John A. Harder fonds

Classification scheme: Hist.Mss.1.364

Title: John A. Harder fonds 

Dates of creation: 1914, 1925-1933, 1947, 1985, 2003 

Physical description: 8 cm of textual records 

Biographical sketch: John A. Harder (1935-2022) was born to Maria (Braun) and Abram A. Harder in Vineland, Ontario. He served as a pastor but spent most of his career as a teacher, including directing the English and drama programs at Rockway Mennonite Collegiate in Kitchener. He married Carrie Brubaker; the couple had two children.  

Harder’s paternal grandparents were Abram H. and Anna (Nickel) Harder, born in Kleefeld, Molotschna Mennonite Settlement, Ukraine. Abram, Anna and their children immigrated to Canada in 1924, settling first in Arnaud, Manitoba and then Vineland, Ontario.  

Custodial history: Original letters gathered by Sarah Harder and passed along to Mary (Tiessen) Harder. Given by Mary to John A. Harder in 1999 for the purpose of translation. Letters and working documents for From Kleefeld with Love donated to the Archives from the estate of John A. Harder by Carrie (Brubaker) Harder in 2024.  

Scope and content: Letters primarily from relatives in the Soviet Union written to Abram H. and Anna Harder, Sarah Harder and other family members. Draft transcriptions and translations by Lucy Braun and  John Harder for From Kleefeld with Love. Background research for the book by John Harder.  

Notes: See also Harder, John A., ed. and trans. From Kleefeld with Love. Kitchener, Ont.: Pandora Press, 2003.  
Original archival description created 2024 by Laureen Harder-Gissing. 

File list:  

Series 1: Correspondence included in From Kleefeld with Love

Note: File numbers correspond to the number assigned each letter in From Kleefeld with Love 

  1. Mariechen Harder to Johann and Helena Harder, 18 Feb 1914
  2. Unused
  3. Unused
  4. Abram H. and Anna Harder to a Janzen family in Mountain Lake, Minnesota, 20 Jun, 1925
  5. Mariechen Harder to Sarah Harder (fragment), 1926
  6. Unused
  7. Greta Harder to Sarah Harder (fragment, with poems enclosed), Spring 1926
  8. Mariechen Harder to Abram H. Harder, 16 Jan 1927
  9. Anna Warkentin to Sarah Harder, 20 Jan 1927
  10. Mariechen Harder to Abram, Anna and family, 25 Sept 1927
  11. Mariechen Harder to Abram, Anna and family, 11 Nov 1928
  12. Sara Spenst to Abram and Anna Harder, 16 Nov [1928]
  13. Unused
  14. Unused
  15. Sara Spenst to Abram and Anna Harder and family, 15 May [1929?]
  16. Mariechen Harder to Anna and Abram Harder and family, 30 Jun 1929
  17. Sara Spenst to Abram and Anna Harder and family, 8 Jul [1929]
  18. Sara Spenst to Abram and Anna Harder and family, 12 Dec 1929
  19. Mariechen Harder to Abram and Anna Harder and family, 16 Mar 1930
  20. Sara Spenst to Abram and Anna Harder and family, 18 Mar [1930]
  21. Mariechen Harder to Abram and Anna Harder and family, 28 Mar 1930
  22. Unused
  23. Liese Warkentin to Mariechen, Greta and Tina Harder, forwarded to the Abram and Anna Harder family, 19 Apr 1930
  24. Sara Spenst to the Abram and Anna Harder family, 3 May [1930]
  25. Mariechen Harder to Abram and Anna Harder and family, 14 Jun 1930
  26. Mariechen Harder to Abram and Anna Harder and family, 16 Jul 1930
  27. Mariechen Harder to Abram and Anna Harder and family, 24 Oct 1930
  28. Lena Abrams to Sarah Harder, 25 Dec 1930
  29. Liese Warkentin to Mariechen Harder and forwarded to the Abram and Anna Harder family, 9 Jan 1931
  30. Mariechen Harder to Abram and Anna Harder and family (fragment), 18 Jan 1931
  31. Mariechen Harder to Abram and Anna Harder and family , 9 Feb 1931
  32. Mariechen Harder to Abram and Anna Harder and family, 29 Mar 1931
  33. Lena Abrams to Sarah Harder and family, 11 Jun 1931
  34. Sara Spenst to Abram and Anna Harder and family, 10 Jul [1931]
  35. Mariechen Harder to Abram and Anna Harder and family, 26 Jul 1931
  36. Mariechen Harder to Sarah Harder, 29 Nov 1931
  37. Sara Spenst to Abram and Anna Harder and family, 22 Jul 1932
  38. Franz Warkentin to Abram A. Harder, Dec [1932]
    Note: An abbreviated version of this letter appears in the book
  39. Hans and Liese Warkentin to Abram A. and Maria Harder, 22 Mar 1933
    Note: An abbreviated version of this letter appears in the book
  40. Unused
  41. Unused
  42. Unused
  43. Anna Klein to Gerhard Dyck, 15 Oct 1985
    Note: Anna and Gerhard are former residents of Kleefeld. This letter describes Anna’s trips to the site of the former village in 1963 and 1976.  

Series 2: Correspondence not included in From Kleefeld with Love 

  1. Abram A. Harder to Greta Harder, 1947 

Series 3: Research Notes 

  1. John Harder and Lucy Braun’s notes, transcriptions and translations

  2. Genealogy notes

  3. Kleefeld town plans and residents 

Series 4: Books 

  1. Copy of From Kleefeld with Love