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MB Bulletin.Fall Final 04 California Mennonite Historical Society Bulletin No. 41 Fall 2004 Mennonites and Politics In Paraguay by Victor Wall hen the Anabaptist movement arose during the Reformation, church-state relations was a prominent issue. Religious and political leaders were alarmed by the movement, Wdenouncing it as heretical and persecuting those who followed this new way. In that context, Anabaptists came to view the state with further apprehension and continued to maintain a distance from any participation. With the later growth of democratic political structures in Europe, Mennonites began to modify their objections to participation in government, at times even contending that responsible citizenship required it. Similarly, North American Mennonite immigrants to the Para- Mennonites made a move toward greater participation, albeit a little later guayan Chaco found life diffi cult and than their European counterparts. In the twentieth century, as Mennonites labor-intensive. Here a family makes migrated to South America, the question of believers’ responsibility to and bricks for their farm buildings. (Photo courtesy of the Center for Mennonite relationship with government also arose. To understand this situation, it is Brethren Studies, from the C.N. and necessary to examine the distinctively Latin American and Mennonite context Helen Hiebert collection. ca 1947-48) in which this matter became important. Mennonite and friendly to immigrants, a the immigration law permitting Immigration Into distinctive that has been evident Mennonites to settle on July 26, Paraguay in all subsequent Paraguayan 1921, but the actual immigration legislation. occurred in 1926 and 1927. Canadian Immigrants In this context, the legislation An unusual development that created the conditions for preceded Mennonite settlement In 1870, Paraguay’s war with Mennonite immigration is not in Paraguay. A former millionaire Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay an exception, but rather, a logical from Norway, Fred Engen, ended. This struggle reduced consequence of Paraguay’s dreamed of establishing an ideal Paraguay to a small, poor attitude toward immigrants. community. Having lost most of country that had seven times The only exceptional factor in his money, he worked as a real as many women as men. That Mennonite settlement was the fact estate agent for McRoberts, a New same year, Paraguay adopted a that a religious group settled in York lawyer. There he learned of new constitution that was open the hostile Chaco. Paraguay issued some Canadian Mennonites who 2 California Mennonite Historical Society Bulletin California Mennonite Historical Society Bulletin 3 Notation on the back of this photo reads: “Father gone. Mother sick. The two daughters are sawing logs for building a home. One log for a table, smaller logs for chairs.” In the Chaco, women vastly outnumbered men, leaving women to carry out all tasks involved in creating a new life in the wilderness. (Photo courtesy of the Center for Mennonite Brethren Studies, from the C.N. and Helen Hiebert col- lection. ca. 1947-48) “[In 1870] Paraguay 1919, they had another confl ict became more interested in a with government, this time over Mennonite settlement there. When adopted a new education. While the government he visited, he found Paraguay had allowed them initially to to be receptive to Mennonite constitution that maintain their own schools with settlements in the Chaco. instruction in German, it now On February 11, 1921, another was open and insisted on the use of English. delegation went to the Paraguayan The Mennonites were afraid that Chaco. There, it found that land friendly to they would lose control of their was available and legislative immigrants.” schools. conditions were favorable to Several expeditions into Latin emigration. Near present-day America followed. In 1919, three Filadelfi a, it hung a cross on a tree men went independently to Brazil, with the initials M. E. (Mennonite were looking for a new country. Uruguay and Argentina. The same Expedition). With the delegation’s This fi t his dream perfectly: a state year, another group went to the recommendation, the community of nonviolent people. same countries with the intention made the decision to migrate to Already in 1919, Engen had of getting a special arrangement Paraguay. gone on a dangerous expedition with the government on the issues This migration gained the into the Paraguayan Chaco. When of military service and schools attention of the international he returned to Asunciòn, he in the own language. In October press, which exaggerated both the cabled McRoberts immediately. “I 1920, a third expedition went negative and positive aspects of found the promised land!” Engen to Paraguay, but advised their the issue. Papers