before the approaching Soviet Red Army towards Germany. Demographics The Bessarabia Germans represented one of the least numerous ethnic groups which settled and lived in Bessarabia along the passing of time. During the early and mid 19th century, more specifically in 1828 and 1856, the Bessarabia Germans accounted for 1.71% and 2.4% of the total population of Bessarabia. In 1889, they made up 3.1% (based on linguistic criterion, stating their native language as German). In 1919, under royal Romanian administration, the Bessarabia Germans made up 3.0% of the total population of Bessarabia. In 1941, after the Heim ins Reich re-settlement and during wartime Romanian administration, there were only a little above two thousand ethnic Germans still left in Bessarabia (accounting for 0.1% of Bessarabia's population). Bessarabia German institutions Church Church and religion shaped the life of all Bessarabian Germans, because many of their ancestors had once left their German homeland for religious reasons. Abroad they kept the German language in use in the Bible and in the Hymn books. In newly founded villages, places of worship were the first communal facilities to be created. In larger municipalities this was a church for up to 1,000 visitors, in smaller municipalities this was a praying house, in which the dwelling of the Sexton and the village school were included as well. The colonists paid for the maintenance of the church, school, Sexton and teacher (usually a Sexton-teacher in dual functions). The majority of the approximately 150 German settlements were organized in 13 Kirchspielen (parishes) and three Pfarrgemeinden of Lutheran denomination. Each parish had a minister, who was responsible for several villages within the parish. Besides there was Reformed parish (Schabo) and a Roman Catholic church district with four municipalities (Balmas, Emmental, Krasna, Larga). These belonged to the diocese Cherson, which was created on July 3, 1848. The name of the diocese was changed to Tiraspol shortly after. The seat of the diocese was relocated to Saratow by the first bishop Ferdinand Helanus, where it remained until 1918. Bishop Josef Alois Kessler relocated the seat to Odessa to escape the Bolshevik, but after their victory he fled to Germany in 1921 and the diocese was disbanded in the Soviet Republic. Educational facilities On the lowest level there were elementary schools in the German villages. In the first years usually someone from the village taught the school children, until 1892, when only graduate teachers