Mennonite
Historical
Society
of Alberta

Archives

  1. Kathy Peters fonds

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    Accession 2017.007

    Title and Physical Description

    Kathy Peters fonds, – 12 cm of textual material. – 40 photographs

    Administrative/Biographical Description

    Kathy Peters was the daughter of David P. Goerzen and Susanna (Wiens) Goerzen.  Kathy Peters parents had migrated from the Soviet Union to Canada in 1924 and settled in the Didsbury area of Alberta.  Kathy was born in 1933 at Crossfield, Alberta, and married Edward William Peters.
    In 1987 Kathy Peters received from her mother, Susanna (Wiens) Goerzen, a large collection of letters which various family members had received from relatives still living and enduring severe hardships in the Soviet Union.  These letters were written in the cursive German Gothic script but have been carefully transcribed and then translated.   Expanatory notes are also provided where the dates, places, or relationships are not clearly defined in the letters.  Kathy Peters added detailed genealogical information about the families living in Canada and those living in the Soviet Union.  Most of the letters were  written between 1924 and 1933, but some are dated as late as 1936.  The letters provide much detailed information about the lives and conditions of those who remained in the Soviet Union.

    Custodial History

    The letters were either received directly by David P. Goerzen and Susanna (Wiens) Goerzen, or collected by Susanna (Wiens) Goerzen from relatives in Canada who had received letters from mutual relatives living in the Soviet Union.  Some items are only fragments of letters. They were donated by Kathy (Goerzen) Peters to the archives of the Mennonite Historical Society of Alberta in 2017.
    The photographs came from a Peters family photograph album.  Most of the photos were taken in the Soviet Union and brought to Canada by the parents of Edward William Peters (Kathy Peters’ husband). They were donated by Kathy (Goerzen) Peters to the archives of the Mennonite Historical Society of Alberta in 2017.

    Scope and Content

    The fonds consists of four different sets of original letters, together with transcripts and translations and 40 photographs.  The letters in each file are arranged chronologically.

    1. 62 letters written by Maria Dueckman Goerzen to her son and daughter-in-law, David P. Goerzen and Susanna (Wiens) Goerzen.  They cover the period from 1924 to 1933, the year of Maria Dueckman’s death.  Maria Dueckman was Kathy (Goerzen) Peters paternal grandmother.

    2. 29 letters written by Anna (Goerzen) Fast to her brother and sister-in-law David P. Goerzen and Susanna (Wiens) Goerzen.  They cover the period from 1924 to 1936.  Anna (Goerzen) Fast was Kathy (Goerzen) Peters aunt.

    3. 33 letters written by David P. Goerzen’s brothers, Heinrich and Peter, and his sister Maria (Goerzen) Regehr.  They cover the period from 1924-1933.  These were Kathy (Goerzen) Peters uncles and aunt.

    4. 29 letters from members of the Johann Johann Wiens and Susanna (Dyck) Wiens family to the families of their daughters Susanna (David) Goerzen and Anna (Gerhard) Duerksen.   They cover the period 1924-1933.    Johann Wiens and Susanna (Dyck) Wiens were Kathy (Goerzen) Peters maternal grandparents.

    40 Peters family photographs, filed separately.  The 40 photographs come from a Peters family album.   Edward William Peters (Kathy Peters husband) was the son of Gerhard Jacob Peters and Susanna Peters.  The Gerhard and Susanna Peters family lived in the Yazykovo Mennonite colony before migrating to Canada in 1924.  In Canada they settled on the Burns Ranch near Didsbury, Alberta.  There is identifying information for some of the photographs, but many do not have any identifying information.

    Notes

    Katharine (Goerzen) Peters  GM158100
    Susanna (Wiens) Goerzen – Kathy (Goerzen) Peters mother GM413662
    Maria (Duekman) Goerzen – Kathy (Goerzen) Peters paternal grandmother GM207137
    Anna (Goerzen) Fast – Kathy (Goerzen) Peters aunt GM1400383
    David P. Goerzen – Kathy (Goerzen) Peters father  GM158098
    Johann Johann Wiens and Susanna (Dyck) Wiens, Kathy (Goerzen) Peters maternal grandparents GM413660 and GM413661
    Edward William Peters –  Kathy Peters husband GM158097
    Gerhard Jacob Peters  – Kathy Peters father-in-law GM158095
    Susanna Peters GM – Kathy Peters mother-in-law  GM158096

     

  2. Langemann, Johann and Anna. – ca 1890-1989. – 50 cm

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    Accession 2024.007

    Title  and Physical Description

    Johann and Anna Langemann fonds, c. 1890-1989, 50 cm.