carrying reports wrote. communities not to go there. They included the New York Sun; the The Canadian Mennonites also considered Mexico, but that New York Evening Post; the New in question had migrated to also raised doubts. York Herald Tribune; the Christian Canada from Russia in 1874. By In the meantime, McRoberts, Science Monitor; the Chicago Daily who had a personal relationship News; the Winnipeg Free Press; and with the President of Paraguay, the Daily Province (Vancouver). The Daily Province (December 1926) noted: “The Indians are a danger for the pilgrims in 2 California Mennonite Historical Society Bulletin California Mennonite Historical Society Bulletin 3 “The reasons for permission came too late for many A Third Wave of Immigrants of the 10,000 Mennonites who emigration are two: had waited in Moscow, hoping Following World War II, a third to emigrate. Many were denied wave of immigrants came to their conscience and and then shipped in cargo trains Paraguay from Europe. In 1947-48, to Siberia and other unknown they founded the colony Neuland the Sermon on the destinations. in the Chaco and the colony Mount.” Those who obtained Volendam in Eastern Paraguay, permission to emigrate went to not far from the colony Friesland. Germany. There they found it diffi cult to fi nd countries that the South American Paradise. would accept them. Canadian “There were many Through the military the health regulations prohibited Paraguayan government tries many Mennonites refugees from physical diffi culties to protect these people in the settling there. Brazil and Paraguay wilderness against the attacks of were two available alternatives. and emergency the Indians.” When this report Two central fi gures emerged appeared, Mennonites had not yet to lead this relocation project, situations in the arrived in Paraguay. Benjamin H. Unruh from colony Fernheim.” The Christian Exponent (April Karlsruhe, Germany, himself 24, 1928) wrote, “The reasons Russian Mennonite, and Harold for the emigration are two: their S. Bender, the emissary of the conscience and the Sermon on Mennonite Central Committee Peter and Elfrieda Dyck led this the Mount, as these relate to war (MCC). The recommendation immigration project. and to the Christian Education of MCC, according to a cable In 1948, another group of of their children.” The article from H. S. Bender, was: “. .send Canadian Mennonites founded the criticized Canadian society for not Lutherans to Brazil, but not colonies Sommerfeld and Bergtal, taking Mennonites seriously. The Mennonites. .” He made this both in Eastern Paraguay. emigration was seen as a tragedy distinction because Paraguay During this time, Mennonites for Canada. allowed exemption from military who were dissatisfi ed with their In the meantime, a contingent service. particular colonies, established the of Canadian Mennonites moved After further negotiations, Tres Palmas colony where they to the Paraguayan Chaco and about 1,000 refugees were allowed hoped to fi nd greater freedom. founded Menno Colony. to go to Canada, 1,233 to Brazil, Due to the sensational and 1,572 to Paraguay. In 1930, Recent Mennonite reporting, the Eastern Mennonite they founded the Fernheim Settlements in Paraguay Board of Missions and Charities colony, a neighbor to the Menno sent missionaries from Argentina colony. In 1932, during the Since 1969, various groups to visit the new Mennonite Chaco war between Paraguay migrated from Mexico to settlement in February 1929. A and Bolivia, an additional group Paraguay. They founded colonies month earlier, the United States settled in Fernheim. These were in Eastern Paraguay, including government had sent the consul Russian Mennonites who fl ed Rio Verde, Manitoba, Santa Clara, from Asuncion to visit the new Russia via Harbin, China. Nueva Durango, and Campo Alto. settlement. Both had positive There were many physical In 1968, several Amish families reports. As a consequence, in diffi culties and emergency 1929, a decision was made to send situations in the colony Fernheim. Russian Mennonite refugees to In 1937, just seven years after Paraguay. it’s founding, one third of the Fernheim colony left the Chaco Russian Mennonites and founded the Friesland colony in eastern Paraguay. On November 25, 1929, Moscow permitted 5,671 Mennonites to leave Russia. Unfortunately, this 4 California Mennonite Historical Society Bulletin California Mennonite Historical Society Bulletin 5 “The choice of had become too secularized, the availability of land and to founded the colonies Agua Azul Paraguay’s favorable political Paraguay as and Rio Corrientes. They too are climate. It is interesting to take very missionary minded. a closer look at the content of the destination Law 514, the famous “charter of The Mennonite Community privileges” of
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