Did someone say Camels?

Volga German farmer using Camels

A fascinating part of the history of our Volga-German family was the use of Camels on the farm.

My grandmother mentioned it to me a few times...her family did not have them but the Gerk family did.

I don't know how many other families in their little village of Josefstal might have had them, but our family certainly did.

Confirmation came when this document about our family was discovered in the former Soviet archives in Volgograd (formerly Stalingrad)

It lists, among other things, the amount of land our family farmed...and also a list of farm animals owned.

It states:

…two wood houses, eight horses, from 8 to 10 bulls, 4 camels, 8 to 10 chickens, small livestock from 77 to 94, personal land of 45 hectares, rented land of 85 hectares. (Source: GAVO Fond 2659 Op. 2 14 L40)

So, there you have it. Our family had 4 camels. Fascinating to use camels on the farm...but common in Russia.