    Administrative/Biographical History

    Johann and Anna Langemann were residents of Gnadenheim, Molotschna settlement, where the family had a well-established Wirtschaft.  Johann was born on 13 December 1888 in Gnadenheim.   Anna (Baerg) Langemann was born in in the same village on 3 September 1897.  Both came from “blended” families in which their fathers’ first wives had died.   They had then remarried.  They migrated from the Soviet Union to Canada in 1926 and established a small mixed farming operation in Coaldale, Alberta.  Most of both Johann’s and Anna’s siblings, however, remained in the Soviet Union.

    The fate of close family members who remained in the Soviet Union became a major concern for Johann and Anna Langemann.  For at time after 1926 there was quite extensive correspondence with immediate family members and other relatiaves who were still living in the Soviet Union.  That was disrupted in the mid-1930s, but resumed to a limited extent by some of the survivors after Stalin’s death.  Despite their own difficult financial constraints, the Langemann family provided whatever support they could for their desperate, starving and oppressed relatives in the Soviet Union.   They also preserved letters, written in cursive Gothic German script, which they received from those relatives.  Specifically, Anna (Baerg) Langemann had 2 sisters, 2 brothers, 2 half sisters and 4 half-brothers.  Only Anna and one half-sister migrated with their families to Canada.  All of Anna’s other siblings remained in the Soviet Union where they suffered great harship.  One of Anna (Baerg) Langemann’s half-brothers was exiled and died in Siberia in 1940.  Two of her brothers also perished in the Gulag.   One was taken away and died in a prison camp in 1940 and the other was taken in 1937 and shot on 5 February 1938.  Johann Langemann had 4 half brothers, two of which came to Canada.  The other 2 remained in Russia where one “disappeared” in 1937.

    Johann Langemann died on 23 March 1945.  The family then relocated, for a short time, to Sardis, British Columbia, but returned to Coaldale where Anna and her family lived until her death on 21 January 1983.  They had three sons, one of whom died in infancy, and three daughters.

    Scope and Content

    The fonds includes some genealogical information, some documents pertaining to the migration and subsequent land acquisition in Coaldale, thirty-nine photographs, and a large collection of letters, most of which were written by siblings and relatives living in the Soviet Union.  Many of the letters were translated by Johann and Anna’s children, Peter Langemann and Agnes (Langemann) Thibert.   They apparently focused their efforts mainly on letters written by siblings or nieces and nephews of Johann and Anna (Baerg) Langemann and on letters written by Johann Langemann’s siblings and relatives.  The translated letters are arranged somewhat sporadically,  in chronological order.   Many of the letters, however, either have no date, or only the day and month but not the year in which they were written.  Often there is also no signature, and there are numerous fragmentary or incomplete letters.  Included are several binders or folders of unprocessed letters or fragments of letters.

    File List

    o1.01 “Familien Chronik” taken from a damaged family Bible.
    01.02 Langemann Genealogical Chart
    01.03 Johann and Anna Langemann – Russian passports
    01.04 Various legal documents related to the farm in Coaldale, Alberta
    01.05 Binder of family photographs.  Three oversized photographs are filed separately.
    01.06 Binder of letters in Gothic cursive script, with translations, mostly from relatives of Anna (Baerg) Langemann. 1927-1931.
    01.07 Binder of letters in Gothic cursive script, with translations, mostly from relatives of Anna (Baerg) Langemann, 1931-1934.
    01.08 Binder of letters in Gothic cursive script, with translations, mostly form relatives of Johann Langemann, 1927-1934.
    01.09 Binder of letters in Gothic cursive script, with translations, mostly from Anna (Baerg) and Johann Langemann 1948-1989.
    01.10 Binder of unprocessed original letters in Gothic cursive script.
    01.11 Binder of unprocessed original letters in Gothic cursive script.
    01.12 Folder of unprocessed original letters in Gothic cursive script.

     

     

  3. Highland Mennonite Brethren Church Calgary fonds. – 25 cm – 1995-2004

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    Accession 2024.005 and 2025.002 (filed with 2024.005)

    Title and Physical Description

    Highland Mennonite Brethren Church Calgary fonds. – 25 cm – 1995-2004

    Administrative/Biographical History

    Highland Mennonite Brethren Church in Calgary began as a Mennonite Brethren city mission in the 1950s.  The group, meeting in rented facilities, was organized as the Calgary Mennonite Brethren Church in 1956.  In 1962 they built their own sanctuary in the Highland district of Calgary at 4018 Centre B Street, N W., Calgary, T2K 0W2.  The congregation was then renamed as the Highland Mennonite Brethren Church.  In 1983 the congregation divided to form the Dalhousie Mennonite Brethren Church.   The Highland Mennonite Brethren Church is affiliated with the Alberta, Canadian, and General Conferences of Mennonite Brethren Churches.

