This section was extracted from "Die Kirchen und das Religioese Leben der Russlanddeutschen", Bearbeitung: Joseph Schnurr, Heimatbuch (Jahrbuch 1969-1972) der Deutschen aus Russland, Herausgegeben von der Landsmannschaft der Deutschen aus Russland, Stuttgart, 1972, Satz und Druck: Druckerei Frech, 7 Stuttgart 1, Vaihinger, Landstrasse 4

Johannestal was a part of the Parish of Worms-Johannestal-Waterloo; it consisted of 20 German villages with 5,047 souls in the early 1900's. From 1861-1885, the parish was called the Parish of Johannestal-Worms. Before 1861 Johannestal was part of the Rohrbach parish. Here is a list of pastors who served the congregation:

1. 1861-1863 (or 1860-1862?) - Johann Friedrich Goertz, born December 13, 1822 in Courland, Russian Empire; he also served Taganrog-Jeisk 1863-1871; Tobolsk 1876-1891 and Omsk 1876-1891

2. 1863-1868 - Gustav Schomburg, born August 3, 1835 in Kitzlar, Prussia, died June 6, 1892 in Odessa; he also served Neu-Postal in Bessarabia 1867-1877; Katharinenstadt on the Volga 1877-1882 and Saratov on the Volga 1877-1887

3. 1869-1874 - Karl Heinrich Adalbert Birnbach, born November 24, 1831 in Straussberg near Berlin, died in Straussberg 1909; he also served Bergdorf near Odessa 1874-1900

4. 1886-1908 - Daniel Steinwand, born March 2, 1857 in Kloestitz, Bessarabia, died June 17, 1919 in Lustdorf near Odessa as a result of a heart attack; he also served Odessa-Lustdorf 1908-1919 (there is a photo of him in the book)

5. 1909-1920 - Rudolf Adt, born March 15, 1880 in St. Petersburg, ordained April 19, 1909, died in Odessa of typhus in 1920

6. 1920-1923 - Friedrich Hermann Daniel Steinwand, born April 26, 1888 in Worms near Odessa; he also served Tarutino in Bessarabia 1916-1919 and Neu-Freudental near Odessa 1919-1933, in 1933 he was a laborer in Moscow andwas deported in 1936; he died of an unnatural death

7. 1923-1928 - Waldemar (or Woldemar) Seib, descendant of settlers, born March 2, 1889 in Cherson, died January 18, 1943; he also served Kassel near Odessa 1914-1922; Jekaterinoslav 1928-1935 and Nikolayev 1928-1935; he was arrested on January 5, 1935 and banned to a camp near Marinsk for 10 years; he was condemned to death on April 12, 1945 and then pardoned; he died of an unnatural death (note the discrepancy in dates) (there is a photo of him in the book)

The town also had 3 general stores, 3 flour mills, a blacksmith shop, and a wine tavern. Among the town mayors, the following are known:

Johannes Heinle (1885-),

Valentin Schatz (1890-),

David Heinle (1894-),

Jakob Schwarzmann (1903-), and

Gottlieb Staiger (1907)

Johannestal Population Growth

 Year Pop.

1859 - 625

1881 - 1020

1885 - 1132

1890 - 1276

1903 - 1430

1907 - 1580

1915 - 1216

1926 - 1231

1943 - 1230

Of the total common land area (in desjatins), 1,605 were in pasturage, 100 were in town lots, 64 in vegetable gardens, 11 in woodlands and 8 in roads. The amount of privately purchased land is unknown.

Johannestal, which was affiliated with the parish of Rohrbach and had an Evangelical Lutheran church and a community school which accommodated 200 children. There were 3 teachers, one of whom was a Russian instructor.