Frankreich was founded in 1861 by Lutheran colonists from Galka, Shcherbakovka and Schwab.

This village has been known as Selyanka and Frankreich.  Following the 1941 deportation of the Volga Germans, Frankreich was given the name of Solyanka after the nearby river.

Frankreich surnames include:  Ehrlich, Eichmann, Geier, Lattner, Lorenz, Messerschmidt, Reich, Schmidt, Schwab, Wunsch, Ziegler.  Source:  1857 Census obtained by Brent Mai of the Volga German Institute

• Census Lists for Volga Colonies translated by Brent Mai