Jacob Hoeppner
Encyclopedia
Jacob Hoeppner was one of two delegates selected by the Mennonite
community in Danzig, Prussia
, to travel to South Russia and evaluate land along the Dnieper River
near Chortitza
as a possible settlement. The Mennonites were recruited by Queen Catherine II the Great to settle on territory recently won
from the Sultan
of the Ottoman Empire
. The entire Ukraine
had a population of three million at most. In order to settle this empty territory, colonists from western Europe were invited to come to Russia.
Russian colonization agents advertised the availability of crown land
s to people throughout Europe. One of these was Georg von Trappe, who visited the Mennonites of Danzig in 1786. The Mennonite congregations elected to send Hoeppner and Johann Bartsch, who von Trappe arranged to send to Russia at government expense. They departed in the fall of 1786, sailing first to Riga
, then travelling cross country, arriving at the Dnieper
in late November. From here they sailed down the river looking for a suitable site. They met Potemkin
at Kremenchuk
and were presented to Catherine in May, as she was inspecting her new territories. They found a suitable settlement location, then returned home by way of Saint Petersburg
, where they met with Crown Prince Paul
, who confirmed the promises made by von Trappe. Their return to Danzig was delayed for several months because Hoeppner broke his leg.
, then 900 miles by caravan to Chortiza. The difficulty of pioneering on the steppe was compounded the disappearance of personal property and government building materials en route to the settlement. While most families survived by building crude shelters, Hoeppner and Bartsch were able to erect substantial dwellings. The two men were accused of keeping government money intended for community use. Both were excommunicated from the church. Hoeppner was turned over to the Russian government on trumped up charges and spent almost a year in jail. Eventually, Hoeppner and his family became citizens of nearby Alexandrovsk, settled on the Isle of Chrotiza on the Dnieper River and became an active part of the Russian Mennonites life in the new colony, joining another Mennonite congregation.
Hoeppner made arrangements to be buried on his own estate instead of the Mennonite cemetery among the people who had caused so many problems for him. In 1889 a centennial monument celebrating the original settlement was placed at his gravesite by the great-grandchildren of the colonists who had Hoeppner thrown in jail. The monument has since been moved to Mennonite Heritage Village
in Steinbach, Manitoba
.
Vistula delta Mennonites
Vistula delta Mennonites settled in the delta of the Vistula between the late 16th century and 1945.-Origins:The Mennonite movement was founded by Menno Simons, a Dutch priest who left the Catholic Church in 1536 and became a leader within the Anabaptist movement...
community in Danzig, Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
, to travel to South Russia and evaluate land along the Dnieper River
Dnieper River
The Dnieper River is one of the major rivers of Europe that flows from Russia, through Belarus and Ukraine, to the Black Sea.The total length is and has a drainage basin of .The river is noted for its dams and hydroelectric stations...
near Chortitza
Chortitza
Chortitza Colony was a Russian Mennonite settlement northwest of Khortytsia Island and is now part of Zaporizhia, Ukraine. Chortitza was founded in 1789 by...
as a possible settlement. The Mennonites were recruited by Queen Catherine II the Great to settle on territory recently won
Treaty of Kucuk Kaynarca
The Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca was signed on 21 July 1774, in Küçük Kaynarca , Dobruja between the Russian Empire and the Ottoman Empire after the Ottoman Empire was defeated in the...
from the Sultan
Mustafa III
Mustafa III was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1757 to 1774. He was a son of Sultan Ahmed III and was succeeded by his brother Abdul Hamid I . He was born in Edirne...
of the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
. The entire Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
had a population of three million at most. In order to settle this empty territory, colonists from western Europe were invited to come to Russia.
Russian colonization agents advertised the availability of crown land
Crown land
In Commonwealth realms, Crown land is an area belonging to the monarch , the equivalent of an entailed estate that passed with the monarchy and could not be alienated from it....
s to people throughout Europe. One of these was Georg von Trappe, who visited the Mennonites of Danzig in 1786. The Mennonite congregations elected to send Hoeppner and Johann Bartsch, who von Trappe arranged to send to Russia at government expense. They departed in the fall of 1786, sailing first to Riga
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
, then travelling cross country, arriving at the Dnieper
Dnieper River
The Dnieper River is one of the major rivers of Europe that flows from Russia, through Belarus and Ukraine, to the Black Sea.The total length is and has a drainage basin of .The river is noted for its dams and hydroelectric stations...
in late November. From here they sailed down the river looking for a suitable site. They met Potemkin
Grigori Alexandrovich Potemkin
Prince Grigory Aleksandrovich Potemkin-Tavricheski was a Russian military leader, statesman, nobleman and favorite of Catherine the Great. He died during negotiations over the Treaty of Jassy, which ended a war with the Ottoman Empire that he had overseen....
at Kremenchuk
Kremenchuk
Kremenchuk is an important industrial city in the Poltava Oblast of central Ukraine. Serving as the administrative center of the Kremenchutskyi Raion , the city itself is also designated as a separate raion within the oblast, and is located on the banks of Dnieper River.-History:Kremenchuk was...
and were presented to Catherine in May, as she was inspecting her new territories. They found a suitable settlement location, then returned home by way of Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
, where they met with Crown Prince Paul
Paul I of Russia
Paul I was the Emperor of Russia between 1796 and 1801. He also was the 72nd Prince and Grand Master of the Order of Malta .-Childhood:...
, who confirmed the promises made by von Trappe. Their return to Danzig was delayed for several months because Hoeppner broke his leg.
Russia
The following year, the 228 of the poorest families from the Mennonite community of Danzig made the long harrowing trip from Prussia to the promised tract of land in Russia under the leadership of Hoeppner and Bartsch. The journey from Danzig to Riga was 300 miles by boat on the Baltic SeaBaltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
, then 900 miles by caravan to Chortiza. The difficulty of pioneering on the steppe was compounded the disappearance of personal property and government building materials en route to the settlement. While most families survived by building crude shelters, Hoeppner and Bartsch were able to erect substantial dwellings. The two men were accused of keeping government money intended for community use. Both were excommunicated from the church. Hoeppner was turned over to the Russian government on trumped up charges and spent almost a year in jail. Eventually, Hoeppner and his family became citizens of nearby Alexandrovsk, settled on the Isle of Chrotiza on the Dnieper River and became an active part of the Russian Mennonites life in the new colony, joining another Mennonite congregation.
Hoeppner made arrangements to be buried on his own estate instead of the Mennonite cemetery among the people who had caused so many problems for him. In 1889 a centennial monument celebrating the original settlement was placed at his gravesite by the great-grandchildren of the colonists who had Hoeppner thrown in jail. The monument has since been moved to Mennonite Heritage Village
Mennonite Heritage Village
Mennonite Heritage Village is a museum in Steinbach, Manitoba, Canada. It is a major tourist attraction in the area, as thousands of visitors visit it each year...
in Steinbach, Manitoba
Steinbach, Manitoba
Steinbach is a city of approx. 13,500 people in the southeast corner of the province of Manitoba, Canada, a short distance from the capital Winnipeg. Steinbach is the largest community in the Eastman region of Manitoba. The city is located in the R.M. of Hanover and bordered to the east by the R.M...
.
External links
- Höppner, Jakob (1748-1826) at Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia OnlineGlobal Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia OnlineThe Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online is an online encyclopedia of topics relating to Mennonites and Anabaptism. The mission of the project is to provide free, reliable, English-language information on anabaptist-related topics....