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I, Elvire Necker-Eberhardt, was born in Sofiewka, Bessarabia and as a small child experienced the Resettlement of all Bessarabian-Germans to Germany, also the time in different camps in Germany and Poland, the establishment on Polish farms, then the flight before the Russian front. A time of 2 ½ years as refugees in Denmark followed. In 1947 the family moved to South Germany. There I received my schooling and teacher’s training. In 1960 we immigrated to Alberta, Canada. After some more studies in Alberta and France, I taught Linguistics, French and German at Laval University in Quebec City,, Quebec and at the Medicine Hat College in Medicine Hat, Alberta.

     My grandparents Heller / Eberhardt came from the Black Forest and Tuebingen area over Groembach, Poland to Katzbach and Alt-Posttal, Bessarabia. The other grandparents, Unterseher, were Catholics from Lauingen, Bavaria who followed Ignaz Lindl to Sarata, Bessarabia, then settled in Lichtental, Bessarabia. My Ohlhausen forefathers came either from East Prussia or from Hungary to Bessarabia, depending on what source to trust. Some of my forefathers (Nelitz/ Schorr) had the faith of  Bessarabian „Separatists“.

     My husband Albert Necker was born in Kulm, Bessarabia and after Resettlement served in the German army, then was a prisoner of war in Russia for almost 5 years. He came to Canada in 1952.

     Since retirement I have traveled 4 times to the former Bessarabia as well as done some research on the history of the Germans from Russia. My main interest is Sofiewka, now in Moldova and the close vicinity of it, the life and history of the Bessarabian-Germans from the beginning till the present, and also the faith and beliefs of the Bessarabian Germans. Among other villages, some residents of Sofiewka came from the neighboring settlement of Unter-Albota and the extinct Russian estate of Bortscheag. Therefore I have collected material of these settlements too.

Research and Publications:

1. Ph.D. dissertation: The Bessarabian-German Dialect of Medicine Hat, Alberta, Uof A, Edmonton, Alberta

2.   „The Growth of the German Population of Medicine Hat, Alberta“. (Published Article)

3.  Translation of the German text into English of the film:

            „You Land, of my ForefathersChoice“

4.  Sofiewka - ________,* ein bessarabiendeutsches Dorf in Moldawien 1892 – 1992,  214 pages, 1994

                        [*-Cyrillic name for Sofiewka]

5.  Expanded translation of the above book under the title:

        Sofiewka, a Bessarabian-German Village in Moldova 1892 - 1992

                          Both books contain all published material of Sofiewka up to 1994 as well as

                              a.   Lists of the founders and 1882 inhabitants of Sofiewka  

                              b.   Lists of a. the 1940 inhabitants of Sofiewka

c.                                     c.   Lists of Sofiewka confirmands from 1913 – 1940

d.                                    d.   Lists of Sofiewka emigrants before 1940 and after WWII

e.                                     e.   Lists of Sofiewka’s war dead of WWI and WWII

f.                                      f.    Part II of the Sofiewka “Familienbuch of Aug.1, 1939 (part one is lost)

6.  An article in the 1970 Heimatkalender der Bessarabiendeutschen, Hannover, 1970 entitled:

         “Neue Heimat in Medicine Hat”. Included in his article is a list of all post-WWII Bessarabian-German immigrants to Medicine Hat, Alberta

Documents in my possession:

1. Copy of the Sofiewka church books for births and deaths from 1892 – 1940.

2. Copy of all Sofiewka “Fragebogen” of 1940.

3. Copy of the Bortscheag church books from 1864 – 1881 for births, deaths, some marriages and some confirmands. (Bortscheag was a Russian estate employing German workers. It became extinct in 1882 when the Germans moved to Albota or later on to Sofiewka).

4. Copy of the Unter-Albota church books for births and deaths from 1882 – 1937.

5. Many books of Bessarabian-German interest, mostly in German.