Kaiserdorf - 1848 Village History
Copyright 1996, AHSGR    

Notes:  Please see the Introduction to the Village History Project for additional information.  

KAISERDORF

When future generations of this colony, for whom the following reminiscences of their forefathers and their experiences were written, learn about these matters and realize how their home here came into being, and when they become convinced through their own experiences what lively zeal, along with work and sacrifice, have animated the authorities to provide as happy a lot as possible for their subjects, then they like their forefathers will praise our mighty ruler and his government with grateful hearts, because they are inhabitants of a country in which provision for the welfare of every rank is the governments chief concern.

The founding of the colony Kaiserdorf began in the year 1823. It lies on the Great Kabilna river, 130 versts from the district capital Alexandrovsk, 210 versts from the provincial capital Ekaterinoslav and 70 versts from the seaport Mariupol.

The soil, consisting of black earth, varies in its fertility. With industrious and purposeful cultivation, however, it is becoming ever more productive, providing good grain crops and garden produce when the weather is favorable. For some years now wheat has been the most lucrative article of trade.

The reason for the name of the village is as follows. Some of the settlers wanted to call the village Koenigsdorf (King's village), because there was a village of that name in their homeland. But the authorities called it Kaiserdorf (Emperor's village), because in Russia the ruler is not a king but an emperor.

The number of families settled here originally was twenty-six and the number is still the same. All the settlers came from the Danzig region in West Prussia. All left their fatherland on their own, without leaders, with the hope of finding in Russia what Prussia, because of overpopulation, could no longer give them: land and homesteads of their own. Where one now sees rich flourishing villages with beautiful and pleasant gardens and tree plantations, there were at the time of settlement only barren wilds and grazing lands, on which Tartars, Creeks, and other nomads grazed their flocks. These left to the colonists their miserable huts, in which they had to live until they could build new houses of their own.

A hard struggle now began for our settlers. Not only was the material for the building of houses lacking, and the equipment for fanning, but even the needed food could not be provided in time because of the long distance it had to be brought. In addition there was the problem that the small amount of money most of the immigrants had brought with them had long since been used up. All of the newcomers were poor people, whose whole property consisted of two horses, a wagon, the necessary kitchen utensils and a small amount of money. It would never have been possible for these poor people to reach the goal of their wishes and they would have had to give up their settlement project, had not our benevolent and gracious emperor given each family a loan of 450 rubles. Then, as busy hands occupied themselves with house-building and cultivation of the land, a long cherished hope became a reality. The thought of finding recompense in these for the sufferings endured gave them courage, strength, and endurance. But the following year, 1824, did not provide for them according to their justified expectations, for enormous swarms of locusts descended on the flourishing fields and meadows and destroyed everything. An almost similar fate was suffered by the crops in 1825 and 1826. Only a firm faith in God's Providence could preserve the hope of these afflicted people for a better future. Soon there came another terrible blow from the hand of God. In the year 1828 the crops stood splendidly in the fields but an unusual hailstorm came and destroyed everything in an hour. In the same year there came an animal disease which killed nearly all the livestock. The wound which this year had inflicted had scarcely healed when the year 1833 came, with its terrible drought, which converted all fields and gardens to a barren desert. But the high point of the powers of destruction had not yet been reached. Again a ruinous epidemic took away what was left of the cattle. No matter what words one uses to describe the want and misery, they give only a weak picture of the actual suffering endured by these sorely tried people. But help from government authorities and their trust in God kept their hope alive and gave them new courage to get back to work again. There now followed a few prosperous years which made up for the years of suffering but did not wipe out the memory of them.

Other occurrences were: In the winter of 1825 it stormed so violently for eight weeks that it appeared that all life would perish. In the year 1847 from 26 December to 15 January 1848 there was again a violent storm during which neither churches nor schools could he opened. In the year 1838 at eight o'clock one evening there was a strong minute-long earthquake.  In 1843 steppe mice did much damage to the crops. There were fires in 1832 and 1834. The year 1833 has become proverbial as the bad year and the winter of 1825 as the stormy winter. These were the events of a depressing kind, but we should note also the good effects they had on us.

The farmer, always engrossed in his occupation with its many cares, is understandably not in a position to search out and make use of new discoveries that promote his welfare, however close to him they may lie.  But the government authorities are able to do this and to promote in a fatherly way the advancement of their subjects. It is to them mainly that we owe the improvements in the cultivation of fields and gardens. Moral education too is based on laws and ordinances received from them. Churches and schools were built at their suggestion. The community granary was built in 1846 forests and roads in 1848. Improved horse breeding was introduced. People's welfare was fostered. May the younger generation continue to enjoy this favor; through strict moral behavior genuine patriotism and faithful obedience to prescribed laws may it earn its continuance.

1848
Signed by: author teacher Stein and by Mayor Kunkel.

Coordinated with GRHS Village Research Clearing House
Coordinated with AHSGR/GRHS Translation Committee Chairman
Original translation: Adam Geisinger
Publication: AHSGR Journal Vol.2, No. 1 (1979)
Scanned: Dale Lee Wahl
Permission granted for posting on GRHS: May/2006

(NOTE - More data of interest is contained in the above reference Journal article than is contained in this history. Copies available from the AHSGR.)
 

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