The Russian government resettlement policy and development features of Russian-German relations in the XIXth-Early XXth centuries

Abstract

The stages of the German settlement formation in the southern regions of Russia, the forms, methods and conditions for implementing state policy in this direction, the regulatory framework, as well as the practice and results of the activities of colonists in rural areas were the subjects of the study. The purpose of this work is a comprehensive study of the causes and factors of the resettlement of German peasants in the southern regions of the Russian Empire in the context of the intensification of their economic development at various stages of the selected period; study of the legal framework, features, economic and legal aspects of the activities of the German colonies, related organizational, administrative and material issues. Based on an analysis of archival sources, the authors of the article summarized the experience of the German population in southern Russia. This experience includes not only the definition of the established traditions in the economic sphere and in the field of social relations among German peasants, but also characteristic of everyday life, world outlook and perception expressed in everyday economic concerns. This made it possible to trace the evolution of the adaptive capabilities of the German colonists. The work reveals the substantive side of their spiritual convictions, which were directly related to economic activity and the organization of life. The article highlights the prerequisites first, and then shows the dynamics of development and approval of the German colonies in the structure of agrarian relations in the region. The chosen principle of constructing the study in conjunction with the use of proven methodological foundations predetermined the logic of the common idea and made it possible to identify the causal patterns of the economic activity of German peasants and their behavior in everyday life and in relations with the authorities. The results obtained significantly deepen the understanding of the life of the German colonies in the selected period. The practical significance of the study lies in the fact that its results have great potential, practical and historical meaning. They can be used in the process of studying the history course of the North Caucasus