I recently discovered a great website for researching ancestors that are German that resided near the Black Sea, Black Sea German Research. “Our ancestors' historic and often perilous migratory journey in the early 1800s took them from their homes in Germany, Alsace, Poland, and Hungary to the Black Sea region of South Russia (now Ukraine). Their subsequent journeys led them to the plains of the United States, Canada, South America, and elsewhere around the globe” is their descriptive statement.

Currently, their site includes:

• A database of over 1.4+ million names and growing daily
• Helpful research links and research guidelines
• Maps and photos of the region and environment of our ancestors

There goals are

• Submit your own GEDCOM to the database and connect with others
• Chat with fellow researchers, inquire about culture, history, recipes, etc.
• Share your travel or family photos on our Facebook page

This site also has a Black Sea German Database: “The Black Sea German database is a compilation of family trees submitted by Black Sea German researchers. It also includes data from original records, like church records or obituaries, that have been extracted from those records by a volunteer. Each tree is identified by a title and includes the name and email address of the person who submitted the tree.”

One awesome feature on this website is the Learn section. Here you can read a little history of the German ancestry, where they located and their migration. They list the following books as resources to help you in this endeavor. “Some of these books may be available at your local library or available from Amazon.com, Germans from Russia Heritage Collection, the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia, or Germans from Russia Heritage Society.”

• Giesinger, Adam - From Catherine to Khrushchev
• Height, Joseph S. - Homesteaders on the Steppe , Paradise on the Steppe
• Keller, Conrad - The German Colonies in South Russia 1804-1904 (Vol. I and II)
• Stumpp, Karl - The Emigration from Germany to Russia in the Years 1763-1862

Would you like to participate and help this group? They would love for you to Volunteer!

Another great link they have provided is to the Black Sea German Research Forum. Some of the ongoing topics currently active are:

• Black Sea German Groups
• Queries about Surnames
• Researching a Village in Russia
• Researching a Town or Area in Germany
• Researching a Town or Area in North America
• Researching a Town or Area Outside the Black Sea

They are also on Facebook. My favorite section on their Facebook page is their Photos. Since I personally do not get to travel much, I love seeing the pictures of those who are able to go to these beautiful ancestral countries.

What I have written is just a small taste of what Black Sea German Research has to offer. If you have family in this area, this website is a must see.

Emigration from Germany to Russia in Years, 1763-1862/With Maps