They are very rare today and very hard to find...
The year would have been 1967. I remember a neighbor kid got one, so we pleaded with our parents for the same for Christmas. And the kind parents they were, we did indeed get each one of these .
Made by Marx Collectors, it was the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk fighter plane.
I can assure you, my brother and I had many hours of fun with this awesome toy.
So happy I finally found it and what it was!
On this day 149 years ago, The Imperial Russian Government issued a 2nd decree repealing many of the privileges the German-Russians held. Military service in the Russian army was now compulsory for all German-Russian men. This prompted thousands to leave for North and South America. (Source: AHSGR)
Our own Gerk family must have also decided it was time to go. Archival documents show my great-great grandfather, Johann Georg Gerk, applied for and received a passport in 1877.
From the archives in Saratov (GASO), we can now see a copy of the original passport and background forms for the application:
Johannes Gerk, 50, wife Katarina, 50, son Johann-Georg, 23, his wife Margareta, 23, their daughter Margareta, 2, and the 2nd son Johann-Georg, 8.
Naturally, the question arising from these documents is this: Why was the passport never used? What changed their minds? Our great-great grandfather will die in Josefstal on 27 July 1886 at the age of 59 having never used the passport he applied for.
Eventually, in 1902, the oldest son, Johann Georg Gerk, (born 8 October 1853) will emigrate to Argentina.
Sometimes old documents provide only questions and not answers.
He was 22 years old.
Put in prison by the communists for crimes he did not commit. His father gave him a horse and he left Russia with his brother and wife, along with friends from his village.
On the way his brother will die of Typhus. He will work as a shoemaker in Minsk. In December of 1922, he will arrive, along with 900 other refugees, in a refugee camp located in Frankfurt/Oder, Germany.
There he will work to regain his health and work to support himself, all the while try to figure out where he should go.
2 years later, on March 25, 1924, he will board the SS Montrose, and leave for the one country that would take him.
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| SS Montrose |
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| Paul Gerk Passenger List |
Sponsored by a Canadian Catholic refugee organization, known as the "Volksverein", Paul Gerk will be sponsored by the Jack Eheman family in Holdfast, Saskatchewan.
Paul will arrive, along with best friend, Georg Stremel, at Saint John's, Newfoundland, Canada, on April 5, 1924.
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| Passenger listing for Georg Stremel |
Refugees were met at Saint John's by Father Kierdorf of the Volksverein. There he will assist the new immigrants with their travel to farms in Saskatchewan.
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| Canadian Pacific Railway Docks, West Saint John, N.B. (1929) Credit: Canada. Dept. of Interior / Library and Archives Canada / PA-049774 |
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| Paul Gerk, Holdfast, Saskatchewan, 1924 |
I never knew my grandfather, but my grandmother would often tell me how happy and thankful Paul was at the opportunities in his adopted land of Canada.
Paul was told after a year of work that if he stayed on with the farm work, his farm sponsor would pay for the passage of his wife, Elisabeth Dieser Gerk, to also come to Canada. She would arrive in Canada in 1925.
100 years. In so many ways our family has been blessed to live in Canada. Arriving here with nothing, our grandfather taught us the principles of courage, faith and family. The hope was to eventually bring other family members here from Russia, but the iron curtain slammed shut and our family was taken from us....not to hear from them again for over 50 years.
Our family has much to be thankful for. Starting with the amazing bravery, 100 years ago, of our grandparents, Paul and Elisabeth Gerk.
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| Behind the scene negotiations for refugees to Canada |
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| Behind the scene negotiations for refugees to Canada for April 2024 |
"A teenager has breakfast, then goes to the store to buy the latest CD of a new band. The kid thinks he lives in a modern moment. But who has defined what a 'band' is? Who defined a 'store'? Who defined a 'teenager'? Or 'breakfast'? To say nothing of all the rest, the kid's entire social setting - family, school, clothing, transportation and government.
"None of this has been decided in the present. Most of it was decided hundreds of years ago. Five hundred years, a thousand years. This kid is sitting on top of a mountain that is the past. And he never notices it. He is ruled by what he never sees, never thinks about, doesn't know. It is a form of coercion that is accepted without question. This same kid is skeptical of other forms of control - parental restrictions, commercial messages, government laws. But the invisible rule of the past, which decides nearly everything in his life, goes unquestioned."
-Michael Crichton, “Timeline”
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| Volga German refugees bound for Canada - March 1924 |
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| Paul Gerk (upper left), March 1924. |
100 years ago, on March 23, 1924, my grandfather, Paul Gerk, began his journey to a new chapter of his life.
