© Mennonite Heritage Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba
(Last updated Jan 3, 2014)
Janzen,
William, 1943-
Retrieval numbers: Vol. 5109-5111
Title: William Janzen collection
Dates: 1872-1979
Extent: 1.1 m of textual records
Repository: Mennonite Heritage Centre Archives
Historical note
William (Bill) Janzen (1943-) enrolled in
the
University of Carleton's political science PhD program in the early
1970s. He collected documents that show the interactions between the
Canadian federal and provincial governments and three minority
religious groups -- Mennonites, Hutterites, and Doukhobors. In the fall
of 1981 he successfully defended his 750-page thesis entitled "The
Limits of Liberty in Canada: The Experience of the Mennonites,
Hutterites, and Doukhobors". By this same time he was working for
Mennonite Central Committee Canada (MCC) in the Ottawa office,
advocating for Mennonite concerns with the Canadian government. Limits
on Liberty: the Experience of Mennonite, Hutterite and Doukhobor
communities in Canada, a new version of his thesis, was published in
1990. Janzen's research led him to examine the major communications
between these groups and Canadian governments. Through his studies and
publications, Bill Janzen showed how governments have responded on the
issues of communal landholding, separate education of their children,
exemption from military service, and the modification in welfare-state
matters, in order to explore the political culture and institutions
that shaped the responses and to account for the limited liberties that
were given.
Scope and content note
The documents show the interactions between the
Canadian government and three minority religious groups -- Mennonites,
Hutterites, and Doukhobors. The materials document the issues of
communal landholding, special arrangements for the education of their
children, exemption from military service, and modification in
welfare-state matters. From these materials Janzen identified the
underlying patterns in the government's responses.
Mennonites, Hutterites and Doukhobors are three
minority protestant groups with origins in 16th Century Europe, that
believed in separation from "the world" or general society. All three
groups had a connection with Russia (former Soviet Union) and
immigrated to Canada in the late 1800s-mid 1900s after securing some
special privileges related to religion, education, and military
exemptions from the Canadian government. These groups, sometime
classified as Christian sects, settled in group settings in Western
Canada, were agrarian based and believed in pacifism and non violence.
Each group negotiated with the federal and provincial governments in
order to practice their religion as they saw fit. The groups had some
similar issues such as conscientious objection and alternative service
during times of war. Other issues affected the groups differently.
These included education, land settlement and use, and freedom from
paying some taxes or contributing to the Canada Pension Plan (CPP). The
documents included private and government correspondence, reports,
articles, essays, and newspaper clippings; and, both primary and
secondary documentation on all these issues. Almost all the materials
are photocopies.
Index terms
Creators
Janzen, William, 1943-
Adjunct descriptive data
Finding aids
Inventory file list available
Notes
Custodial history
This material was collected
by Bill Janzen in the late 1970s from 4 main sources: The Public Archives of
Canada, PAC (now known as Library and Archives Canada); the Benjamin B. Janz
fonds at the Centre for Mennonite Brethren Studies, Winnipeg (CMBS); Canadian
Mennonite Board of Colonization fonds held at the Mennonite Heritage Centre
(MHC); and the Saskatchewan Archives Board. They were deposited at the Mennonite
Heritage Centre by Janzen in 1998. In 2006 Janzen donated 2 other documents
which were added to the collection.
Language
English, some German and a small amount of Russian.
Arrangement
Described by Conrad Stoesz, December 21, 2005,
updated March 17, 2006.
Restrictions on access
None to access
Immediate source of acquisition
William Janzen
Other notes
Acc. no. 1998-092, 2006-021
File Inventory List
VOLUME 5109
- Government correspondence regarding Mennonite schools in
Saskatchewan.
-- 1916-1924.
- Correspondence, excerpts from books, and newspaper
clippings regarding
Mennonite education and Mennonite immigration to Mexico. -- 1916-1923.
- Correspondence regarding Mennonite education in
Saskatchewan. --
1908-1918.
- Reports and correspondence regarding Mennonite schools in
Saskatchewan
including setting up public schools, expropriating land for school
sites, enforcing attendance, suspension of enforcement, negotiations
re: private schools. -- 1915-1919.
- Reports and correspondence after school attendance act
showing
prosecutions. -- 1919-1921.
