Going by the Moon and the Stars: Stories of Two Russian Mennonite Women PDF
Preview Going by the Moon and the Stars: Stories of Two Russian Mennonite Women
GOING BY THE MOON A ND T HE S T A RS Stories of Two Russian Mennonite Women This page intentionally left blank GOING BY THE MOON A ND T HE S T A RS Stories of Two Russian Mennonite Women Pamela E. Klassen Wilfrid Laurier University Press [Tvvuj j| Canadian Cataloguing in Publication Data Klassen, Pamela E. (Pamela Edith), 1967- Going by the moon and the stars : stories of two Russian Mennonite women Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-88920-244-3 1. Janzen, Agatha. 2. Enns, Katja, 1925- 3. Mennonites - Ukraine - Molotschna - Biography. 4. Women - Ukraine - Molotschna - Biography. 5. World War, 1939-1945 - Mennonites. 6. World War, 1939-1945 - Personal narratives, Ukrainian. 7. Mennonites - Ontario - Kitchener - Biography. 8. Ukrainians - Ontario - Kitchener - Biography. 9. Women immigrants - Ontario - Kitchener - Biography. I. Title. BX8141.K53 1994 305.48'6897'0922 C94-931281-9 Copyright© 1994 Wilfrid Laurier University Press Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3C5 Cover design by Jose Martucci, Design Communications Cover illustration by Sandra Woolfrey Printed in Canada Going by the Moon and the Stars: Stories of Ttoo Russian Mennonite Women has been produced from a manuscript supplied in electronic form by the author. All rights reserved. No part of this work covered by the copyrights hereon may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means—graphic, electronic, or mechanical—without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any re- quest for photocopying, recording, t'aping, or reproducing in information stor- age and retrieval systems of any part of this book shall be directed in writing to the Canadian Reprography Collective, 214 King Street West, Suite 312, Toron- to, Ontario M5V 3S6. In memory of my grandmothers, Susan Heinrichs Klassen (1902-1989) and Katarina Nikkei Klassen (1896-1990) and for my mother, Susanna Edith Klassen This page intentionally left blank Contents Acknowledgements ix Introduction 1 Meeting Agatha 3 Meeting Katja 5 A Short History of Russian Mennonites 7 Russian Mennonites in Canada 9 A Feminist Approach to Life History 12 Writing about the War 13 Religion: SomeTerms 15 Religion: Some Disclosure 19 Speaking through the Silence 20 1 Agatha and Katja Tell their Lives 21 Agatha Janzen 21 Katja Enns 31 2 Stories of Marriage and Motherhood 43 Agatha's Story of Marriage 43 Marrying within the Fold 47 Autonomy within Marriage 49 Katja's Story of Marriage 51 Single Mothers in the Church ... 53 Wives and Mothers: A Comparison 58 3 StoriesofWar 63 Stories and Memories 65 Agatha's Story of the War 66 The Structure of the Story 68 Agatha and the Mennonite Story 70 Katja's Story of the War 73 The Structure of Her Story 75 Katja and the Mennonite Story 77 God and War 78 The Mennonite Response to Women and War 82 vn viii Going by the Moon and the Stars Mennonites and the Nazis 84 War and Story 88 4 Being Mennonite 91 Domestic Religion 91 Agatha and Prayer 93 Agatha as a Preacher's Daughter 98 "I Think I Should Be Obedient" 99 Bodies behind the Pulpit 101 Preaching, Prayer, and Connection 102 The Mission Circle 104 Katja and Prayer 106 "Between You and the Lord" 107 "A Woman Didn't Go to Greece" 109 Agatha and Katja as Mennonites: First Impressions Ill "The Man of the House" Ill Agatha and the Family 115 Katja, Agatha, and Belonging 117 5 Theoretical and Methodological Reflections 119 Why Definition? 120 Geertz's Definition of Religion 121 Stories, Relationships, and Religious Identity 126 Ethnography and Feminist Methodology 128 Implications of Feminist Ethnography 135 Reflections 137 Sources Consulted 139 Index 147 Acknowledgements This book has grown out of my collaboration with many people. Aga- tha Janzen and Katja Enns have opened up their lives to me in uncus- tomary ways. Not only have they displayed courage in telling me their stories, they have also sustained and nourished me during my retell- ing. I offer them my thanks, affection, and respect. Ron Grimes has given me his support and criticism and a place to exchange all manner of stories. I am grateful for the faith he has shown in me and my work. Pauline Greenhill, Peter Erb, and Hildi Froese Tiessen offered many helpful insights and comments. Sandra Woolfrey favoured me with a reading of the manuscript (and with her friendship) and prodded me to take a second look at some of my assumptions. The comments of the anonymous WLU Press readers were particularly helpful for prompting me to provide a wider context for my analysis. As well, Carroll Klein's editing was both careful and respectful. Susan Scott and Stephanie Walker were my fast friends during my time in Waterloo, and their insightful understanding continues to en- rich my work and my life. Marlene Epp and Len Friesen allowed me to sound out my ideas to Mennonite ears and have offered valued collegi- ality and advice. I am especially thankful to Marlene for her pioneering work in Mennonite women's history, and her generosity in sharing her work and her friendship with me. My brother Joel Klassen, and my friends Chris Hiller, Maggie MacDonald, and Ruth Richardson have listened to me, encouraged me, and inspired me. The Religion and Culture Department at Wilfrid Laurier Universi- ty supported this work. Participants in the Religion and Culture collo- quium at WLU particularly helped me to refine some of my ideas. I also thank Helen Epp for putting me in touch with Agatha and Katja in the beginning, and Cathie Huggins for her generous assistance. This book has been published with the help of a grant from the Canada Council. Finally, I thank my family for the affirmation and encouragement they have given me in support of my work. In particular, John Marshall has remained a source of motivation, provocation, and suste- nance through unpredictable times, for which he has my deep affection and gratitude. IX
The list of books you might like
