothing to be seen.

I think that Stumpp's map is in error.

- a
- b
- c
- d
- e
- f
 KHOLOSNO (Cholosno)

50° 52.0' N × 28° 37.6' E.
E-3 on Map A03.
10 km south of Korosten.

270 people in 1904.
Thursday, 23 Sept. 1993.

Map P354.7 w/Appendix.
Map P354.71 w/Lesov. #10.
Mav A03.1 w/Lesov. #7.

  • (a) 34K4A A House. Not Langer's.
  • (b) 3AK00A Nikolav Biloshitsky, Herb Poppke & Sign.
  • (c) 34K6A Ivan Langer + Nikolay Biloshitsky.
Ivan b1958 is the son of Ivan b1933 and Mariya b1936. Langer's surname in now "Gorbatiy." Ivan, b1958, didn't have much to say. We didn't see Ivan, b1933. He might be dead(?).

Some people with a Kholosno connection are: Augustadt (Glietz) of Goodrich, ND. Don Miller of Hillsboro, OR. Irma Stober (Mrs. Alfred Schlack) of Fallbrook, CA.

Ivan (Langer) Gorbatiy
260001 Ukraine,
Zhitomir Oblast,
Korosten Raion,
Selo Kholosno,
Voroshilova Street #44.

Biloshitsky lives in Rosovka

See 1962 Heimatbuch.

  • (d) 34K5A A Shed.
  • (e) 34K2A Herb + Langers.
  • (f) 34K1A Mariya 1936, Luda 1958, Alvina 1988, and Marina 1987.
I have a list of 20 families who were deported (?) in 1915. Copied at the Zhitomir Archives from the 2 June 1916 Volhynia Gubernia News:

Hoffman, Dobermann, Langer, Kesling, Braun, Stober, Edel, Volter (Walter), Baer (Bayer), Stefan, Peyter, Schreder (Schröder), Ebert, Janke.

Also from Fond 19, List 3, Document 1328, page 5: In 1875 Henrich Stauber of Novogoroshkovskaya Buda purchased land in the Colony of Kholosno.

The women were more informative than Ivan, 1958.

- a
- b
 CITY OF GORSHCHIK

50° 54' N × 28° 18.0' E.
25 km WSW of Korosten.

Map P354.7 w/Appendix.
Map P354.71 w/Lesov. #10.
Map A03.1 w/Lesov. #7
Map P119.4 w/Kolbashchina.

Emyelyanovka is a suburb located at the SW(?) end of Gorshchik.

I think that Gorshchik is a consolidation of several former villages in the vicinity.

Wiesental (Hortschik, Gortschik, Hortcitl)
23 km WSW of Korosten.
D-3 on Map A03.
50° 53.5' N × 28° 19.0' E.
1 km SE of Gorshchik(?).

Blumental
21 km WSW of Korosten.
50° 54.5' N × 28° 19.8' E.
D-3 on Map A03.
2 km ENE of Gorshchik(?).

Rosental: We were told that this village was near to Wiesental and Blumental but on the opposite side. of the road. I can find nothing about Rosental.

(See Kol. Kalinowka)

  • (a) 34K25A Far.
  • (b) 34K24A Close.
Didkovskiy, Nikolay b1955.
Iskorostyensky, Pavel Yakovlyevich.
Zaichyakovska, Olga b1913.
Hertzen (Gertzen)(a German), Emelyan Emelyanovich, b1924

Pavel lives in Berezovka, 8 km ENE of Gorshchik. He is the Mayor(?) of Gorsh.
Rasyanska St. #17 (in Ber.)
260125 Korosten Raion.
Zhitomir Oblast. Ukraine.

260125 is also for Gorshchik

Friday, 24 Sept 1993.

They said that there was nothing to be seen at the old villages. We didn't try to find them.

Olga told us that in 1935, 90 families from Wiesental were moved to Kharkov. Then to Solovki, a Concentration Camp on an island in the White Sea.(?)

Olga also said that in 1937, 15 families were moved to Khasachstan from Wiesental.(?)

Hertzen or Gertzen, a German, said he was born in Pisarowk, now called Ivanovka. His reason for staying in the Ukraine he said, was stupidity.

Pisarowk, 31 km SSW of Korosten, 50° 42.9' N × 28° 23.7' E. 275 People in 1904. D-4 on map A03.

