Russian Documents

My journey into genealogy began before my children were born; I was twenty-six. At that time, I worked as a Music Therapist in the Activity Department of a St. Paul nursing home where one of my daily duties was to read aloud from the Pioneer Press newspaper. One particular morning, I read a short announcement about an upcoming meeting of the North Star Chapter of Minnesota, an organization dedicated to preserving the heritage of Germans from Russia. Intrigued, I asked the assembled residents if they had ever heard of “Germans from Russia.” No one had.

That evening when my husband and I discussed it, we recalled my paternal grandfather’s stories about his father: Konstantin “Charlie,” a German man who had come to America and could speak several languages. After supper, I telephoned my Grandpa Otto and asked him if he had heard of Germans from Russia. Yes, of course! His parents were exactly that.

Within a couple of days, I received an envelope with Grandpa’s Xerox copies of documents, some written in Russian Cyrillic. On April 19, 1986 I attended my first genealogy society meeting where a kind volunteer named Gary Lehr translated a travel document and a marriage certificate!  I was hooked.

Rovensky Village
Volynnya Provence
27 May 1910

Be it known that peasant Pauline Danielova Arndt of 49 years that she and her children (I)manual, Bertha and Emma is departing for Kalizhsky Provence meeting relatives. [Russian Patronymic means that Pauline’s father’s name was Daniel.]

Petrogovsky Provence
Pe_rokovsky Region
Kischenowski Town
For the conscription (to the army) or census of population
Civil Status Certificate

It shall be certified that Gottfried Arnt son of Unknown Father and (mother) Karoline Arnt has entered into marriage at Julian calendar 31 Oct 1882/Gregorian calendar 12 Nov 1881 with Pauline born Kot. Document issued April 3/15, 1883 by Pastor and registrar.