Ethno-Cultural (Self-)identity of German Colonists in Russia in the Second Half of the 19th Century: on Material of “Russkiy Vestnik” Magazine

Abstract

The conditions (extra-linguistic and, as a consequence, language) and ways of forming the original ethnolingual culture “Russian Germans” are revealed. The authors believe that it comprises “the culture of the host country” and “home culture” different from each other, and occurs through cultural exchange and “occurrence” in Russian-speaking environment. A prerequisite to the formulation of the question is a special assessment of bilingualism and bicultural organization, which is not reducible to considering them as “the linguistic and cultural areal” of the titular nation, which is put in conditions that force to integrate. Source of information were the texts of special articles (as well as little notes, comments) by historians, government officials, auditors, journalists, writers, etc. about the life of the German colonists in Russia, published on the pages of Russian literary and political journal of the second half of the 19th century “Russkiy Vestnik.” Texts touch upon phenomena such as life, education, manner of dress, food and work culture, holidays, preservation of the original traditions of the native country after moving. Analysis of magazine discourse aims to characterize the degree of sustainability of tradition with the change of cultural-language environment (experience gained in “the old” Homeland and migrated to “the new” place of existence), ethno-cultural combination dominant of personality and type of diaspora (“capsular” and/or “open”) of “Russian Germans” in Russia in the 19th century.

Keywords

• «капсульное» пространство диаспоры
• russian germans
• german colonies of russia of the 2nd half of 19^th century
• migration
• ethnolinguistic culture
• ethno-cultural combination dominant
• “capsular” space of diaspora
• open space of diaspora