Ivanovka, 35 km SSW of Korosten, 50° 42' N × 28° 20.5' E. According to my reckoning Pisarowk is ENE of Ivanovka; closer to Shapura. (?). Map P354.

Mikhail Vasilyevich Grishchyenko, the Director of the Korosten Museum told us:

That there Is a German Church in Gorshchik. Some German Gravestones in the Gorshchik Cemetery.
There had been a German Cemetery at Zhupanovka, 6 km ENE of Gorshchik. The Cemetery was obliterated by the new highway.
When the Germans moved to the West in 1943 or 1944, a Lehman(?) family remained in the Korosten area.
Father = Gerbert (Herbert) now dead.
Mother = Name unknown now dead.
Sergei = son now dead.
Vladimir son now dead.
Daughter Zinaida Pravda is now, 1993, living in Emyelyanovka by Gorshchik.
Alfred Schlack gives Wiesental as his home village. Fallbrook, CA, 92028, 1607 Calavo Road.

Don Miller of Hillsboro, OR 97124, might have a Wiesental connection. 12814 NW Bishop Road. (?) Don visited there in 1995±.

I have a list of 60 families who established the Colony of Wiesental (Gorshchik) 2 April 1863. I copied this at the Zhitomir Archive from Document 3218, Fond 17, List 2 on Monday, 20 Sept. 1993.

Seller of 1410 Dessiatin (1495 Sazh.) land was Konstantin Dovgird.

The names are: Shlyak (Schlack), Stauber, Fuks, Tauber, Kop, Wolf, Gretsinger, Janke, Schultz, Kolert, Steinke, Zimmer, Kart, Minkh, Schuster, Liats, Daumer, Zyulkovskyj, Potrats, Marquart, Bormann, Jaronchik, Chepanovskyj, Bredin, Gveter (Gewetter), Dautert, Pliat, Gotsky, Leisner, Winsky, Yobe (Jobe), Guze, Panknits, Polits, Brede, Tsil, Rents, Stirmer, Gistou (Kistou), Schvoru, Gozhky, Asmon, Zhykovsky, Kuppe, Dreifs, Ginter (Hinter), Eihorn(?)(Eichorn), Giller (Hiller). [Liats = Less(?)]

I* also copied the man's first name, but omitted it in the above list.
*Kostya Samojlenko did the copying.

We didn't go back to Gorshchik after talking to Grishchyenko in Korosten so we did not check out his information.

Kol. Kalinowka This is shown on the map P119.4 w/Kolbashchina, about 1-1/2 km west of Horszczyk. Could this be "Rosental"? Could this be "Emyelyanovka"?

- a
- b
- c
- d
- e
 VESYELOVKA (Wessolowka)

50° 51.6' N × 28° 34.0' E.
12 km SSW of Korosten.
3 km NNW of Rosovka.

Map P354.7 w/Appendix.
Map P354.71 w/Lesov. #10.

Ukrainian Cemetery.

  • (a) 33K33A Cemetery Crosses.
  • (b) 33K36A Cemetery Crosses.
  • (c) 33K35A Cemetery Crosses.
The Cemetery is shown on map P354.
  • (d) 33K32A Ukrainian Cross.
  • (e) 33K31A Overturned marker in old German Cemetery.
The Cemetery is located about 1-1/2 km east of Vesyelovka, and about 1/2 km west of the R.R. tracks.

The Cemetery is on the north side of the road. The old German Cemetery is just to the north of the Ukrainian Cemetery.

I found only one German Gravestone.

Biloshitsky said that there had been a wooden Baptist Church on a knoll about a block NE of the German Cemetery.

The German Church was torn down in the 30's. Nothing is left to be seen.

Nikolay Biloshitsky of Rosovka had told us that in 1942 the German Army had moved the Germans from Rosovka to the Korosten area in the Volodarskiy Raion.

When Biloshitsky took us to the Vesyelovka Graveyard I was under the impression that this was the area to which the Rosovka Germans had been moved.

I have been unable to make a connection to "Volodarskiy" Raion. Volodarskiy is to the South of Rosovka.

To make things more confusing, Mikhail Vasilyevich Grishchyenko, the Director of the Korosten Museum, told us that the Rosovka Germans were moved to the area of Chernogubov Khutor in 1942.

