Migration waves during the 19th century:A Comparison Between the Migration waves from Germany to Russia and from Ireland to

Americawith a spot on the current return movement

Reasons for Emigrating from Ireland to America

• the Irish Potato Famine (1845 – 1849)

• it’s aftermath, lasting until 1851

• high unemployment as a result of reformation of the agricultural law

http://www.jessajune.com/photos/2002/ireland/ireland216.jpg

Effects on Ireland and America

IRELAND:

• between 1.5 – 2 million people emigrated

• less people to feed / relatively low unemployment rate

USA:

• lots of unemployed people cheap workforces

• more farmers, catholic priests, etc.

• enriched holiday calendar: St. Patrick’s Day

Map of Irish Population in America during the 19th Century

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/irish_pop_1872.jpg

The Return Movement of the Irish

• there isn’t a real return movement to Ireland

• thousands are leaving the Green Island annually

• in 2002 more than 60,000 people immigrated

• 11,634 asylum seekers

• in 2004 a law that gave everyone born on Irish soil Irish nationality was changed by plebiscite

Reasons for Emigrating from Germany to Russia

• Manifesto of the Russian Empress Catherine II• subsidies for raising a

company (cheap workers)• free practicing of religion• exemption of joining the

army• exemption of paying

taxes for at least ten years

• not enough space to grow enough crops to feed a family

http://www.library.yale.edu/slavic/coins/images/portraits/Catherine2.jpg

• Rev. Samuel G.C. Cloeter had idea of founding settlements as refuges for Christians during “end times”

Effects on Germany and Russia

RUSSIA:• more skilled farmers for cultivating for

new regions• German entrepreneurs empowered

Russian economy• Russian farmers in competition with

German farmers• nomads felt endangered and robbed of

their land

GERMANY:• more space for other farmers• fewer soldiers for following wars• loss of craftsmen and “wealthy” people

German Settlements in Russia during the 19th Century

The Return Movement of the Germans from Russia

• started in 1980’s• until 1990 most of them were religious

refugees• after fall of the Iron Curtain 1.6 million

German Russians returned to Germany• they thought life in Germany would be

better

History of the Families Sütterlin and Albach I

• he moved to “Gnadenburg” at the age of 22 in the summer of 1890

• worked there as a carpenter• 1914: he had six children, three others

died early• exported queen bees to Germany and

the US, ran a farm and a carpenters shop• was deported to work camp north of

Moscow (railroad worker)• was released in 1918• returned to Germany with a part of his

children

Paul Sütterlin

History of the Families Sütterlin and Albach II

• Soviets closed down the borders in 1929• was deported to Siberia and probably

died there (his father was executed at the age of 72)

• people of Gnadenburg were brought to a kolkhoz in Kazakhstan

• my grandmother married and they moved to Nowokusnezk

• returned to Germany in June 1990

Ernst Sütterlin

The Caucasus Region - Impressions

For More Information . . .

Click:

• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_minority_in_Russia_and_Soviet_Union

• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Potato_Famine_%281845-1849%29

• www.migrationinformation.org/Profiles/display.cfm?id=260

Read:

• Schnurr, J. (Eds.). Die Kirchen und das religiöse Leben der Russlanddeutschen. Evangelischer Teil. (pp. 432-436). Stuttgart: AER Verlag

Or ask:• my grandparents