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This fonds consists of 35 photographs, mostly taken in Russia, of the extended Goossen family that lived on the Wintergruen estate, founded by Jacob Goossen (1858-1920). The photos are of high quality and show a wealthy Mennonite family in Russia. Included is a rare photograph of the interior of the Schoensee Mennonite Church.

This fonds consists of eleven thin notebooks containing dried wild plants collected from the Molotschna area, South Russia, current day Ukraine, north west of Berdyansk. The area was a large grassland agricultural plain with a moderate climate. The plants are mounted on scrap pages that have a mixture of German and Russian handwriting and print on both sides that include correspondence, mathematical and chemistry equations and financial accounting from ca. 1914-1920. Along with each specimen is its name. Many also include location and date obtained. With each notebook there is a separate listing of the Latin, German and English names of the plants, possibly prepared by faculty at the University of Manitoba.

This fonds is very unique and the only one of its kind in this archive. This fonds provides a snap shot into the native vegetation of the area and can give suggestions as to accompanying animals found in the area and what inhabitants used for everyday living including food and medicine. It has not been determined if the scrap paper the plants are mounted on have any significance.

Photographs were taken of the collection and saved on compact disk.

Diary begun in 1839 and continued by descendants.
Also English translation of 1976.

This fonds consists of eight photographs primarily of the activities of Mennonite conscientious objectors in the forestry service in the Asov region of Imperial Russia around 1915 where Johann Kroeker served. The photos provide information on the activities, tools and environment in which the alternative to military service took place.

extensive collection reflecting contacts in Mennonite communities in Russia, Germany, Canada, United States, Paraguay; business papers, writing and translating projects including work for Gerald Winrod; some diaries; some material related to his father Jakob Kroeker and the Licht im Osten mission

The fonds consists of the following series:
1) Maps - 51 maps of Europe and Asia created by Karl Stumpp and some unknown cartographers. - Map Cabinet.
2) Manuscripts -three manuscripts written by Abraham H. Unruh, Henry Ekkert and an unknown author. - (1 file) Box 431
3) Photographs

The bulk of the collection is a photocopy of a record book created by Dietrich Thiessen and given to his daughter Katharina Thiessen in February 1909. It contains information taken from church registers in the Borozenko Mennonite colony in Russia. The data is also posted at http://mennonitegenealogy.com/russia/felsen.htm

1) Reports - Tribute to H.A. Neufeld & Peter Toews, by J.J. Wiens. Submitted by Maria Kroeker - (1 file) Box 374
2) "Ein Jahr Gefaengnis" (One year in Prison) by Franz Martin Hamm (1901-1971) Written in German, includes English translation - (1 file) Box 374
3) Lists - Mennonites in Politics, 1997 - (1 file) Box 374
4) Medical Text - Anatomie und Physiologie! Menno Colony, Paraguay 1959, by Anny Giesbrecht. A German language, handwritten, bound medical textbook with diagrams. Some handwritten notes and exam papers are included - (1 file) Box 374
5) P. Thiessen - Journal of Poetry & Music, 1917. A handwritten journal in Russian & German (some Gothic script) which includes musical score written in Ziffern. Writer could be Peter Isaak Thiessen. - (1 file) Box 374
6) The Fresno Bee - "Call Em Muppies" & "If there wasn't guilt, you'd just be a Yuppie" 1986 - (1 file) Box 374
7) David Duerksen, translation of Der Bote article "Reise Prediger" - (1 file) Box 374
8) Military Exemption, Prussia 1868: An account by Aeltester Peter Bartel - (1 file) Box 374
9) John A. Harder - Travel Diary March 14 - July 25, 1955 to Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, Paraguay & Uruguay. German Language. - (1 file) Box 374
10) The Story of Peter Franz Froese, "Begegnungen, Zusammenarbeit und engere Bekanntschaft mit P.F. Froese" by Cornelius Reimer N.D. - (1 file) Box 374
11) Shapansky, Maria (Barwich), Hardbound Journal of handwritten songs in Ziffern and a diary of the journey to Canada from Adelsheim, 1943-1948. - (1 file) Box 374
12) Report on Sagradowka by D. Wiebe, Berlin 1946 (in English) - (1 file) Box 374
13) Echo Verlag - Constitution N.D., October 1959 edition and a list of books by Arnold Dyck. - (1 file) Box 374
14) Walter & Mary Balzer, letter from D & L Pauls, 1962; Poem: The Blessings that Remain, Memorial bulletin for Mary Balzer, 2015 - (1 file) Box 374
15 Hans Kasdorf, "Flammen Unausloeschen, 1991 - (1 file) Box 374
16) Agnes Huebert, Recipe Book from Steiglitz-Berlin, (in German Gothic script), 1913 - (1 file) Box 374

This fonds contains 120 letters that Nicolai Thiessen received mainly from his father, KIaas Thiessen (1844-1918) and siblings of Schoenfeld, Russia, during the years that he served as a missionary in Java, Dutch East Indies (named Indonesia after 1949). (A few letters are from other friends or acquaintances.) The letters contain hints about the nature of the mission work and preparation for it, and also they tell of conditions in Russia from 1905-1917. The letters contain information about the economic, political, social and religious life in the Mennonite colonies in South Russia. Deaths in the community are often reported. There are several letters written a brother from the Forestry Service camp. One letter is dated 1924 and one 1935.

These are photographs donated by Nik Dyck (or his family).

"Strangers in a Foreign Land" by Nicholai Goossen. This story appeared as a series of articles in the Mennonitische Rundschau. Originals of the articles as well as photocopies and an English translation are included. - (1 file) Box 421

Personal papers of long-time Mennonite Central Committee workers best known for their work to resettle Mennonite refugees after World War II.  These papers are divided into two series:

(1) Correspondence and Subject Files, 1939-2010

(2) Sound Recordings, 1984-1985