The Great Trek of the Russian Mennonites to Central Asia, 1880-1884, Fred Richard Belk, 1976

the late nineteenth century the native storytellers of Turkestan spoke of three men most often — Alexander the Great, Tamerlane, and Konstantine von Kaufmann; Kaufmann, by all accounts, was the most popular of the three.° But Kaufmann had far to go to transform the sterile, bleak, and forbidding wastes of Turkestan into a civilized and productive province of the Russian Empire. For one thing he needed colonists, skilled agriculturists who would bring their energies to this barren land. This is what first attracted his attention to the Mennonites. 6 PLANS AND HOPES Development of Migration Theology Why certain pious Mennonites would consider the eccentric injunction of Epp, a self-appointed prophet, to abandon their fertile farms on the Volga and migrate to the inhospitable territory of Turk- estan can be understood only in light of the threat to their faith which they saw in military conscription. While the millenarian teach- ings of Epp and others provided the inspiration for migration, further Russian efforts to abrogate special Mennonite privileges were the specific grievances which persuaded them to take this course of action. To be sure, the Russian government had been remarkably in- dulgent in its efforts to palliate military service for the Mennonites and offered several alternatives which it hoped would satisfy these valuable farmers to the extent that they would not leave their homes. A decree of April 8, 1875, provided that Mennonite men of military age might serve in shipyards, fire departments, or forestry service in lieu of active army duty. But this was not enough to still their opposition to the whole idea. Mennonite leaders feared the corruptive influences of the big city on their youth; forestry service close to home seemed least objectionable. They were at least willing to negotiate on this point. They defined their position in a petition in early 1879, and sent it to Ambassador General Todtleben, a per- sonal representative of the czar on German colonial affairs. They asked that their service have no connection, direct or indirect, with the military machine and that their own ministers be allowed to 76 The Great Trek of the Russian Mennonites lead their young men both in their physical and spiritual welfare in the forests. On Sunday, April 14, 1879, General Todtleben arrived in Halb- stadt, Ukraine, to meet with Mennonite representatives from all over Russia and persuade them, if possible, to remain where they were. Mennonite millennialists from the Trakt and Molotschna were at this meeting. Two days later he confidentially told them that the czar was quite concerned about their plight and that he believed an even more liberal change was forthcoming that would be in their favor. A possibility still existed, however, that they would be used in workshops, as firemen, and in forestry service.? Whatever their area of service to the state, promised Todtleben, they would b