Tracing the German Diaspora: A Grandson's Journey Through Ukraine and the Caucasus
This feature article from Die Welt explores the history of 'Russian Germans' through the personal story of Michael Riepl, who followed the footsteps of his grandmother Hedwig Krämer. Born in 1919 in a German settlement in what is now Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Ukraine, Hedwig was part of a diaspora that began with Catherine the Great's recruitment of German colonists in the 18th and 19th centuries. Riepl, now living in Armenia, wrote a book based on his grandmother's 300-page typescript, interspersed with his own travels from 2018 to 2025. The article contrasts this historical emigration with modern records showing over 288,000 Germans left the country in 2025. It highlights the cultural and agricultural contributions of German settlers, their displacement under Stalin, and the enduring traces of their presence, such as roof tiles in the Altmontal region.
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