Mennonites

The Mennonites are an Anabaptist group that were started in the Netherlands in the 16th century. Named after their leader, Menno Simmons, the Mennonites believed in adult baptism, refused to swear oaths, and refused to bear arms. Like most Anabaptist groups they were often disliked and were forced to flee from place to place in Europe. They ended up settling in the rich plains in Russia. Many of these Mennonites left Russia in 1874 when they were forced to join the army. A large number of those who left Europe settled in Manitoba. Those Mennonites who settled in southern Alberta did not arrive until after World War I.

P19911000286-GP A group of Mennonite Girls in 1930.

During World War I the government had barred any future immigration of Mennonites, Hutterites, Doukhobors, or other “undesirables”. But once the war was over the government of Canada started to allow Mennonites to settle in Canada. The C.P.R., which had major land-holdings in southern Alberta, was eager bring these settlers into the area. Because of the efforts of the C.P.R. the Canadian government finally allowed more Mennonites to come from communist Russia. From 1923 to 1926 over 15 000 Mennonites came to Canada, and over 2000 of them came to Alberta.

The Mennonite settlers in southern Alberta usually came under a special arrangement with the C.P.R. The company agreed to provide the Mennonites with transportation, land, and building supplies. In return, the settlers would plant at least 10 acres of sugar beets for every 80 acres of land that they farmed. The profits from these 10 acres went to the C.P.R. until the debt was paid. It was an arrangement that worked well for both parties: the Mennonites got an opportunity to start farming on their own land, and the C.P.R. saw its land fill up with settlers who would use their rail service. It took many years, but by 1946 the entire Mennonite debt had been paid off.

Most of the Mennonites in southern Alberta settled in the area around Coaldale (about 10 km east of Lethbridge). Frank Enns was the first Mennonite to buy a farm in the Coaldale area in 1925. Many more Mennonite families followed him and by 1936 there were over 1400 Mennonites in the Coaldale area. There was more immigration to Coaldale by Russian Mennonites after World War II, but most of these immigrants could not find work on the farms and chose to settle in larger centres.

The Mennonites who settled in southern Alberta began to establish social and religious groups in their new land. Church services were held in barns and schools until a new church was built in 1929. The Mennonite Brethren also opened up a bible school in Coaldale that same, and ran ‘Saturday school’ to provide instruction in religion and the German language.

Because of their religious beliefs the community was faced with a great challenge when World War II began. The Mennonites, who did not believe in armed conflict, did not want to go to war.This caused a great deal of resentment among the members of the larger community. Some of the members of the Mennonites community were sympathetic to the Nazi situation because they were at war with communist Russia. Mennonites hated Russia because of the terrible experiences that they had survived when they lived there. The situation became so tense that some people wanted the Mennonites to be kicked off their land, and a Mennonite church in Vauxhall was even burned down. Mennonites responded by closing their German schools in an attempt to ease the fears of other Canadians. The war also caused problems within the Mennonite community. Many Mennonite were torn between their peaceful ideas and their desire to support Canada. About half of the eligible Mennonite men did serve with the Canadian armed forces, while the rest were sent to work on other projects.

After World War II the Mennonites continued to grow in southern Alberta. A Mennonite high school operated in Coaldale from 1946 to 1964. The Mennonite churches in the area also grew. Since the 1960's Mennonites have begun to mix with the wider community. Many young people began to attend churches where english was spoken and there was pressure to change Mennonite services into english in order to attract younger members of the Mennonite community who had become absorbed into other communities. Mennonites also began to marry outside their community. Although the Mennonite communities in southern Alberta have all but faded their influence is still felt in the area today.