Hildmann Village Website
Hildmann, Saratov, Volga,
Russia
"Panovka", Volga River, Bergseite,
Russia
George Weissbeck
Images of Hildmann:
Volga Germans are known for their stories.
Ancestors, as well
have continued with this tradition.
This section attempts to show – in pictures and words – interesting
aspects of Hildmann – past and present. If you would like to submit a
picture or story of life in Hildmann please contact me at my email at
the bottom of this page.
Regina Remisch
If
you "click" on the images below, they will be enlarged.
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This is typical German house in Hildmann and in the entire Volga Region. The roof design is in four parts, two long and two shorts "hips." Note the detailed wood work over the windows. |
Same house with a
better look at the "fence"!
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This is the house directly across the street (dirt road) from the Hildmann school. Notice the carpet on the fence. Like the old days, they would use a broom to swat and clean the carpet while it is hanging on the fence. |
This picture depicts the old time hay stacks. The haystacks were about 200 meters from the school, on the way to Viktor Geist's. His house is just down the street from the school. Note the older equipment and hay rake. Modern times and implements have bypassed the smaller villages. These "mounds" are hay stacks for their livestock. “Mist Haufen” are mounds that are collected and later spread on the fields as fertilizer. |
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This road ran perpendicular to the road on which the school was located. The road is about 100 meters from the school. |
The fields are just on the outskirts of Hildmann, as we came in from the main road. |
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The school was located on the "main" street. A main street did appear to be apparent. |
The school's library
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Chart in the
school. In German!
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The principal
(right) and a teacher at the Hildmann school.
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This cemetery is
east of the village next to the railway tracks
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Upon arrival in Hildmann, I ask the translator to check with the lady if there were any Germans remaining in town. She said one man, Viktor Geist, but he no longer spoke German. Later I spoke to Mr. Brent Mai, our tour guide leader, and a leading authority on the Volga Germans. I related the story of Viktor not speaking German anymore, Viktor and his family were uprooted and deported to Siberia in 1941 when he was 4 years old. Mr. Mai said, bull...., he would have spoken German with his family in Siberia. I spoke to Dr. Mila, our other tour guide who was born in Russia and now teaches in Germany. I asked her to direct us to his house. So, my brother Reinhold, Dr. Mila, the principal and I walked about 200 kilometers to Viktor’s house. The principal had warned us that he was a cantankerous old man and may not speak to us. Viktor came out and we greeted each other with “Guten Tag,” we talked about our families being from Hildmann. I asked him if he was familiar with the Guettlein or Weissbeck names, “Yes I have heard those names before, but I do not recall individuals associated with these names.” He told us he was born in 1937 ,and was 4 years old in August of 1941 when the Russians deported all of the Germans. He served in the Russian army when he grew up and he thanked the Russians for making him a year younger because they listed his birthdate as 1938 instead of 1937. He said he preferred the Soviet system compared to the “modern” era. He stated that there was more discipline and that young people had jobs and respect. He said, "these young people now just what to be lazy, drink and lack discipline, which the Soviets would not have tolerated.” We thanked him for his time, hugged him and stuck some rubles into his shirt pocket. |
George Weissbeck's Story:
In Hildmann, during the famine
of the early
1930's, starvation was rampant and people had to do what they could to
survive. My mom related stories of people eating leaves off the trees
and their skin turning black.
Opa had a run-in with the authorities in the early 1930’s. The
collective farms had been started by the Bolsheviks and this was just
before the great famine of 1931-33. Apparently, Opa took some potatoes
from a field that had already been harvested. There were always some
stray potatoes remaining in the dirt. The story was that Opa stole
these potatoes and was reported to the authorities. Food was getting
very scarce and people did what they could to obtain any foodstuffs for
their families.
Another part of this era
and people is how the Volga Germans stayed true to their faith and
religion. I recall letters which my dad read aloud for my mom, a
greeting ALWAYS opened the letter and closed the letter with "Mit
Gottes Sagen." Their faith helped to strengthen, nourish, persevere and
keep them going. They felt that the “Good Lord would sustain them.” I
recall my mom saying that after they had left Hildmann and were in
Orsha, Belarus; a priest remarked to the Catholic Germans: "Wie habt
denn Ihr eueren Glauben behalten? "How did you keep your faith
(beliefs)?”
My oldest sister, Marie, died
in Siberia due to pneumonia. Mom said it took my dad and 2 uncles three
days working with picks, iron bars, and whatever was available to dig a
hole deep enough to put in the casket. This tells you how hard and deep
the permafrost was.
My oldest brother,
Reinhold has been a Catholic priest since 1972. He served a four-year
mission in Monteria, Colombia and continues to serve the Spanish
speaking community in various parishes in the Denver, Colorado area. My
dad died at the young age of 54. He did not see my brother ordained,
but I know Jesus had his arm around my dad’s shoulders and said; "Adam,
thank you for giving me your son."
George Weissbeck April 12, 2020
In Hildmann, during the famine of the early 1930's, starvation was rampant and people had to do what they could to survive. My mom related stories of people eating leaves off the trees and their skin turning black.
Opa had a run-in with the authorities in the early 1930’s. The collective farms had been started by the Bolsheviks and this was just before the great famine of 1931-33. Apparently, Opa took some potatoes from a field that had already been harvested. There were always some stray potatoes remaining in the dirt. The story was that Opa stole these potatoes and was reported to the authorities. Food was getting very scarce and people did what they could to obtain any foodstuffs for their families.
Another part of this era and people is how the Volga Germans stayed true to their faith and religion. I recall letters which my dad read aloud for my mom, a greeting ALWAYS opened the letter and closed the letter with "Mit Gottes Sagen." Their faith helped to strengthen, nourish, persevere and keep them going. They felt that the “Good Lord would sustain them.” I recall my mom saying that after they had left Hildmann and were in Orsha, Belarus; a priest remarked to the Catholic Germans: "Wie habt denn Ihr eueren Glauben behalten? "How did you keep your faith (beliefs)?”
My oldest sister, Marie, died in Siberia due to pneumonia. Mom said it took my dad and 2 uncles three days working with picks, iron bars, and whatever was available to dig a hole deep enough to put in the casket. This tells you how hard and deep the permafrost was.
My oldest brother, Reinhold has been a Catholic priest since 1972. He served a four-year mission in Monteria, Colombia and continues to serve the Spanish speaking community in various parishes in the Denver, Colorado area. My dad died at the young age of 54. He did not see my brother ordained, but I know Jesus had his arm around my dad’s shoulders and said; "Adam, thank you for giving me your son."
George Weissbeck April 12, 2020
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This picture was taken in Laub. The reason for the waves and the wideness of the river is due to a dam downstream. In the days of our ancestors, the river was free flowing, now there are several dams on the Volga. Several villages which were along the banks are now under water. A side story to go along with the Laub visit - We were looking for the old German cemetery and we spread out in this small almost abandoned little village. As we were down along the Volga and looking back at the steep cliffs, which were being eroded by the constant in and out motions of the waves, we saw some pieces of wood sticking out from the near top of the cliff. On the top of the cliff which was flat and wide, used to be the old German cemetery. Now with the dam in place and the constant erosion of the landscape, caskets and graves were being exposed. In the old days, this land was a long way from the free-flowing Volga, now mother nature was taking its toll. |
The above Images are
the property of George Weissbeck
and are copyrighted by
him and used here with permisdsion.
