Kennel Vom Bergland

 

 

Ch Granat Ural

Ch Amurat Aless Ural

The perhaps most important kennel of the post-war period in Germany was the “vom Bergland”, not only in terms of success in the home area, but also with regard to export to other countries, whereby the borzoi not only won nice prizes, but also provided for offspring in the top class.
The name of the kennel “vom Bergland” corresponds to the location on a large lake at the foot of the Alps. Mrs. Müller started with borzoi in 1936 and opened her breeding program with a very good borzoi: Ch. Granat Ural, a son of Ch. Amurat Aless Ural.

Matador Ural

From the Rasswet kennel she secured two bitches: Rasswet’s Liebe and Rasswet’s Faith, but unfortunately both died before they had a litter, she then acquired a bitch whose grandmother, Milka (Bussius), in 1935 was imported from Russia and from whom she got a great litter.This bitch was Cora Ismailoff, who gave birth to A- litter after Granat Ural. For the B-litter she breed Algol vom Bergland to Kosirka Ural.

Cora Ismailoff (Desiree Maass)

Kismet vom Bergland (Rasswet’s Fanal x Fialka vom Bergland) is famous in England as one of the most important breeding bitches for the Woodcourt kennel, owned by Mrs Julia Curnow. It was also Kismet whom  mated to Apex of Woodcourt among else produced 1955 Cruft’s Show winner Ch Melba of Guernmore. Kismet is also behind the swedish import from England, Ch Sadia of Whitelilies , She is still is to be found behind all old Swedish lines.

Ch Sadia of Whitelilies

Melba of Quernmore

Later imported Mrs Memmer, kennel “Dio de Vento”. to the Belgian kennel of Father Godt, Laetitia de Ruwendael, who gave her on loan to Mrs. Müller, where she brought the F-litter to Matador Ural.

Mrs. Müller also acquired La Jana of Karamazov. Both proved themselves as successful breeding bitches of top winners.

Forelle v Bergland

From the F-litter mentioned comes Forelle vom Bergland, whom was imported to England by Mrs. Rees. Winjones Kazan comes from Forelle after Mazeppa Braznikoff (owner Mr. Saronson). The latter was imported to the USA by Mr. Vaz and won at a young age at a special borzoi show.

Yerres V Bergland

Lucky Lady of Barnaigh, 10 years old

Yerres vom Bergland (Kyrill vom Bergland x Jaspis vom Bergland) was used for breeding by Mrs. McNeil; some of his offspring crossed the Atlantic and ended up in kennel Malora (owner Mrs. Eileen Worthing), namely Lucky Lady of Barnaigh and Lovely Lady of Barnaigh.
Ms. Müller exported to several countries, including Argentina, Switzerland, Turkey, England and the USA.
Possibly Mrs. Müller’s most important bitch was Jaspis vom Bergland. Ms. Müller writes:

Jaspis V Bergland

“She was born in 1946 and began her 6-year exhibition career in 1947. She was 14 months old in Heidelberg (judge Dr. Bergmann) and always received exc. She received CACIB in Cologne (judge v. Pastor) and Stuttgart (judge Reime). In 1948 she got the first club winner’s title in Munich (judge Regenstein), a year later the second club winner’s title in Dortmund (judge Dr. Bergland). She won four state winner titles in Heidelberg (judge Müller), Düsseldorf (judge rhymes), Cologne (judge v. Pastor), Mannheim (judge Gräber). In 1951 she was “Best Dog of the Breed” in Cologne (judge v. Pastor). CACIBs abroad failed once because of the trips abroad, which at the time were still associated with all sorts of difficulties, and because of the progressive aging of the now 7-year-old bitch. On March 13, 1958 Jaspis was 12. She is only aging on the outside, but in nature and temperament she is lively and vivacious and greets visitors, be they human or dog, with the same grin by lifting her upper lip and turning up her nose as when she was young. She did not move to my new kennel in Aachen, but is spending the rest of her life with me in Assenhausen on Lake Starnberg.The first grief and only pain in her long dog life will be caused to us when she leaves us one day ….”
After the Second World War, Ms. Müller made the most extensive exports to the USA in connection with Mr. C.R. de Craene, New Jersey. He was stationed as a soldier in Germany and secured Colby vom Bergland at this time. This was later followed by a whole range of Upland Borzois and at present Mr De Craene has a litter from Upland Fandango to Upland Djumber. These purchases formed the basis of Mr. De Craene’s White Swan kennel. As they believe in line breeding, de Craenes continued to buy from Mrs. Muller to keep the European line pure. Exports are not new to Mrs. Muller, since exported them to various countries before World War II.