- Excerpts of articles and books dealing with private
education and the
establishment of public education. -- 1929-1976.
- Reports and excerpts of articles dealing with the
importance of Land in
the Mennonite community. -- 1893-1960.
- Excerpts from various publications regarding Russian
Mennonites as well
as Swiss Mennonites in Ontario. -- 1908-1978.
- Saskatchewan Royal commission into the Old Colony
Mennonites and
education, Warman, SK. -- December28-29, 1908.
- Excerpts from Government of Canada Orders in Council
regarding
Mennonites, Hutterites and Doukhobors. -- 1873-1898.
- Correspondence and excerpts from various publications
regarding western
Mennonites and World War One (WWI). There is also a little bit
regarding Hutterites and Doukhobors. -- 1916-1919.
- Correspondence regarding Doukhobor registration and exemption in World War
Two (WWII), P.G. Makaroff papers. -- 1939-1940. -- Note: some in Russian.
- Correspondence and newspaper clippings regarding Doukhobors
in World
War Two (WWII). -- 1939-1943.
- Correspondence regarding Mennonites in World War One (WWI),
including
letters requesting Mennonites who had joined the forces to be released.
-- 1908-1918.
- Correspondence regarding western Mennonites in World War
One (WWI). --
1877, 1917- 1918.
- Canadian laws regulating World War one (WWI). -- 1914, 1918.
- Excerpts from various sources regarding Mennonite military
service
before World War one (WWI), mainly dealing with Mennonites in Ontario.
-- 1926, 1957.
- Excerpts of government documents regarding Mennonites,
Doukhobors,
Hutterites and Tunkers and World War one (WWI). Includes material on
Ontario Mennonites.
- Correspondence regarding Ontario Mennonites and World War
one (WWI). --
1917-1918.
- Excerpts from Koozma Tarasoff book "In Search of
Brotherhood", p.
486-888. -- [ca. 1963]. -- Re: Doukhobors in Canada.
- Newspaper excerpts regarding Doukhobors and problem around World War Two
(WWII). -- 1934-1941,1976. -- Note: some in Russian.
- Correspondence from Mennonites in Ontario regarding World
War one (WWI)
and reports and correspondence relating to the negotiations between
Canadian Mennonite leaders and the government regarding the options for
alternative service and the conditions in the camps. -- 1917-1918,
1941-1943.
- Correspondence and newspaper clippings regarding Doukhobors
and World
War one (WWI). -- 1917-1919.
- Excerpts from various publications regarding Canadian
welfare system as
it relates to Mennonites and Doukhobors. -- 1900,1950.
- Doukhobor Lands Allotment Inquiry Act, British Columbia
(BC) documents.
-- 1955-1965.
- excerpts of court proceedings as related to Hutterites and
other
documents relating to the Hutterites land owning practices. Also
included "Cultural Transmission in A Closed Society: The Hutterites"/
William D. Knill, University of Alberta, 1967; "The Hutterite Brethren
of North America", 1968; and "The Migration of Hutterites to South
Russia: A manuscript originally prepared by Heinrich Donner, 1783. --
1966-1979.
- Excerpts from "In Search of Brotherhood"/ Koozma Tarasoff.
-- [197-?].
- Correspondence and excerpts of articles regarding
Doukhobors and
resistance to public education. -- 1908-1947, 1976.
- Report of the Royal Commission on the Matters relating to
the sect of
Doukhobors in BC/ BC Legislature. -- 1913.
- Reports, excerpts from published sources and newspaper
clippings
regarding Hutterites in Saskatchewan around the issue of land ownership
and education. -- 1958-1979. Note: includes: Saskatchewan Laws
Regarding Hutterites/ Steve Kroeger, 1975; Treatment of Hutterian
Brethren by provincial and Federal Governments - A Summary/ Ray H.
Woollam, prepared for E.I. Wood, department of Municipal Affairs,
Regina, SK, 1963; Legislative Assembly if Saskatchewan Final Repost of
the Special Committee on the ownership of Agricultural Lands, 1973;
Provincial Court, Province of Saskatchewan between Henry Godenir and
Vanguard Hutterian Brethren Inc., 1979.
- Old Colony Mennonite Settlements in Saskatchewan: A study
in Settlement
Change/ Richard John Friesen [Richard Friesen], University of Alberta,
1975.