Living in a refugee camp since December 1922, having escaped from the Volga River area of Russia, Paul Gerk would begin his new life in Canada.
I can't even imagine what his journey was like. Leaving Russia after being imprisoned by the Communists. Paul left with his oldest brother, Michael, and his wife Margareta Stremel Gerk. Michael will die, probably from typhus, somewhere near Minsk and the Polish border.
His hope seemed to be to connect with family in Fort Dodge, Iowa.
In his original transport list from Minsk to Frankfurt/Oder, lists Gottfried Winter as a potential contact.
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| "Der Wolgadeutsche", January 1923 |
Eventually, Paul Gerk will be sponsored by a family in Saskatchewan, near Holdfast.
His trek started 100 years ago this week. On March 22, 1924, a group of about 76 men will leave the refugee camp in Frankfurt/Oder, and travel to the Port of Hamburg.
We have a description of this first leg of the journey, written by S. Feist, in the May 1924 edition of "Clemens Blatt".
Feist writes:
"After the Canadian Catholic Church Members Society had successfully arranged for the German refugees’ emigration from the Volga and Black Sea Provinces to Canada and their settlement possibilities amongst the Canadian farmers, it was then their most important duty to assemble and conduct their transport, departure, and the travel route. Among the first duties of the authoritative St. Raphael Society in Hamburg regarding the assembling of the first refugee transport was to place it under our care, namely the Catholic Social Welfare. It accordingly then became our duty to prepare the emigrants for emigration. On March 19th I went to the refugee camp located in Frankfurt on the Oder to get and prepare a full and complete list of the emigrants. Immediately upon getting acquainted, those representing the Catholic Volksverein in Canada, which had the prepared emigration requirements, declared that 76 persons were already listed for emigration; however, with the explicit wish that all concerned organizations might do their utmost to have the families of the emigrants soon follow them to Canada. The transport’s departure was firmly set for March 23rd. To lighten the parting of these emigrant heads of families, a wish was generally expressed that our Diocese Bishop, Cardinal Kessler, might conduct a solemn farewell Mass in the Frankfurt camp. Early in the morning of March 22nd Bishop Kessler and I traveled together to the camp, where we were cheerfully welcomed by the refugees.
In the considerably bleak and cold camp-church Bishop Kessler conducted high mass and at its end he gave a short speech. He stated that this approaching parting is a parting from wife and children, even though on unfamiliar soil. He further stated that he wanted the emigrants to always keep their holy faith and always keep in mind to be good Catholics in Canada just as they had been in their homeland diocese. In all necessities he urged them to take refuge in prayer and never give up hope, and that after the bitter hour of parting there will be a happy reunion. He also stated that the St. Raphael Society and the Catholic Social Welfare in cooperation with the Catholic Volksverein in Canada will exert every means possible to succeed in the shortest period of time to have their families soon rejoin them in Canada.
In the evening of March 23rd the emigrants, after a tearful and difficult departure, began their travel from the “Grube Vaterland” station, a branch depot of the Frankfurt-Cottbus line, in three already provided railway cars. Here, too, various speeches of comfort were spoken to the left-behind wives and children and the departing men.
At the railway station in Berlin via a telegraph notification the entire Board of Directors of our Catholic Social Welfare for Russia appeared. Here again the emigrating refugees received wishes for their infinite good, and were promised that everything will be set in motion so that their left-behind families can most quickly follow them. On Sunday, March 23rd, we arrived in Hamburg and were welcomed by a representative of the St. Raphael’s Society and an agent of the Emigration Office. Under the navigation agent’s escort we came to the emigration hall. After the completion of the usual formalities, a breakfast was served for the refugees. Then after a medical examination they were brought into two pavilions. At the suggestion of he emigrants a vesper and rosary service was conducted. On Monday morning the Rev. Dr. Kralewsky of the St. Raphael Society conducted a high mass.
Then the emigrants stepped into the usual completion formalities for emigration. It must be emphasized that the medical examination is strictly undertaken. Up to the examination time the emigrants had been cheerful and their humour also had not failed them. After the last medical exam, then the medical examination results were announced, resulting in a sad picture. Of the 76 persons examined, 27 were denied emigration due to illness. It must also be mentioned that our (Catholic Social Welfare) emigration transport was praised by the Board of Directors and the Navigation Association as having made a good impression. It can therefore be determined that our emigrants also will make a good impression upon the American farmers.
