In Search of a Country: Russian Mennonite Self-Presentation to President of Mexico 1921

At the time of greatest need for Mennonites in Russia, they were classified as "undesirables" by the Canadian government (1919):

“… because, owing to their peculiar customs, habits, modes of living and methods of holding property, they are not likely to become readily assimilated or to assume the duties and responsibilities of Canadian citizenship within a reasonable time.” (Note 1)

The United States had a “national origins quoto,” which also closed the door to all but a few born in eastern or southern Europe; a letter to the American President met with no success.

Nonetheless, in 1921 Russian Mennonite “study commissioners” A. A. Friesen, Βenjamin Η. Unruh, C. H. Warkentin were charged to explore all options.

Below is a copy of the May 1921 letter sent to the the President of Mexico via the Minister of Fomento (note 2). The letter captures the constructed Russian Mennonite self-identity at this point of loss and trauma. This was their "pitch":

Their ancestors are largely Dutch, the post-world-war letter states, and they belong to those Protestant groups that seek to recover the ideal of ancient Christian simplicity and purity in doctrine and life.
They are non-resistant, and hold fast to the principle of preserving human life, not destroying it.
Wherever Russian Mennonites have settled, they have raised the material prosperity of the surrounding peoples and fortified the foundations of the economy.
By and large they are agriculturalists, who through expert knowledge, diligence, and thrift have always developed model farms as examples to the native population, and have prospered, now owning more than 1.5 million hectares of land.
Russian Mennonites also developed significant manufacturing industries, mills, trading and financial institutions.
In their love of order, sobriety, and loyalty they have always proven to be a state-supporting element.
They are amongst Russia’s most progressive citizens, and have raised and developed the intellectual and cultural life of its people.
Mennonites established 350 village schools, 33 high schools, 1 technical school, 1 school for the deaf, 2 pedagogical schools.
From the start, they placed high value in learning the official language, and developing social-welfare institutions, including plus 8 hospitals, a psychiatric facility, orphanage, and nursing homes.
Russian Mennonites are part of a global faith family, and are supported financially and with advice by brothers and sisters in The Netherlands, the United States and Canada.

While the above presentation was largely true, their Soviet communist critics—and earlier pan-Slavic detractors—would tell a different story:

Mennonites are German sympathizers—Dutch only when advantageous—and culturally prejudiced against Russians and their language.
They are beneficiaries of colonial privilege, and have exploited the land and their neighbours; simplicity has long ceased to be an ideal.
They are willing to bear arms to protect family and property, but not the nation. Moreover, they are deeply and chronically divided amongst themselves.

This is debatable. Now, however, Mennonites were looking to put their best foot forward.

Within a month of sending the letter to Mexico, Study Commissioner A. A. Friesen received a legal opinion that warned of difficulties ahead with Mexico, should they proceed. “I fear that it contains some requests which if granted would be in direct conflict with existing provisions of the Constitution of 1917,” and if granted “would at once be declared of no effect by the Supreme Court” (note 3).

Mexico however was not the only country under consideration. In these same months Canadian “Old Colony” and “Sommerfelder” "cousins" were also looking for a country that would accommodate in law their requests for military exemption, freedom of worship and their own schooling in the German language. Their delegates to Paraguay in 1921 found conditions in the Chaco suitable in every respect with 6,000,000 acres of available land, and a government already in the process of passing all requested exemptions into law (note 4).

Neighbouring Argentina was also explored and initially considered a favourite by the study commissioners. However after further inquiry Argentina was rejected because of unwavering military service requirements.

South Africa was the other favourite with much good land and, according to A. A. Friesen, its Boers were culturally- and ethnically-related people who shared a language similar to the Mennonite Frisian Low German. Prof. Benjamin H. Unruh had just been in London, and reported that there would be no problems from the perspective of the British government for a massive Mennonite settlement in South Africa. The expected travel costs for delegates of ca. $2,500 per person was somewhat prohibitive (note 5).

