Preservings 11 (1997) - Plett Foundation

Preservings
December 31, 1926. The first group of immigrants has arrived in Puerto Casado and are disembarking. L. to
r. Rev. A. E. Giesbrecht, Johann G. Klippenstein, group leader P. F. Krahn and Rev. Johann W. Sawatzky. Photo
courtesy of Martin W. Friesen, Kanadische Mennoniten Bezwingen eine Wildnis, page 58.
to Paraguay. The oldest daughter, Sarah, remained
in Canada and was never to see her father again.
Leaving the Carey train station on November
24, 1926, the Sawatzky family was a part of the
first emigration group that left for South America
traveling by Canadian Pacific train to Crookston,
Minnesota where they met up with the group from
the West Reserve who had arrived on the Canadian
National train. From here they journeyed
together by train to New York. On November 28
they sailed from New York on the “Vasari” arriving
in Buenos Aires on December 23. They
boarded the river boat “Apipe” on Christmas Eve
1926 and arrived at Puerto Casado on New Years
Eve. This group consisted of 51 families or a
total of 309 people (196 from the East Reserve
and 113 were from the West Reserve).
Writing from Puerto Casado to Aeltester Martin
C. Friesen on January 5, 1927, Johann describes
their accommodations and states in his
letter that they arrived safely. He writes that in
his opinion, with God’s blessing, this region held
a great future for them. He also relates that they
had received a good rainfall and they had seen
the rainbow, the glorious promise that God gave
Noah and Johann, himself, was reminded of God’s
continued mercies. Johann states that the weather
was indeed warm and that they had been told that
this was the hottest season but that they were able
to sleep well. A German doctor made twice daily
rounds to see them as some were suffering from
diarrhea although not severe. But he does state
that some children have died. (Johann’s two grandchildren
were buried at Puerto Casado within the
first week of arrival, one child having died on
ship and the other when they reached the port.)
Much hardship awaited them as they eventually
moved onto their own land in the Chaco and
the rosy view with which they had viewed their
new homeland soon became tarnished. Feeling
the responsibility of staying with his people who
were also suffering from the harsh conditions,
Johann remained in Paraguay.
Gnadenfeld, Paraguay.
Settling in the village of Gnadenfeld in the
Colony Menno, Johann once again planted an
orchard on his new property. Being an avid gar-
dener, he had left a well established orchard on
his farm on the East Reserve in Manitoba so it is
not surprising that he continued this hobby in
Paraguay. In the last few years of his life, he moved
with his married daughter and family to their new
home in the village of Rudnerweide. Here again
he carefully tended a variety of fruit trees. Date
palms that he planted over a half-a-century ago
are still growing there today.
In the early years in the new Kolonie Menno,
Johann walked long distances going from church
to church. At times having to hack a path as he
made his way through the jungle, he would journey
up to 10 kilometers by foot. On one occasion
in 1932 when Paraguay was at war with Bolivia
over the ownership of the Chaco, he was traveling
by horse and sulky when armed Bolivian soldiers
stopped him for the purpose of taking away
his horse. Neither could speak the other’s language
but when Johann got down from the sulky
and the soldiers saw his long black Prediger Ruk
no words were necessary (Note One).
The soldiers recognized Johann as a minister
and gave him the same respect that they would
have given their own Catholic priests. Johann was
left unharmed and still in possession of his transportation.
This respect shown to him was in extreme
contrast to the prank that occurred while Johann
still resided in Canada. Someone from Johann’s
home church had deliberately smeared fresh cow
dung on the gate post at the end of Johann’s driveway.
When Johann returned home late one evening
from a church visit and reached his arms around
the post to open the gate for his horse and buggy,
his frock was covered with dung.
Johann continued his work in the ministry until
the end of 1938 when it is said that he withdrew
for a period of time due to a controversy within
the church. During this time, changes swept
through the colony as some of the newer ministers
were more liberal-minded and not as traditional
in their ways as some would have wanted.
One of the more visible changes concerned the
Ruk which they chose not to wear on occasion
because of the hot climate. This became an issue
with some of the more conservative in the group.
However, we do know that Johann did con-
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tinue preaching after a time as each of his sermons
had a detailed record giving the date and
place of each church in which he had delivered
that message. From the sermons that have been
preserved, it is clear that he continued to preach
in the 1940s. His last known sermon was given
at the church is Rudnerweide on July 17, 1949,
just one month prior to his death.
Conclusion.
Living with his married children, Johann was
there to watch his grandchildren grow up. Very
fond of his grandchildren, Johann would give each
child a handful of candies for Christmas which
was considered an extravagance. He also wrote
to each of his grandchildren in Canada ever concerned
about the religious instruction that they
were receiving and that they were continuing to
learn the German language.
Johann Sawatzky never remarried. He lived
with his daughter, Anna (Mrs. David Klassen)
until his death. He died at the age of 76 on August
22, 1949 and was buried in the Rudnerweide
Cemetery.
Over eighty of his sermons written in handsewn
booklets were kept in the family after his
death, however the whereabouts of only a few of
these are known today. Despite his lack of formal
Biblical training, his sermons were said to be wellprepared
and profound in depth. He is remembered
as being a man who stuck quietly to his
principles and never complained even when his
health was failing.
Descendants.
Daughter Mrs. Katharina Harder (married first
to Abraham Kauenhowen) is still living today in
Paraguay. Another daughter, Mrs. Sarah (Peter
R.) Funk of Grunthal, Manitoba, passed away November
12, 1997: see Linda Buhler, “Sarah
Sawatzky Funk: Matriarch of Kronsgart,” in
Perservings, No. 10, June 1997, Part Two, pages
40-42.
Endnotes:
Note One: The “Ruk” was a long, black tuxedo
style coat traditionally worn by ministers in the
Chortitzer Church (as well as in the Sommerfelder
Church) when they were preaching or taking part
in official church visits or meetings. It was also
referred to as a “scheeskjeruk” as the “scheeskje”
referred to the tails or flaps of the coat. “Sitooa
ruk” was another term that was commonly used
by Mennonites seemingly from both 1870 and
1920 immigrations. The word “Sitooa” is a Germanized
Russian word stemming from the Russian
word “Curtuk” meaning a frock coat. Ministers
were able to have their ministerial garb custom-tailored
in Winnipeg where the style was
referred to as a Prince Albert frock.
Sources:
Neue Heimat in der Chaco Wildnis by Martin
W. Friesen.
Kanadische Mennoniten Bezwingen eine
Wildnis, by Martin W. Friesen.
Die Ersten Mennonitischen Einwanderer in
Paraguay compiled and edited by Abram B.
Giesbrecht.