The Volga Commissariat for German Affairs started work in Saratov in March 1918.
Its role was formalised through a charter which was approved on May 29, 1918, by the People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs and the People's Commissariat for Nationalities of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic.
This was then ratified by the Decree of the Council of People's Commissars (Sovnarkom) of July 26, 1918.
[1] The joint Narkomnat decree specified the role of the Commissariat as:[2] This last point was amplified by the ratifying degree of Sovnarkom that neither the Saratov and Samara governates, nor the more local Saratovsky Uyezd and Samarsky Uyezd were allowed to carry out "food [in essence, the seizure of food] and other work among the colonists" (i.e. the Volga Germans) without the consent of the commissariat.
[1] This commissariet led to the formation of the Labour Commune of Volga Germans.