Tsarina Catherine II was a German, born in Stettin in Pomerania, now Szczecin in Poland.
She proclaimed open immigration for foreigners wishing to live in the Russian Empire on July 22, 1763, marking the beginning of a much larger presence for Germans in the Empire.
It had attracted thousands of colonists from Germany, largely because of the following incentives:
▹ Free transportation to Russia
▹ Large tracts of free land, plenty of water, free timber
▹ The free exercise of religion
▹ Interest-free loans for purchasing equipment
▹ Freedom from taxes for ten to thirty years, depending on the area of settlement
▹ Exemption from military service for themselves and their descendants
▹ Local self-government in colonies