This Khutor was about 12 km west of Korosten, and about 10 km NNW of Ushomir. And about 1 km ENE of Davidky. We did not go to Chernogubov Khutor. See Chernogubov Khutor.

Recently (1994), I have learned that Volodarsk is located 42 km SSW of Korosten. Not near to Vesyelovka.

I have also learned that people from Rosovka were in the Volodarsk area.

The Germans could have been moved to all three areas. See Rosovka.

I think that this relocation of the Germans might have been a form of "Ethnic Cleansing"(?).

- a
- b
- c
Map P354
 KOROSTEN

50° 57.0' N × 28° 38.0' E.
141 km WW of Kiev.
77 km N of Zhitomir.
E-3 on map A03.

159 Germans in 1926.

Map P354.7 w/Appendix.
Map P354.71 w/Lesov. #10
Map P287.4 w/Korosten.
Map A03.1 w/Lesov. #7

  • (a) 34K28A Grishchyenko.
  • (b) 34E26A Sign
See: Chernogubov, Rosovka, Veselovka, Gorshchik.

Mikhail Vasilyevich Grishchyenko.
260100 Ukraine,
Zhitomir Oblast,
City of Korosten,
Lenina Street #6, Museum.

Mikhail is the Director of the Museum. He was very knowledgeable about the former German Colonies. We talked to him on our last day in the area so we didn't get a chance to check on what he told us. See cities listed above.

He told of a German Colonist by the name of Ziklau (Ziglau) who was a chief Collaborator during WWII. Ziklau returned to his colony after the war, but was sent to Siberia. Ziklau had been instrumental in sending Ukrainians to forced-labor camps. One man lost a lung while in one of the camps. This man saw to it that Ziklau got sent to Siberia.

Mikhail told us that the present village of Rosovka was formed in 1934-38(?) by the consolidation of many scattered settlements in the area. Colony Lesovshchina, and Rosa Luxemburg were part of this consolidation.

Saturday, 25 Sept. 1993.

  • (c) 34K16A Water Tower in Korosten.

CHERNOGUBOV KHUTOR

About 1 km ENE of Davidky.
Map P312, M-35-45, 1 cm = 1 km.

Davidky
50° 57.0' N × 28° 26.6' E.
13 km W. of Korosten.
10 km NNW of Ushomir.

Map P354.7 w/Appendix.
Map P354.71 w/Lesov. #10
Map P117.4 w/Chernogubov.

Mikhail Vasilyevich Grishchyenko, the Director of the Korosten Museum, told us that the Rosovka Germans were moved, in 1942, to the area of Chernogubov Khutor. We did not go to Chernogubov.

Mar P354 shows a cemetery about 2 km north of Davidky. ? ? ?

Nikolay Biloshitsky of Rosovka had told us that in 1942 the German Army had moved the Germans from Rosovka to the Korosten area in the Volodarskiy Raion. I think that this relocation of the Germans might have been a form of "Ethnic Cleansing"(?). [Not Volodarskiy area]

See Rosovka.

Biloshitsky took us to an old German Graveyard 1-1/2 km east of Vesyelovka and about 3 km north of Rosovka. At that time I was under the impression that Vesyelovka was the place where the Germans had been move to.

Recently (1994), I have learned that Volodarsk is located 42 km SSW of Korosten. Not near to Vesyelovka or Chernogubov. I have also learned that people from Rosovka were in the Volodarsk area.

The Germans could have been moved to all three areas.

- a
- b
- c
 MAKAKOVKA (Starosele)

51° 6.3' N × 28° 18.0' E.
29 km NW of Korosten.
8 km WNW of Luginy.

Saturday, 25 Sept. 1993.

Map P354.7 w/Appendix.
Map P354.71 w/Lesov. #10.
Map P284.4 w/Bobrichi.

See the 1962 Heimatbuch.

The new name is Starosele (Old Village). I like Makakovka better!

There is a Novoselka 2 km SSE of Starosele. (Makakovskiy)

This was not a German village. The people said that there had been a German Kolkhoz up north near Krasnosyelka. We did not go there. It turns out to be the Colony Bobrichi.

Looey Seifert said he was born in Makakowka. Also his last residence was in Luginy (Luhiny). Looey came to the USA 30 May 1911. His mother remained in Makakowka(?).

My father, Theodore Poppke, and Looey worked together as blacksmiths. Poppke gave as his place of birth: Lessofisna. Lesofschino, Lesoffesno, or similar. There is a Urocz Litowszczyzna just NE of Makakovka. Any connection?

