Jakob Wiebe

Title: Jakob Wiebe fonds

Dates of creation: 1947-1948, 1960, 2013; 1947 predominant

Physical description: 1 cm of textual records

Biographical sketch: Jakob Wiebe (1892-1967), the son of Jakob and Helene (Bergen)Wiebe, was born in Neuendorf, Chortitza Colony, Ukraine. The family later moved to Felsenbach, Borozenko Colony. He was widowed twice, by Susanna Krause and Maria Krause. In 1922, he married his third wife Katharina Hildebrandt, who survived him. He had six children. In 1943, the family became refugees and travelled to Germany where they lived in several camps, spending most of their time in Bad-Driburg.

He worked as a bookkeeper and teacher, and served as a preacher. While in Germany, he served as a preacher and worked with C.F. Klassen of Mennonite Central Committee to register Mennonite refugees in the Bad-Driburg area. In 1948, the family immigrated to Canada, where he lived in Steinbach, Manitoba, Leamington, Ontario and St. Catharines, Ontario.

Custodial history: Materials donated to the archives by Katharine Janzen, granddaughter, in 2013.

Scope and content: The fonds consists of correspondence and, predominantly, a list of Mennonite refugees from the Soviet Union living in the Bad Driburg area, 1945-1948.

Notes:
Original archival description created 2013 by Laureen Harder-Gissing.

File list:

1. Obituary for Jakob Wiebe
2. Correspondence, 1947, 1960, 2013
3. Letter of intent by John J. Wiebe, Jakob's brother, to sponsor the family to immigrate to Canada
4. List of Mennonite refugees in Bad Driburg, and accompanying note by Jakob Wiebe