Product Description

(1890). In late 18th century several dozens of German families inhabited Volodymyr. From the 19th century Volyn has become one of the regions of Ukraine with dense German population. German colonization in Volyn was caused by several factors such as political pressure against the Germans by the Napoleon’s invaders, lack of cultivable and grazing lands at the territory of their historical motherland, various innovations incompliant with their traditional culture and household, high taxes and disagreement with some religious canons, political splitting-up which worsened the life level among ordinary citizens of German, protectionist policy in favour of the Russian Empress Catherine the Second who was a German and supported her compatriots (the Germans were released from tax payment, military service, acquired land plots with benefits). The migrants from Germany cut down the forests in Volyn and used these lands for agriculture. Most of them were more –educated than local inhabitants and could make a career of the Russian officers. Landless peasants, craftsmen, merchants, brewers, smiths, confectioners, teachers, doctors, artists, architects and warriors migrated from Germany to Volyn. The main migration flow occurred in 1860s – 1880s. First foreign colony was founded in 1787 in the Volodymyr County. Its founders originated from Holland. In 1890 the German colonists erected the Lutheran Church in Volodymyr-Volynskyi. Rich land owners sacrificed 100 zloty per month as compared to 10 zloty for poor citizens. Now there is St. Josafat’s Greek Catholic Church located in the building of former Lutheran Church while the Basilian Monastery is located in the pastor’s house.