Ur. = Urocv (Polish)
Yp. = Urozhshche.
A small woods in the midst of fields and/or meadows.

  • (a) 34K33A Ukrainian Stove. Note the fire.
  • (b) 34K34A Nikolay Borisovich Voznuk, born 1942.
  • (c) 35K0 Ukrainian Cemetery.
Mariya Kuzminishna, b1909.
Father = Boris b ??

Luginskiy Raion.
Zhitomir Oblast.
Ukraine. (Zip ?)
Selo Starosele.

Nikolay said that their house was 150 years old. It was very "primitive" inside. It seemed that the more "primitive" the home, the more enthusiastic the "Welcome to our Home." My picture of Nikolay's 200 year-old pear tree didn't turn out. Lens cover problems.

- a
- b
- c
Map P354
 MAKAKOVKA RUDNYA (Novo Rudnya, Rudnia Makakowska, Rudnya Makakovskaya)

51° 6.5' N × 28° 19.3' E.
27 km NW of Korosten.
7 km WNW of Luginy.
1-1/2 km ENE of Makakovka.

The new name is Novo Rudnya, I liked the old name better!

Saturday, 25 Sept. 1993.

Map P354.7 w/Appendix.
Map P354.71 w/Lesov. #10
Map P284.4 w/Bobrichi.

See 1962 Heimatbuch.

  • (a) 35K2 House.
  • (b) 35K4 Children.
  • (c) 34K30A Herb at Luginy.
Rudnya = Mine (?). There are/were coal mines.

Looey Seifert, a blacksmith who worked with my father, worked at the Velva, ND coal mines. Any connection to Rudnya.

Looey said that he was born in Makakowka, and that his last residence was Luginy (Luhiny).

Novo Rudyna was not a German Settlement. But there were Germans to the north in the Bobrichi area. 6 - 8 km away.

Luginy = 25 Germans in 1926.
Luginy = 22 km NW of Korost.

COLONY BOBRICHI (Bobritz, Bobrycze, Bobritschi, Bobritschowka)

Bobrichi: 51° 10.8' N × 28° 18.2' E. (Colony)
8 km N. of Makakowka, 34 km NW of Korost.
D-2 on map A03. 1 km east of Krasnosye.

Colony Bobrichi = 700 People in 1904.

According to my reckoning Colony Bobrichi is located 4.8 km SW of where it is shown on the Stumpp map #3.

The old maps show the Colony as a group of scattered buildings. Not a cohesive village.

Note that there is a village, Bobrichi, located 6 km NW of Makakowka. Makakowka is now Starosele.

Note on map P151 there is a Kol. Bobrycze located 2 km NNE of the village of Bobrycze, and 7 km NNW of Makakowka.

Bobrichi does not appear on the 1992 map P354; only on older maps.

KRASNOSYELKA

Krasnosyelka: 51° 10.6' N × 28° 17.0' E.
8 km N of Makakowka, 35 km NW of Korost.
1 km west of Colony Bobrichi.

Krasnosyelka appears on the 1992 map P354 but does not appear on earlier maps. I think it is a new village.

I think that Krasnosyelka is a consolidation of the scattered buildings in the Bobrichi area. Krasnosyelka might be the modern name for Bobrichi.

The people at Makakowka (Starosele) told us that there had been a German Kolkhoz up north near Krasnosyelka. We did not attempt to go there. It is only now (1994) that I know that this was the Bobrichi area.

The consolidation of scattered settlements into villages is common. See Rosovka, Kolbashchina, & Gorshchik.

Map P354.7 w/Appendix
Map P284.4 w/Bobrichi.
Map P151
Map P285
Map P236
Map P140
Map A03 Stumpp Map.

See the 1962 Heimatbuch for Volhynia.

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 KIEV (Kiyev)

50° 27.8' N × 30° 30.0' E.
H-5 on map A03.

2.5± million people.
Capital of Ukraine.
1500 Anniversary in 1982.

City Center &, old city are on the west, hilly, right-side of the Dnepr. The new town is on the east, flat, left-side of the Dnepr River.

