In the second half of the 19th century, the quiet development of the German colonies in Russia were guided into a phase of changes. These changes stemmed from the strong growth of the colonies, which took land from the German farmers, and politically necessitated restructuring. The changes concerned Krasna, as well.

The Bessarabian Germans had an abundance of children and because of the population growth the farm land of the 24 mother colonies became scarce. From 1860 on there was an acute lack of land. It has already been reported that a petition for more land was made . A growing number of colonists of the German settlements bought or leased land outside of their villages, for example from Russian landlowners, and there they founded new settlements, the so-called daughter colonies. Aside from the inland migration, migration to other countries began as well. The latter was greatly influenced by state regulations, which diminished the colonist status starting in 1871 (See below), especially by introducing mandatory military service. Krasna was also subject to this development. The first groups of settlers left there in 1866 and again in 1874, looking for land elsewhere. See 7.6, Exodus and Departures from Krasna

Life in the interior of the colonies continued on in spite of the large changes beginning to take shape. The time frame 1860-1885 was a very important period for the continued development of Krasna.

• The community of Krasna filed a petition with the district office to establish a new chancery and requested a loan for a partial financing of the building. The project was completed in the year of 1870.
• In 1866 the community completed a church with their own capital, replacing the old prayer house. Bishop Lipski consecrated the new church on October 6, 1874.
• In 1869 the Orphan Bank was established.
• In 1870 the first German priest arrived in Krasna.
• In 1871 Krasna received its own district office (Wolost) as part of the administrative reform.
• In 1877 Krasna colonists had to endure the provision of quarter and forced labor during the Russo-Turkish War.
• In 1881 a new pastoral office was built.

As the local situations experienced a positive development, the political situation for the Germans in Russia changed in a negative way. Since the 1870’s the emotional-national tendencies and a Russian Transformation Policy became tangible.
The diligence and capability of the Germans, the privileges they enjoyed, such as tax exempt status, and exemption from military servce, caused suspicion and envy among the Russians. The Russians did not like that the colonists clung to their own language, faith and culture, which set them apart from the Russian people. In influential circles among Russian noblemen, politicians and educators, a growing hatred for the Germans developed (See Russification Politics and Hatred of Foreigners)

After the defeat in the Crimean War (1856), Tsar Alexander II (1860-1881) tackled a series of reforms, which were supposed to contribute to the strength and modernization of Russia. It was not aimed at disadvantaging the German colonists, but caused the end of their privileges and set-apart status.

Combined with the broad administration and justice reforms, and probably under pressure from nationalists, Tsar Alexander II took back the privileges of the German settlers (once granted for eternity!), piece by piece.

• 1861 Serfdom of the Russian farmers ended (Manifest rescinding serfdom). It began the creation of a uniform farmers’ guild in Russia. The German colonists were later (1871) given the same considerations and rights the Russian farmers had.
• 1864 Put into effect a new adminstrative reform, which established the self governing system of the Semstwo in the Russian state. This reform contained regulations for a modernized school system, a structure for the local economy and agriculture. Until 1873 the Gouvernement Bessarabia (and with it the German villages) were fully integrated in these structures. (See 4.8, The Administration). Many of the functions which had until then been part of the self government of the colonies transferred to the Semstwo organizations.
• On June 4, 1871 the so-called equalization law was passed and was a directly related to the Semstwo reform. This law rescinded the colonist status. The Welfare Commitee was dissolved as a special office for colonial affairs. All offices and courts now mandated the Russian language for the colonists, as well.
• The existing self administration of the colonies were annexed to the common regulations and institutions for the Russian rural population.
• Even the regulations concerning the ownership of crown’s land underwent changes (See 4.2, Land Ownership and Inheritance Law of Bessarabia)
• Three years later ( January 13, 1874) the military was reformed by the law implementing common mandatory military service. It meant that the exemption of military service for the colonists ceased to exist. This measure caused much unrest among the colonists. Back then, mandatory service was 3-5 years and it hit the farmers hard, since they depended on the help of their sons with the farms. (See 4.11, Military Service and War Times)

The Welfare Commitees had been a huge blessing to the colonists for more than half a century and contributed largely to keep the starting difficulties of the colonies to a minimum. Under its caring guidance, they could develop freely and remain faithful to their own nationality. It was not totally false when the German colonies were sometimes compared to a republic within the state.

On the other hand one can note that the German colonists did not absolutely need this support more than fifty years since foundation. Meanwhile they had achieved a status which was much better than that of the rest of the rural population. Additionally, one has to point out, that the colonist laws were not completely done away with, many regulations were still valid. There were transitional periods and certain assimilation aids:

• The government acccomodated the settler-owners, as colonists were called now, by keeping the settlement further arranged in German office districts.
• According to the new laws, the farmer had become the owner of his crown’s land parcels, yet he was still depending on the community, as the community kept the right to be part of the decison making in the land sales.
• The colonists could now transfer to a different Russian guild or exit from the state association. The period for this decision was also set for 10 years.

Taking back the privileges from the cololonists was a negative, but the Russification politics beginning 1871 on behalf of the state did not change much for the rural Germans at first. All in all the colonists survived these reforms relatively well. Thanks to the upswing in agriculture around 1870, they did quite well economically. Administration of village and district remained in German hands, and existing institutions stayed in place, such as community meeting, vice mayor and mayor. The only new and burdensome requirement was Russian as the government language.