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:
Data from the original application, and from the actual passport itself, show the documents were for:
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.
