This is a photo of the family of Aron Toews (born 1887), identified by Arthur Slagel as Inspector Toews -- he was assigned to inspect the relief food kitchen in Chortitza-Rosenthal. He was also a minister. The family is seated in front of a neatly clipped hedge. (Left to right): Mrs. Maria Toews, nee Sudermann, with daughter, Maria (later Mrs. Fast), on her lap; standing are daughters, Olga (later Mrs. Rempel) and Natasha (later a Mrs. Natalie Fast), then Aron Toews with son, Nicolas, in front of him.

This is a photo of Isaak Dyck, elder of the Chortitza Mennonite congregation from 1896. [HR 138]

Russia

Portrait of a young man wearing a uniform with shiny buttons on both sides of jacket. There is embroidery on the collar. He is probaby a student at Chortitza. Jakob w as born 7 March 1889, Chortitza

This is a photo of Julius von Kampen (1854-1920) tradesman and storekeeper in Chortitza, also a painter. His wife, Anna, born Willms (1863-1925) was a descendant of the minister, Gerhard Willms who, together with Elder David Epp received from Czar Paul I, in 1800, in the capital of the country Petersburg, the document known among our people as "The Privilege". The fate of this family is typical of many others. Son Julius, a lawyer, died of typhoid fever in 1920; son Peter, died of typhoid fever, 1919; daughter Anna died when young; son Jakob disappeared during the civil war; daughter Katharina reached East Prussia but was forcefully taken back to the Soviet Union; daughter Anna was sent into exile; son David, Red Cross soldier in the First World War, just disappeared; and daughter Justina reached Germany but, against her will, was forced back to her "homeland", the Soviet Union. [HR 217] (N:352)

This is a photo of Justina (Niebuhr) Lepp, Chortitza. [HR 172]

This photo is a portrait of, left to right, top row David K. Kroeker (1875-), Jacob K. Kroeker (1870-1905). Front row, Maria Kroeker (nee Maria Koslowski (1833-1911), and Klaas Kroeker (1828-1914). This photo was taken in Russia. The family moved to Canada in 1903, Jacob returned to Russia to marry Anna Schellenberg. They had one son. When Jacob died in 1905, Anna and son Nicholai moved to Canada in 1925. Klaas is a brother to Jacob Kroeker (1836-1914) from Reinland, Manitoba. Klaas and his family stayed for a short time with brother Jacob when they came in 1903 to Canada, before relocating to Lost River, Saskatchewan.

This is a photo of a modern farmstead in Chortitza. [HR 100]

This photo is of young Nicholas J. Kroeker posing for a photo in Chortitza, Chortiza, Russia. He is wearing Ukrainian style clothing.

This is a photo of an old building in Chortitza (HR 49).

This is a photo of the Old Oak [Chortitza oak] as it looked years ago when well-built Mennonite homes still surrounded it, and when generations of Mennonites grew up in the shade of the tree or, at times, in its branches. [HR 50].

The photo was taken by Rudolph Zaft. In the photo is his wife Olga Zaft. She is holding daughter Lilly Zaft (b. 1936). The boy in the tree is Paul Hahn. Sitting is daughter Ida Zaft and standing by the pol is son Arthur Zaft.

This photo is of a former Mennonite teacher's college (Chortitza Zentralschule) in the village of Chortitza. It is still being used as a school. It is made of red bricks and has pictures of Lenin beside the door. Green shrubs and trees hide part of the building.