Schönbrunn Village History

By E.K. I
Translated by Armand Bauer

Schönbrunn (in Tatar, Adargin), a parish village of a Separatist congregation, lay in the northern part of the Crimea some fifteen kilometers (1 kilometer = 0.62 miles) from the Seitler station on the (railroad) stretch from Dschankoj to Feodosia, and twenty-three kilometers from the Kurman Kelmeltschi station on the stretch from Dschankoj to Simperopol.

The settlement was founded in 1859 in the Salgir low ground - Salgir, the largest river in the Crimea -- by Separatists that came from the north of [the] Taurien area.  Schönbrunn in 1924 had 30 yards -- according to statements made at that point in time -- and in 1918 there were 30 yards. In 1918 there were 260 persons in the village of which twelve were non-Germans, while in 1924 there were 290 persons of which fifteen were non-Germans. In 1920 two families (17 persons) immigrated to Germany and found a new home in Silesia.

The Scoenbrunn farmers owned 6400 dessjatines of land (1 dessjatine = 2.7 acres), and in addition to producing grain cereal crops were the only farmers in the northern part of the Crimea to have orchards and vineyards. In the community wine cellar, which was built in 1910, one could find good drops (of wine) worth the asking price. Prior to World War I,  Schönbrunn with its clean yards, well-tended gardens, and its extensive vineyards was a model village. Each farmer had his own threshing equipment and self-binder, and virtually everyone his own millstone driven by a motor. During harvest they hired laborers, mostly Ukrainians, but also Tatars from the neighboring village Musabej-Adargin.  Schönbrunn had its own blacksmith, wheelwright, miller, and tailor.

Outside of  Schönbrunn -- about 250 meters distant-- lay the splendid premises of the mill owner, Thomas Birnbaum. The mill -- a three-storied structure -- was known throughout the Crimea and delivered sifted flour (Beutelmehl, Sejanka) as far away as Moscow. It employed 15 to 20 workers, primarily Germans. The mill was dismantled by the Soviets after 1922 and transferred to Dschankoj, the junction of the Melitopol Simpferopol and Perekop-Feodosia railroads.

 Schönbrunn had a school with two classrooms and one teacher's room. The community supported the school that was served by two teachers. Many completing the community school went to the Zentralschule (advanced grammar school), several to the agricultural school in Eugenfeld in the Melitopol district, and the Kommers-Schule and the Gymnasium (secondary level), in Simpferopol. The  Schönbrunn school had a good reputation, so that any vacancy was easily filled.

Before World War I the head (senior) teacher received 800 rubles and the assistant 500 rubles. and both received free housing. Each teacher maintained (received) an orchard and vineyard and were allowed to retain two cows. The teachers also received the wheat grain, straw, and chaff yields from two dessjatines. The teachers alternately served as organists, and one of them was the permanent village secretary.

The zealous religious life found its responses (outlets) in church choir, brass orchestra (band), in mission- and Bible studies. The annual mission festival in the community was well attended, the contributions for mission purposes flowed richly. Church attendance was mandatory and it was the duty of children to be involved in religious instruction until confirmation age. Confirmation instruction for students from the entire parish was held in  Schönbrunn and lasted four to five weeks.

The Separatist congregations in the Crimea consisted of the following village areas:  Schönbrunn the parish residence; Schoenfeld (in Tatar Koltamak); Annenfeld (in Tatar Tschutscha); Neu-Wasserreich (Neu-Kerleut); Alt-Wasserreich (Alt-Kerleut); Hebron, only populated in part by Separatists; Neuman, only populated in part by Separatists; and the Krauter estate.

The Separatist congregations elected their own clergy and in churchly (religious) affairs were independent (autonomous) from the Evangelical Lutheran Church administration. Outwardly, what left an impression was that the clergy did not wear a robe during performance of official acts of the office. The church elders conducted worship services in the absence of the pastor who was visiting other congregations.

They had a strong adherence to customs and rearing children. Until the time of the revolution in 1917, dancing was prohibited. Also any theatrical performances were viewed with suspicion by any respectable Separatist. Only Christmas programs by the school children found universal acceptance by the members. For offenses against propriety and customs, the offenders had to make amends. This is how it was up to the time of the revolution. The chaos brought on by the civil war and the victory of the Soviets undermined the old regulations that were brought (from the old country).

Soldiers of the Wrangel army brought typhus to the village, which caused the death of eight persons. (Robber) bands made plundering raids and forced the village to make contributions. The Red Army, that occupied the Crimea in November 1920, commandeered cattle and grain. The succeeding "Prodraswjorstka" (grain delivery requirement) emptied all of the sheds so that in the famine years 1921/1922 severe misery prevailed. Valuable machinery was purchased by speculators at ridiculously low prices.

In 1924, I spent some time in  Schönbrunn for the last time. The village had rejuvenated itself, spirits were unbroken. A year later my father died. Mother had succumbed to typhus in 1920. My sister married and left  Schönbrunn. I had to leave the Crimea and find a patient existence far away.

Heimatbuch 1960 Landsmannschaft der Deutschen aus Russland, p 40-41.
Heritage Review Volume 27: 2, 1997, Reprinted with the permission of GRHS