THE MENNONITE BROTHERHOOD IN RUSSIA (1789 - 1910), P. M. Friesen, 1911

concerned with the foreign settlers in South Russia: A most humble submission. On October 4 of this year, Johann Claassen, a member of our congregation, was requested to appear before the Mennonite Area Administrative Office of Molotschna, and in their presence and that of the Agricultural Society was asked to give a report on the success of the trip of our delegates to the Kuban District. Claassen mistrusted the Area Administra- tive Office because up to that point it had always been working against the interests of our church. And because even now, during the discussion, the colony administrative officer became very vehement, threatening Claassen with imprisonment if he refused to present in writing what had been requested; and, in general threatening to see to it that we would lose our status as bona-fide colonists, Claassen feared to entrust the report of the Kuban journey to the Area Administrative Office without having first consulted his own church. Once the church had considered the matter, it felt constrained to present the above as well as the Promemoria to the Supervisory Commission in humble obedience. Enclosed herewith is also the testimony received from Major-General Sabuzky, which we wish to present to you. Furthermore, we must add that the church has no confidence in the Area Administrative Office because, as it has done in other cases, it could place obstacles in the way of an eventual exodus from the Molotschna District. Abraham Peters, 181 David Claassen [the oldest brother of the delegate], Johann Claassen [David C.’s son], Peter Stobbe, Peter Martens, Heinrich Nickel, Benjamin Becker, Peter Nickel, Johann Claassen [the delegate], Cornelius Reimer, Johann Claassen [nephew of the delegate], Cornelius Knelsen, Simon Harms, Johann Huebert, Peter Dyck, Johann Martins, Cornelius Penner, Jakob Reimer, Dietrich Claassen [older brother of the delegate], Bernhard Penner, Johann Strauss, Friederich Strauss, David Duerksen, Abram Dyck, Franz Claassen, Isaak Koop, Abraham Wiens, Cornelius Wiens, Heinrich Flaming, Abraham Regier, Heinrich Neufeld, Dietrich Claassen [Dietrich Documentary Supplements 403 C.’s son], Bernhard Janzen, Martin Klaassen, Jakob Kroeker, Abraham Wiens, Wilhelm Loewen. The ministers of the church: Heinrich Huebert, Jakob Becker. Dated October 10, 1862, Colony Liebenau.” b) “Promemoria [re the above submission]. On July 4 our church member Johann Claassen was ordered to appear before the Area Administrative Office and requested to report on what he had been able to accomplish in St. Petersburg, which he did in a few words. He also showed the letters from the honorable Minister of War to Graf Evdokimov and requested a travel permit to the Kuban in order to visit that district. However, because the colony administrative officer was sick and not in his office, Claassen was asked to come at another time and deal with the administrator himself about the travel permit. On