This book is an index of Mennonite estates in Imperial Russia from 1813 to about 1920. It does not explain all the intricacies of the development of each estate. Furthermore, it is a study of something which has disappeared almost a century ago. Some have decrepit buildings remaining, but of many estates there is now nothing left except open fields.

When the first Mennonite settlers migrated from Prussia to southern Russia in 1789, they were restricted from purchasing land outside the land (i.e, colony or settlement) allocated to them. However, in 1817, this restriction was lifted, opening the way for enterprising people to expand their holdings. Thus, Mennonite estates became possible.

Some estates were very large, with elaborate well-appointed manor houses; they were commonly surrounded by formal gardens. They often employed a large number of people, most from the surrounding Ukrainian or Russian population. This index lists 1,220 such estates by 1914.

During the First World War, the Mennonite people's "German affiliation" brought fear, especially among many of the pan-Slavic nationalists--that the estate owners could control the economy of south Russia. This resulted in the formalization of legal measures to expropriate all land belonging to "enemy aliens." Mennonites were included in this category. After the Revolution of 1917 and the Civil War, the entire Mennonite population suffered, but especially the estate owners. A considerable number were murdered outright.

The estate lands and buildings were among the first to be "nationalized." This often meant that the buildings were first ransacked, then often completely destroyed by roving gangs of bandits.

Today, of the estate buildings that remain, many are now abandoned derelicts, although a few serve some other functions such as homes for orphans or veterans. Most estates, however, are memories only, empty spaces or fields that, nevertheless, still bear witness to those who lived and worked and died there, many years ago.

~Helmut T. Huebert, from the Overview and Introduction