thumb|right|A refugee trek of Black Sea Germans during the Second World War in Hungary, July 1944 Those ethnic Germans who remained in the 1939 borders of the Soviet Union occupied by Nazi Germany in 1941 remained where they were until 1943, when the Red Army liberated Soviet territory and the Wehrmacht withdrew westward.Conseil de l'Europe Assemblée parlementaire Session Strasbourg (Council of the European Union in Straßburg), Documents, Document 7172: Report on the situation of the German ethnic minority in the former Soviet Union, Council of Europe, 1995, p. 7 From January 1943, most of these ethnic Germans moved in treks to the Warthegau or to Silesia, where they were to settle.Conseil de l'Europe Assemblée parlementaire Session Strasbourg (Council of the European Union in Straßburg), Documents, Document 7172: Report on the situation of the German ethnic minority in the former Soviet Union, Council of Europe, 1995, p. 8; Google.de Between 250,000 and 320,000 had reached Nazi Germany by the end of 1944.Isabel Heinemann, "Rasse, Siedlung, deutsches Blut": das Rasse- und Siedlungshauptamt der SS und die rassenpolitische Neuordnung Europas, 2nd ed., Göttingen: Wallstein, 2003, p. 469; ; accessed 26 May 2015.Heinemann posits that 250,000 is the number given by primary sources, but dismisses as too high the 320,000 estimate given by Ingeborg Fleischmann, Die Deutschen, pp. 284–86. On their arrival, they were placed in camps and underwent 'racial evaluation' by the Nazi authorities, who dispersed those deemed 'racially valuable' as farm workers in the annexed provinces, while those deemed to be of "questionable racial value" were sent to work in Germany. The Red Army captured these areas in early 1945, and 200,000 Soviet Germans had not yet been evacuated by the Nazi authorities, who were still occupied with their 'racial evaluation'. They were regarded by the USSR as Soviet citizens and repatriated to camps and special settlements in the Soviet Union. 70,000 to 80,000 who found themselves in the Soviet occupation zone after the war were also returned to the USSR, based on an agreement with the Western Allies. The death toll during their capture and transportation was estimated at 15–30%, and many families were torn apart. The special "German settlements" in the post-war Soviet Union were controlled by the Internal Affairs Commissioner, and the inhabitants had to perform forced labor until the end of 1955. They were released from the special settlements by an amnesty decree of 13 September 1955, and the Nazi collaboration charge was revoked by a decree of 23 August 1964.Conseil de l'Europe Assemblée parlementaire Session Strasbourg (Council of the European Union in Straßburg), Documents, Document 7172: Report on the situation of the German ethnic minority in the former Soviet Union, Council of Europe, 1995, p. 10; . They were not allowed to return to their former homes and remained in the eastern regions of the USSR, and no individual's former property was restored. Since the 1980s, the Soviet and Russian governments have allowed ethnic Germans to emigrate to Germany.
thumb|right|a refugee trek of black sea germans during the second world war in hungary july 1944 those ethnic germans who remained in the 1939 borders of the soviet union occupied by nazi germany in 1941 remained where they were until 1943 when the red army liberated soviet territory and the wehrmacht withdrew westwardconseil de l'europe assemblée parlementaire session strasbourg (council of the european union in straßburg) documents document 7172 report on the situation of the german ethnic minority in the former soviet union council of europe 1995 p 7 from january 1943 most of these ethnic germans moved in treks to the warthegau or to silesia where they were to settleconseil de l'europe assemblée parlementaire session strasbourg (council of the european union in straßburg) documents document 7172 report on the situation of the german ethnic minority in the former soviet union council of europe 1995 p 8; googlede between 250000 and 320000 had reached nazi germany by the end of 1944isabel heinemann "rasse siedlung deutsches blut" das rasse- und siedlungshauptamt der ss und die rassenpolitische neuordnung europas 2nd ed göttingen wallstein 2003 p 469; ; accessed 26 may 2015heinemann posits that 250000 is the number given by primary sources but dismisses as too high the 320000 estimate given by ingeborg fleischmann die deutschen pp 284–86 on their arrival they were placed in camps and underwent 'racial evaluation' by the nazi authorities who dispersed those deemed 'racially valuable' as farm workers in the annexed provinces while those deemed to be of "questionable racial value" were sent to work in germany the red army captured these areas in early 1945 and 200000 soviet germans had not yet been evacuated by the nazi authorities who were still occupied with their 'racial evaluation' they were regarded by the ussr as soviet citizens and repatriated to camps and special settlements in the soviet union 70000 to 80000 who found themselves in the soviet occupation zone after the war were also returned to the ussr based on an agreement with the western allies the death toll during their capture and transportation was estimated at 15–30% and many families were torn apart the special "german settlements" in the post-war soviet union were controlled by the internal affairs commissioner and the inhabitants had to perform forced labor until the end of 1955 they were released from the special settlements by an amnesty decree of 13 september 1955 and the nazi collaboration charge was revoked by a decree of 23 august 1964conseil de l'europe assemblée parlementaire session strasbourg (council of the european union in straßburg) documents document 7172 report on the situation of the german ethnic minority in the former soviet union council of europe 1995 p 10;  they were not allowed to return to their former homes and remained in the eastern regions of the ussr and no individual's former property was restored since the 1980s the soviet and russian governments have allowed ethnic germans to emigrate to germany