The Caucasus Germans in Georgia

The number of tourists in Georgia is growing every year. We have guests from all over the world, and the figures are particularly interesting when it comes to the German vistors. To explain you this trend, in this article, I am going to tell you about the Caucasus Germans in Georgia, who brought many contributions to our country, such as beer brewing, potato breeding, etc.

History

Caucasus Germans settled near Tbilisi in the first half of the 19th century. There is an interesting story of how they decided to settle in Georgia in the first place. Catherine II, the Empress of Russia, who originally belonged to a ruling German family of Anhalt, announced very favorable conditions for people from different countries of Europe. She wanted to encourage people from all over Europe to settle in the territory of the Caucasus. Catherine promised to pay all the travel expenses, provide the free land, construction and agricultural tools and exemptions from the tax duties. Those conditions were especially appreciated by the Germans.

Picture © Credits to Dzmitrock87

The traces of Caucasus Germans

The German people started migrating to Georgia as from 1820. They created two German villages near Tbilisi. In the territory of their villages, today there is the Agmashenebeli Avenue – one of the main avenues in Tbilisi. Their villages were full of gardens and vineyards. Its traces can be found in the inner gardens of the Agmashenebeli Avenue. Unfortunately, in 1941, Stalin resettled the Germans to Kazakhstan, and only a few of them were able to come back to Georgia. Despite the fact that the German architectural heritage was destroyed, those people who already had a Georgian surname were able to stay in Georgia and keep their families with them.

In 1947, their Lutheran* Church, that was located at the Marjanishvili Square *and the nearby German graveyard were destroyed by the communists. At that place of previous graveyard, a new Lutheran church “Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche” was built in 1997. Nowadays, a memorial board can be found in the yard of the church. It is made out of the several gravestones that survived.

Picture © Credits to georgianencyclopedia.ge

The descendants

Today, no more Germans live in those territories. However, you will meet their descendants very often. They try to search the traces of their ancestors. But the only thing they can find is their spirit in the architecture of the buildings that are preserved in the city. You will love to see beautiful inner gardens that are built near the houses, a one-floor unusual building with an extraordinary style. The descendants of the Caucasian Germans will tell you very interesting stories about their ancestors, and it will make you feel the history. The facts that happened 200 years ago will become a reality in your eyes after listening to them.

There are many interesting stories about the Caucasus Germans in Georgia. While visiting Georgia, do not forget to check the memorial board and other above-mentioned places to see their traces. I am sure that you will want to know more about the two-century-old friendship of our two, totally different nations.

Picture © Credits to Iberia TV