Famine of 1921-22 and the Volga Germans

1.[饥荒原因]1921-1922年伏尔加河之地的饥荒不仅是由非常可怕的干旱造成的，还与第一次世界大战期间俄罗斯人民的反德意识和行为、1917年10月社会主义革命后南北战争期间红军和白军严格要求粮食供应、缺乏适当的政策和良好的交通等因素有关。因此，这场饥荒不仅仅是一场自然灾害，也有人为灾难的一面。这一观点是非常重要的2.[饥荒的实际情况]德国农民反对严格征用粮食的抵抗和起义导致了悲惨的结局，可怕的饥饿袭击了他们。在村庄里，许多人饿死了。伏尔加德国人给他们在德国和美国的亲戚和熟人写信，告诉他们饥荒的痛苦，并寻求帮助。避难所和疏散人数增加。救济来自俄罗斯的其他地区，但更重要的是来自德国、美国等组织和个人的救济(食物和金钱的供应、村里的食物供应、医疗服务等)。1923年饥荒结束，但1924年新的饥荒再次袭击了伏尔加德国人。这种关于饥荒实际情况的研究在过去是没有的。3.从饥荒中逃脱的许多德国人逃到了另一个国家，特别是德国，其中一些人在途中死亡。能够幸运地继续旅行的人来到了明斯克，这是一个靠近德波边境的城市，但是，尽管他们中只有几个人可以合法越境，但许多人不得不非法越境，其中一些人被发现，要么被关闭，要么被关闭，要么休息，然后被驱逐到俄罗斯。这种关于伏尔加德国人逃到另一个国家的研究在过去是没有的。

1.【 Causes of famine】 Famine of 1921-22 in the land of the Volga was caused not only by very terrible droughts, but also by the anti-German consciousness and behavior of Russian people in the World War I, the strict requisition of provisions by the Red Army and the White Army during the Civil War after the socialistic Revolution of October, 1917, lack of appropriate policies and a good transportation and so on. Therefore, this famine was not a mere natural disaster, but had a side of an artificial disaster also. This point of view is very important2.【Actual situation of famine】 Resistance and uprisings of German peasants against the strict requisition of provisions resulted in a tragic end, and a terrible hunger attacked them. In the villages many persons starved to death. Volga Germans wrote letters to their relatives and acquaintances in Germany and America in which they informed of distress of famine and asked for help. Refuges and evacuees increased. The relief came from another regions in Russia, but more important role played the relief(supply of food and money, providing meals in villages, medical service and so on) from German, American and other organizations and individuals. Famine ended in 1923, but new famine attacked the Volga Germans in 1924 again. Such research about the actual situation of famine is not found in the past.3.【Escape to another countries】 From famine escaped many Germans to another countries, especially to Germany, some of whom died on the way. People who could continue luckily to travel came to Minsk, a city near the German-Polish border, but, though only a few persons of them could cross legally, many persons had to cross illegally the border, some of whom were found, shut to death or rested and deported to Russia. Such research about the escape of the Volga Germans to another countries is not found in the past.