The project was created by The project was created by Inna IvashinaInna Ivashina

Prehistory

Strolling through Strolling through the shady chestnut alleys the shady chestnut alleys of our village, I often think of those people who probably of our village, I often think of those people who probably walked here a hundred years ago. Who planted these walked here a hundred years ago. Who planted these beautiful trees? Who built these cozy houses? Whom beautiful trees? Who built these cozy houses? Whom

do I owe to what I call my little Motherland?do I owe to what I call my little Motherland?

From the historyFrom the historyAfter the first Mennonite colony in Russia, Chortitza, was founded in 1789,

Mennonite visitors found the freedoms and free land of Russia an attractive alternative in view of restrictions placed on them in West Prussia. The Russian government wanted more settlers with the valuable agricultural and craft skills of the Mennonites.

In 1800 Paul I of Russia enacted a Privilegium (official privileges) for Mennonites granting them exemption from military service "for all time." In West Prussia King Frederick William III was making it difficult for Mennonites to acquire land, because of their refusal to serve in the military. Another reason to immigrate was fear of the changes brought about by the French Revolution. Refuge in Russia was seen as a more secure alternative. The first settlers, 162 families, came in 1803 to the existing Chortitza settlement and over-wintered there. The first villages were founded in 1804. The Russian government set aside a 1,200 km2 (297,000 acres) tract of land for the settlers along the Molotschna River in the Taurida Governorate. The next year an additional group of about the same size arrived. Each family received 0.7 km2 (170 acres) of land. In contrast to the settlement of Chortitza, wealthy Mennonites also immigrated. They sold their farms, paid a 10% emigration tax and brought the remainder to Russia. Arriving with superior farming skills and more wealth, new farms and businesses were created more easily than had been the case in Chortitza. Between 1803 and 1806, 365 families came to Molotschna. Further immigration was prevented during the Napoleonic Wars. Another 254 families came from 1819-20. After 1835 immigration to Molotschna ended, with about 1200 families totaling some 6000 people moving from Prussia. The settlement consisted of 1,750 km2 (432,000 acres) of land with 46 villages and total population of about 10,000.

HHnadenfeldnadenfeld Hnadenfeld (from

German – Grace Field) was founded in 1835 by 40 Mennonite families of old Flemish religious community, who came from villages and Brenkenhofsalde frantstal Brandenburg province of the Western Prussia in 1765. Later the village was renamed in Bogdanivka.

Gnadenfeld was the German Gnadenfeld was the German colony:colony:

• 80 yards• 730 people• 70 miles from the county town• the local court• meeting house• 2 schools• Zemstvo doctor• post office• dye house• 3 shops• lumberyard• brickyard (6 miles away)

The Post Office

The agricultural and land censusThe agricultural and land census of of 11917917

The lifestyleThe lifestyle

• Mennonites put literacy high, considering it "the most important need of society"; All of them were illiterate, boys and girls had to attend school. Everybody, even the opponents of foreign colonists, argued that the Mennonites were hardworking, liked order, were moral, humane and sober. They lived in large and comfortable houses (about 30% of the stone), and mostly with small families.

Family of Cornelius Witte

The buildingThe building of urban of urban governancegovernance

When Molotschna Colony was divided into 2 administrative parts, Hnadenfeld became the centre of Eastern parish wich included 27 villages. The building of urban governance was built in 1872.There were 100 industrial enterprises (1908): 3 factories of agricultural machines, 38 windmills, two forges, 11 brick plants, etc. in Hnadenfeld parish.

Mennonite Church (1854).Mennonite Church (1854).It was the Menonitte community but part of the inhabitants were Lutherans. In 1860, Mennonites split on church and brotherly communities.On April 13, 1863 "Evangelical Mennonite community of Gnadenfeld was established ", whose members called themselves" Friends of Jerusalem. "The leaders of the community, brothers Johann and Friedrich Lange, went to St. Petersburg in 1866, and after 7 months received recognition of the community and a permit for resettlement in the foothills of the Caucasus from the government.

Photo of the church from the street,1900

From the backyard

The history of this institution dates back 1850, when it was decided to organize a secondary school, called Brotherhood school in Hnadenfeld. The school consisted of four classrooms, a large assembly hall, teaching rooms and apartments for teachers on the first floor. Wardrobe was located in the basement, where you could also go to the stairs from the yard. Toilets and outbuildings were located in the yard of school. The walls of houses were built of brick and roof was covered with tiles.

Secondary schoolSecondary school

Hospital was in a long rectangular building, which was very similar to other rural buildings, but slightly larger. Brick walls had a traditional ornament around the windows. The primary purpose of the building was clinic and day care.

The HospitalThe Hospital

The House of Dietrich RempelThe House of Dietrich Rempel Rempel-Mennonites before the revolution were engaged mainly in agriculture. Many of them owned large plots of land. During the World War I, laws were passed providing for termination of the German estates in the western provinces of the Empire. The category of "Germans" was applied to the Mennonites too. The archives are preserved lists of farms designated for expropriation and claims for erroneous deduction of Mennonites to the Germans and their misuse of them, "liquidation" of the law.

From the backyard

From the street

This large brick house was built parallel to the street. As it was usually for Mennonite culture, decor consisted of brick pilasters at the corners of buildings and between the windows of the facade. To emphasize these elements the house was painted in different colors.

The HThe House of Jacob Raubshouse of Jacob Raubsh

The museum was made by Mykola Yeremenko, historian in one of the former Mennonite houses (1848).

It is the objects’ exhibition of everyday life of ancient Mennonites, who lived peacefully here and developed their culture, maintained the order of the surrounding territory,

wherever they were. Unfortunately today the museum doesn’t work.

Old Mennonite CemeteryOld Mennonite Cemetery

In Bogdanivka (formerly Gnadenfeld) a monument was placed at the site of the former Mennonite cemetery.

Today the monument is under the informal auspices of schoolchildren

Sources:Sources:

• Волости и важнейшие селения Европейской России / chortiza.heimat.eu/Dok/1877.pdf

• Деревни Украины. Описание / http://www.koptit.ru/719/2123314/4

• Rudy P. Friesen. Building on the past. Mennonite Architecture, Landscape and Settlements in Russia/Ukraine. - Raduga Publications. - Winnipeg, MB.

- 752 pages

Organwork by Johann Helmich Roman

Thank Thank

I cannot resist sending along some words of praise for Rudy Friesen's great book. It has helped me very much.

THANK YOU THANK YOU

FORFOR

YOUR ATTENTION AND YOUR ATTENTION AND BE OUR GUESTS!BE OUR GUESTS!