The Lichtenau Church is highlighted as an important piece of Mennonite history when approximately 23,000 Mennonites came from the Soviet Union to Canada 100 years ago.
Andrea Klassen, senior curator at Mennonite Heritage Village, says the Lichtenau church was built in Ste. Elizabeth, near Morris, and now sits at the museum in Steinbach.
In the current exhibit, we can find a communion tray and a hand copied choral book from the opening of the church in 1930.
Faith carried these people 100 years ago into this new life of a lot of struggle; leaving struggle behind in the Soviet Union, but life in Canada was not easy either,” Klassen says. “They came during the Great Depression and had a lot of travel debts to pay off. You have to find your footing in a new country, and so these artifacts point to that history.”
While the Lichtenau church is now located at the museum, Klassen notes we can still find the heritage cemetery at the original location in Ste. Elizabeth.
“They do have a cemetery that remains there, and they have a cemetery committee who keeps up the grounds, keeps up the historical cemetery and I think they have some historical markers there on site as well,” says Klassen. “They've been very good partners with us, on thinking of ways of how to interpret the church here as a museum.”
This maid’s uniform belonged to Agatha Isaak. She came to Canada from the Soviet Union and was excited to work in Winnipeg. She worked at the same home for nearly forty years as a live-in domestic servant. She retired in 1977 after 50 years of domestic service. Thousands of Mennonite families repaid their travel debt with the help of their daughters. Many young Mennonite women moved to cities like Winnipeg or Vancouver to be live-in domestic servants in wealthy households to contribute to their family’s income.
Most of the work done by Mennonite maids was housework, although they were often required to serve at social events as well.
This dress is currently displayed in the new exhibit "Russländer" in the Gehard Ens Gallery. Photo Credit: Instagram.com/mhvillage/
The Russländer Centennial Celebrations happen Sunday, July 16.
The day at Mennonite Heritage Village will begin at 10:00 (doors open at 9:30), with a worship service in the Peter Barkman Summer Pavilion. The service will incorporate congregational singing, in both English and German, as well as scripture.
After the service, visitors can enjoy traditional Mennonite fare in the Livery Barn Restaurant and explore the 40-acre museum grounds. Volunteer interpreters will be available inside select heritage buildings, including the Lichtenau Church, which was the first church built by “Russländer” Mennonites in Manitoba.
In the afternoon, guests can also take in the award-winning exhibit “The Russländer” in the Gerhard Ens Gallery. Russländer-themed tours of the outdoor village will also be available in the afternoon:
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1:00, 2:00 & 3:00: “The Russländer” exhibit tour (Gerhard Ens Gallery)
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1:00, 2:00 & 3:00: Russländer-themed outdoor tours in the village
-With files from Michelle Sawatzky
Wed, May 1, 1:00 PM
Transport, Permanent
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