  • (a) 31K7 The Golden Gate. See 31K6 & 8.
  • (b) 31K3 Wedding, 18 Sep. 1993
    I.S. Kazimirchuk
    255500 Ukraine
    Kiev Oblast
    Kiev-Svyatoshinskiy Raion
    Gorod Vishnyevoy
  • (c) 31K5 St. Vladimir. 19th Century. Wedding. See 31K2.
  • (d) 31K6 Front of Golden Gate
  • (e) 31K2 St. Vladimir. 19th Century. See 31K3 & 5. Sergei is shown.
  • (f) 31K8 Right-side of Gate. See 31K7. 11th Century Gate to the old city of Kiev. Restored. Some of the old masonry work can be seen on the inside. They used some large, flat brick; about 2" × 15" × 15"±
    Herb is on 31K6.
  • (g) 31K21 Trinity Church. (1106-1108 (?)) 18th Century. It serves as a gateway.
  • (h) 31K10 St. Sophia. 11th Century.
  • (i) 31K16 Birth of Jesus.
These churches and many others are found in Pecherskaya-Lavra (Monestery of the Caves). 11th ± Century.

The Lavra is a major tourist attraction.

See regular publications for more information on Lavra and Kiev.

On Sunday, 19 Sept 1993 attended one of the services. "Standing Room Only." Beautiful singing. Beautiful ritual. Crowded. [No sitting]

  • (j) 31K11 St. Andrews. 18th Century.
  • (k) 31K20 Assumption (Uspenski) Cathedral. Destroyed by the Germans, (John Gunther, p424) 11th Century.
  • (l) 31K12 Old Russian House. In or near the Lavra. Historical Preservation.
  • (m) 31K15 Peter Stolypin's Grave in the Lavra, Kiev, Ukraine.
  • (n) 31K1 The Ubiquitous Broom.
    These were everywhere in the Ukraine. Most not as fancy.
    They were used for everything. Even sweeping the streets and gutters.
    I seldom saw a long-handled broom.
FROM CATHERINE TO KHRUSHCHEV by Adam Giesinger, 1974, page 238:

"The years 1906 to 1911 were given a special character by the man who dominated the Russian domestic scene, Peter Stolypin. Appointed minister of the interior in 1906, he became chief minister in 1907, which he remained till he was assassinated in 1911. Although he saw no way of governing except by keeping the Tzar's authority absolute, he was an able and practical man, interested in the welfare of his people. After restoring peace and order in the country, which he did with great firmness, he addressed himself to the task of solving the problems of the peasantry. To improve agriculture and to raise the status of the peasants he introduced legislation which promoted individual peasant proprietorship in place of the prevailing communal ownership." (His grave is alongside one of the churches)

  • (o) 31K14 Peter Stolypin.
Herb Poppke, 19 Sept. 1993.

Kievo-Pecherakaya Lavra, a former monestery, and now a favorite tourist attraction.

Many beautiful churches. One could easily spend a whole day there.

Just call it "The Lavra."

  • (p) 31K17 Wall around the Lavra. View from outside.
  • (q) 31K18 Note remnant of the old wall at left of Foto.
    Apparently the wall has been restored.
    Note that the "portholes" are tapered. Narrow on the inside. This gives the defenders a better field of view. Also a better field of fire (shooting).
  • (r) 31K19 The "Kopitza." A Mini-Haystack.
    These were common in the Ukraine. People would put up hay in small plots in their neighborhood. Many people kept a cow or goat.
  • (s) 35K10 Old Apartment(?).
  • (t) 31K26 My Hotel. Not Downtown.
    25255 Ukraine,
    Kiev Oblast,
    2 Kiev
    Starokievskaya 8/12
    Gostinitsa Starokievskaya
  • (u) 31K13 Desk Lady. Irina Anatolyevna.
Raisa Nikolayevna is not shown.

Hotel was OK. They had hot water!

I saw Lucia di Lammermoor in Kiev. Nice.

Beautiful, restored House.

The lady said that the leaf was "Natural" gold.

The toilets were white, and clean!

And I did other tourist things.

  • (v) 35K9 Zoo. Cat. It looked as if it had been a nice Zoo.
    The Zoo has gone to the dogs.
  • (w) 35K8 Zoo. Herb and Kids.
  • (x) 48K25 Friday, 15 Oct. 1993.
    Ludmila Gumennaja (1947) (near map)
    Tamara Korolenko (1954) Middle - Speaks German.
    Irina Polyakova, My Translator. (Blonde)
Ukrainisch-Deutscher Fonds
Eduard Lir = Director.
Ukraine,
Kiev Oblast,
City of Kiev - 21
Instytutska Street,
13/4 wh. 13.

