Oral Histories from the Colorado Germans from Russia Collection

Sixty oral histories were collected between 1975 and 1978 as part of the Germans from Russia in Colorado Study Project. Interviews were conducted by project staff, most notably Dr. Ken Rock and Timothy Kloberdanz, and by students in a class on oral history given through the Department of History. Subjects covered included life in the German communities in Russia, the immigration experience, work and social life in the United States, and interaction between the Russian-German communities and the wider society in both Russia and the United States. The interviews followed a standard set of questions, also presented on this web site as part of the project's papers.

Of the 60 oral histories collected, 20 have been transcribed. These transcripts are presented here, with excerpts from the original recordings. Most of the transcripts are in draft form; gaps and inaudible words are indicated. The original recordings of these oral histories, as well as those that have not been transcribed, are housed in the Archives and Special Collections. A complete list may be found in the collection finding aid. For information on access to the original recordings, please contact Archives and Special Collections.

The persons interviewed for the Germans from Russia in Colorado Study Project gave formal written permission for their oral histories to be made available for research purposes. If you are a relative and wish to discuss the inclusion of an individual named on this site, please contact us.

Click on the interviewee's name to open the transcript of their interview. Transcripts are in PDF format, and require Adobe Acrobat Reader to view. Acrobat Reader may be downloaded free from the Adobe website. Click on the titles below each interviewee's name to hear audio excerpts from their interview. These excerpts are in MP3 format, and may be played using a multimedia application such as Windows Media Player (Microsoft) or QuickTime Player (Apple).