With the doors to Canada closed, the only real options seemed to be Paraguay and South Africa—and the latter was the preferred choice. Friesen saw potential for much conflict in working together with the more conservative Old Colony and Sommerfelder Mennonites and, like Unruh, he was convinced of South Africa's advantages:

“Of greater importance than Paraguay seems to me to be South Africa. However, I have no exhaustive material at my disposal. Economically, South Africa is undoubtedly very favorable. The language and racial difficulties would be considerably less than in all Latin American countries; perhaps it would also be possible to join the Boers. The Premier of South Africa, Gen. Smuts, is at present in London. I have asked Unruh to make an attempt to get in touch with Smuts. The investigation of S.Africa would be under all be recommended under all circumstances.” (Note 6)

While pursuing all of the options for a new homeland for Russian Mennonites, there was still faint hope that the Canadian post-war ban on Mennonite immigration (re: non-resistance) might be lifted with the right kind of political pressure and persuasion (note 7). And as we know, that did actually happen with a change of government. The 1919 Canadian Order in Council was rescinded early in 1922.

Expecting that this change was coming, in a highly secretive meeting in Ohrloff, Molotschna on February 7, 1922, Russian Mennonite leaders took a decision to work to remove the entire Mennonite population of some 100,000 people out of the USSR—if at all possible (note 8).

In the end, some 21,000 Mennonites were able to immigrate from the Soviet Union to Canada over the next six years before the Soviet Union closed its door (note 9). Paraguay would again become a real option in 1929/30 and later after World War II with new refugee crises.

---Arnold Neufeldt-Fast

---Notes---

Note 1: Order in Council images below shared by Canadian Senator Peter Harder on Twitter, October 2018.

Note 2: Abram A. Friesen and C. H. Warkentin to the President of Mexico, letter, May 1921. From Mennonite Library and Archives, Bethel College, N. Newton, KS (hereafter MLA-B), https://mla.bethelks.edu/archives/ms_60/folder_11_General_correspondence--May-June_1921/037.jpg; and https://mla.bethelks.edu/archives/ms_60/folder_11_General_correspondence--May-June_1921/038.jpg; and https://mla.bethelks.edu/archives/ms_60/folder_11_General_correspondence--May-June_1921/039.jpg.

Note 3: John L. Brown, to A. Friesen, Hillsboro, KS, June 14, 1921, MLA-B, https://mla.bethelks.edu/archives/ms_60/folder_11_General_correspondence--May-June_1921/142.jpg.

Note 4: Alvin Solberg to A. A. Friesen, June 7, 1921, letter, MLA-B, https://mla.bethelks.edu/archives/ms_60/folder_11_General_correspondence--May-June_1921/140.jpg; see also Samuel McRoberts to A. A. Friesen, June 13, 1921 [note typo in date], MLA-B, https://mla.bethelks.edu/archives/ms_60/folder_11_General_correspondence--May-June_1921/037.jpg. Further correspondence from May to Jue 1921 see MLA-B here: https://mla.bethelks.edu/archives/ms_60/folder_11_General_correspondence--May-June_1921/.

Note 5: A. Friesen to W. J. Ewert, letter, May 5, 1921. MLA-B, https://mla.bethelks.edu/archives/ms_60/folder_11_General_correspondence--May-June_1921/007.jpg, and https://mla.bethelks.edu/archives/ms_60/folder_11_General_correspondence--May-June_1921/008.jpg.

Note 6: A. A. Friesen to W. P. Neufeld, letter, June 30, 1921, MLA-B, https://mla.bethelks.edu/archives/ms_60/folder_11_General_correspondence--May-June_1921/123.jpg.

Note 7: A. A. Friesen, to W. J. Ewert, letter, May 29, 1921, MLA-B. https://mla.bethelks.edu/archives/ms_60/folder_11_General_correspondence--May-June_1921/012.jpg.

Note 8: B.B. Janz and Ph. Cornies to Study Commissioners A. A. Friesen, Βenjamin Η. Unruh, C. H. Warkentin; (also) to the General Commission for Foreign Needs of Holland and the American Mennonite Relief, Scottdale, PA, early March 1922. Translated and edited by Harold Bender, “A Russian Mennonite Document of 1922,” Mennonite Quarterly Review 28, no. 2 (April 1954), 143–147; 144f.

Note 9: For next steps in the story, see previous post: https://russianmennonites.blogspot.com/2023/12/the-way-is-finally-openrussian.html; AND https://russianmennonites.blogspot.com/2023/02/immigration-to-canada-1923-background.html; AND https://russianmennonites.blogspot.com/2023/03/german-spies-informants-and-emigration.html.

---

To cite this post: Arnold Neufeldt-Fast, “In Search of a Country: Russian Mennonite Self-Presentation to the President of Mexico 1921,” History of the Russian Mennonites (blog), December 5, 2023, https://russianmennonites.blogspot.com/2023/12/fraktur-or-gothic-font-and-kurrent-or.html.

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