In August 1877, four representatives of the group (Andreas Basgall, Santiago Lechmann, Johann Berger, and Adam Weimann) traveled to Buenos Aires where they met with Bernardo de Irigoyen, the Minister of the Interior. Mr. Irigoyen proposed a guarantee for up to 50,000 immigrants to be allowed into the country. The Volga German representatives, however, were more interested in reinstating some of the privileges that they had enjoyed earlier in Russia. In addition to good soil for wheat cultivation, the final agreement provided the colonists with exemption from military service, freedom to worship as they chose, and freedom to educate their children in the German language. Following ratification of the contract by the Argentine Congress, immigration began with the founding of the colony of Hinojo in the region of Olavarria in the Province of Buenos Aires on 5 January 1878. By the end of 1878, over 1,100 colonists had arrived from Brazil.
Over the years, the following colonies were established:
General Alvear – Entré Rios Province (1878)
Valle María – Entré Rios Province (1878)
Campo Maria (Spatzenkutter) (1878)
Santa Cruz (Salto, Köhler) – Entré Rios Province (1878)
San Francisco (Pfeifer) – Entré Rios Province (1878)
Protestante – Entré Rios Province (1878)
Brasilera – Entré Rios Province (1879)
San Miguel – Buenos Aires Province (1881)
Maria Luisa – Entré Rios Province (1883)
Nievas – Buenos Aires Province (1885)
Santa Trinidad (Primera) – Buenos Aires Province (1886)
San José (Segunda) – Buenos Aires Province (1887)
Santa María (Tercera) – Buenos Aires Province (1887)
Santa Maria – Entré Rios Province (1887)
San Juan – Entré Rios Province (1889)
San Antonio – Entré Rios Province (1889)
Santa Celia – Entré Rios Province (1889)
San Miguel – Entré Rios Province (1899)
Santa Anita – Entré Rios Province (1900)
Santa Rosa – Buenos Aires Province (1902)
San Miguel Arcangel – Buenos Aires Province (1903)
Darregueira – Buenos Aires Province (1906)
Monte la Plata – Buenos Aires Province (1906)
Santa María – La Pampa Province (1910)
San José – La Pampa Province (1910)
San Isidro – Entré Rios Province (1921)
Santa Teresa – La Pampa Province (1921)
Santa María – Córdoba Province (yr?)
San José – Córdoba Province (yr?)
Eldorado – Córdoba Province (yr?)
San Simón – Entré Rios Province (1892)
Colonia La Llave – Entré Rios Province (1892)
San José (Crespo) – Entré Rios Province (1889)
Grapschental – Entré Rios Province (1894)
Eigenfeld – Entré Rios Province (1893)
San Rafael – Entré Rios Province (1893)
Merou – Entré Rios Province (1886)
Juan Jose Castelli – Chaco Province (1936)
These colonies have remained largely inhabited by Volga Germans through the years. Even in 2005, approximately 90 percent of the inhabitants of these Volga German colonies are descendants of the original colonists.
According to the Centro Argentino Cultural Wolgdeutsche (C.A.C.W) It is estimated that there are 2 million people of Volga German ancestry living in Argentina in 2007. Many of these people now live in the larger towns and cities of Argentina.
Last updated 27 February 2010.
Map of the Volga German settlements in Argentina.
Book celebrating the 50th year of Volga German settlement in Argentina.
Book cover of "Die Russlanddeutschen" (The Russian Germans) by Jakob Riffel, published in 1928 for the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Volga German settlement in Argentina.
Old map of the Volga German colony (Aldea) of Crespo, Argentina contributed by Sergio Keiner Klug (click on the thumbnail for a larger image)
Photographs of ten Volga German churches in Argentina:
BA= Province of Buenos Aires
ER= Province of Entre Rios
From left to right, and up to down:
San Miguel Arcángel (BA), Colonia Hinojo (BA), Aldea Salto (ER), Aldea Santa María (ER), Santa Anita (ER), Spatzenkutter (ER), Valle María (ER), San Jose or Colonia II (BA) (the biggest), Aldea San Juan (ER), Aldea Brasilera (ER)
Provided by Gerardo Waimann
Volga German Cultural Center video taken at the Museum of Immigration in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Music "O, Susanna" by Jakob Fischer of Germany.
Volga German Cultural Center Festival the third weekend in October 2007