Letters to the Editor
The D.F. Plett Historical Research Foundation encourages community engagement and discussion of topics related to the history of Mennonites. The opinions expressed in these letters are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the foundation.
March 20, 2017
Evelyn Wieler
I found the autobiography of David Mantler on page 62 of Preservings # 36 of great interest as he is one of my ancestors.
P.S. My mother was a Mantler who came to Canada with her family (Henry P. Mantler, 1888–1951) in 1926.
n.d., 2016
Fried-Marie Elias
Swift Current, SK
I live very close to what was an Old Colony Reserve, south of Swift Current, pre-1921, but I “married” into this region; it happened. I was born and grew up in the Arborfield, Saskatchewan area, totally non-Mennonite area.
You can tell that South Swift Current was Old Colony at one time, because of the “Darps” which are still named by those long-ago names: Schoenfeld, Blumenhof, Chortitz, Rhineland, Rosenhof, etc., etc.
Now to confuse you further, my mother grew up south-west of Swift Current, near Lac Pellitier (French name). She married by Arborfield Dad. And I married a Swift Current man.
Rosabel Fast’s article about Leaving Canada inspired me to write this. My mother spoke often about “When the Old Colonists left—.” The villages and area were literally cleaned out, although not completed because some refused to go.
She (and also her much younger sister) told about the immensity of “cleaning out as with a huge broom” the Old Order [sic] people. Special trains, apparently, took them all the way to Mexico. Aunt Betty had a close friend, a teenager, who cried and cried. When the day came, my aunt went into the train with her friend and both cried again.
My aunt witnessed the practical things which were done to do the practical necessities such as eating (since they could not stop at a café or grocery-mart). They saw wash-tubs full of buns and fried smoke sausages. They saw bottles of water, lots of them. For long-range food, they saw oven-baked and, thus, dried out bread slices. These would not get moldy. She could not remember what kind of protein food would have been prepared for long-term nutrition.
She remembered the tears, tears, tears. She said that some young men refused to go – and they hid on that departure day, even harbored by Aunts and Uncles who also refused. Imagine the trauma!
Because my mother talked about “When the Old Colonists moved to Mexico —,” I know that it was a big and traumatic event. She knew these people. These teenagers. She saw the people who would not come back very often, maybe never.
Years later, 1962-1964, I taught at La Crete, Alberta and I knew some families who had moved there from Mexico. I taught their children.
Amazing!
January 21, 2018
Peter Bergen
Waterloo, ON
Dear Mr. Werner,
Preservings is always interesting reading and in the last issue, the article on the “Lebenswecker” was especially so, as it was commonly used among the Mennonites. It was ordered from Germany and many families had one. However, nowhere do I see you give it the Low German name by which it was known. They called it the “Schnalla.” They had their own idea about how it worked, as you point out, but basically it increased the blood supply to an area and the hope is that this increased supply of blood would contain healing elements. Additionally, those sharp needles would have a strong psychological effect.
One could also speculate about an acupuncture-like effect. If one uses a hot water bottle, electric blanket, hot compresses, this accomplishes the same thing. When the physiotherapist applies heat by various means it had a similar effect, but their equipment is so much better and more efficient.
The Schnalla pictured could be the one we donated to the Mennonite Heritage Village a few years ago. [Editor: Yes, the “Lebenswecker” pictured in the article is that same one. We are grateful to Mennonite Heritage Village, who made a photograph of the artefact available and allowed us to publish it.] It was given to us by an aunt in Winkler many years ago. It was made in the U.S. and had directions in English and German. Thanks for your article.
January 10, 2016
Peter Unrau
Morris, MB
Thank you for the latest issue of Preservings. I greatly applaud you for championing the Conservative churches. However I cannot agree with all your observations. I also grew up, and still am a member of a so-called Conservative Church (not Old Colony). I just celebrated my ninetieth birthday. In all those years, I have seen and heard, and experienced a lot. I have seen our church come from believing that following the old traditions, trying to obey the 10 commandments, [and] being baptized was enough, basically your works could get you saved, to the teaching that by grace and faith we are saved.
Southern Manitoba has a lot of immigrants from Latin America. According to what we hear from them, is that where they come from their church have not made this transition. I think that should be of great concern to us.