The Great Trek is a feature length documentary film of the Mennonite experience and exodus from Russia 1939-1945. It is about World War II and the Russian Mennonites who were part of a migration of people, not only of many individuals, but of entire populations. The movement began with the resettling of ethnic Germans after the annexation of the Baltic States in 1940 by the Soviet Union. After the outbreak of hostilities between Germany and the USSR, entire ethnic German colonies were uprooted and moved east. When the Soviet armies forced the German retreat beginning in 1943, all ethnic Germans were evacuated from Ukraine by the retreating German forces. Among them were 35,000 people of Mennonite origin and background.

This films consists of two parts – the first covering 1939-1943 and the second 1943-1945. Each part begins and ends with an introduction and closing comments by Mennonite historian, educator and editor Gerhard Ens. In this documentary, Otto Klassen has assembled a collage of documentary and newsreel footage made by German information services of the time and still photographs from the archives of the Federal Republic of Germany in Coblenz, private archives and from the archives of the Mennonite Heritage Centre in Winnipeg to tell a story. The archival film footage gives the film an immediacy that narration and re-enactment cannot. The realism and horror is almost overpowering at times. Producer and director Otto Klassen has released both English and German versions of The Great Trek.

Also included with the moving images is a script, sequence summary and shot list, Correspondence related to archival footage acquired from German archives and reviews and congratulatory correspondence.

This photo is of cars parked near a river used for a Donskoj church baptism.

This photo is of the prison in Omsk where Viktor Pikalow was held [for his religious involvements?].

A three story pharmacy building. The name on the building is: Association of J. A. Pekker or Pekkerl. Workers are standing in front of the building. Jakob Barkowsky, Rita's grandfather was the son of Michael
Barkowsky, who was apparently very poor and died while quite young. Of the four children, only the youngest was able to remain with the mother. Jakob was taken in by a Pekker family in Tiegenhagen for whom he then worked.

This photo is of (l-r) Sara, Njuta and Lena.

This photo is of Franz Ens (14, August, 1931) and his mother, Tiena Ens (26 December,1895).

This photo is of Tante Tina Enns with three children and their families. Jakob is missing.
Back row (l-r): Haenschen Dick, Hans Dick, Kaetchen Dick, Franz Enns
Centre row (l-r): Kaete, Tante Tina, Elsa (Franz) with Viktor Enns, Liese with Kaetchen Enns, and Heini Enns.
Front row (l-r): Anni, Leni, Lieschen Dick, Gredl, Haenschen, Jascha Enns

This photo is of a USSR department store.

This series consists of letters from various family and friends, many of whom are writing from Russia. The letters 1971-1995 are written by Anna (Njuta) Martens (nee Reimer).

This photo is of Viktor Pikalow [and family?] shortly after he was released from a youth prison [Pikalow was imprisoned for his religious involvements?].