- Excerpts of reports, court documents, correspondence and
newspaper
clippings regarding Hutterite communities. -- 1979-1989.
- Traditional Doukhobor Folkways: An Ethnographic and
Biographic Records
of Prescribed Behavior/ Koozma Tarasoff. National Museum of Man Mercury
Series, Canadian Center for Folk Culture Studies, paper 20. -- 1977,
396 pages.
- Copy of agreement to help facilitate the sale of Old Colony
member's
land in Saskatchewan and purchase of land in Mexico. -- 1921. Included
is an explanatory note by William Janzen.
- Copy of letter to C.B. Dirks, Mexico from Johan P. Wall
dealing with
excommunication and the ban as it pertained to Isaac Guenther. -- 1933.
-- Note: includes explanatory note by William Janzen.
VOLUME 5110
- Assortment of papers regarding World War Two [WWII] and conscientious objectors.
-- 1944-1988.
- Correspondence re: Mennonite delegation to Ottawa discussing conscientious
objector status. -- 1940.
- Correspondence and documents re: Mennonites in the military. -- 1944,
1986-1988.
- The Debate on Alternative Service During WWII/ David Fransen, 1975.
- A Look at WWII COs Through the Eyes of the Press/ Eric Olfert, 1974.
- Canadian CO [conscientious objector] camps During World War II/ Peter
Kroeker, 1976.
- The War Crisis of the Canadian Mennonites, 1930-1945/ Edward H. Dahl,
in The Journal of Church & Society, vol. 3, no. 2 (Fall 1967),
pp. 3-19.
- Report on WWII [World War II] CO [conscientious objectors/ Vic Kruger,
1975.
- Recognition of the Manitoba CO [conscientious objector]/ Peter Schroeder,
1949.
- World War II COs [conscientious objectors]: Their Experiences and Opinions/
Jake Krause, 1970.
- Canadian Mennonites and World War I (WWI)/ George H. Reimer. -- 1972.
- Excerpt from source regarding Brethren in Christ experience in WWI/ E. Morris
Sider. -- [196-?].
- Excerpt from A Historical Study of Education in the Municipality of Rhineland/
John Jacob Bergen [John Bergen], University of Manitoba, 1959.
- The Canadian Mennonite Experience of World War I (WWI)/ Joe Mihevc, Toronto
School of Theology, 1986.
- The Mennonites in Manitoba 1875-1900: A Review of their coming, their progress
and their present prosperity/ J.F. Galbraith. -- 1900.
- An Examination of the Mennonite and Hutterite Immigration crisis 1918-1919,
in the provinces of Western Canada. -- 1974.
- Excerpts of reports, articles, and newspaper clippings regarding Doukhobors.
-- 1930, 1984- 1989.
- Correspondence with Ontario Mennonites regarding World War I [WWI]. -- 1917-1919.
- Correspondence with Ontario Mennonites regarding World War I [WWI]. -- 1917-1919.
- Correspondence with Ontario Mennonites regarding World War I [WWI]. -- 1917-1919.
- Excerpt from Hutterite Education: A Descriptive Study on the Hutterian Colonies
within Warner County No. 5, Alberta, Carrado/ William D. Knill [William Knill].
-- 1958.
- Correspondence and newspaper clippings regarding Hutterite education. --
1948, 1967-1971.
- Government reports regarding Hutterites in Alberta and the ownership of
land including one by P.G. Davis. -- 1972.
- Various articles re: ethnic minorities in World War I [WWI]. -- 1921, 1970-1975,
1982-1984.
- Excerpt of The Hutterian Brethren in Alberta/ Erdman L. Pitt [Erdman Pitt].
-- 1949.
- Correspondence and reports from Canadian government regarding Canada Pension
Plan. -- 1971-1978.
- Correspondence, reports, and newspaper clippings regarding Old Older Mennonites
in Canada and their wish to remain exempt from the Canada Pension Plan. --
1966-1971.
- Correspondence and newspaper clippings regarding negotiations with the Canadian
government regarding conscientious objector status and alternative service.
A large part includes the Ontario inter Mennonite meetings (Amish, Old Order,
Quakers, Tunkers etc.). - - 1940.