Int Ch Polongai Porchai Krasnoje Selo

Charis vom Bismarcktum

Int Ch Helanka vom Bergland

In the early 1950s the Dutch Int Ch Polongai Porchai Krasnoje Selo and the daughter of Shoka V Bergland, Ch Charis vom Bismarckturm is incorporated in Bergland kennel. These two were bred and produced a very influential H-litter. To start with US Ch Helios vom Bergland and Hoheit vom Bergland, imported to US Sunbarr kennel. Herrscher vom Bergland, siring five litters in France. Halka vom Bergland, who mated to Coltey Springinsfeld produced the extremely important Soviet-Russian import Grifo der Karolinger von Wienerwald. He had 16 matings in Russia and appears in many of todays Russian born Borzois. Finally we have Int Ch Helanka V Bergland, exported to is Slonowaja, Switzerland.

Mrs. Müller died of a stroke in October 1958. Mary Taviner wrote this Obituary over her lifelong commitment to the Borzoi breed.

AU REVOIR HAHNE MULLER
She was the owner and guiding influence of the famous Bergland kennels of Germany. Her influence and the impact of her keen sense of the breed will long be remembered by the long list of world famous Borzoi she has bred and developed to the ranks of champions. Consistently she has produced, over the years, outstanding Borzoi that have found their way into the most famous kennels in the fancy of Africa, America, Great Britain and all of Europe. Her line of Borzoi have had a distinctive type that sets them apart from the rest of the famous kennels in existence today. Many people believe that she, with her astute knowledge of the breed and her research of the famous packs of old Russia, has more closely produced a type of Borzoi that could have been found in the kennels that flourished in the days of Czarist Russia before the Revolution.
Mrs, Muller became interested in the breed in a serious way in 1933 when she acquired the dog Grant Ural and the bitch Cora Tsmailoff. To these as foundation, she added in 1936 the bitch Kosirka Ural who produced many fine specimens, the most outstanding being Matador Ural. She also pro-duced the famous bitch Jaspis v. Bergland eight times the best Borzoi bitch in all Germany, where there have been some really outstanding ones, and twice she was the Champion Landessieger. The list of Borzoi, only to mention a few, that have found their way to other kennels and have left their outstanding mark upon the breed are as follows: Great Britain imported the bitches Kismet v. Bergland and Forelle v. Bergland and the dog Menthes Yerres v. Bergland. These Borzoi have left, in no small way, their heritage on the breed as it is found in Britain today. America has imported Zasnaja v. Bergland, Fandaga v. Bergland, Helios v. Bergland, Hoheit v. Bergland, Grafinia v. Bergland, Flaja v. Bergland and Zagasa v. Bergland. The full impact of this array of Borzoi will soon be reflected in American kennels. The list could be continued and this article does not wish to slight any breeder anywhere who has one of these outstanding dogs.
During the war years Mrs, Muller, as with many dog breeders in all of Britain and Europe, found it very difficult to keep foundation stock in strength to carry on after the war. Somehow she did keep sufficient basic stock to continue a full breeding program after the war. In the year 1956 she found it necessary to move her kennel from Assenhausen to Aschen where she continued with the help of Charlotte Zabel to produce outstanding Borzoi.
In October 1958 she visited her kennel in Aachen to lay plans for the continued breeding program she had followed. New yards had been installed and great plans were in the making for future progress.
On October 5th, to be exact, she complained of not feeling well and, after putting her house in order, she entered the hospital in Aachen on the 8th where she had a stroke of apoplexy lingering on until the 13th when she passed away. Today she rests in Munchen remembered by her family and the host of people from all corners of the world who have come under her influence as wife, friend and dog breeder par excellente.
That the Borzoi breeders the world over have lost a champion of fine, intelligent, consistent breeding, where no compromise could be made for quality, is a known fact. When future history is written of the breed, the name of Bergland and Mrs. Muller will find their place along with the famous of the past. It is to be hoped that the outstanding specimens that have found their place in kennels around the world will add to the sum total of high quality that she ever tried to achieve.

I must thank Pirjo Hostikka-Vuokare for contributing with photos and material. Most of the information above is collected from Mary Taviners magazine Riders of the Wind, published in 1958.) Below a copy of the letter Hanne Mueller send to Mary, and which she based the article on.

