Tales from the Mennonite Heritage Archives

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we explore the work of Olly Penner, better known to many as Aunt Olly, the host of the radio program Children’s Party. From 1959 to 1987, thousands of children tuned in daily to listen to the program. When Olly became a radio host in 1959, it was uncommon for married women to work outside the home, but she made it work while raising a young family.  In this episod...

Send us Fan Mail In today's episode, we learn about Peter P. Dyck. He was a familiar sight around Carman from the 1940's to his death in 1970 - a man that refused to stay still despite the loss of his mobility after a tragic accident. While he spent much of his life in the hospital in Carman, Manitoba, his resilience and ingenuity were an inspiration to many.  Your donations help preserv...

Send us Fan Mail Host Dan Dyck interviews Ernie Hildebrand, a former pastor turned protestor. In the late 1970's, Ernie was a new pastor as Osler Mennonite Church when he became involved in efforts to oppose a planned uranium refinery in the region. After five long years, the community's efforts resulted in cancellation of the project in 1981. Your donations help preserve and share stori...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, join host Dan as he takes us on an exploration of the song “Der Friedensfurst” (The Prince of Peace). This song was special for Mennonites who survived the violence and turmoil of the Russian Revolution. The Mennonites who emigrated to Canada in the 1920s brought the song with them, prompting some to think the song originated in Europe, but this isn't the cas...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, host Dan Dyck explores the Mennonite holiday tradition called brommtopp, named for the strange musical instrument used, which can be translated as "rumbling top". This tradition was brought to Imperial Russia from Prussia, and continued in Manitoba into the 1950's.  Your donations help preserve and share stories like this one! Make a gift here or ca...

Send us Fan Mail This week we’re featuring radio personality Gerhard Ens’ Christmas story, inspired by his love of Mennonite history. Gerhard was a broadcaster and storyteller that combined his love of the Low German language with his radio program. In “The First Christmas in Canada 1875,” Gerhard paints a picture of his fictional character, 13-year-old Obraum, the struggles and joys of Obraum’s f...

Send us Fan Mail Kornelius Herman Neufeld, or K.H. as he became known, was born in 1892 in south Imperial Russia. An immigrant to Canada in 1923, he became known as “the wandering conductor” in a career that lasted until his death in 1957 from cancer. K.H. was known for his organizing ability, his gregarious personality, and story telling. He had a profound impact on Mennonite choral singing in Ma...

Send us Fan Mail In this week’s episode of Tales from the Mennonite Heritage Archives, we take a look at the letters of Anganetha Wiebe. From 1930-1939, Anganetha wrote letters from the Soviet Union to her daughter, Helena, in Canada. Her letters paint a picture of what life was like for Anganetha and many other Mennonites living in the Soviet Union during a turbulent time. Your donations help pre...

Send us Fan Mail Dale Hildebrand, an award-winning filmmaker whose work spans genres of documentary, action, drama, and comedy, discusses his latest film. Where the Cottonwoods Grow is a documentary about the 1874 Mennonite migration from Imperial Russia to Manitoba, and the hardships the newcomers endured as they settled in a new land. Learn more about Dale at his website: https://dalehildebrand....

Send us Fan Mail In the previous episode, we learned about the accomplishments of Klaas W. Brandt on the Shoal Lake engineering project. In this episode, we are looking at how Brandt helped two budding entrepreneurs and pilots build Steinbach’s first airplane in the early 1930s. Your donations help preserve and share stories like this one! Make a gift here or call 204.560.1998. Find out more by vi...

Send us Fan Mail Klaas W. Brandt was a teenage runaway who didn’t want to follow in the farming footsteps of his parents and family. Instead, he studied engineering and had a hand in building the 156 kilometre-long Shoal Lake aqueduct, a huge pipeline that continues to bring safe drinking water to Winnipeg over 100 years later. Your donations help preserve and share stories like this one! Make a g...

Send us Fan Mail Author Ralph Friesen sits down with Dan Dyck to discuss his recently published book Prosperity Ever – Depression Never: Steinbach in the 1930s . Published by the Manitoba Mennonite Historical Society, this book looks at the history of this community, primarily Mennonite, and how it weathered the Great Depression better than other communities in Manitoba at the time. Your donations...

Send us Fan Mail In today's episode, host Dan Dyck sits down with archivist of the Mennonite Heritage Archives Conrad Stoesz to discuss their mutual love of Mennonite history, where the Mennonite Heritage Archives originated, and what archives can offer us today. Your donations help preserve and share stories like this one! Make a gift here or call 204.560.1998. Find out more by visiting the...