- Correspondence between Mennonite leaders and the Canadian government regarding
conscientious objection (WWII) issues as the alternative service duties begin.
-- 1941. Note: most of the correspondence is from the Western Mennonites.
- Newspaper clippings regarding World War Two (WWII) and conscientious objectors,
Mennonite communities, alternative service camps, etc. -- 1939-1943.
- Ontario Mennonite correspondence with the government regarding conscientious
objectors. Includes material from the Military problems committee. -- 1941-1944.
- Correspondence between Mennonite leaders Benjamin Janz (BB Janz) CF Klassen
(Cornelius F. Klassen) and David Toews and the Canadian government (including
significant correspondence with judges Embury in Saskatchewan and Harvey in
Alberta) regarding conscientious objectors and alternative service. -- 1942-1945,
1950.
- Footnotes. This file includes requests for photocopies of documents from
the Public Archives of Canada, a listing of government records that have been
microfilmed for "Mennonites in Canada", and a list of COs (conscientious objectors
at Prince Albert National Park. -- 1941, 1980.
- Correspondence from the Historic peace Churches and the Committee on Military
Problems. -- 1942-1945, 1948.
- Correspondence and reports from the Conference of Historic Peace Churches
Canada and the Military Problems Committee. Includes report of visit of JB
Martin and EJ Swalm to Chalk River Camp and Government offices at Ottawa,
and report on the Handling of Conscientious Objectors in Canada/ Paul C. French.
-- 1942-1944.
- Correspondence and minutes of the Zentralkomitees fuer Westcanada in der
Dienstfrage. -- 1940-1943. This seems to be files copied from MHC (CMC) Vol.
1320 file 940.
- Reports and correspondence from Mennonite leaders such as HH Ewert (Heinrich
H Ewert) regarding World War I (WWI). -- 1918-1919.
- Reports regarding Doukhobors in Alberta and issue of registering births
and deaths with Canadian vital statistics. -- 1928-1929.
- Miscellaneous thesis material. Includes government speeches, correspondence,
newspaper clippings relating to Mennonites, Hutterites, education and conscientious
objection. -- 1873, 1877, 1918, 1949, 1978.
VOLUME 5111
- Correspondence and reports from the Canadian government and
from church leaders regarding the administration of alternative service
in World War II (WWII). -- 1940-1945. -- Note: Various topics are
evident including: leave from CO camps, administration of the CO camps,
medical corps (1943) option, COs working for duration of the war (1942)
etc. The file deals largely with administration issues rather than
individual COs. Note on the folder states: Some references to the
arrangements for work camps in BC, Kootenay National park and forestry
camps. Little if any specific references to Mennonites in that context
. Materials on CO claims in BC relates almost exclusively to
Doukhobors.
- Government correspondence regarding Hutterites and
conscientious objection in World War II (WWII). -- 1942-1945.
- Canadian laws and regulations regarding World War II (WWII)
and conscientious objectors. - - 1927, 1940-1943.
- Correspondence and reports from Canadian government and
Mennonite church leaders regarding Mennonites in World War II (WWII)
and conscientious objection. -- 1942-1943
- Government correspondence regarding conscientious
objectors, mainly in World War II (WWII). From Defense headquarters. --
1918, 1940-1945.
- Correspondence from government and Mennonite leaders
regarding military exemption being extended to Mennonites immigrating
to Canada in the 1920s. -- 1918-1927.
- Correspondence from government, Mennonite leaders, and
lawyers regarding military exemption and who qualifies. Also some
materials regarding Hutterites. -- 1927-1939.
- Correspondence, registration forms, and newspaper clippings
regarding the registration of Mennonites in an attempt to be exempt
from military service. -- 1940.
- Government correspondence (Department of National War
Services) regarding general provisions for conscientious objectors and
how alternative service will be carried out. Includes Mennonites and
Doukhobors. -- 1941.
- Correspondence, legal documents, and police reports
regarding Mennonites exemption from limitary service and concerns over
the use of German. -- 1918. -- Note: contains one letter re: Tunkers.
- Correspondence from Western Canadian Mennonite leaders and
individuals regarding Mennonite exemption from military service and
some problems some individuals encountered in World War I (WWI). --
19171-1918.
