"Heimat: Steppes of Russia" is a work of historical fiction that personalizes the poignant story of the Germans from Russia through the precocious Helga Baden. At a young age, Helga was destined to go on a quest that would take her from Germany to Russia to America in one life span. A helpmate to her blind sister, as a young girl, Helga gave advice to her father, with the mind of an adult way beyond her years. Helga's love for a Russian is not expected nor would it be accepted by her people.
This is a story of hope, survival, conviction, determination, and innovation. It is the story of an individual, a family, three groups, and three nations. Russia became a land that was feared and eventually Helga, along with her brother, Jacob, and his family, and Gretchen left the Black Sea area and traveled to America. The against-all-odds survival of the Germans from Russia is truly remarkable and heart-wrenching.