What's in a Name?

Over time the Mennonites in Russia, especially in the Molotschna Colony developed a compendium of "nicknames" to describe the residents of the various villages. The designations were never complementary, but always pejorative, if not outright insulting. They were also always in their vernacular Plautdietsch (Low German), a vividly expressive tongue that is often most difficult to translate without losing the 'sense' of the expression. This may not be a particularly significant part of the Mennonite experience in Russia and would probably rate no higher than a 1.5 on a scale of 1 to10. However, the Mennonite's sojourn in Russia was not only a tale of pious devotion, of magnificent achievement, or of equally noble suffering. It was also a tale of human interaction, of foibles and failings, and of the day to day minutiae of earning their daily bread. This little vignette was part of this more mundane part of our forefathers existence.

Nobody really knows when, or where, or how, this system of derogatory nicknames began. Since they were always pejorative, they probably began when one villager became annoyed with another in a neighbouring village and instead of violence, resorted to verbal abuse. Since generally speaking they would not blaspheme, other demeaning or derogatory language was used. Sometimes these names would rhyme with, or otherwise relate to the village name, othertimes not. The village of Konteniusfeld was named after Judge Samuel Kontenius, a Silesian immigrant and career civil servant in the Imperial Russian Government. In 1799 he was sent on an inspection tour of the immigrant settlements in New Russia. After his subsequent report, he was commissioned Chief Magistrate of the New Russian Agency for new Immigrants and later, Member Extraordinary of the Guardians Committee. Judge Kontenius was an honorable and honest man and was highly esteemed by the Mennonite community. His leadership ensured that the Mennonite immigrants of the second wave in 1803 would in fact receive the promised help from the Russian Government. This was in sharp contrast to the first immigrants who were never given the lands promised them and whose government assistance was embezzled by thieving and corrupt bureaucrats. Did the honors accorded the good Judge rebound to the worthy residents of the village carrying his name? Of course not! Their fellow Molotschna-ites called them Kozzefelda,(literally, Goat Fielders, or maybe Goat Herders). Many other villages had animal related names.

The villagers of Hierschau were called Eemsjekjniepa, (Ant Pinchers). I suppose someone accused them of getting their jollies by crawling along the ground pinching ant bottoms. Others in this category are: Schoenau - Krauntjemaltja (Crane Milkers, they must have pretended to be 'high flyers' because how else could you milk a crane?), Rueckenau - Pogge ( Frogs), Sparrau - Schpohlinge or Schpautze (Sparrows), Schoensee - Kroije Nast(Crow's nest), Fuerstenwerder - Hupps Fleje(Jumping Flies), and Paulsheim - Pudleheima (Doghouse Dweller).

Others, sometimes more, sometimes less insulting names related to their daily life. The villagers of Lindenau were called Rullkoake (Not really translatable but 'Fritters' will have to do), Wernersdorf - Wauhmet Bultje(Warm Bread), Neu Halbstadt - Glummsbiedel (Cottage Cheese bags), Franztal - Fortzevesohla (in printable English - body gas spanker), Grosweide - Bulleleida (literally Bull Leaders, maybe Cow Herders), and Friedensdorf - Kureijoalinja (Kurei isa species of noxious weed, joalinjameans yearlings - Weedyearlings). Some nicknames related closely to the village name, such as, Gnadenfeld - Gnautzefelda(Gnautze was a very infectious rash, something like eczema, occurring between the fingers), Waldheim - Wauldheena(Forest Hens ), and Landeskrone - Laundheena (Land Hens or maybe Prairie Chickens).

The village of Altonau was sometimes called Hunjsenj (Dog's End - don't know which end). This name can be traced to a journey by the Tsar Alexander 11 from Moscow to the Crimea. Enroute he overnighted in the Molotschna village of Altonau. The villagers were concerned that His Imperial Majesty's sleep not be disturbed and therefore banished all the village dogs to the most distant end of the village. This sector was forever after known as the Hunjsenj, and sometimes the name was applied to the entire village.

The villagers of my own ancestral village of Muensterburg (Molotschna) were called Dwoibiedel.Dwoi is a cheese made by the fermentation of cottage cheese together with heavy cream. One explanation for the manufacture of this cheese was to have calcium rich milk products available for children during the season cows went 'dry'. (This may or may not be factual.) In any event the product was made by packing this mixture of cottage cheese and cream, well peppered, into cloth sacks and hanging them to ferment within the warm confines of the dwelling. The process, and the resulting product, were extremely smelly and created a stench throughout the house that would last for months. Therefore, when people called Muensterburgers Dwoibiedel,they were really calling them Stinky Cheese Bags.

Some nicknames were applied to entire colonies (mostly by Molotschna-ites). Residents of Sagradowka were called Sagradowsche Zanze ( Sagradowka Scythes ) de Twee Schnedige (double cutting ) I first heard this term within my own family. My late mother, bless her, was a fairly typical hard working Mennonite lady and a proud daughter of Sagradowka. On one specific family project she was particularly ambitious, zealous, and hard driving, causing my father to good naturedly refer to her as aSagradowsche Zanz. When I asked what the expression meant, he explained that when the Sagradowka colony was founded, mostly by sons and daughters of Molotschna-ites, the new settlers started with very little. However, being ambitious hard working Mennonites, they were determined to catch up to the more established colonies. They worked so hard and diligently that some people accused them of over-doing it in the extreme. To accomplish quick success, they were even jokingly accused of inventing their own style of scythe that would cut not only on the forward stroke but also on the return or reverse stroke. I'm not sure that is even possible. But nevertheless, they were given the appellation de Sagradowsche Zanz, de Twee Schniedige.

Sagradowka-ites were also called Nohkloppasch (literally, After Knockers).This somewhat pejorative term was used by Molotschna residents who wanted to accuse, usually in jest, their kinsfolk of continually coming home for more handouts. The parents or sponsors had purchased the lands and given the new settlers in Sagradowka their original stake. But apparently this was sometimes not enough. The new settlers were forever returning home and knocking on the door asking for more handouts. Therefore, Nohkloppasch.

Molotschna residents appear to have been quick to apply pejorative terms to everyone else, but they did not escape unscathed. The Old Colony (Chortitza) referred to them as Schwoatebroak Schwamma ( literally, Summer Fallow Swimmers ). This may have been a derogatory reference to Molotschna's local flowing water, the Molotschnaya River.

The Old Colony was located near the majestic Dnieper River (aum Nippa)and its broad sweeping waters that were quite suitable for swimming at that time and had long stretches of sandy beaches along its shores. The Molotschnaya River on the other hand was little more than a muddy creek, subject to flash floods. Attempting to swim in this water may well have been tantamout to swimming in Summer Fallow. But the Old Colonists nevertheless accused the Molotschna-ites of trying, therefore:Schwoatebroak Schwamma.

I will not attempt to credit my sources because they are many and varied, written and oral, and arose over a span of many years. Some sources are well remembered but others are problematic, or completely forgotten. Therefore, to be fair I thank them all anonymously. This is not a complete list of this element of Mennonite life in Russia. If readers can add other names, please write to the Editor, Roots and Branches, and we may some day publish a more complete list.