It is the year 1764 in a land far different from the Germany today, a land ruled by feudal princes and religious zealots. The terrible Seven Years’ War is done, but the tales of religious... More > atrocities from the long past Thirty Years’ War are still fresh in the minds of all. No tolerance at this time; the Catholics and Protestants openly hate each other. A young Lutheran country couple, along with a strange new city friend, slowly travel from village Heilbronn north to Lübeck, one step at a time towards the “Promised Land.” Sailing to, and walking across much of Russia, our couple arrives to help build the Volga Colony of Balzer.Over the next 130 years, they and their descendants triumph over evils and carve out a bountiful life, before again moving on to the new “Promised Land,” AMERICA, settling in the San Joaquin Valley near Fresno, California. MARCH TO THE VOLGA is one in a series of historical fiction novels, each based on a different Deutsche family in the 1760’s. www.MarchToTheVolga.com< Less
This historical fiction tale is set in southern Russia in the Volga Colonies of Balzer and Beideck along the Volga River, some thirty-six miles south of Saratov. It is the year 1774 in a land far... More > different from the modern Russia of today, a land ravaged by robber gangs and nomadic tribes. Here the masses of poor and disillusioned search for, and eventually find, a charismatic leader in Tsar Peter III (Yemelyan Ivanovich Pugachov), and follow him in supposedly striking back at the evil rich, but actually striking back at their own kind. As this story begins, Herr Christoph Karl and and his wife, Frau Jacobina Karl geb Maurer have been happily living with their four-year-old son and six-year-old daughter in the Volga Colony of Balzer since 1765, or about nine years. At the same time, the Army of Pugachov has just captured the Colony of Beideck, and Tsar Peter III (Yemelyan Ivanovich Pugachov)is relaxing at a celebration of food and drink with his Lieutenants.< Less
Escape to the Volga is the third of three books spinning the stories of the struggles of three different German families and their many descendants, as they emigrated ever farther and farther away... More > from the old homeland. It begins in the village of Darmstadt in 1738. A happily married couple of the Lutheran Faith is caught up in who is to blame for a terrible accident. Others, actually to blame, but out to protect their wealth and their lives, easily take advantage and force this innocent couple to run for their very lives. As you move through the next 172 years, you will meet many more additional characters spinning out their lives. I hope you enjoy it as a fictional story; but remember, this is fiction and fantasy, and not a research manual, and you should not assume any of it true. Some of it is, much of it is not! Hopefully, reading it may spark questions about your own ancestors. Even better, it might make you think about GOD, from who these amazing people got their strength to overcome all obstacles.< Less
Dreams on the Volga is the second of three books spinning the stories of the struggles of three different German families and their many descendants, as they emigrated ever farther and farther away... More > from the old homeland. This story begins north of Frankfurt, Germany in the year of 1737. A simple married couple fighting their way that night through a terrible storm to bring back needed medicine for the family of their patron. That night would change their lives, and the lives of many others, forever. As you move through the pages of the next 167 years, you will meet many more additional characters spinning out their lives. I sincerely hope you enjoy it as a fictional story; but remember, this is fiction and fantasy, and not a research manual, and you should not assume any of it true. Some of it is, much of it is not! Hopefully, reading it may spark some questions about your own ancestors. Even better, it might make you think about GOD, from who these amazing people got their strength to overcome all obstacles.< Less
Escape to the Volga is the third of three books spinning the stories of the struggles of three different German families and their many descendants, as they emigrated ever farther and farther away... More > from the old homeland. It begins in the village of Darmstadt in 1738. A happily married couple of the Lutheran Faith is caught up in who is to blame for a terrible accident. Others, actually to blame, but out to protect their wealth and their lives, easily take advantage and force this innocent couple to run for their very lives. As you move through the next 172 years, you will meet many more additional characters spinning out their lives. I hope you enjoy it as a fictional story; but remember, this is fiction and fantasy, and not a research manual, and you should not assume any of it true. Some of it is, much of it is not! Hopefully, reading it may spark questions about your own ancestors. Even better, it might make you think about GOD, from who these amazing people got their strength to overcome all obstacles.< Less
Dreams on the Volga is the second of three books spinning the stories of the struggles of three different German families and their many descendants, as they emigrated ever farther and farther away... More > from the old homeland. This story begins north of Frankfurt, Germany in the year of 1737. A simple married couple fighting their way that night through a terrible storm to bring back needed medicine for the family of their patron. That night would change their lives, and the lives of many others, forever. As you move through the pages of the next 167 years, you will meet many more additional characters spinning out their lives. I sincerely hope you enjoy it as a fictional story; but remember, this is fiction and fantasy, and not a research manual, and you should not assume any of it true. Some of it is, much of it is not! Hopefully, reading it may spark some questions about your own ancestors. Even better, it might make you think about GOD, from who these amazing people got their strength to overcome all obstacles.< Less
It is the year 1764 in a land far different from the Germany today, a land ruled by feudal princes and religious zealots. The terrible Seven Years’ War is done, but the tales of religious... More > atrocities from the long past Thirty Years’ War are still fresh in the minds of all. No tolerance at this time; the Catholics and Protestants openly hate each other. A young Lutheran country couple, along with a strange new city friend, slowly travels from village Heilbronn north to Lübeck, one step at a time towards the “Promised Land.” Sailing on to Russia, and walking across much of it, the couple is there to build the Volga Colony of Balzer. Over the next 130 years, they and their many descendants triumph over evils and carve out a bountiful life, before again moving on to the new “Promised Land” of America, making their new homes in the San Joaquin Valley near Fresno. 'March to the Volga' is the first in a series of historical fiction novels based on a Deutsche family as they leave for the Volga Colonies in the 1760’s.< Less
It is the year 1764 in a land far different from the Germany today, a land ruled by feudal princes and religious zealots. The terrible Seven Years’ War is done, but the tales of religious... More > atrocities from the long past Thirty Years’ War are still fresh in the minds of all. No tolerance at this time; the Catholics and Protestants openly hate each other. A young Lutheran country couple, along with a strange new city friend, slowly travels from village Heilbronn north to Lübeck, one step at a time towards the “Promised Land.” Sailing on to Russia, and walking across much of it, the couple is there to build the Volga Colony of Balzer. Over the next 130 years, they and their many descendants triumph over evils and carve out a bountiful life, before again moving on to the new “Promised Land” of America, making their new homes in the San Joaquin Valley near Fresno. 'March to the Volga' is the first in a series of historical fiction novels based on a Deutsche family as they leave for the Volga Colonies in the 1760’s.< Less
