A Historical Picture of German Resettlement to Kazakhstan (End of the 19th Century–Beginning of the 20th Century)

Abstract—Each nation living in Kazakhstan has its own history of resettlement to the Kazakh steppes. Germans are no exception. In the last quarter of the 19th century, they started to relocate from the Volga region to Akmola and Semipalatinsk oblasts of the Governor-Generalship of the Steppes, Syr Dar’ya oblast of the Turkestan Governor-Generalship, and Turgai and Ural oblasts of the Russian Empire, i.e., preferentially to the north of Kazakhstan, where they founded a host of settlements. The settlers managed to organize their economy and everyday life, strictly followed national traditions, and preserved their religion and culture. The authors investigate the causes of German resettlement to Kazakhstan, the places where they settled, their sociocultural and living conditions, and economic activities.