THE BEGINNING OF VON BERGLAND KENNELS by the late Hanne Mueller of Germany.

My affix first appeared in the 1936 DES CLUBS DER WINDHUNDIEBHABER. My home was on a great lake by the Alps and mountainous, hence Berg-land or mountain land. I began with the breed with a very good dog, a son of the Int, Ch. Amurat Aless Ural, DWZ 3590, Ch, Granat Ural, DWZ 6294, and from the Rasswet kennels two bitches, Rasswet’s Liebe and Rasswet’s Freue, but both died before I could breed them to Ch. Granat Ural.

Then I had a bitch whose grandmother was imported from Russia in 1935, and I had a litter of very strong puppies, Later I imported Laetitia de Rwendael from Father Godts in Brussels and also brought LaJana Karamasov to my kennel, after this I acquired Matador Ural and also Kosirka Ural, DWZ 6894, by Weltsieger Int, Ch, Rasset’s Hochmunt, DWZ 4257, ex Int, Ch, Grandezza Ural. DWZ 6200, and she was a wonderful brood bitch.

My best bitch in the past was Jaspis von Bergland, DWZ 8439, with all titles on the continent, The French championship she never made because after three C,A,C.I,B,, the frightful war began and after the war she was too old to make it, She was white with gold markings.

I have exported in the years before the war as I am exporting now. The young Mr, de Craene was a soldier in Germany after the war and returned with Colby Von Bergland to U.S.A. In the next years he comes to my kennels for Borzoi. I have exported Borzoi to Argentina, Brazil, South Carolina, Switzerland, France, Holland, Austria, Turkey and Italy,

You mentioned the lovely Rasswet’s Fanal, he was the sire of my Kyrill and Kismet von Bergland, Kyrill was the same as Fanal in figure and the same colors, Greta Kerler, owner of Rasswet kennels has not bred for many years. Her father died in 1945 and a short time later she lost her house by a great fire and her mother died in the fire, Also her best dog, Ch, Rasswet’s Furor, died in the same fire, he was a litter brother to Rasswet’s Fanal. I do not think she will breed Borzoi again./ Hanne Mueller                                                             

 

 

 

 

Ilja vom Bergland

Nadja is Slonowaja

 

 

 

 

 

 

The I-litter becomes the last that Ms Mueller bred, (Polongai Porchai Krasnoje Selo-Enke v Bergland) it holds among else Ilja V Bergland. He is exported to the Sunbarr kennel in USA, where he becomes very influential. He sires six litters, five for James Barrs Sunbarr and one for Eileen Worthings Malora kennel.

The kennel was continued by Ms. Charlotte Zabel. Ms Zabel uses Ira vom Bergland from the last litter bred by Hanne Mueller, and breeds her to Campus v d Hatz in 1962 (L-litter). she has a second litter in 1965, this time with Holzky is Slonowaja for the N-litter. Ms Zabel also gets a bitch from Swiss, Nadja is Slonowaja, . To note is that Slonowaja much is based on Golf vom Bergland & Helanka vom Bergland. Nadja is bred to Troyka van Troybhiko I and produces such excellent borzois as Wassilow vom Bergland, Wilkaja vom Bergland and Wanjuschka vom Bergland. These three produces together 19 litters, in all 139 puppies in three different countries, Germany, Belgium and France

Golf vom Bergland

 

 

Int Ch Wassilow vom Bergland

Wanjuschka vom Bergland

Int Ch Wilkaja vom Bergland

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the L-litter it was Ljasko vom Bergland that made a mark, siring four litters.

Roxane (vom Bergland)

Ch Daragoj Waschja

One puppy, Roxane, went, (without kennelname ) to Eva Heino-Resko in Finland, where she became foundation for the Daragoj kennel. In combination with Vasaravuoren Enrico, who had a lot of Swiss, (mainly de Norois) lines, she produced a very influential W-litter, where many were used in further breeding.Most influential was probably Daragoj Waschja, siring among else a litter for swedish kennel LeiCro, which produced such stars as Zandor, Zmirnoff and Zilla, all with the LeiCro-prefix. A granddaughter of Wascha is exported to Sirhan kennel in Canada where Sirhan Mirage continued the line, that through Sirhan Vedma can be found behind the Lythe kennel in USA. In the N-litter its two bitches that becomes very influential, Ninotschka vom Bergland is used at two kennels in Netherlands, Vorenoff and St. Petersburg. From the Vorenoff-litter with english Swiftcroft Beethoven Of Vorenoff, Vorenoff Lady Lailah has a huge influence as she is used for four litter at Vom Bergland.