    Scope and Content

    The fonds consists of church bulletins from 1995 to 2004 when Harry Heidebrecht served as the Senior Pastor of the Church.   They were evidently kept by Harry Heidebrecht and include his sermon outlines and also some other notes and reports.  The fonds includes only bulletins for the worship services in which Harry Heidebrecht preached or had a prominent role.

    At the request of the MHSA archivist, the Highland Mennonite Brethren Church made available copies of the Council Meetings of the church during the time when Harry Heidebrecht was the pastor.  These were years of transition and it is instructive to gain insight into Council and Sunday morning worship perspectives.

    Source of Acquisition

    The church bulletins and sermon notes were donated to the Mennonite Heritage Museum, Abbotsford, British Columbia.  The Mennonite Heritage Museum donated them to the Mennonite Historical Society of Alberta since the Highland Mennonite Brethren Church is an Alberta church.

    The copies of Council Meetings were donated by the Highland Mennonite Brethren Church.

     

     

     

  4. Mennonite Society of Calgary

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    Mennonite Society of Calgary

    Accession 2023.005

    Title and Physical Description

    Mennonite Society of Calgary, 1991-2006, 51 cm of textual records, 1 compact disc, 10 floppy discs.

    Administrative and Biographical History

    The Mennonite Society of Calgary was incorporated in 1996.  The objective of the society was to develop a multi-faceted residential community, anchored around Mennonite/Anabapist sociology and philosophy, to serve the needs of mature adults in Calgary.  A Steering Committee was appointed which developed a plan of action and initiated a search for a suitable plot of land in or around Calgary.   After several unsuccessful efforts to acquire suitable land, a 14.7 acre plot of land just outside the north-west city limits of Calgary was acquired in 2005.  It was to be held by anew corporation, MSC Land Corporation which was registered as  Alberta Company 1196679.   There were, however, problems in securing an appropriate connection for sewage disposal.  That resulted in abandonment of the plan, selling of the land, and dissolution of the organization.

    Scope and Content

    The fonds consists of organizational files, minutes, correspondence and supporting documents of membership, Board of Directors and Annual meetings,  Also included are subject files providing relevant information about similar institutions and technical/engineering aspects of the proposed project.  The fonds includes the minutes of some of the directors’ meetings of  Alberta Company 1196679 but not on the sale of the land or the dissolution of the company.

    Source of Acquisition

    Donated by Mennonite Central Committee, Alberta, in whose offices the records were stored after dissolution of the Society.

    File List

    Administrative/Governance files

    1.1 Early planning, 1990-1991
    1-2 Early housing initiatives, 1993-1995
    1-3 Membership meetings, 1996
    1-4 Constitution, By-laws, Prospectus, 1996
    1-5 Minutes and supporting documentation of the Steering Committee, 1996-1997
    1-6 Membership Lists, 1997-1998
    1-7 Annual Meeting, 1997
    1-8 Board Meetings, 1997
    1-9 Annual Meeting, 1998
    1-10 Board Meetings, 1998
    1-11 Annual Meeting, 1998
    1-12 Board Meetings, 1998
    1-13 Annual Meeting, 1999
    1-14 Board Meetings, 2000
    1-15 Annual Meeting, 2001
    1-16 Board Meetings, 2001
    1-17 Annual Meeting, 2002
    1-18 Board Meetings, 2002
    2-19 Board Meetings, 2003
    2-20 Annual Meeting, 2004
    2-21 Board Meetings, 2004
    2-22 Annual Meeting, 2005
    2-23 Board Meetings, 2005
    2-24 Special Membership Meetings, 2005
    2-25 Annual Meeting, 2006

