David Toews

Title: David Toews (1909-2002) fonds

Dates of creation: 1982, 1992-1995

Physical description: 6 cm of textual records

Biographical sketch: David Toews (1909-2002) was born to Johann Peter and Anna (Neufeld) Toews in Nordheim (Marinovka), Memrik Mennonite Settlement, Ekaterinoslav province (Donetsk), Russia (Ukraine). He was one of 12 children in this Mennonite Brethren family. At age 14, he left school to be trained in woodworking and metalworking. He married Katharina (Katja) Bartel (1909-1992) in 1930. David later began a career as a teacher. The family suffered many privations during the Russian Revolution and civil war, collectivization, the Stalinist purges and the Second World War. In 1979, David and Katja immigrated to West Germany. 

Custodial history: Donated to the Archives by David Sapelak, a great-nephew by marriage of David Toews, in 2023

Scope and content: A photocopy of a handwritten memoir (Erinnerungen) by David Toews. He includes memories of his childhood, the histories of his parents' families, memories of his siblings and an autobiography.

Notes: A published translation (Memories of His Homeland by David Toews) is located in the Milton Good Library. 
Original archival description created 2023 by Laureen Harder-Gissing.