They work with Aussiedler.

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 BABY YAR in KIEV

This memorial is at a ravine in Kiev where the Germans murdered about 140,000 people - mostly Jews.
(Inside Russia Today, p421, John Gunther, 1958)

I think the Plaque says 100,000 (?).

  • (a) 31K22 Memorial.
  • (b) 31K24 Memorial.
  • (c) 31K23 Plaque.
See 31K25.
  • (d) 31K25 Baby Yar. See 31K22, 23, 24.
  • (e) 48K23 Friday, 15 Oct. 1993
    Irina Polyakova. My Translator. A Journalist.

    254050 Ukraine,
    Kiev Oblast,
    City of Kiev,
    Parkhomyenko Street,
    Dom 10, Kv 104.
    /044/274-55-29

    Kostya Samojlenko, Travel kgent.

  • (f) 35K14 "Britchke"
    At the Museum of Folk Architecture and Peasant Households. (more on this later)

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 KIEV MUSEUM

  • (a) 35K24 Flail. Sergei my translator.
  • (b) 34K22A Harbi. Out west in the Korosten area(?).
  • (c) 4AK20 Wagon. Note the short segments of wood that make up the wheel "felly."
    Note the square spokes.
    Note that the tire needs to be shrunk and set. It is being held on by means of clamps.
    Note turning chain. The wagon pole is not rigidly fixed. Tension on the chain causes turning.
    This is in Zarya/Bess.
  • (d) 35K26 Weave. Interesting Buildings.
  • (e) 35K17 Underside of Roof. Note how the bundles of "hay" are tied to the structure.
  • (f) 39K15 Building Eave. The roof bundles looked like about 11 inches thick at the eaves.
  • (g) 35K18 Log Building. Note the thick bundles on the roof.
  • (h) 34K18 Square Logs. This building was out west in the Korosten area(?).
  • (i) 35K3 "Pole" Barn.
    Vertical poles with about 12" space filled with hay. This formed a wall, possibly also feed for the horses.
    This was out west in the Korosten area(?).
  • (j) 35K12 Mill.
  • (k) 35K133 Mill Gearing. The big gear is wood(?).
  • (l) 35K22 Wagon.
    Note that the wooden rim of the wheel is made of many short segments. (The "Felly")
    Note the outrigger at the left-rear wheel to support the rack.
KIEV 20(?) Sept. 1993
Herb Poppke

Museum of Folk Architecture and Peasant Households.

Very Interesting.

A suburb of Kiew.

Many of my pictures did not turn-out. Shutter problems.

  • (m) 35K20 Plow
  • (n) 35K Press(?)
  • (o) 35K26 Bee Hives(?)
More on the Museum of Folk Architecture and Peasant Households or the Ukrainian SSR. A Kiew Suburb.

The Docent was a young, pretty girl. Helpful and knowlegeable. She gave us a head of Sunflower seeds from the local garden.

My Foto of the Docent and other pictures failed me.

Olena Sabatovskaya
3 April 1967.
253152 Kiew
Bereznyakovskaya #30A
Apt #38(?).

  • (p) 35K29 Portable toilet seat.
  • (q) 35K30 Sergei my translator enjoying the seat.
Toilets, if any, just had a hole in the floor.

The portable seat would be a big improvement for our tour grours. Especially for older people like me.

I suggest that someone come up with a folding model. (Non-collapsible)

The tour group could form a Co-Op, or "pay-per-use."

I understand that our people 200± years ago had no(?) toilets. They went whenever and whereever(?).

DO NOT ACCEPT GIFTS OVER A FENCE

DO NOT GATHER MUSHROOMS IN A CEMETERY

The toilet shown here belongs in the Glückstal volume. Velikaya Mikhalovka. (The City)

  • (r) 37K26A Seat down.
  • (s) 37K25A Seat up.
This is an improved model. Note that the seat has 2 positions.

Note that the seat is wrapped with cloth for sanitary purposes.

Most toilets that I saw had no seat. Just a hole in the floor.

Some of the better models had blocks to put your feet on.

Note the toilet paper supply in the left-rear corner.

It had an electric light!