On March 25th, the Annunciation Day, the General secretary of the St. Raphaelsvereins (St. Raphael Society), namely Rev. P. Timpe came and conducted a high mass in the chapel on the (emigration hall) site. P. Timpe at the end of the mass, which he kindly had set up for the refugees, gave a short speech to give courage to the departing emigrant group. He spoke of his hope that by their good and willing work in Canada the farmers there will be ready and willing to also help bring their families to them. On March 26th we escorted the 49 emigrants to the train station, from which they were to go Rotterdam. Rev. P. Timpe likewise was at the train station and once again delivered his promise and pledge before their eyes. Then the train started on its way and everyone shouted, “Auf Wiedersehen”. (Till we meet again.)
That same evening we traveled back with the emigrant-denied people going through Berlin to the Frankfurt camp. To give the American friends an opportunity to help them get to know the emigrants individually, we gave them photographs, which eventually could help establish acquaintanceships or kinships. In closing, I point out with firm satisfaction that the people we selected for the first transport have in all concerns made a very good impression. I also hope that the American farmers will also be satisfied with them. In conclusion, the following request is also made to the Canadischen Katholichen Volksverein (Canadian Catholic Church Members Society): that in due course they will want to do everything possible so that the left-behind family members can soon follow to join their loved ones. "
List of Refugees to Canada March 1924 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richelhof, Friedrich | Abt, Kilian | Weisbeck, Johannes | Mildenberger, Jakob | Stankowitz, Johannes |
| Diel, Adam | Burgardt, Peter | Gerk, Paul | Blattner, Jakob | Rau, Heinrich |
| Rutzman, Josef | Stalldecker, Albinius | Frank, Adolf | Weichel, Georg | Schermer, Adam |
| Storm, Alexander | Zelbel, Reinhold | Okulewitsch. Leo | Eckermann, Johannes | Dandörfer, Jakob |
| Abt, Florian | Neitzich, Peter | Gottseltig, Johannes | Weichel, Peter | Markel, Georg |
| Martel, Sebastian | Wagner, Clemens | Weingardt, Johannes | Weichel, Peter | Wucheuauer, Georg |
| Meringer, Michael | Herlein, Anton | Stremel, Georg | Seelmann, Heinrich | Werner, Georg |
| Eberhardt, Johannes | Terre, Johannes | Schönberger, Josef | Rolsing, Andreas | Specht, Georg |
| Schowalie, Johannes | Wander, Johann | Schönberger, Dionysius | Specht, Josef | Rohleder, Johann |
| Schowalie, Adolf | Weisbeck, Johannes | Schamber, Raymund | Dandörfer, Peter | Rieth, Georg |
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| Passport of Paul Gerk - March 1924 |
The burial is my grandfather, Paul Gerk, who died June 3, 1954 at the age of 52.
The lonely figure standing there is my grandfather's best friend, Georg Stremel. Standing in an honour guard position, as both of the men were with the Knights of Columbus.
Georg Stremel was also from Josefstal, a little village near the Volga River, in Russia. Both the Stremel family, and my grandfather, escaped Russia at the same time, and even ended up in the same refugee camp in Frankfurt/Oder in Germany.
Both Georg Stremel and Paul Gerk will arrive in Canada at the same time, in April of 1924. Georg will write my grandfather and tell him to move from Saskatchewan to the Kelowna/Rutland area. In 1929 Paul Gerk, wife Elisabeth and their 2 children will do just that.
The Stremel and Gerk families would remain close all their lives. They had been through war, revolution, civil war, famine and escape, all together.
Best friends forever.
Another friend has passed away. We were best friends around the age of 14 or so. Just attended the burial service.
Sigh.
That's a big responsibility.
What if I choose "poorly", LOL.
Anyways, you have your treatment and then it's over. To everyone. You are supposed to think that way too.
The reality is I am not considered "cancer free" until around 5 years after my surgery, then it is really in "remission". My grade of cancer was quite high, which means it has a high rate of recurrence. I get checked every few months.
But no matter...I was wondering about my frame of mind...then someone on one of the cancer support groups recommended this book. I've bought it and hoping it will be helpful...although I am told by many it was so helpful to them on their cancer journey.
If you are on this journey, here's the link to the book.
Although I can't comprehend all the years that have gone by.
I clipped this article from the Soviet German-language paper "Neues Leben" in 1980.
Searching for our family in the USSR, I would clip any articles that mentioned our family name of Gerk.
This one article was a congratulatory letter to Albert Gerk on the occasion of his 60th birthday. Meaning, of course, that Albert was born in or around 1920 in the Volga German village of Koehler. I placed it in a file...hoping that one day the mystery of Albert Gerk would be solved.
Accessing more historical records the last few months, I was able to get a copy of Albert's birth record. Born September 5, 1920 to parents Johannes Gerk and Magdalena Immherr.
