MIGRATION OF COLONISTS FROM GERMANY IN 1761 TO SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN AND LATER TO THE VOLGA IN 1763.
In 1761, the Danish king (Duke of Schleswig-Holstein) recruited people from souther Germany to settle in Schleswig-Holstein, to drain the bogs and swamps and make the land productive. Many Germans answered the appeal. Later the worsoning economic situation and resentment by local domestic workmen caused some colonists to break their contract with the king and desert. As the number of desertions increased, provision was made for colonists to apply for permission to leave.
At the same time, czarina Katharina the Great issued the manifesto that encouraged people to come to Russia. Amough the enducements was provision for advance payment of colonist costs for the journey. There was a resident recruiter of colonist in Kiel.
The colonist records in Schleswig show that many colonists left, some requesting permission to do so while others simply deserted without a trace. Transport lists of those leaving from Travemünde and Lübeck are not to be found.
The Kuhlberg lists do provide listings of colonists arriving in Russia. The Volga village census records are another source. By comparing family names and ther names and ages of family members, I come to the conclusion that there is a high probability that many of the families that left Schleswig-Holstein became colonists on the Volga.