Hoffnungsfeld Pioneers Remembered

by Bert Friesen

The Winkler Heritage Society, recently organized, sponsored a project to remember the villagers of Hoffnungsfeld. These villagers' homesteads were on sections which make up the town of Winkler today. To recognize their contributions, a project was begun this year. It is a park, Prairie Green, in the southwest part of Winkler. Earlier, one tree was planted here for each family who settled in Hoffnungsfeld. On 17 September 2000 a cairn was unveiled with the following inscription:

PRAIRIE GREEN

ROAD OF REMEMBRANCE

IN 1876 A GROUP OF MENNONITES LEFT RUSSIA FOR CANADA, FULL OF HOPE AS THEY LOOKED FORWARD TO A NEW LIFE IN A NEW COUNTRY. THE FAMILIES NAMED BELOW, AS LISTED IN THE 1880 CENSUS, SETTLED IN A VILLAGE THEY CALLED "HOFFNUNGSFELD" (FIELD OF HOPEFULNESS), APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE WEST OF THIS SITE.

WHEN THE C.P.R. OPENED THE WINKLER SIDING, SOME OF THESE SETTLERS MOVED CLOSER TO THE RAILWAY AND WERE AMONG THE FIRST ENTREPRENEURS IN A NEW COMMERCIAL ENDEAVOUR. PRAIRIE GREEN, PART OF THE ROAD OF REMEMBRANCE, IS ESTABLISHED IN COMMEMORATION OF THOSE HOFFNUNGSFELD PIONEERS.

(CEMETERY)

ABRAHAM HUEBERT

JACOB FAEHR

GERHARD DUECK

ISAK DOELL

JACOB WIENS

ISAK WIENS

JACOB WIENS

JOHN KLASSEN (SCHOOL)

LUDWIG ESAU

MRS. JACOB FEHR

JOHANN HOGE

DAVID FRIESEN

FRANZ SAWATZKI

GERHARD SAWATZKI

ABRAHAM NEUFELD

DAVID DOELL

JOHANN PETERS

HEINRICH VAEHR

KLAS QUIRING

ISAK VAEHR

BENJAMIN VAEHR

PETER HOEPPNER

ABRAHAM KROEKER

DAVID DRIEDGER

DAVID WIENS

(CHURCH) REV. HARMS

JACOB ENSS

HEINRICH ENSS, JOHN ENSS

CORNELIUS ENSS

WILLHELM HARMS

ISAK KEHLER

DAVID VAEHR

ISAK DUECK (CEMETERY)

About 75 people, many direct descendants of these pioneers attended the unveiling. Among the dignitaries were local civic officials representing all levels of government as well as members of the Winkler Heritage Society and the Manitoba Mennonite Historical Society. A reception followed in the Winkler Mennonite Brethren Church. Here many stories were told, new relationships were begun, and genealogical data exchanged. The project is a proud remembrance of these pioneers.