A group of men during their time of Alternative Service. Jakob Bergen, Elvera’s father is seated, the 3rd from the left. The man seated 1st at the left may by Martin Duerksen, brother-in-law of Jakob Bergen. This is one of four pictures which he sent home to the family while working in Alternative Service during WW I. See M2004Goe # 3, 4, and 5 which are related to Alternative Service.
Jakob Bergen, father of Elvera (Bergen) Goerz, helped build roads and railway tracks during WW I in the Ukraine as Alternative Service. In this photo the buildings under construction are in the distance while forest trees and stumps of trees are visible in the foreground.
Jakob Bergen, father of Elvera (Bergen) Goerz, helped build roads and railway tracks during WW I in the Ukraine as Alternative Service. In this photo there is a large building under construction at the right and others that are completed at the left with logs in the foreground.
Jakob Bergen, father of Elvera (Bergen) Goerz, helped build roads and railway tracks during WW I in the Ukraine as Alternative Service. In this photo a railway track is at the left and 3 buildings on the right with logs to the right of the tracks.
Anna Neufeld's locket with pictures of her brother and husband. They are dressed in the uniform of Red Cross workers during the First World War. She is wearing the locket in photograph 350.1.
A group photograph of men in the "forstei" (forestry service), the alternative service program for Russian Mennonite conscientious objectors. Written on back: "N. Fransen (oberste Reihe, der 6th von Rechts) geboren den 1879 in Mariawohl, Sued-Russland. Aufname in Iswar, bei Leningrad, dienste daselbst von 1915-1917." Translation: N. Fransen (top row, 6th from right) born 1879 in Mariawohl, South Russia. Taken in Iswar near Leningrad, served there from 1915-1917.
Eleven young men in military and civilian dress in front of a tent at a military camp. One additional man in background in civilian dress appears to be older. Carl and Simeon Reesor are in the photograph.
Peter Kroeger (brother of Magaretha (Kroeger) Regier. Assigned to the Red Cross to serve alternative service as a conscientious objector, Kroeger served as a non-combatant in the paymaster's office of the 8th Imperial Tsarist Army. He is wearing what appears to be a Red Cross armband.
Photographs of Carl Reesor and Simeon Reesor, 2nd cousins from the Markham, Ontario area at the Niagara-on-the-Lake military training camp. They were required to attend camp until their conscientious objector status was confirmed.