Albert passed away sometime in the late 1980's near the city of Karaganda...where thousands of Volga Germans were deported to in the fall of 1941.
40 years.
Going
through old files when I was actively looking for our family. I would
write anyone who has ties to our village in hopes of finding a link for
my grandmother. This family has the same last name as my grandmother,
although spelt slightly different...started writing back and forth in 1980.
Finally, after receiving Church records we can confirm that Val Deaser's grandfather and my grandmother's grandfather were brothers!
Val passed away in 2003 at the age of 90.
All these people I wrote to through
the years are all gone now. Sometimes this is a lonely hobby.
Sigh.
Another sad story. I set out to determine what happened to everyone in our family. My grandparents escaped from Russia in the 1920's. Thinking they would be able to keep in touch with their parents and siblings.
They were wrong.
After 1933 there was silence.
My grandfather's oldest sister, born in 1896, would marry Michael Kisser on October 23, 1912.
This picture of them both, with 2 of their children (Beata and Isabella), was taken in 1917.
Anna will die in the USSR in 1983.
I always wondered what happened to Michael. Now word from family in Germany confirms what we did not know.
A relative writes:
"Anna's first man (Michael Kisser) was arrested during the Soviet famine of the 1930s. In order to feed his family, he fetched grains of wheat from the field. The wheat grains were fried and eaten to survive. Once the police caught him. He was sentenced to 10 years for stealing Soviet property. Michael had a very soft heart. Prison, imprisonment and being separated from his family have taken a toll on him. Anna Gerk regularly visited him in prison. But the prison officials told her that Michael will not survive his imprisonment. Prison has broken him and his psyche badly. One day he died. He spent in prison no more than 1 or 1.5 years."
That was around 1933-1934.
Some more photographs from family:
Anna will marry again, Konrad Arnold, a widower. They will have 2 children, Josef and Anna. Konrad will suffer the same fate and will be arrested in 1938.
The great-grandson of Anna writes:
"In fact, we don't know much about Konrad Arnold. My grandmother was 1 year old when her father (Konrad Arnold) disappeared. One day people from the state security came and took him from his family and home away. Apparently, he was sent to Siberia. After that, his wife, Anna (Gerk) Arnold received only one letter from him. Nothing was ever heard from him again. Anna (Gerk) Arnold said to my grandmother (Anna Arnold) that Konrad was a shoemaker by trade. While working, he sang Christian songs that were normally sung in church. And apparently this was not allowed. The Communist Party and Stalin in particular had opposed religion."
I want to say that my grandparents would have been heartbroken to know what was happening to their family. But I know their hearts were already broken from not knowing.I write these stories, as sad as they are, so our family never forgets...and to honour those who have gone before us.
Walked through my old neighborhood today....and from there to my old elementary school. Wow. Walking there and back was about 30 minutes. As a kid it seemed like an eternity!
I was amazed at my "shortcuts". Different ways through, in those days, "spooky" back alleys...all to save just a few feet. I had a paper route there as well.
Again, it seemed like a never-ending route!
It's funny, perspective I mean. I can look at this area and so well remember where I walked. It's such a little space, in actuality. Yet as a kid growing up...the distance seemed huge.
The hard part was, naturally, seeing our old house. With all my heart I wish I could just go open the door and say Hi to Mom & Dad.
Now other families live there. Making their own memories that they can access years in the future.
In 1979, at the age of 18, I took some time to interview her about her life in Russia.
I kept those recordings and digitized them years ago. In hopes that they will always be available, I've placed them here as well.
Funny, there are scores of additional questions I wish I had asked her....but in those days we never dreamed the USSR would collapse, and archives thrown open.
I'm just so happy we can still hear her voice after so many years.
The call I thought I was prepared for....the call I was in denial about.
Let's face it. No one can ever really be prepared for THAT phone call you get from a Doctor.
I was out walking when it came. I can even show you on the mountain where I was standing when it came.
A year.
Quite frankly, as I write these words, I never thought I would still be here.
Now a year has gone by. I survived my surgery. My first test has come back showing no recurrence. No spread. It will be a process I go through every 6 months for the next 5 years.
So what did I learn? What was it all for?
I wrestle with that. I'm not "out of the woods", I realize that.
I am trying to number my days. Does my life count? Did it count? How can I change what I need to change for the future....a future that I can't assume is there?
These are my thoughts in the night.
This was a labour of love....our grandmother's were sisters...and we both had listened to all their stories as we grew up.
On my many trips to Russia, I was able to compile a large archive of historical documents from former Soviet archives....all dealing with the history of our little village.
Now out of print, the book has been made available online thanks to special permission from Lora Dreiser, Alex's widow.
I post this for posterity here.
