Preservings 11 (1997) - Plett Foundation

Preservings
‘Auswandrung! 1948
“Auswandrung! Paraguay 1948”: Based on excerpts from the diaries of Bernhardt “Ben” S. Wiebe (1913-71), by daughter
Anne Funk, Box 586, Grunthal, Manitoba, R0A 0R0.
Introduction.
As long as I can remember, I have known
that my father, mother and older siblings took
part in the ‘Auswandrung’ (emigration) of
Mennonites from Manitoba to Paraguay in
1948. At the time they had a farm 3 1/2 miles
south of Grunthal on SE4-5-5E.
As a child, I did not find this particularly
significant and since both my parents died
when I was still too young to even appreciate
the story, their was little opportunity to learn
it first hand from them. But, my interest and
subsequent fascination grew when I began to
hear details and anecdotes from my siblings
of their experiences in the migration, and especially
when, upon his death, I read my
father’s diaries.
It has been said: ‘still waters run deep’.
My quiet soft-spoken father had not only related
essential information about the venture
in his writings, but openly described the deep
personal struggles he encountered during the
‘Auswandrung’.
He writes why he and others felt the need
to immigrate: “The time is just after World
War II, and many feel that certain promised
freedoms the Mennonite people had once received
from the government of Canada, particularly,
that no Mennonite need ever serve
in the military, are in danger of being revoked.”
He further wrote: “The government has already
revoked the promised freedom of private,
German education for our children, and
replaced it with public schools, where-in lie
all the inherent dangers of imposing upon impressionable
young minds the fables and follies
of this world; such a government could as
easily revoke the military exemption.”
“Because,” he states emphatically, “no
faithful Mennonite can serve the cause of an
earthly king.”
These, and others became the reasons for
an ‘Auswandrung’. And when the war was
over delegates, elected from the East and West
Reserves of Manitoba, were sent to Mexico
and Paraguay, to determine which country
would be best suited for an ‘Enwandrung’ (immigration).
Upon completion of their searching
out, Paraguay was chosen; whose government
was found to be very receptive to the
idea of an immigration by Mennonites, and
very willing to guarantee those rights so important
to the ‘Auswanderer’. They were
granted the freedom to practise their religion,
educate their children, retain their
“muttasproake’, and most significantly, they
were promised exemption from service in the
Paraguayan military.
Emigration 1948.
The great “Auswandrung” began in ear-
nest. Those planning to take part in the emigration
sold their farms, their cattle, and their
machinery. Packing crates were built and filled
with such goods as would be essential for be-
Bernhardt “Ben” S. Wiebe (1913-71) and Aganetha
Braun Wiebe (1913-54), shortly before their immigration
to Paraguay. All photographs for this article are
courtesy of Ann Funk, Box 586. Grunthal, Manitoba,
R0A 0R0.
ginning life in the new land; passports were
ordered, and in homes and churches farewell
services were held.
Land was purchased in Paraguay; 43,000
hectares for the cost of $200,000.00.
The preparations for the massive undertaking
of the ‘Auswandrung’ of ‘48 took approximately
two years to complete.
‘Now it is the night before departure,”
writes Father. “Everyone goes to bed, perhaps
for the last time ever, in the homes of parents,
or children.”
“Everything that one holds dear, one is supposed
to leave behind; parents, siblings,
friends, and begin again in a strange wilderness.”
“Many scarcely slept; but rather passed the
dark night hours in silent supplication to the
Comforter of all fears.”
“The morning dawns grey and wet; downcast
and gloomy, reflecting our spirits. But to-
58
day is the day, rain or shine, away!”
“We pack up the last belongings, eat a hasty
breakfast, and drive to the railway station,
where the train is already waiting. Also waiting
are many friends to give us a last farewell.
The time to leave comes all too quickly.
The whistle blows. From those who stay behind
we receive a soft, pain-filled blessing:
“Live well; God keep you”. A last kiss, a last
embrace, a last look through bitter tears, and
we are away.”
“Slowly the wheels begin to turn. In the
train we are looking out, committing to
memory the faces of loved ones standing outside.
Everyone is weeping. The strains of `God
be with you, till we meet again’ become softer
and softer till we can no longer hear it. Faster
and faster turn the wheels. Away, away, we
are away.”
The train left Niverville, Manitoba on June
23, 1948, taking my parents and the other
‘Auswanderer’ east to the mighty St.
Lawrence River. At Wolfes Cove, in Quebec
City, on the 25th of June they embarked on
the Holland-American steamship, Volandam.
It would carry them across the Atlantic Ocean
to their new home in South America. On board
were 1700 ‘Auswanderer’ and 300 ship’s personnel:
see article “Lawyer Advises Chortitzer
1948,” in Preservings, No.7, Dec. 1995, pages
16-17.
“One experiences mixed and troubling
emotions,” writes Father, “as we enter this vast
ocean. Few if any here have ever seen so much
water at one time! One wonders what dangers
lie ahead on this long journey; perhaps seasicknesses
or great storms. Everyone has heard
of ships sinking in such storms. We can only
plead that God in His mercy will bring us
safely through.”
The view on the ship must at times have
been somewhat tedious, for Father writes: “It
did not matter whether one stood on A deck,
B deck, C deck, D deck, Promenade Deck, or
Boat deck, all one could see, was Mennonites
and water!
The tenth day of July, writes Father, “A
wonderful 10 pound baby girl was born in the
ship’s infirmary, who answers to the name Helena.”
Helena was the daughter to Ben and Neta
Wiebe, my parents. (Helena was Father’s second
birth child. He had married his brother
Jacob’s widow three years previous, and had
become an instant father to her five children.)
Villarica, Paraguay.
So, with seven children, the youngest only
9 days old, they arrived in Buenos Aires. on
July 19th, 1948. They had successfully crossed
the great Atlantic Ocean. They left Buenos
Aires by train and came to Villarica, Paraguay.