Essays were written at different times, the earliest of them in 1986-1987. They contain information about the national cultural institutions of the Volga German Republic, about prominent figures of science and culture. Special attention is paid to the history of national archive of the ASSR of NP. The materials are written on the basis of archival documents, most of which are first introduced into scientific circulation and are attracted by unexplored topics. For historians, local historians, everyone who is interested in the problems of the history of the culture of the Volga Germans.