An Editor for Tumultuous Political Times: Abraham Kröker

Abraham Kröker (1863-1944) was the well-known editor of the Molotschna-based paper—variously named Volksfreund, Friedensstimme or Flugblatt, as well as the annual Familienkalender. He published through WW1 and the anarchy and early Bolshevist years, which included six months of friendly German occupation in 1918.

His editorials from those times are all online and fascinating to read, https://chortitza.org/FB/mennru.htm. Looking back on the collapse of Mennonite life in Ukraine, he pointed to the love of “mammon,” the “materialistic disposition” and “nationalistic arrogance” of Mennonites, and not least to the forgetfulness of the unique call of the community to “sacrifice, suffering and renunciation for the sake of others.”

In 1918--a very dangerous context in which to publish news--Kröker reminded his readers that according to the example of the Apostle Paul who suffered under unjust authorities, the Christian is to pray and intercede “for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness” (1 Timothy 2: 1–2); in particular, for stability, order, and the regulation of society. “Through faithful intercession for the government, the people and the fatherland, we can have a powerful and beneficial impact on politics” (note 1).

Under friendly German occupation, the Mennonite press had freedom to ask the community’s most pressing and difficult theological question: Why has God allowed us to suffer? In his editorial published immediately after German “liberation” from Makhno's anarchists in April 1918, Kröker framed the events in terms of divine discipline for the reckless pursuit of wealth.

“We have neglected our workers spiritually and intellectually. One should have offered them reading materials and for those who could not read, create the possibility to learn how. And above all we should have done more—though this was of course strictly forbidden under the old regime—to familiarize them with the gospel. ...”

And to dispel all thought that the community’s suffering was a type of religious persecution, Kröker drew an explicit contrast to “our martyr fathers” who in clear conscience “suffered for the sake of the highest things.” Rather,

“… we have suffered because of 'mammon' which we pursued too vigorously. We were far too materialistic, too selfish. That is why God first sent the land liquidation laws; and when he did not achieve his goal, the knife had to cut deeper. A man is punished with that with which he sins. Do we understand this? Have we learnt anything?” (Note 2)

Over the next weeks, other letter writers also pointed to the “madness of the materialists.” “Our people are hard of heart, selfish and have abused their earlier privileges in many ways" (note 3). These were only the first attempts at answers by a shocked people largely convinced that God rules over history, and conscious of a special calling in the divine drama in and with Russia.

And amongst all denominations, “it has pleased God,” according to Kröker, to “present and manifest” through the Mennonites this “pearl of evangelical truth gained at great cost by our fathers.” Kröker restates the same conviction a year later: Mennonites are “predestined to foreshadow … even in an imperfect way, the great peace among nations in the Thousand-Year-Reign [of Christ]” (note 4). And it is because of this theological hope that “our youth are raised differently,” he reminds his readers; “not military bravery or fighting are presented as the highest civic virtues, but rather sacrifice, suffering and renunciation for the sake of others. In all our schools, non-resistance is explicitly taught and impressed [upon students] according to the Mennonite catechism” (note 5).

The first new issue of the Friedensstimme was published July 12, 1919—during a short pause in the chaos—with a lengthy three-page editorial asking again, “Where did we fail?” “What sins could have provoked this [divine] judgement?” (note 6). His editorial is biting, while offering a path forward:

“We did not prove ourselves reliable with the earthly goods entrusted to us by God. We did not understand how to use the unjust mammon to make friends. … We did not first seek God’s kingdom and his righteousness.”

This first new editorial under friendly White Army rule also had much to confess, especially with regard to national or racial arrogance. When it “was almost a crime to be a German … many of us signed petitions that ‘no German blood flows through our veins’… though we all know very well, that we are Germanified Dutchmen.”

Yet with German occupation of Ukraine we “suddenly became more extreme Germanophiles than the Imperial Germans … Placing our trust in this highly militaristic Germany was a denial of our better self and in direct contradiction to our traditions and principles.” After “reaffirming our Mennonite principle of non-resistance [Alternative Service as medics]… only one year later most of us abandoned this principle.”

Editor Kröker refused to lay blame on those who served in the Selbstschutz, but pointed instead to “the cause,” namely “our exaggerated enthusiasm for Germany. This was not always with us, but it was triggered by the injustice which we Germans in Russia had to endure. … Until the war we lived in good agreement with our Russian neighbours. … We must free ourselves from all nationalistic arrogance” (note 7).

In November 1919, Kröker wrote unambiguously to his Mennonite readership that the community as a whole had “provoked the sword.”

“Our Fathers reaching back to the martyrs cherished and upheld the treasure of their insight [non-resistance] high above all else, and sacrificed even property and life… . But in the summer of 1918, the South Russian Mennonites of our generation experienced in very short order a stark exchange of their convictions, and though there was no particular necessity for it at the time, they let go of the invaluable good of non-resistance. Today many already recognize that they had made a great error at that time. … It appears to me that we … provoked the sword, and it has fallen upon us as a people. Besides the materialistic disposition, the pursuit of wealth, this could be the greatest sin of our people, and should be recognized and confessed.” (Note 8)

Perhaps there is still some wisdom in reading a previous generation struggling through tumultuous times.

---Arnold Neufeldt-Fast

---Notes---

Note 1: Abraham Kröker, “Des Christen Stellung zum Staat, zur Obrigkeit, Politik und Parteiwesen,” Volksfreund II (XI), no. 5 (23) (1918), 1, https://media.chortitza.org/pdf/pletk10.pdf Generally, cf. Helmut T. Huebert, “Abraham Jakob Kroeker: A Father of M.B. Publication in Russia, 1863–1944,” in Shepherds, Servants and Prophets: Leadership Among the Russian Mennonites (ca. 1880–1960), edited by Harry Loewen, 247–264 (Kitchener, ON: Pandora, 2003). Also GAMEO, https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Kroeker,_Abraham_Jakob_(1863-1944).

Note 2: Kröker, “Unsere Befreiung,” Volksfreund II (XI), no. 16 (34) (April 27, 1918), 1 [broken link]

Note 3: Volksfreund II (XI), no. 17 (35) (May 1, 1918), 3 [broken link].

Note 4: Kröker, “Mennonitentum und Wehrlosigkeit,” Friedenstimme XVII, no. 38 (November 16, 1919), 2–3; 2, https://media.chortitza.org/pdf/pletk96.pdf.

Note 5: Kröker, “Einige Gedanken zu unserm Wehrlosigkeitsprinzip,” Friedensstimme XVI, no. 53 (September 21, 1918), 2, https://media.chortitza.org/pdf/pletk63.pdf.

Note 6: Kröker, “Worin liegt unser Fehler?,” Friedensstimme XVII, no. 21 (July 12, 1919), 1–3, https://media.chortitza.org/pdf/pletk86.pdf.

Note 7: Kröker, “Worin liegt unser Fehler?”

Note 8: Kröker, “Mennonitentum und Wehrlosigkeit,” 2f.

Pic of Abraham Kröker from GAMEO.org.

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