History of the Russian Mennonites

The semi-autonomous Ukrainian People's Republic was established shortly after Russia's February Revolution in 1917. Much was still fluid, however. After the October Bolshevik Revolution the Central Rada of Ukraine in Kyiv declared full state independence from the Russian Republic on January 22, 1918. The Ukrainian People's Republic negotiated an end to its participation in Great War, and on February 9, 1918 signed a protectorate treaty in Brest-Litovsk. On February 17, Ukraine appealed to Germany and Austria-Hungary for assistance to repel Russian Bolshevik “invaders,” to detach Ukraine from Russia, and to establish conditions of stability. The World War had not yet ended. Imperialist Germany was desperate for grain and natural resources from Ukraine, eager to end the war in the east while containing Russia, and determined to establish post-war markets for German goods, technologies and influence ( note 1 ). For its part the Russian Bolshevik regime was eager to save ...

Russia declared war on Germany on July 20, 1914. Mennonite ministers and civic leaders met on July 22, and called for the extension of their community’s alternative service agreement beyond forestry service: to form complete medical units to gather the wounded from the front and to transport them by hospital trains to interior hospitals; to establish special hospital facilities for the wounded in the colonies; to fundraise large sums for the Red Cross; and to grant financial aid to families of soldiers ( note 1 ). Mennonites knew that they would have to prove their patriotism in positive and tangible ways in order to retain property rights and privileges. Abraham Kröker, editor of the Friedensstimme , wrote just before the start of the war: “Do we not owe it our government and Russian neighbours to show that if a war … broke out, we would be ready to serve the interests of the Fatherland [Russia], and to help the needy?” D. H. Epp, editor of Der Botschafter , wrote: “We need to show ...

How did Mennonites understand their commitment to non-resistance and to the Tsar? Russia declared war on Germany on July 20, 1914. The following primary document from Bachmut / Memrik Mennonite Church Elder Peter Wilhelm Janzen to government officials a few days later (translated below) offer us a sense of how different their world was from ours. It too had a context. Was the state suspicious about Mennonite loyalties in an impending war with Germany? Indeed. Did Mennonites feel pressured to prove their patriotism in positive and tangible ways in order to retain privileges, including property rights? Yes. Here is a translation of Janzen's statement on behalf of 20 Mennonite villages, and addressed to the Central Committee of the "Union" [Octobrists] ( note 1 ). At the end of this post I offer a few comments. "We, the Mennonite landowners in 20 villages of the Bachmut District, address  authorities, institutions, and the whole of society with the following words: Yest...