[Ger-Poland-Volhynia] German Migration to Volhynia

[Richard Benert]

I read something not long ago that pertains to these "promises" made by 
Catherine and confirmed by Alex. I.  It seems that Russian tsars made their 
promises in the form of granting PRIVILEGES, not contracts.  A contract by 
definition binds both parties, and an autocratic tsar simply cannot be bound 
by anyone but God.  So it's not likely, from this perspective, that 
Catherine or Alexander or any other tsar would have considered themselves 
bound to keep the "promises" to the Germans forever.  A privilege extended 
can be a privilege withdrawn.  In addition, there is the question of whether 
the idea of a "contract" had any place in Russian law.  I cannot say that it 
didn't, but plenty of Russians (especially Slavophiles) objected to 
contracts as destructive foreign imports from the wicked West.

Dick B.

--------------------------------------------------
From: "George Shoning" <shoning at q.com>
Sent: Wednesday, April 21, 2010 9:42 PM
To: <lloydfriedrick at telus.net>; <ger-poland-volhynia at eclipse.sggee.org>
Subject: Re: [Ger-Poland-Volhynia] German Migration to Volhynia

>
>>From Adam Giesinger's from Catherine to Khrushchev:
>
>
>
> "For the German coloists, however, the law of 1874 represented a breach of 
> faith, a unilateral repudiation of a solemn promise made to them in the 
> manifesto of Catherine II and confirmed by Alexander I in his decrees of 
> 1804 and 1813.  They were now subject to military service like all other 
> Russian citizens and they were very unhappy about it." - P.227
>
>
>
> George Shoning
>
>> From: lloydfriedrick at telus.net
>> To: ger-poland-volhynia at eclipse.sggee.org
>> Date: Wed, 21 Apr 2010 20:16:17 -0700
>> Subject: [Ger-Poland-Volhynia] German Migration to Volhynia
>>
>> This latest discussion of the German Migration to Volhynia has been very 
>> informative to me. I enjoy it.
>>
>> There is another line of myths that have been mentioned at various times, 
>> I would appreciate commentary.
>>
>> This is the story that many of these new immigrants had been promised 
>> that they could retain their culture and religious affiliation.
>> Also, that they were not subject to serve in the Russian military.
>>
>> I suspect that these promises were not an official policy but 
>> misconceptions handed down to us by our forbearers as hearsay.
>>
>> I await
>>
>> lloyd friedrick on Vancouver Island
>>
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