Moving to Molotschna 6

Although our primary focus the past several months has been on Alexanderwohl, first identifying its founding settlers, then learning more about the circumstances in which they established the village (and we are not yet done with the series), we must not lose sight of the broader context in which this took place. Before the Alexanderwohl settlers could build their new homes, they had to travel to their new home. Providing the background to and context of the journey is the goal of this ongoing series.

Thus far we have learned that the Przechovka Mennonites who wished to emigrate to Molotschna had to secure the necessary documents granting permission to leave Prussia and to enter Russia (here), then pay the Prussian authorities an exit tax of 10 percent of their assets (here). Only then could they begin their 900-mile, seven-week journey to the site of their future home (here). 

With such obstacles to overcome, one might ask why these church members were so determined to leave. A 1955 Mennonite Life article by J. A. Duerksen sheds light on this question. Before we detail the answer he provides, a word about the availability of Mennonite Life online. Thanks to the good graces of Bethel College, all issues of Mennonite Life ever published (1946–) are freely available to anyone who wishes to read and/or download. The entire run of issues can be accessed here. There is an abundance of good reading material available from that page, so I will add the Mennonite Life link to the Online Resources section on the right side of the Buller Time front page. 

The April 1955 issue has an article that, if memory serves me correctly, we have cited previously: J. A. Duerken’s “Przechowka and Alexanderwohl: Beginnings of Alexanderwohl, Tabor, Hoffnungsau and Other Churches.” As the title implies, the article covers the history of first the Przechovka church in Poland/Prussia and then Alexanderwohl in Molotschna colony.

According to Duerksen, “signed statements on emigration passes preserved in the Danzig Archives” gave the following reasons for the 1820 emigration to Molotschna:

1. They were pauperized by the Napolenoic [sic] wars.
2. They had no prospects to improve their lot in Prussia.
3. They had no opportunity to become landowners in Prussia.
4. Russia offered them about 160 acres to a family while in Prussia they were allotted only about 40 acres to a family.
5. Their Russian relatives praised Russian condi­tions and urged them to come to Russia, also.

Duerksen does not cite specific sources for his summary, but we can probably deduce the nature of the emigration passes. It is noteworthy that Duerksen locates the passes in Danzig archives. As we saw earlier, the passport that authorized its bearer to travel within Prussia was issued by the regional Prussian authority; for the Przechovka church, that regional authority was located in Marienwerder. On the other hand, the Russian embassy that issued visas permitting Przechovka immigrants to enter Russia was located in Danzig. Thus, it seems most likely that the passes that Duerksen references are applications for Russian visas by Mennonites who had permission to leave Prussia but now needed permission to enter Russia.

The content of the list also makes sense of this explanation. That is, the Russian government being asked for permission to enter its territory would want to know why the person wished to immigrate; the Prussian government that gave permission for the Przechovka Mennonites to leave would be less interested in the reason and more keen on ensuring that each family paid its 10 percent exit tax before vacating the country.

With that background in place, we are ready to explore further the actual reasons given, so that we understand them accurately and fully. That will be the subject and the task of the following post.

Work Cited

Duerksen, J. A. 1955. Przechowka and Alexanderwohl: Beginnings of Alexanderwohl, Tabor, Hoffnungsau and Other Churches. Mennonite Life 10:76–82. Available online here.