Executive Director, Hans Werner

discussing arrangements with Mark

Jantzen, one of the conference organizers.

Photo Credit: Vada Snider

The Khortitsa 99 committee, consisting of Harvey Dyck, Peter Klassen, Peter Letkeman, John Staples, John B. Toews, Paul Toews, and John J. Friesen has assigned the following grants to researchers in Ukraine and Russia who are working on Mennonite-related projects.

Here are the awards for 2008:

1. Natalie Ostasheva-Venger

Publication subsidy for “Between Congregation, Clan and Russian

Society in the Epoch of Choice: Mennonite Entrepreneurship in the

Context of Russian Modernization, 1789-1920″

$1500

2. Andrei (Slavin) SAVIN, Novosibirsk

Senior research grant for a third volume of “Ethnoconfession in the

Soviet State: Mennonites in Siberia in the 1920s and 1930s -

Emigration and Repression”

$500

3. Ella Nikolaevna Stepchenko, Kiev

Dissertation research grant for “The Historiography of the Ethnic

History of German-Speaking Colonists in Southern Ukraine from the Late

Eighteenth to the Early Twentieth Century.”

$400

The 2006-2007 Khortitsa grants were:

Dissertation grants

Chernova, Irina     Ethnography and museology, Omsk State

University    $400

Rempel, Ekaterina   Omsk State University, Omsk State Historical

Museum  400

George Epp Memorial Grants

Dilaram, (Inoyatova) INOVIATOVA   History, TASHKENT STATE (National) University, Tashkent              950

Smirnova, Tatiana    Ethnology and Museology, Omsk State University      950

Senior Research Grants

Beznosova, Oksana   Ukrainian-German history, Dnepropetrovsk

Nat.Univ.   500

Bobyleva, Svetlana  Ukrainian-German history,    DNEPROPETROVSK NATIONAL UNIVERSITY   500

Savin, Andrei       Siberian Section, Russ. Acad. of Sciences

Novosibirsk 500

Publishing Grant-in-aid

Vibe, Petr. P.  Omsk Historical Museum, Omsk Pedagogical

Museum     1500

Submitted by Peter Klassen

On May 18th, the EastMenn Committee of the Manitoba Mennonite Historical Society will launch a new book about the history of the East Reserve. The book contains “documents and compilations relating to the early years of the community: homestead applications, census data, taxation records, journals, biography and autobiography, and descriptions of the early era. The historical accounts include village histories, but also an overview of the Reserve in 1900 and a history of a major institution of the Mennonite people: mutual insurance. The concluding section goes beyond the boundaries of the East Reserve, following Bergthal Colony descendants as they settled in Dakota Territory, the West Reserve and Paraguay.” (from the Introduction)

Please join the committee on:

May 18th, 2009 at 11:00 am in the Multipurpose Room of the Mennonite Heritage Village in Steinbach, Manitoba.

Due to the level of interest in David Quiring’s Mennonite Old Colony Vision, the Foundation has reprinted the popular history of the Old Colony Mennonites in Mexico. There have been no copies available for some time. To purchase a copy please contact the Foundation offices at: 204 786 9352 or by email.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – MONDAY NOVEMBER 10, 2008

The remarkable legacy of Delbert F. Plett, a prominent Steinbach lawyer who died in 2004 will live on thanks in part to a partnership between the University of Winnipeg and the D.F. Plett Historical Research Foundation.  At a ceremony at the University of Winnipeg, the Plett Foundation officially accepted the keys to their new office from Dr. Lloyd Axworthy, president of the University.  Dr. Royden Loewen, Chair of the Foundation’s Board noted that before his untimely death in 2004, Delbert Plett  was not only a Steinbach lawyer and noted land developer.  He was an enthusiastic promoter of history with a keen interest in telling the story of Traditionalist Mennonites and published more than a dozen books on the theme. 

Plett left the majority of his sizeable estate to the D.F. Plett Historical Research Foundation, which is committed to continuing this work.  Loewen also thanked the University of Winnipeg for its tradition of supporting Mennonite studies and he looks forward to further developing this partnership.  University of Winnipeg President, Dr. Lloyd Axworthy welcomed the Foundation to the University and noted that the partnership with the foundation is a continuation of Plett’s work and an important key to the study of Canadian History.  Axworthy emphasized the importance of the Foundation as one of a group of organizations participating in the development of the Canadian History Centre at the University.

The Foundation’ Offices are on the second floor of Bryce Hall, one of the older buildings on the campus located just east of the historic Wesley Hall.   Dr. Hans Werner, author of a recent history of Winkler, Manitoba, is the Executive Director of the Plett Foundation and welcomes visitors to the new location.  In addition to managing the work of the Foundation, Werner teaches Mennonite Studies and Canadian History in the University’s Department of History. The Plett Foundation publishes the annual history magazine Preservings.  It also issues grants for research and publication of conservative Mennonite history. Its fellowship program at the University of Winnipeg and Canadian Mennonite University enables graduate students undertaking research programs that fit with the Foundation’s mandate.  

The D.F. Plett Historical Foundation, Inc. is the residual beneficiary of Delbert Plett’s estate and estate executors Tom Mooney and Norman Plett, Delbert’s brother, were on hand to celebrate this important milestone in the Foundation’s development.  It is estimated that the estate will be fully liquidated and the Foundation fully operational in another two or three years.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Hans Werner  Executive Director, 204 786 9352

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