    Subject Files

    2-26 Condominium Property Amendment Act, 1896
    2-27 Incorporation, Registration, Reports to government agencies, 1996-2006
    2-28 MSC expenses, 1996-1999
    2-29 Canadian Forces Base lands information
    2-30 Bethany Care Society information
    2-31 Information from comparable societies  and news reports, 1993-2007
    3-32 West citadel plans, 2000
    3-33 12 Mile Coulee Road site information, 2005
    3-34 12 Mile Coulee Road offer to purchase, 2005
    3-35  12 Mile Coulee Road Development Plans, 2005
    3-36 12 Mile Coulee Road, Friesen-Tokar architects, 2004
    3-37 12 Mile Coulee Road, CMHC Project Development Funding, 2004
    3-38 12 Mile Coulee Road, Calgary Annexation, 2005
    3-39 Brian P.  Enns, lawyer, 2005-2006
    3-40 Directors and Officers liability insurance, 2005
    3-41 Clifton N D Lee engineering, 2005
    3-42 Letters of Intent, Mennonite Land Corp/Alberta 1196679, 2005
    3-43 MSC/Alberta 1196679 Option/Agreement to purchase, 2005.
    3-44 MSC/Alberta 1196679  Board of Directors, 2005
    3-45 MSC/Alberta 119679 Request for CRA Business number, 2005
    3-46 Sewage Disposal Technical information, 2004
    3-47 1 /cd and 10 floppy discs containing minutes and correspondence (out of date programs)

     

     

  5. Frieda Claassen fonds

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    Accession 2023.010

    Title and Physical Description

    Frieda Claassen fonds. – 1949. – 1 cm. – songbook snd explanatory note

    Administrative/Biographical History

    Frieda (Prochnau) Claassen was born in Deutsch Wymyschle, Poland, the daughter of Daniel Prochnau and Wanda (Penner) Prochnau.  Together with other family members, Frieda, fled to Germany in 1945 as refugees.  In 1948-49 they lived in a refugee camp at Schuetzenhoff, Gronau, Westfalen, West Germany.  Worship services, including a choir, were organized and multiple sheets of music were prepared, using number notations rather than notes.  Frieda collected some of these and her father bound them together using material from an old suitcase for the covers.
    The Prochnau family emigrated to Canada in 1949 where Frieda married Hans Claassen in 1952.  They lived in Edmonton.  Frieda donated the song-book, together, with an explanatory note, to the archives of the Mennonite Historical Society in 2023.

    Scope and Content

    The fonds consists of a bound volume of sheets of religious songs with numerical notations,  together with a brief explanatory note on Frieda’s experiences and the creation and use of the songbook in the refugee camp.

    Source of Acquisition

    Donation to the archives of the Mennonite Historical Society of Alberta by Frieda Claassen

    Notes

     

  6. Peter A. Neufeld fonds

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    Peter A. Neufeld fondsAccession 2023.009

    Title and Physical Description

    Peter A. Neufeld fonds. – 1970. – 2 photographs

    Administrative/Biographical History

    Peter A. Neufeld was born 2 August 1905 at Didsbury, Alberta, the son of Abram C. Neufeld and Elizabeth (Heinrichs) Neufeld.  They moved to Didsbury when they retired in 1967 and opened an MCC Depot in the basement of their house and in one half of the garage in 1967.  There they stored MCC fabric for layettes and quilts and received, washed, sorted clothes, doing many minor repairs,  and replacing very many zippers.  Beginning on 11 May 1970 they packed 600 lbs of clothing.  On 16 July 1970 they shipped 1000 lbs of cleaned, sorted and repaired cloths to Yarrow, British Columbia.

    Scope and Content

    The fonds consists of two photographs, one showing the interior of the Neufeld garage with Peter A. Neufeld, Abram A. Neufeld, and John A. Neufeld, and the second photograph shows them loading the truck headed for Yarrow, B. C.

    Source of Acquisition

    Gift by Alma Hildebrand, daughter of Peter A. Neufeld.

    Notes

    Accession 2023.009

    GRANDMA #341248

  7. John Heidebrecht fonds

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    Accession 2023.008

    Title and Physical Description

    John Heidebrecht fonds. – ca. 1942-943. – 9 photographs

    Administrative/biographical History

    John Heidebrecht was born 15 May 1918, at Grishkovka, Altayskiy Kray, Russia, the son of David Heidebrecht and Margaret (Epp) Heidebrecht.  The family immigrated to Canada in 1929, settling near Tofield, Alberta.  During World War II John Heidebrecht served as a Conscientious Objector in the Seebe camp and perhaps also in other camps.  He died in Edmonton on 28 August 1974.

    Scope and Content

    The fonds consists of nine photographs including group photographs of conscientious objectors, logging,  dynamite and road/railway construction work.

