Peter RUSCHEINSKI ? 10.02.1850 in Krasna, was mayor of Karamurat in the Dobrudscha, the main town of the Krasna people. He emigrated with three brothers to Palestine in 1874, from where he came to Kramurat in 1878 (for more information see below).
The name Ruscheinski (also possible according to the Krasna baptismal register: Rozanski, Dworzynski, Ruzansky, Rozynzki or similar) is widespread in Poland. It can be found in southern Prussia in the Posen area, in New East Prussia and in the Zamosc area, from where colonists came to Krasna. In Bessarabia, this name only occurred in Krasna.
It is likely that all Ruscheinskis born around 1800 who appear in Krasna belong to the same family.
Michael Ruscheinski *1792
Peter Ruscheinski *1797
Franziskus Ruscheinski vor *1798
Josef Ruscheinski *1798
Jakob Ruscheinski *1799
Bonaventura Ruscheinski *1804 These last two, Josef and Bonaventura, were demonstrably brothers.
They emigrated alone or with their parents from Poland to Bessarabia around 1814. Their parents and their exact origins have not yet been determined. It is also not clear exactly when they arrived in Krasna. The first Ruscheinski entry in the Krasna baptismal register is # 36 in 1815 (son of Michael Ruscheinski).
Peter Ruscheinski * 1797 had a son Jakob Ruscheinski? 03.01.1824 in Krasna, Akkerman from his first marriage. His four sons emigrated first to Palestine and from there to Karamurat in Dobruja/Romania.
The families of the brothers
Because of the extreme heat in Palestine, they only stayed for a few years.
Markus Ruscheinski ?25.04.1910 in Karamurat, † in Schwäbisch Hall, (a grandson of Johannes Ruscheinski) wrote: “My grandparents Ruscheinski came from Palestine, where they stayed for about two years together with Peter Söhn and Matthias Ruscheinski. My Julewes' grandmother (i.e. Aunt Julia) told me that they sang the Magnificat in the Chapel of the Annunciation, in German and Latin.
Mathias stayed in Palestine for two more years and then became a blacksmith in Karamurat”.
The Turkish name Caramurat means something like “Murat the Black” and is based on a Tartar leader.
After four Krasna farmers had traveled across the Danube to Malcoci in February 1876 to speak to Pasha Soleiman Bey in Tulcea2 and returned with good news3, around thirty Krasna families left their hometown in May 1876 and moved to Kara-Murat, Karamurat (a large Tartar village) with all their belongings.
The Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878 forced Tatars and migrating Germans to flee. Only seven families remained in Karamurat at first; they were 1st Sebastian Kreis, 2nd Christian Fähnrich, 3rd Johannes Müller, 4th August Söhn, 5th Josef Müller, 6th Johannes Ruscheinski and 7th David Ruscheinski.
After the peace treaty, the German farmers returned in greater numbers. They first moved into the empty huts of the Tartars who had fled.
They were the following families: 1. Kaspar Götz, 2. Matthias Ternes, 3. Michael Ternes, 4. Josef Kuhn, 5. Martin Politzki, 6. Thomas Müller, 7. Matthias Müller, 8. Michael Götz, 9. Thomas Gedack and 10. Peter Arnold.
In addition, there were the four Ruscheinski brothers who returned from the Holy Land4. However, they do not all seem to have arrived in Karamurat at the same time.
By 1780, 50 German families had already settled in Karamurat. They made up the majority of the inhabitants. The Romanian administration therefore appointed Peter Ruscheinki as mayor. He rebuilt and reorganized Karamurat. He went to Bucharest to organize help for his community. He was even received in audience by the Romanian king and was able to present him with his plans for Karamurat. The king ordered that every German farmer be given enough land. “Apart from the diligence and thrift of the German farmers, the upswing of the community is due to its capable and clever mayor Peter Ruscheinki ”6.
Eduard Volk
Neuwied, May 2024
Eduard's Ancestor is Klemens VOLK