This collection consists of the unpublished writings from a number of "Russlaender" (Russian Mennonite) authors who were active in Canada from the 1930s to the 1960s. The Arnold Dyck part of the collection consists of letters and artwork by Arnold Dyck, editor and writer who lived in Steinbach, Manitoba for many years. A separate biography of Dyck and also of Jacob H. Janzen of Waterloo, Ontario are included. The Dyck papers came to Menno Simons College courtesy of Hedwig Knoop of Uchte, Germany. Another larger part of the collection includes some published writings and photocopies of original manuscripts by Peter G. Epp. Most of Epp's papers are housed at the Mennonite Library and Archives, North Newton Kansas (inventory of from MLA is included here). There is also card index file for these writers for items published in Mennonitische Warte and Der Bote.

This fonds consists of eight photographs primarily of the activities of Mennonite conscientious objectors in the forestry service in the Asov region of Imperial Russia around 1915 where Johann Kroeker served. The photos provide information on the activities, tools and environment in which the alternative to military service took place.

This fonds includes digital masters, optical and negative tracks, broadcast VHS and Beta master videocassettes, release prints in 16 mm film and VHS video format. The moving images contain some colour and some black and white scenes. Otto Klassen's productions are the result of extensive research in archives, both in Canada and Germany. These productions represent the first time that the story of the Mennonite people in Prussia, Russia, Canada, Mexico, and Paraguay have been told through moving images. Several productions were released in multiple languages -- English, German, Low German and Spanish. At least 11 separate titles or series are represented in this fonds. 1) The Great Trek 1939-1945, 2) Prairie Pioneers: The Mennonites of Manitoba 3) Mennonites Conquer the Vistula Delta 4) Mennonite Monument 5) 75 years Mennonites in Mexico 6) 50 year Freedom Jubilee: Praise God for Canada 7) Women of Courage: Stories of Sadness & Stories of Suvival 8) Gespräch: Delgatenreise 1921 9) Im Dienst Der Liebe (KM 81), 10) Frajoa Enn De Oost-resaew, "Three Short Plays" 11) 125th Anniversary of Mennonites in Manitoba: 1874-1999.

This collection consists of copies of the photos collected by Cornelius Krause from a Mexican land agent that traveled with Krause and other Mennonite delegates from Manitoba and Saskatchewan who were investigating the possibility of the migration of a group of Mennonites from Canada to Mexico and photos taken by Cornelius Krause himself while investigating Mexico as a possible country to which a group of Manitoba and Saskatchewan Mennonites could move. The photos which Krause took himself show people and places visited on the trip in Mexico (Collection 592). The photos by the land agent (Collection 590) taken before the arrival of the Mennonite delegation and during their visit to Mexico. The photos were taken to encourage the Mennonites to move to Mexico. They show road and railway construction, wide open wild areas, places where there was water, villages, homes, and fields successfully developed by the Old Colony and Sommerfeld Mennonites who had moved to Mexico in 1922.

This fonds contains 276 photographs taken and received by Arthur W. Slagel during his 3-year assignment with Mennonite Central Committee from 1920-1923. The collection has photos of the relief work in Russia showing various aspects of the work including workers, headquarters, storage, distribution, seeded and distributed crops, transportation, buildings and homes. The photos were taken in locations such as Chortitza, Alexandrosk, Schoenwiese, Rosenthal, Halbstadt, Gnadenfeld, Ohrloff, Nicopol, and Sagradowka. There are images of the 1923 emigration group from Schoenwiese leaving for Canada. There are general scenic photos of the Dnieper rapids, the Kremlin and other sites in Moscow. Some photographs were likely given to Slagel from Mennonite workers in Russia, such as the Solomon Ediger family, the Peter Nikkel family, the Johann Janzen family, the Ohrloff teachers and others. And, finally there are photos of travels taken in England, Holland, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Austria, Poland, Egypt, Palestine and Syria.

This fonds consists of 454 genealogical charts. These charts usually begin with a Mennonite ancestor in the 1700s and then shows descendants down to the later 20th century. The focus of the materials is on West Prussian Mennonites.

This fonds consists of Thiessen's correspondence and various materials he collected while compiling his books. In addition to the correspondence and notes, there are three card files: Male Thiessens (and variant spellings), female Thiessens, and an alphabetical card index which apparently includes all Mennonites he found who were born before 1820 or baptized before 1840. The first file folder contains some introductory and explanatory notes by Hermann Thiessen. Some of the people he corresponded with and received information from were Katharina Thiessen, Fritz van Bergen, and Anna Andres.

This fonds consists of family documents, unpublished genealogies, a computer database and 83 photographs. Many of the genealogies are computer generated reports based on data that Ed Schellenberg collected and compiled for himself and others interested in Mennonite family history. Some of surnames of the families he researched included Schellenberg, Rempel, Braun, Barkman, Falk, Schlabach, Warkentin and Reimer.

The materials in the collection consist of handwritten letters notifying friends and family of a death, a few wedding invitations, pattern for a skirt and a recipe. A list of people in several villages are noted at the end signifying to whom the notice should be passed. The collection is helpful in understanding funeral practices in the Mennonite community, verifying and supplementing vital records already recorded in church and government sources. In addition some information as to the residents of some villages can be gleaned. Most common villages mentioned in the letters include Schoenweise, Reinland, Kronsfeld, Blumenfeld, Haskett, and Gnadenthal.

This collection contains records pertaining from at least 6 different fonds in the State Archive of the Zaporozhe Region. They include the Berdyansk Uezd Steppe Forestry Department (Fond 250), the Alexandrovsk Uezd Land Survey Commission (Fond 230), the Melitopol Uezd Statistical Bureau (Fond 255), the Berdyansk Uezd Land Survey Office (Found 263), the A.A. Koop Agricultural Equipment and Machinery Factory (Fond 158) and the Zaporozhe Okrug Executive Committee (Fond 316). The materials focus roughly on four themes – forestry, description of land and estate possessions, business correspondence and emigration.