A History of the Mennonite Brethren Church, Ja Toews

ences in later years condemned the Self-De- fense Corps (Selbstschutz) not only as a tactical blunder, but also as a IN THE SHADOW OF DEATH 109 gross violation of historic biblical nonresistance. It must always be regarded as a dark blot on the pages of Mennonite history. The withdrawal of German troops left a "power-vacuum" in the Ukraine. It must be remembered that the Bolsheviks initially controlled only the areas around Moscow and Petersburg and were resisted on all sides by remnants of the Tsarist (white) armies. The period between November, 1918 and the fall of 1920 is therefore best described by the term "anarchy." The most notorious leader of the partisan, anarchistic forces in the Ukraine was Nestor Makhno, whose cruelty and brutality became proverbial. In his youth he had been a cattle herder on the estates of wealthy Mennonite landowners. Perhaps this experience caused him to make the Mennonite colonies the special targets of his depredations. When roving bandits of Makhno approached the Molotschna colony from the north, a number of Self-Defense units joined similar forces from the adjacent Lutheran and Catholic colonies to stop the invaders. After putting up an heroic defense for three months, the Self-Defense Corps (Selbstschutz) had to yield to superior numbers. By this time the Bolsheviks had joined forces with Makhno and when the Mennonites discovered this, they laid down their arms because they had resolved from the beginning not to fight against government troops. On condition that they could reign in the province of Taurida, the followers of Makhno placed themselves under the command of the Bolsheviks. The year 1919 proved to be a year of horror for the Mennonites, especial- ly in the Molotschna. Faced with possible annihilation, many now re- sorted to spiritual weapons. Under the leadership of a church elder in Elizabethtal, prayer meetings were organized in many villages. Nevertheless the Mennonites paid dearly for their attempt at self- defense and their secret collaboration with the White Army. In the Molotschna, the village of Blumenort was hardest hit. Here is a description of what happened: On November 10 fourteen men were sent into the basement of a home. After shooting at them for a while, the Makhno bandits threw hand grenades and finally slaughtered with their swords those still living. Six others were killed outside. The women and girls were raped. Wives in the advanced stages of pregnancy were not spared. The village was burned to the ground. " In the Zagradowka and Chortitza colonies similar atrocities were committed. In Eichenfeld (Yazykovo) eighty-one men and four women were murdered in one night. Only two men above sixteen years were left. The village and six others were burned to the ground. Many of these victims of terror gave eloquent testimony to their faith in Christ before they were shot or hacked to pieces with sabers. 12 After the reign of ter