[Ger-Poland-Volhynia] Germans drafted in Russian army

[Helen Gillespie]

I agree, this is an interesting topic.  My grandfather Emil Bethke also served in the Russian military - in the Czar's navy - or perhaps marines.  He was stationed in the Finland Basin at the time the Revolution broke out and returned to his home in Wolhynia - only to find that his mother and siblings had been deported to Siberia - as were other Germans in Russia.  

Presumably he located them through the newspapers which had listed many of the deportees and there whereabouts - my grandmother`s parents were among those listed in Richard Benert`s listing in the last issue of the newsletter.

Apparently he returned to get some kind of final pay - which was used to hire a railway wagon so that several families returned to their homes in Solomka (Friedrichsdorf) near Rovno.  

In that WWI - my grandmother`had two brothers who served in the armies - one on the Russian side and one on the Austro-Hungarian or German side - and they were from the same village!  Not quite sure how this was accomplished.  One survived, the other did not.



By the way - there are some Russian military photos on a Flickr page and one is of 3 military personnel.  There is writing on the back of one which the poster would love to have translated

Here``s the link to the photos  - http://www.flickr.com/photos/sunnybrook100/sets/72157615683192081/


The FEEFHS have a link to the Russian State Naval Archive that apparently lists all personnel from 1696 to 1940.  I don`t know anyone who has searched for ancestors in their system, but would be interested in locating my own grandfather, but I don`t know what his rank would have been nor what spelling they would have to search for.  The family name is BETHKE.

http://feefhs.org/members/blitz/blitzna.html

Here`s a site with a chronology and military history of Russia.  It`s in English.
http://www.russianwarrior.com/
 Some of the links are not active and others are commercial and/or questionable but there is a site with old military photos that might be of interest.

Helen

--- On Mon, 5/18/09, GARY.RUPPERT at comcast.net <GARY.RUPPERT at comcast.net> wrote:

> From: GARY.RUPPERT at comcast.net <GARY.RUPPERT at comcast.net>
> Subject: Re: [Ger-Poland-Volhynia] Germans drafted in Russian army
> To: ger-poland-volhynia at eclipse.sggee.org
> Received: Monday, May 18, 2009, 10:11 PM
> 
> 
> This is a very interesting topic and one that I had not
> previously given much thought to. I'm wondering if there are
> any available records that have survived or are accessible
> from this side of the Atlantic? Any input is appreciated. 
> 
> 
> 
> THANKs 
> 
> 
> 
> Gary 
> 
> 18 May 2009 
> Baltimore 
> 
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