Vorenoff Lady Lailah with some of her pups in the M-litter, 1978.

Especially the M-litter breed to A’Kouban des Monts Valdaï is succesful, producing 6 puppies, of whom five are used for further breeding, especially Matador vom Bergland becomes most influential, siring 7 litters. Also Marja Vom Bergland appears in many pedigrees today, as she in kennel Stepuns,  among else produced  World Winner Ch Stepuns Feofar

Ch Stepuns Feofar

The other, very influential N-bitch was Noblesse vom Bergland.

 

She had one litter, bred to Troyka van Borjoschka, in which four out of six had major influence in different kennels, such as Int Ch Tolkai vom Bergland, Heinz Steinmeyers kennel Tolkaia´s, he produced among else Ch Vorenoff Kyrill Tolkaia, foundation sire for US kennel Kristull.

Tamara vom Bergland

Tamara vom Bergland for Jean Brixes kennel Monts Valdaï, Tanjuscha Vom Bergland in Rene Matheeuwsen kennel Perchotins, from there the US Rancho Gabriel imported Perchotin’s Byankaj Gabriel.

Int Ch Tonja Vom Bergland

Int Ch Tonja vom Bergland, owner Marliese Müller (Schneebeli) kennel Romanows, also of great influence in Finland through exports to the Kaznan kennel, and through kennel Polongain to the extremely influential brothers  Int Ch Timirinja´s Birkowitch and Timirinja’s Birik Czarinjin, whom together sired 21 litters, with in all 101 puppies!
Another noteable litter at Bergland is the I-litter in 1975, when a daughter of Nadja is Slonowaja, Wanjuschka vom Bergland is breed to Mrs Hellers Vorenoff Knight Errand to produce, among else Int Ch Ingo V Bergland.

Int Ch Ingo Vom Bergland

     Ingo was owned by Jo Heller, Vorenoff and had added  every possible title to his name.He sired 6 litters, and at least one daughter came to have a huge impact. That was

Vorenoff Pushinka

Vorenoff Pushinka, she was imported to Sweden and had a very influential litter for kennel Majorow, when mated to their great winning Int Ch Majorows Charlamow, producing among else swedens No 1 Borzoi 1984, Majorows Gabrianow. Also two grandchildren out of this litter gained the title of Topwinning Swedish Borzoi, Majorows Iriada in 1992 and Grafinjas Barinjin, three consecutive years, 1987-1989. He had vom Bergland also from his mother Kaznan Grafinja.

Undine vom Bergland

I surely have missed a lot of influential Vom Bergland Borzois. There must be many more worth mentioning, for example Yucca V Bergland, foundation for one of Europes oldest kennels, Walholl’s in Germany.Also Undine vom Bergland, born 1984 comes to my mind. This was the last litter at Vom Bergland kennel. Such a great work from two remarkable women, Hanne Mueller 1936 to 1958 and Charlotte Zabel 1958 to 1988. Writing this article has made me understand the huge impact kennel vom Bergland had on Borzois all around the world. Seems to me its hard not to find the Bergland name, if you explore the pedigree of your Borzoi.

Charlotte Zabel with Mira and Shenja vom Bergland 1988

I met with Charlotte Zabel in person 1978,  while driving round Europe, visiting many of Europes great breeders of that time. I had got instructions from Jo Heller, kennel Vorenoff, how to drive to find my way in Aachen, no mobile phones or GPS, just a map.

Discussing with Ms Zabel

I did manage and got the most hospitable welcome from Ms Zabel and her kennelhelp, a very friendly man, sorry to say, his name has slipped my mind.

Our hosts, in the puppy yard

They did live under quite small circumstances, but all their Borzois were in excellent condition, well muscled and -feed, with large yards for exercise.

Making friends with Inca vom Bergland

 

I found all of the Borzois of excellent breed type and got especially found of Inca vom Bergland, and also fell in love with the 5-month old puppy Matador vom Bergland.

Matador vom Bergland

Charlotte Zabel.

All wrong assumptions & mistakes to be found in this article is to be blamed on me/Dan Persson 2023

 

Year of Event:

1936

Country:

Personal Collections:

 

Source:

Author:

Dan Persson

Dogs:

 

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