LESOWSCHTSCHISNA

Herb Poppke(1)
10 Apr 1992

My father, Theodore Poppke,(2) was born in Volhynia in 1887. His village was Lessofisna(?), or Lesofschino, or Lesoffesno, or similar. The closest village that I can find is Lesowschtschisna, or Lesovshchina,(3) or something similar. Lesow relates to forests or woods, since Volhynia is a wooded area, this term appears frequently.

I have been involved with German Russian work since 1972, and so far I have found little about my father's background. He never told us much about his life in Russia, and some that he did tell has proved to be untrue(?). He died in 1962 before I knew enough to ask meaningful questions. I continue to make a half-hearted effort to work on the Poppke genealogy but with little success.

Not being able to make much progress on my Poppke research, I have tried to learn as much as possible about Lesowschtschisna. But the more I learn the more confused the situation becomes. Instead of the one Lesowschtschisna given in the German Russian literature, I have found a number of villages with similar names on Russian maps. And to make matters worse, I can find no indication of a Lesowschtschisna 5km. SSE of Uschomir, the location shown on Stumpp's map.

And further, there is evidence of one or more Germanic settlements east of Stumpp's Lesowschtschisna that have not(?) been mentioned in the German Russian literature. This settlement area is near the highway and the railroad, and about 14 to 17 km. SSW of Korosten. These villages are: Lesovshchina #4, Lesowshchina #8, Lesowschtschisna #9, Kolonie Lessowschtschina #13, Rosa Luxemburg #14, and Rosovka #18.

To avoid confusion, I have assigned numbers to the various places. Stumpp's Lesowschtschisna in the German Russian literature I will henceforth refer to as Lesowschtschisna #7.

I have learned little about Lesowschtschisna #7. There were 266 people in 1904; the Parish was Shitomir; the Rayon was Uschomir. Lessowtschisna was listed on pages 12 & 13 of "Wandering Volhynians" 1989, No. 3. As of now I know of only one other family with a Lesowschtschisna connection, and they have not been able to give any help.

Years ago the AHSGR Library was located at Greeley, Colorado. I was living in the Denver area in 1976 and visited the Library a couple of times. I found an old roll of maps that Stumpp or his helpers had used as working tools for the production of the finished maps that are now in the AHSGR Collection. I made a Xerox copy of the area between Shitomir and Korosten. About 17 km. SSW of Korosten were two places of interest: Lesowtschina #8 east of the railroad, and Lesowschtschisna #9 east of the highway. #8 & #9 are about 9km. & 6km. ESE of where Lesowschtschisna #7 is supposed to be. Lesowschtschisna #7 is not shown!

I have given my number P125 to Stumpp's working map. This is a Russian map that has the German names of the villages superimposed over the Cyrillic spelling. The transliterations are in bold print, and the Germanic village locations are marked with a solid black square, triangle, or circle. #8 is in bold print but its location is not blacked-in. #9 is in bold print and its location is shown by a solid black square. This is an indication that these are Germanic villages.

I have been concerned that Lesowschtschisna #7 does not appear on the working map P125, and that #8 & #9 do not appear on the finished AHSGR map. I have given my number A03 to the AHSGR map. I have found that Stumpp's finished maps generally agree well with the Russian military maps. Even the little dash marks that Stumpp uses to indicate the village plan fit the Russian layout. It is apparent that Stumpp used Russian military maps as the basis for his maps. Stumpp shows Lesowschtschisna #7 with two dashes like an = sign, except rotated to a SW-NE direction. I have failed to find such a village layout on the Russian maps.

In 1988 at a meeting of the Puget Sound Chapter of GRHS, Ewald Wuschke had a number of USA military maps. One of these showed three "Lesovshchina." I acquired this map and numbered it P117. The three villages are: Lesovshchina #4 is between the highway and the railroad, and about 14km. SSW of Korosten. #4 looks like a fair-sized city. Lesovshchina #5 is just east of the highway, and about 19 km. SSW of Korosten. #5 looks like a sizable city. Lesovshchina #6 is just SW of #5, and looks like a suburb of #5. I now had more "Lesovshchinas" than I knew what to do with.

In 1991, George Maser, who lives here in the Seattle area, made his second trip to Volhynia. His people came from the Polish area west of the Shitomir Area. His Russian highway map showed a Lesovshchina (my #5) = #10. Since he was aware of my interest, he went out of his way and spent a day exploring the area around #5. He reports that this is not a city but more like a residential community. The natives at #5 said that this village had never been Germanic, but that there had been a Germanic village and graveyard up north at Rosovka (my #18).

