mikedilger on Nostr: My direct ancestor founded this village. Zoom out to see where it is: ...
My direct ancestor founded this village. Zoom out to see where it is:
https://www.google.com/maps/@47.2291833,31.5014417,3140m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu
Katherine (I still use the 'K') the Great (born Sophie, princess of Prussia) was married to Peter, czar of Russia. She overthrew him and ruled for 34 years, inspired by the ideas of the enlightenment, brining a renaissance of culture and science to Russia, and conquering new lands from the Turks, Persians and Crimeans. She invited Germans to populate those lands and made them an offer they couldn't refuse in 1761/1762:
1. Free transportation to the area
2. Free land!
3. Interest free loans for building and development
4. The right to create self-ruled colonies independent of the Russian legal system
5. Religious freedom
6. 30 years of exemption from taxation
7. Exemption from military service
It was like a Libertarian mecca. An enlightenment-based ruler, promising independence, and giving away free shit.
Alexander I extended the deal again in 1804. I'm not sure when my ancestors came... one line of evidence shows they were there before 1804, but other lines of evidence shows the area was populated after 1804. In any case, they took one of those two deals.
Jakob Dilger came from Schweighoven in South West Germany (Alsace-Lorraine area on the edge of France) and founded Katherinental in 1817 along with others. Sometimes I like to call myself an "Alsatian" (a term many use for German Shepherds after WWII to avoid honoring Germany).
By 1910, my grandfather Franz had immigrated to America via Ellis Island NY and settled in North Dakota, and my grandmother similarly (she lived in the nearby village of Landau). And thank God they left because shit got worse and worse after that. 1917-1920 revolution, holodomor, shipping Germans to Siberia, etc. America was the new Libertarian mecca.
https://www.google.com/maps/@47.2291833,31.5014417,3140m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu
Katherine (I still use the 'K') the Great (born Sophie, princess of Prussia) was married to Peter, czar of Russia. She overthrew him and ruled for 34 years, inspired by the ideas of the enlightenment, brining a renaissance of culture and science to Russia, and conquering new lands from the Turks, Persians and Crimeans. She invited Germans to populate those lands and made them an offer they couldn't refuse in 1761/1762:
1. Free transportation to the area
2. Free land!
3. Interest free loans for building and development
4. The right to create self-ruled colonies independent of the Russian legal system
5. Religious freedom
6. 30 years of exemption from taxation
7. Exemption from military service
It was like a Libertarian mecca. An enlightenment-based ruler, promising independence, and giving away free shit.
Alexander I extended the deal again in 1804. I'm not sure when my ancestors came... one line of evidence shows they were there before 1804, but other lines of evidence shows the area was populated after 1804. In any case, they took one of those two deals.
Jakob Dilger came from Schweighoven in South West Germany (Alsace-Lorraine area on the edge of France) and founded Katherinental in 1817 along with others. Sometimes I like to call myself an "Alsatian" (a term many use for German Shepherds after WWII to avoid honoring Germany).
By 1910, my grandfather Franz had immigrated to America via Ellis Island NY and settled in North Dakota, and my grandmother similarly (she lived in the nearby village of Landau). And thank God they left because shit got worse and worse after that. 1917-1920 revolution, holodomor, shipping Germans to Siberia, etc. America was the new Libertarian mecca.