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.
Photo is of a log cabin on the grounds of the Twilight Resort in Montreal River Harbour, Ontario. The cabin housed Mennonite Alternative Service men during World War II. Carved into one of the logs are the names of Alternative Service workers Wilmer Wagler (Shakespeare, Ontario), Emerson Wagler (Shakespeare, Ontario), Moses G. Martin and Joe Martin (Wallenstein, Ontario). The man identified as Moses G. Martin could possibly be Morris Martin or Mahlon Martin; no Moses G. Martin is found in the Alternative Service lists.
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.
Alternative Service workers Irvin Bender (Baden, Ontario) and Orval Yantzi (New Hamburg, Ontario) with icicles. Date on back of photo is 1941, but they are on the list for the winter camp of 1942-1943.
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.