Norka: A Passage In Time

This film depicts the lives of the people of the Volga German Colonies in 1928, as filmed by Henry Walker. – Mr. Wacker was a resident of Portland Oregon who traveled to Norka, Russia to see for himself the condition of his family and friends that had stayed in Russia, and who had survived the devastating 1921 – 1923 famine.

Scenes shown are typical of all the Volga Villages. Colonists from the various villages would have used similar tools and farming techniques. They would have dressed alike, eaten the same types of food, and lived comparable lifestyles. Houses would have been constructed in similar fashion, and the church shown is indicative of the Kontor style of architecture so popular in the Volga Regions. It is truly a picture into our ancestors’ past.