    Source of Acquisition

    Gift by Irene Enns, daughter of John Heidebrecht

    Notes

    Accession 2023.008
    See also Henry D Goerzen fonds Conscientious Objector collection

    GRANDMA #652936

  8. Passing on the Comfort travelling exhibit project collection

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    Accession 2012.025

    Title and Physical Description

    Passing on the Comfort traveling exhibit project collection. – 2005. – 0.5 cm of textual records. – 8 photographs

    Administrative/Biographical

    Passing on the Comfort was a travelling exhibit from Mennonite Central Committee featuring 18 quilts and comforters made by North American women and sent to the Netherlands by MCC following World War II.  For decades the quilts were in the care of a Dutch Mennonite woman whose home served as a refuge for Jews, hungry children and Mennonite refugees from Ukraine.   The exhibit was launched in Pennsylvania and was brought to Alberta in 2005.

    Scope and Content

    The collection consists of 8 photographs taken by Lillian Bartel at the launch of the book Passing on the Comfort, together with related news reports and brochures.

    Source of Acquisition

    Collected and donated by Lillian Bartel who was a key contact person when the exhibit came to Calgary.

    Related Material

    An Keuning-Tichelaar and Lynn Kaplanian-Buller, Passing on the Comfort:  The War, The Quilts, and the Women Who Made a Difference, (Intercourse, PA: Good Books, 2005). MHSA Library D 802 KEU.

  9. Welcome Home Community fonds

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    Accession 2023.001

    Title and physical description

    Welcome Home Community fonds. – 1996-2002. – 5 cm of textual records.

    Biographical/Administrative History

    The Mennonite Society for the Aid of Children and Families was formed by a group of Mennonite pastors and laypersons in early 1996 at the suggestion of the Hon. Mike Cardinal, Minister of Family and Social Services of the Government of Alberta. Its founding leaders were Ike Glick and Dave Hubert. By November 1996 the society had  contracted with the Ministry of Family and Community Services to develop a pilot project to assist families under stress through community living, inspired by the African proverb “It takes a whole village to raise a child”.  Operating under the name Welcome Home Community, it was established in April 1997 in an apartment building at 16415 Stony Plain Road in Edmonton. By June 1998 it relocated to 11009 – 127 Street. The project required a paid staff supported financially by the provincial government. Due to budgetary cutbacks, it closed in February 2002.

    Custodial History

    Following the dissolution of the Mennonite Society for the Aid of Children and Families, its records were stored in the office of Mennonite Central Committee Alberta in Calgary.

    Scope and Content

    The fonds consists of memoranda, correspondence, reports, an audit statement, brochures, procedures manuals, newsletters, calendars of events, and a news clipping.

    Source of Acquisition

    The fonds was donated by the Mennonite Central Committee Alberta.

    File List

    1-1  Welcome Home Community records. – 1996-1997

    1-2 Welcome Home Community records. – 1998-1999

    1-3  Welcome Home Community records. – 2000-2002

     

  10. Johann R. Toews fonds

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    Accession 2022.012 

    Title and Physical Description

    Johann R. Toews fonds. –  1984-1993. – 3 cm of textual records 

    Administrative/Biographical History

    Johann R. Toews was born at Steinbach on April 1, 1881, the son of Peter Toews and Elizabeth Reimer.  He married his cousin, Anna B. Reimer, daughter of Abraham Reimer and Elizabeth Remple, on 19 November 1905.  They lived, worked and farmed in the Steinbach area of Manitoba and became the parents and grandparents of many children and grandchildren.  Marie, one of Johann and Anna Toews’ daughters, married Bernhard Kroeker.

    Custodial History

    These items were part of a larger collection of various books and publications which staff in the MCC Thrift Store identified as being of possible historical value.  No record of who donated the material to the Thrift Store was provided.

    Scope and Content

    This fonds contains genealogical information gathered at Johann and Anna (Reimer) Toews and Peter B. and Elizabeth D. Kroeker family reunions, an obituary of a member of the Kroeker family, and an autobiographical manuscript written by a great-grandson as a teenager.

    File List

    1. Coil bound copy of a manuscript entitled “The Descendants of Johann R. Toews & Anna B. Reimer.”
    2. Coil bound copy of a manuscript entitled, “Peter B. Kroeker Family Directory,” written in 1984, together with a newspaper account ofthe family reunion held on 1 July 1984.
    3. Obituary for John Dueck Kroeker, 1906-1984.
    4. Autobiographical manuscript entitled “The Life and Times of Nathaniel Moll,” written in 1993 when Nathaniel Moll was tghirteen years old. He is the son of David and Marieanne (Kroeker) Moll and a great-grandson of Johann and Anna (Reimer) Toews.  In the manuscript he writes, among other things, about his mixed Mennonite and Jewish heritage

    Notes

    GRANDMA #11088