In May 1937, the Soviets closed the local church, because they did not want God to see what they were about to do next.

As the last drop of blood hit the snow, it was done. The Soviets murdered the majority of my Volga-German family. My grandparents Vladimir Miller and Irma Heldt survived. In 1941, they were deported to Siberia. After World War II, they survived great poverty by participating in the Russian black market system. They accumulated some wealth, before they lost it all during the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union. A moving story about how they left for Germany ensued.

Coming out in 2025, read their biography of how they lived through the Russian cold. I am proud to present you a story about resilience, identity, and love. I warmly invite you to explore this website in the meantime.

-Christian Bartasevic