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

irrevocable division in their ranks. Every antici- pated refuge was to prove illusory and perilous. Such was to be the character of Khiva, too. Even before the arrival of Claas Epp, the entire fellowship of the Bride Community had come to a consensus that they must move away from both Russia and Bukhara. The big question, however, was: Would the khan of Khiva give them a firm offer? If so, they decided to accept it gladly. By the time the Epp train reached Serabulak, the group had come to a unity of purpose: that of seeking Christ in the khanate of Khiva. Offer of the Khan of Khiva, July 1882 At last they obtained official sanction to go to Khiva. In June 1882, Heinrich Jantzen received a letter from General Dreech, a Russian official in Samarkand, in which the entire group was granted permission to travel through Bukhara in order to settle in the khan- ate of Khiva. Dreech explained also that the khan would most gladly give them land for a settlement in a most beautiful location along the Amu Darya. It was imperative, he urged, that a delegation be sent to investigate the possibilities. ' The Khivan Refuge 149 Deputation to Petro-Alexandrovsk With less than a week of rest since his arrival, Epp counseled im- mediate action. On June 21, 1882, an elected deputation composed of Epp, Jantzen, and the articulate and optimistic teacher, Emil M. Riesen, were chosen to represent the group. With the full knowledge of Bukhara officials, they started a journey that would take them over 600 miles and last well over a month. When Khiva had been conquered by the czar’s troops ten years earlier, the Amu Darya was designated as the boundary between Rus- sian territory on the north and the Khivan lands to the south. Though the khanate was a Russian protectorate, the khan still held nominal sovereignty along the south bank of the river, and it was he who had the right to grant the Mennonites the land they desired. Consequently, the delegation halted first at the Russian garrison at Petro-Alexand- rovsk, where they obtained from the commander, General Grotten- helm, a safe-conduct pass to the khan’s court at Khiva. This official also provided a Russian officer to escort the group before the khan. Meeting with the Khan The Uzbek Khan graciously greeted the Mennonites in his palace receiving room and told them they could have as much land as they could cultivate along the Amu Darya about 100 miles farther down- stream. For four years he would not expect them to pay taxes or serve the government in any way. After that period, however, they must give one twentieth of their harvest and twelve days labor a year to projects of the khanate. The four years of freedom from taxes particu- larly pleased the delegation. Then, as the discussion continued, the khan spoke of more serious matters: the Mennonites would be subject to Khiva’s harsh penalties against robbery, murder, and rape, all of which carried the death