1853–1856 · event
Mennonite care for the wounded during the Crimean War
Mennonites near the Crimean War cared for wounded people while declining active military service.
Also searchable as: Crimean Peninsula
The Crimean War took place within about 160 miles of the Chortitza and Molotschna colonies, according to the exhibit. The war’s demands reached Mennonite settlements even though the fighting was not centered in their villages. Residents of the empire were called on to assist the war effort.
The panel distinguishes Mennonite refusal of active military duty from their willingness to care for wounded people in hospitals and homes. This practical service makes nonresistance visible as both a refusal to take up arms and a readiness to help the suffering. The entry concerns that response of the communities; a general military history of the war falls outside its purpose.
Sources for this history: [1]
