Wife comes from German families that had emigrated to Russia in the 1700's before coming to the US in the 1800's. No real reason given for the emigration, except that the Russian Tsars were recruiting Germans to move there by promising them land/etc., plus freedom from ever being conscripted. Germans kept their language, traditions, etc. - but when Russia started getting nasty in the 1800's a lot of those Russian Germans took off for the states. Many of those who stayed in Russia were purged by Lenin during WW2.
Never hear much about Germany in the 1700's, but must not have been a good place to live.
oh i don't know, there is a wedel, deutschland near hamburg, the german of my name. Lots of vons in there, spreading into denmark.
there is a statue in wedel of a 15th century relative holding a sword.
