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

come to me with a project and I will represent you in St. Petersburg. It will not be as up to now — everyone will be protected. I am not yet with you. Wait a year aaavon will see.° In regard to their plans to migrate to Turkestan he explained that he felt military law would be introduced there within ten years and they could not escape forestry service there either, even if they did not enjoy planting.’° Regarding migration, he believed it would be impossible to permit it because they would be unpro- tected in that strange land. In Russia, however, Mennonites could live protected in their belief, and, if they were clever, they might not be required to do very much. The most they would be used for was forest planting in Taurida Province, he said. Even before his general meeting at Halbstadt, he realized that Mennonites would not serve well in other services. '' Despite this contrary advice, and still without official sanction of their plans, Epp and his followers continued to prepare for their journey. During the late fall of 1879, these peaceful millennialists persisted in their efforts to obtain permission from St. Petersburg to 78 The Great Trek of the Russian Mennonites move to Turkestan. A delegation made up of Jacob Toews, Johann Epp, and Martin Klaassen from the Trakt community, and Abraham Peters, the ministerial leader from Molotschna, traveled to the capital of the Russian Empire to obtain a firm answer to their many requests. The situation was quite tense in St. Petersburg when they ar- rived because of several attempts to assassinate Czar Alexander, and the secret police were suspicious of these German Mennonites. After settling in their hotel they sought the help of a Mennonite sympathizer, a Pastor Hans of the Moravian Brethren Church. Through him they were introduced to Pastor Datton, the influential minister of the Reformed Church, and Baron von Mirbach, an active Christian layman and personal attendant of the czar. The Menno- nites were much impressed by Mirbach’s Christian attitudes.” Mirbach, however, cautioned that although he was sympathetic to their cause, he did not wield as much political power as they believed. He did say he would try to influence the minister of the interior in their behalf but very warmly urged them not to leave Russia because he had heard that Governor-General von Kaufmann only wanted them in Turkestan to help expand the silk culture. Mir- bach said he believed Kaufmann wanted strong young settlers to help his own position." Despite Mirbach’s warning, Toews and the others made contact with Minister of the Interior Ivanov, who very unexpectedly said he favored their cause completely and would help them all he could. After seeing Ivanov the delegation heard that Kaufmann was in the city and they decided to seek an audience with him. Kaufmann was also very cordial and emphasized that there was plenty of free land for good farmers and freedom from mi