Rosovka #18 appears on the Russian highway map (my P287) and is located between the highway and the railroad, and is about 14 km. SSW of Korosten. Maser reports that Rosovka is more like a bedroom community than a city. Note that Rosovka #18 seems to be located at the same place as Lesovshchina #4 of map P117.

At Rosovka, Maser met an elderly gentleman named Nikolay Biloshitsky who had been the postmaster back in the 30's. Nikolay said that the area had been Germanic and had been called Lesovshchina. This is in agreement with map P117, Lesovshchina #4. Nikolay further stated that the area had also been called Rosa Luxemburg. Luxemburg sounds German to me.

Nikolay said that the German graveyard was out in the field and suggested that a monument be erected before the graveyard was completely obliterated. Maser did not go to the graveyard but he has the impression that it is SW of Rosovka and about half-way to the highway(?).

Maser met an ethnic-German woman in Rosovka who was born Zara Dreihel in 1931. She was adopted by a Ukrainian family and renamed Tamara Lapina. Tamara gave no information about the German Russian settlements.

Since Maser's return from Volhynia I have acquired a number of Russian military maps from the Library of Congress. These naps show: Kolonie Lessowschtschina #13 west of Rosovka and near the highway. Kolkhoz Rosa Luxemburg #14 east of Rosovka and extending east of the railroad. Lessovshchina #15 about 4 km. SW of #5, and Lessovshchina #16 about 1-1/2 km. SE of #5. #16 is a Kolkhoz(?). (Kolkhoz - Collective Farm) See maps P290, P316, and P319.

Note that the Library of Congress maps confirm the existence of Rosa Luxemburg that had been mentioned by Nikolay. It would have been nice if Maser had had all these maps and the time to explore more thoroughly, but still he managed to come up with some new information. Maser did not ask about Lesowschtschisna #7, and Nikolay did not volunteer any information about Kolonie Lessowschtschina #13. This #13 could have been Germanic. The Russian maps often use the designation "Kol." for foreign settlements. Could Lesowschtschisna #7 have been located at #13? It is difficult to determine what existed a hundred years ago; so many changes have taken place; so many people are no longer with us.

As of now I have no evidence of Germanic people in Lesovshchina #5, #6, #15, or #16. Lesowtschina #8 is shown too far south but I keep trying to connect it to Rosa Luxemburg #14(?). Lesowschtschisna #9 also is shown too far south but I keep trying to connect it to Kolonie Lessowschtschina #13(?). #9 and #7 are spelled the same, and both are the handiwork of Stumpp. Are they one and the same? I think Kolonie Lessowschtschina #13 is a good bet for a Germanic settlement. Lesowschtschisna #7 may have been located where shown by Stumpp on map A03, but I can find no supporting evidence.

A slight digression. My father said that he and Looey Seifert worked as blacksmiths at a sawmill. Looey's village was Makakowka #17, about 30 km. NW of Korosten. Ron Neuman gave me a Polish map, my P140, that shows Makakowka. About 3km. NE of #17 is Ur. Litowszczyzna #12. This looks like a wooded area. The name is similar to Lesowschtschisna. Is this just a coincidence? I have seen no mention of Makakowka in the literature.

Even if I determine the location of Lesowschtschisna #7, I will still not know where my father had lived. So my quest will have to continue.
________________

  1. Herb Poppke, born in 1921 in Goodrich, North Dakota. 3015 NW Market St., Apt # B117, Seattle, Washington, WA 98107, 1-206-789-0871.
  2. Theodore Poppke (Popke), born in 1887 in Lessofisna(?)/Volhynia. At age 1-1/2 he was taken in by the Karl Albrecht family. Poppke learned the blacksmith trade from Albrecht. Poppke arrived 4 August 1910 at New York from Hamburg on the SS President Lincoln. Poppke used the name and ticket of Emil Weckwert of Borischerwalde(?)/Volhynia. Poppke's traveling companion was Emil Schmalz(?) of Borischerwalde(?). August Krieger of Goodrich, or Manfred, N.D. was Schmalz's uncle. Poppke's last Russian residence was Esposich(?).
  3. The various spellings can result from different transliterations.
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