Echoes of the Past: My Heritage Across Borders Part II

The Deconstructors

At the time of the First World War, Russia was a divided country and a weak empire. Inteligencia and the nobles, out of boredom, hunger for something new and exciting. One fascination was the philosophies of Karl Marx and other socialists. Opposing it was another group of intellectuals like Dostoyevsky and Tolstoy, calling them back to religion and traditions. Another fascination was the protestant teachings so different from the Orthodox church. Nobles opened their houses for bible-discussions and preachings. Darby and the Plymouth brethren influenced Lord Radstock in England, who was influential in St. Petersburg amongst the rich and famous. Society was divided into many ideological camps. The polarity between the elite and the masses grew not only because of a wealth and educational gap. The Russian nobility spoke mainly French, German, and English and spoke Russian with an accent. They did not understand the mentality, needs and culture of their own people. 

Bolsheviks used this opportunity to stage a cue twice and succeeded in October - November 1917. The masses, peasants, supported them, hoping for a better and more just future. There was also enormous financial support for the revolutionaries from many European countries and the United States. England, for instance, printed and sent a whole train load of Darwin’s “Origin of Species” school textbooks so not creation but evolution would be taught to the children. The socialistic elite formed a new style of dictatorship that turned out to be much worse than the previous. Bolsheviks, or Socialists, as their founder Karl Marx preached, needed to destroy what is and then, on the ashes of the old world, build the new Paradise. How they would do it was unclear, but their blind ideological faith had no limits. The most effective and preferred method to achieve that was “death.” Death to the old systems, politics, clergy, religion, church, education, business, science, culture, arts, music, tradition, family, marriage, and morals in general. 

Starting with the execution of the Zar and his family, the wave of terror and death rolled through the cities and lands. If a commissar complained to Lenin that the locals of a town resisted the reforms, he would instruct them just to shoot some people. “Line up about 40 men in a public square and shoot them. The others will get the point, volunteer and help you,” he would write back. Millions died. Some call it “the other holocaust.”  Destroying is much easier than rebuilding something, and you find more enthusiastic volunteers for destruction than construction. 

The German farmers in Ukraine were disowned and persecuted. First, they came for the rich, then for the businessmen, and then for anyone who owned anything private. Everything had to be owned by the state and placed under the care of the collectives, kolkhozes. People should have nothing and be happy. My grandparents owned land. They confiscated the land, then tools and agricultural machines, then horses and cattle, and then they came for the food families stored. Hunger followed the collectivization and the fair-share distribution programs. The well-known and much-written about waves of “Holodomor” (famines) started in the Ukraine and throughout the new Soviet Union. After that, bandits came killing the pacifist Mennonite men, men who would not resist or protect their own, raping women and burning children alive in houses and barns—those who could escape left and went to other countries where they were treated better. 

My grandparents from the mother’s side also wanted to escape, but my grandmother was afraid to go on the ship. “I will die. I am afraid of water,” she cried. My grandfather, as all good husbands are, said no drama, darling, we will not go on a ship. But the drama of their life was starting. They could not stay in violent Ukraine and fled 8500 km to the Far East region of the Russian empire. A couple of years later, my grandfather was arrested and died in prison for putting up a Christmas tree and telling children about Jesus Christ. (I did publish a small storybook about it. You can find it on Amazon). Following one after the other, her children were arrested, imprisoned, and tortured to death by the “just and fair” socialist Soviets. Only my mother her older sister, survived and the oldest brother, Jakov, who escaped to Paraguay. My mother was also detained and worked in a labour camp for seven years but survived.

My grandparents from my father’s side also escaped to the Far Eastern regions to start a new life, only to discover that there was no hiding place from the obsessed fanatics of socialism. At night, whole villages fled, crossing the Amur River to China. My grandfather made a sled and spanned two strong horses one night to take his nine children and wife to safety. But, my grandmother also made a drama of leaving her relative and going to a foreign land where she knew no one. My grandfather, self an orphan, felt the pain of his wife and decided to stay. A year later, he was executed by a firing squad. 

Fear is a legitimate strong emotion but an awful guide in decision-making. 

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

Reading suggestions:

"Intellectuals" By Paul Johnson

The book is out of print, but if you can get hold of one, it is priceless. Johnson was a journalist, writer, historian, and lecturer. He analyzes the people who changed the world with their spoken and written ideas. It is eye-opening. The intellectuals were brilliant and contradictory, magnetic and dangerous, shocking in their hypocrisy. Many of the famous intellectuals did not live what they preached. Laziness and cruelty were often the marks of those who appealed to others to be generous and compassionate.

“To Me You Are Good” By Anna Voth Hildebrandt.

This is my mother’s memoir. It contains a lot more information about what I know and write about. It is available on Amazon. 

On a Personal Note

This week, Erna is heading back to Germany for the second time to be with her mother, Katharina. Just a month ago, Katharina was diagnosed with cancer, and after her operation, we held on to the hope of her recovery. Unfortunately, the doctors have now given us the difficult news that she likely only has weeks left. Erna’s heart is heavy, and she’s determined to spend as much time as possible caring for her mom during these precious, final days.

It’s been an emotional time for Katharina and her 11 children and their families. Erna’s father, Gustav, passed away in 2010, and he often spoke of going "Home" with peace in his heart. Now, we are preparing ourselves for the loss of her mother. We decided that Erna should go to support her Mom and siblings during this difficult chapter.

If you're thinking about holiday gifts or needing any of Erna’s skin care products services, now would be a helpful time to place an order. Not only will you be well-prepared for Christmas, birthdays, and other special occasions, but your support will truly make a difference to us right now.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

To order, please visit: marykay.ca/evoth1

Or send an email to: mk.ernavoth@gmail.com

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