- Correspondence from the Canadian government and Mennonite
leaders regarding Mennonites and alternative service in World War II
(WWII). -- 1940-1944. -- Note: on the file states "BJ file 4".
- Government reports regarding amnesty for those who are in
violation of the military service act. - 1919, 1946. -- Note: on file
states: "Military Service general".
- Government and Mennonite documents about general military
exemption. -- 1917, 1949.
- Correspondence regarding military exemption for Hutterites.
-- 1899, 1927.
- House of commons debate transcripts regarding Hutterites
and the payment of taxes and Canada Pension Plan (CPP). -- 1967, 1973.
- House of Commons debate transcripts regarding Canada
Pension Plan. -- 1974.
- Government and legal correspondence regarding taxation of
Hutterites and contributions to Canada Pension Plan (CPP). --
1960-1978. -- Note; in folder "Buttons and novelties".
- Government correspondence and newspaper clippings regarding
Amish Mennonites wanting exemption from Canada Pension Plan (CPP)
payments. -- 1960-1969.
- Transcripts from parliamentary committee regarding the
Canada Pension Plan, Bill C-190. -- 1973, 1974, 1979.
- Correspondence from government and Mennonite leaders,
including Jacob Y. Schantz, regarding the choosing, purchasing,
settling, and selling of land set aside for Mennonites in Manitoba and
Alberta. -- 1873-1895, 1923-1927. -- Note: includes Narrative of a
Journey to Manitoba/ J.Y. Schantz: Together with an abstract of the
Dominions Lands Act, 1873.
- Government of Canada court documents regarding trials
between the Government and Hutterites dealing with taxes. -- 1975-1978.
-- Note on folder "Hutterite materials not used".
- Government and legal reports and correspondence regarding
the taxation of Hutterite communities. -- 1969-1971.
- Correspondence and newspaper clippings regarding Hutterites
and exemption from paying taxes and Canada Pension Plan (CPP). --
1969-1978.
- Correspondence regarding Hutterites and exemption from
paying taxes and Canada Pension Plan (CPP). -- 1958-1969.
- Government of Canada court documents regarding Hutterites
and taxation cases. -- 1971- 1978.
- Newspaper clippings from Der Bote and Ottawa Citizen
regarding World War II (WWII). -- 1939.
- Government correspondence and reports regarding allowance
and disallowance of Mennonites, Hutterites and Doukhobors entrance into
Canada. -- 1872-1899, 1918-1931.
- Excerpts from The inquirer (The Doukhobor Inquirer)
regarding various Doukhobor issues. - - 1898, 1954-1956, 1974.
- Bibliographies for sources on Doukhobors and Hutterites. --
[ca. 1970-1973]. -- Note: includes: A Doukhobor Bibliography Part III:
The Doukhobor file, reference guide 43/ University of British Columbia
Library , 1973.
- Excerpts from various publications regarding Hutterites in
Alberta. -- 1947-1949, 1960- 1961, 1971-1976. -- Note: includes:
Submission to the Agricultural Committee of the Legislature of the
Province of Alberta on Behalf of Alberta's 51 Hutterite Colonies of the
Darius-Leut and Lehrer-Leut groups, 1960. and Report on Communal
Property, Alberta Legislative Assembly, Select Committee of the
Assembly on Communal Property, 1972.
- Government reports regarding Hutterites in Manitoba. --
1948, 1957.
- Excerpts from various published and unpublished sources
regarding Doukhobors. -- 1898, 1956-1957, 1961, 1975-1981. Note:
includes: A Legal History of the Christian Community of Universal
Brethren [Doukhobors] 1899-1942: Some legal problems of the Doukhobors
in Canada/ Brian Juriloff, 1978; and Doukhobors and Mennonites: A
comparative Study of Ideological Persistence in Response to the
Institution of Militarism/ Koozma Tarasoff, 1975.
- Government correspondence and reports dealing with the
entrance or Immigration of Hutterite top Canada and the halting of
Hutterite colony expansion (land issue). -- 1899, 1921, 1931-1943.
- Reports regarding Doukhobors in Saskatchewan. -- 1898,
1906-1907. -- Note: includes: Papers Relating to Doukhobor Homestead
Entries/John McDougall, 1906; and Reports and Maps Relating to Lands
Held under Homestead Entry by Doukhobors and the Disposition of Same.