Golden Wedding: Valeri and Lydia Wagner celebrate memories and love

Golden Wedding: Valeri and Lydia Wagner celebrate memories and love

Valeri and Lydia Wagner from Wilhelmshaven are celebrating a very special golden wedding that embodies not only their love, but also an eventful history. Their relationship began in school in Russia, where they sat next to each other in sixth grade. Lydia Wagner, born near Omsk in 1956, and Valeri Wagner, also born in the Omsk region in 1954, share not only memories of school, but also of the challenges of life. Her childhood was shaped by family - Lydia grew up with five siblings, while Valeri grew up as a middleman among two brothers and a sister.

Looking back on their youth, it seems almost romantic how they secretly wrote notes to each other and played ice hockey and football together. Valeri walked up to twelve kilometers to meet Lydia. While Lydia spent four years in boarding school training to be a nurse, Valeri did everything he could to support his family after his father's death in 1968. In 1971 he learned to be a truck driver and later completed training as a welder.

From Russia to Germany

In 1993, the Wagners decided to move to Germany after Valeri's mother and brother were already living here. The family first found their new home in Wilhelmshaven, where they quickly felt at home. Lydia found work at St. Willehad Hospital and in a nursing home, while Valeri used his skills as a welder at Sander Stahlguss GmbH for over 32 years.

The two still have one passion in common today: music. They sing together in a choir and attend regular water aerobics. In the garden, Valeri has the role of “foreman”, while Lydia is active as “helper”. Their life together is characterized by a wonderful family bond and the hope of finding Lydia's grandfather's relatives in Austria. This desire comes from a deep connection to their roots.

Successful celebrations

The Wagners are planning to celebrate their special day with a trip to Hooksiel and then several days in Paris. The anticipation of these special moments underlines the strength of their community, which is certainly also influenced by the history of the Russian Germans. These people have often shown strength in difficult times and established themselves in new homelands.

The first German settlers came to what is now Russia during the time of Kievan Rus. Over the centuries there were numerous waves of immigration and difficulties, including forced collectivization under Stalin, which shaped many destinies. From 1941 onwards, many Russian-Germans, including Valeri and Lydia, experienced the terrible consequences of the Second World War, when many were deported. This resulted in an impressive migrant story that has had a decisive influence on the roots of Valeri and Lydia Wagner to this day. The opportunity to emigrate and return to Germany in the 1980s ultimately represented a turning point.

Valeri and Lydia Wagner are not only proof of a lasting partnership, but also of the tireless will to preserve and uphold their own identity in a foreign country. Your gold wedding is not only a celebration of love, but also a sign of resilience and hope.

For more information about the history of Russian Germans and their experiences in the diaspora, please refer to the detailed Wikipedia page. In addition, the Family Search offers a wide range of literature for those interested.

How the Wagners integrated into Germany and did not forget their roots shows once again how diverse and multifaceted the lives of migrants are.

Happy Golden Wedding Anniversary, Valeri and Lydia! May your story continue to be filled with beautiful moments.