Germans in Kazakhstan’s Virgin Lands: Religious Assimilation/Segregation in the Atheistic Society (1950s–1960s)
Mazhitova Z.S.
12 March 2026Florida Gulf Coast University
Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Studies
2026#13Issue 255 - 76 pp.
The article examines the issues of religious assimilation and/or attempted segregation of the German population in the context of the intensified anti-religious policies of the Khrushchev era. The German population arrived in Kazakhstan in an organized manner in the 19th century. During that period, as well as in the early Soviet era, the German population managed to preserve its religious identity, which served as a powerful unifying force under the conditions of “militant atheism”. However, in the 1950s-60s, northern Kazakhstan became not only a region where, because of the Virgin Lands campaign, a multi-ethnic society was formed, but also a place where strict anti-religious state policies were implemented. The decisive and prohibitive stance of the Soviet authorities toward religious institutions significantly hindered Germans from fully adhering to their religious principles. This was particularly true for smaller religious communities such as Baptists, Mennonites, and Jehovah’s Witnesses, who faced pressure not only from the Soviet authorities but also from larger religious groups. As a result, we are observing a latent process of assimilation of certain communities (such as the Molokans and Sabbatarian Pentecostal communities) into larger religious associations. Based on an analysis of both registered and unregistered religious associations and archival documents, it can be concluded that, due to Soviet religious policies, the scope of religious practices contracted significantly during this period. At the same time, the examination of confidential reports from commissioners of the Council for Religious Affairs in northern Kazakhstan reveals the diverse adaptations of religious practices among the German population.
assimilation , Germans , religiosity , segregation , Virgin Lands-era Kazakhstan
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Astana Medical University, Astana, Kazakhstan
Astana Medical University
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