American Historical Society Of Germans From Russia (AHSGR)

I've become inspired to learn more of our Family heritage, culture and traditions, and meet cousins across the U.S, Canada, South America, and Europe! AHSGR, it's staff, Board of Directors, and volunteers are a wealth of resources and information. A simple and sincere "thanks" seems too simple.

If you are researching your genealogy or are just interested in the origins of your family, and you discover that you have ties to the German regions of Russia, The AHSGR should be your next contact. The AHSGR is the premier organization and repository for all things German Russian. Census records, books, genealogies, maps, population movements, personal stories and much more are available through the AHSGR. Start by checking out our website and let a whole new world open for your families history.

I support AHSGR because it’s time the rest of the country understand our contribution to 20th C agricultural history of the US. Red Wheat, sunflowers and sugarbeets, carried from the volga steppes, fed this country through two world wars while a double stigma kept our grandparents from sharing their stories. Democratic values took root as well in the west where authoritarian tendencies had prevailed earlier. And, of course, we were unfortunately responsible for tumbling weeds.

I discovered AHSGR in 2021 during the middle of Covid summer. I was looking for more information on my ancestors and AHSGR was having their annual convention via Zoom. Thirty plus years earlier, one of my unknown cousins from California visited Wyoming and informed us of his research into the Stuckert family. I carried that information forward for years not knowing how to fit this puzzle together or collect other pieces of larger puzzle into a family tree.

AHSGR seemed to be the right organization to assist me in my research endeavors and consequently I became a member and ultimately a life member. I immediately found out that AHSGR has an amazing amount of research material about Germans from Russia. My subsequent visits to their research library in Lincoln, Nebraska was a gold mine. I found my great grandfather's village in Russia Yagodnaya, Polyana, Saratov Russia, census records of his family and ultimately more information on his immigration from Germany into Russia in 1767 and ultimately into the United State at the turn of the 20th century. AHSGR is a great resource facility with a fantastic research library and knowledgeable staff to assist in any adventure. I encourage everyone to visit the website AHSGR.ORG for up-to-date membership information as well as their newsletters, journals, and public and monthly zoom meetings covering a wide range of topics. Welcome to AHSGR...that is Germans from Russia!

Leads the way in uncovering the rich history of the Germans from Russia and their contributions to America after beginning to arrive in the mid to late 1800's. Excellent in finding ancestral records back into the early settlement days in Russia as they homesteaded there under Catherine the Great's invitation.

AHSGR is a wonderful resource and works hard to ensure that the historical documents of Germans from Russia who settled and farmed the Americas are maintained safely and appropriately! So much important history that could be lost if not for this wonderful organization!

In 2018 all we knew was our ancestral heritage back to the 1880s. Key words & phrases describing our German from Russia (GfR) family story were famine, interrogation and arrests by the Bolsheviks, death, profound struggles, escaping in the dead of the night. These words compelled me to discover the deeper story behind the arduous journey of two plus years to America. I joined AHSGR to uncover this unknown history. Not only did we discover an overwhelming story of courage, determination, and extraordinary triumph, we were able to correctly identify ancestry through lines back to the mid 1700’s. The ward winning website, allows members access to over 6,000 German Russian villages information with historical notes, free tools research resources, and books for purchase.

This is a fabulous organization to support. It has a library of genealogical material available for research and, very importantly, it has a lot of genealogical records available for purchase so you can research your family ties at your leisure at home. Translation of Russian records is expensive so I'm happy to financially support their work in obtaining and translating as many records as possible.

AHSGR has been a tremendous help to me in finding out about the lives of my Germans from Russia ancestors. I found out their last name is actually not German but of French extract.
I was honored when AHSGR asked me to be on their board. I look forward to many more years of working with this worthy historical society.

When I was in junior high school a lady by the name of Leona Pfeifer took me aside to tell me where my relatives came from. I knew we were Volga German and that my grandmother was born in Russia, but I didn't understand where. The stories from my grandmother were so sad that she would always start to cry and could never finish a story. Leona Pfeifer then began to tell me of an organization, the AMerican Historical Society of Germans from Russia and how so many people from the Volga area shared their stories and family histories with this Society. My interest grew and by the time I reach high school I was looking into my genealogy. Soon, I became a life member of the Society receiving their Journals and Newsletters that revealed the stories of my forefather. After a number of years I became a board member and have served on this born since 2009. This Society can tell you everything you want to know about your German from Russian roots and more. So glad I joined and better yet, so glad I became a board member!

I have always been interested in the origins of my ancestors. My ancestors were Germans who settled along the Volga river in Russia and later migrated to the western plains of the United States. I was aware of AHSGR as the preeminent non-profit organization focused on Germans from Russia, but I did not get actively involved in the organization until I was nearing retirement. AHSGR has provided me the following:

1. AHSGR publications, library holdings, volunteers and staff helped me confirm the German Russian ancestors of both of my parents (all 8 great-grandparents were born in Russia and died in the United States).

2. Through this process, I connected with many wonderful individuals who shared this common ancestral and cultural background. Spending time with these individuals reminds me of being with my own extended family of aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, etc.

3. I have gotten very involved in AHSGR, giving my time to help AHSGR provide programs and research services to other descendants of the Germans from Russia like me..

AHSGR plays a critical role in keeping the history of Germans from Russia alive for future generations.

I love AHSGR! AHSGR has helped me find family members as well as connect with other descendants of the Germans from Russia. It provides records, resources, programs, and a talented, knowledgable staff to help people make connections to the Germans from Russia heritage.

I appreciate the contributions that many people have shared over the years so that I can learn about my ancestry.