Item 35 - Group of men in forestry service in Russia

This is a photo of a group of approximately 60 men in the Russian forestry service, "Forsteidienst". It is the Alt Berdyan detachment from the years 1910, 1911, and 1912. Here young Mennonite men were obliged to complete 3 years of forestry and tree nursery service. The picture was taken in October, 1912 at Forester Siewitsky's anniversary celebration (Jubelaeumsfeste). He had served in the forestry service at Alt Berdjan, Altagir for 35 years. On this day the highest government title of Sir Excellence (Sir Exellens) was bestowed on him. The men are dressed in military style uniforms. Three distinguished looking older men sit in the center of the first row. They are also in uniform but of a somewhat different style including longer coats. The group poses right in front of a large brick building with a tiled roof and some windows. Several trees can be seen between the house and the men. Following are the names of the Forstei recruits:
First Row left to right: 1. ? 2. ? 3. Heinrich Lepp ( Muntau) 4. Wittenberg (Altenau) 5. Peter Penner, (Muntau) 6. Heinrich Enns (Tiegenhof) 7. Nikolai Enns, minister and agriculturalist (Okonom) 8. His Sir Excellence the forester Siewitsky 9. Aleksaef, the forester's assistant 10. Starskii, Warkentin (Crimea)

11. John Dick (Altenau) 12. Loewen (Old Colony) 13. Jakob Janzen (Ackerman) 14. Peter Rempel (Paulsheim) 15. David Hamm (Spat Crimea)

Second Row: 1. John Renpenning (Lindenau) 2. Kornelsen (Friedensruh) 3. Regehr (Sparau) 4. Fast (Tiegenhof) 5. John Enns (Brazil) 6. David Wedel (Gnadenheim) 7. John Martens (Margenau) 8. Heinrich Foth (Gnadenfeld) 9. Tiesen (Rudnerweide) 10. Harms (Tiegerweide) 11. Heinrich Janzen (Konteniusfeld) 12. John Langemann (Spat, Crimea) 13. Franz Heinrichs 14. John Doerksen (Kleefeld)

15. Franz Quiring 16. John Braun (Muntau) 17. John Boldt (Friedensruh) 18. Guenther (Old Colony).

Third Row: 1. Peter Enns (Fuerstenwerder) 2. John Reimer (Tiegenhagen) 3. Jakob Neufeld 4. Loewen (Memrik) 5. Friesen (Memrik) 6.Heinrich Willems [bishop?] 7. John Derksen (Fischau) 8. Abram Heide (Gnadenheim) 9. Heinrich Wiebe (Djurman, Crimea) 10. Hans Epp (Rosenort) 11. John Friesen (Halbstadt) 12. Jakob Dueck (estate owner) 13. Jakob Willems (Halbstadt) 14. John Dueck (Crimea)

15. Peter Goertzen (Halbstadt) 16 Isaak Wiens (Terek) 17. Jakob Enns (Tiegenhagen) 18. Jakob Fast (Alexanderkron).

Fourth Row: Johann Martens (Tiegenhagen) 2. Jakob Willems (Fuerstenwerder) 3. Peter Ewert (Fuerstenwerder) 4. Peter Poetger (Lichtfelde) 15. Johann Dick (Fischau) 6. Jakob Neufeld (Friedensruh) 7. Gerhard Toews (Fuerstenau) 8. Peter Harder (Fischau) 9. Abram Harder (Lichtfelde) 10. John Klassen (Fuerstenwerder 11. Peter Kliewer (Schoensee) 12 David Klassen (Rownopoll) 13. Johann Klassen (Schoensee) 14. Johann Tjart (Tillensky) 15. Wilhelm Schultz (Krim) 16. Jakob Wiens (Blumenort) 17. Teichroeb (Blumstein) 18. Gerhard Enns (Taschenak) 19. Jakob Rogalsky (Krim) 20. Isaak Rempel (Rosenort)