Volhynian Germans

Volhynian Germans were ethnic Germans who settled in the Volhynia region of the Russian Empire, now part of northwestern Ukraine, from the early 19th century onwards. Their migration was primarily encouraged by Polish landlords seeking to develop agricultural land. The majority of these settlers originated from Congress Poland, with others coming from regions such as East and West Prussia, Pomerania, Posen, Württemberg, and Galicia. Unlike German communities in other parts of the Russian Empire, Volhynian Germans were dispersed across over 1,400 Villages, rather than residing in concentrated colonies. By the turn of the 20th century, their population had grown to approximately 200,000.