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This is a gazetteer of the Volga German colonies (Mother and Daughter) as well as other geographical locations significant to the history of the Volga Germans. Over the centuries, the German colonies along the Volga River have been known by a variety of names in both Russian and German. Not only did colonies often have both a German and a Russian name, but there are various forms of translations and transliterations that can be used among Russian, German, and English. Once the colonists arrived in North or South America, another set of spellings often came into use. This gazetteer was assembled to aid in identifying a colony by the variety of names by which it was known and to identify the standardized names used throughout this website. The main entries are listed in bold face type. In alphabetizing the entries of this gazetteer, the German umlaut has been ignored.