Collection of Immigration Stories
Stories are part of our identity; they keep alive our past and connect to the present and future. Stories connect us as people, teach us respect for heritage, and help us understand and preserve history. Saskatchewan is shaped by many stories that make up the cultural diversity and history of this province. Enjoy reading life stories and adventures of German-Canadian families and individuals: descendants of ethnic German families who emigrated from Germany as well as other places in Europe, including Hutterites, and Mennonites, who ultimately made Saskatchewan their home.
Written by Mervin Weiss.
This is the story of Paul Engel. From Neukron, one of the eleven German settlements in Ukraine’s Zaporizhia District, to his new
life in Canada.
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Written by Mervin Weiss.
This is the story of how families, friends, and neighbours will stick together in a time of crisis. Maria Heppenstiel was born in 1931 in the village of Janowka, which is located about 100 km from the Polish border.
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Written by Mervin Weiss.
Julia was born in 1992 in Sögel, a small town in Germany. She is sharing the story of her immigration to Canada.
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Written by Mervin Weiss.
Erhardt was born in 1924 in East Prussia and arrived in Canada in 1951. His journey is told in his amazing immigration story.
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Written by Mervin Weiss.
Renate was born in Berlin in 1932, and came to Saskatoon in 1957. Her interesting story from Germany to Canada is told in this immigration story.
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Written by Mervin Weiss.
Leslie Angele was born in 1931 in the village of Oberrieden, Bavaria, near Munich. Her life as a child during WW II, her fascinating story how she came to Canada and her busy life in Saskatchewan is told in this immigration story.
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Written by Mervin Weiss.
World War II displaced 45 million Europeans, meaning that people who found themselves at war’s end (1945) living somewhere other than where they were living in 1939, when the war began. Many families were forced to re-locate more than once. Such was the case of the Alksne family from Riga, Latvia.
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Written by Mervin Weiss.
Gregor and Ilona Beck, hailing from German families with strong ties to agricultural-related businesses, immigrated to Saskatchewan, bringing with them a wealth of experience and expertise, making them an ideal fit for Saskatchewan.
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Written by Mervin Weiss.
Andrea MacLeod is a busy mom, wife and co-homemaker with her husband Andrew, and a busy volunteer. She juggles all of that with a full-time job. But she graciously agreed to a video interview to tell SGC members her story.
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Written by Mervin Weiss.
Did you know that Saskatchewan’s ninth Lieutenant Governor was an Ontario-born German? Saskatchewan introduced Canada’s first universal and comprehensive health care program in 1962, but did you know this same Ontario-born German laid the foundation for this program already in the 1920s?
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As told to Mervin Weiss.
Markus and Uli Hecker have fully embraced their lives here in Saskatchewan, and currently, cannot imagine living anywhere else! Of course, they have not always lived in Saskatchewan, having emigrated from Germany, and spending a few years in Michigan before arriving in Saskatoon in 2007.
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Written by Gary Zeiler,
edited by Mervin Weiss.
Klara was one of 6 children born to Franz Görigk and Rosa Hasselberg in Linglack Ostpreußen; she had 4 brothers, two older (Benno and Leo) two younger (Bruno and Alfons) and one older sister (Erna). They were a German farming family, but also had relatives in the nearby community of Paulsen, where they went to church and were baptized. They all lived in the same large house with surrounding farm and most travel was done via bicycle or horse and buggy, which is also how most of the farm goods were transported to other communities for sale or trade
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Recounted by Adele Wagner,
written by Mervin Weiss.
Adele’s story is one of love, hope, perseverance, and persistence. Her story starts in the after-math of the Holodomor, the man-made famine that saw millions die due to starvation in Ukraine, and continues with her and her brother’s journey to Canada. After many ups and down, both finally feeling like a family again when they reunite with their mother in Regina, after being ripped apart 16 years prior.
Read the full story.
Recounted by Andrew and Ida Grzesina,
written by Mervin Weiss.
One immigration story starts in Romania, the other in Ukraine but both end in Regina, Saskatchewan. Andrew and Ida’s families succeeded all odds, having left their home countries out of necessity to cross paths in a far away place to start a life together. Both families have a very similar immigration story of having left Europe for a better life, after being displaced by the turmoil of World War II.
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Written by Kurt Tischler.
The Tischler Family immigration story has its beginnings in the southwest of Germany. The family, Helmut and Ida, and their three boys are separated through war but find each other again through the help of the Red Cross. After the family’s reunification, Helmut had his sights set on returning home, however he was left with disappointment and to protect their sons it became clear that the family had to make the trek to Canada. The journey was difficult, and starting a new life in a strange land made them question their decisions.
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Story collection by Otto Schwentke,
foreword by Mervin Weiss.
Born into German families in Poland, Wilhelm and Wanda faced many hardships, from being forced to re-locate from their home to barely surviving the trip back home in cattle cars. After Wilhelm’s impulsive decision to immigrate to Canada in 1929, the entire Schwentke family arrived in Canada just as a worldwide recession was taking hold in 1930, and in Saskatchewan just as a crippling drought would devastate agricultural production for several years. The following stories are transcriptions of an audio tape recorded by Otto Schwentke from about 1985, that address his grandson.
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By Mary Schneider, daughter, published with permission by Rosa & Earl Gebhardt.
Anna Maria was born on November 29, 1878, in Galicia, former Habsburg Empire. The forefathers of Anna Maria and her husband Johann Gebhardt migrated with many fellow German Lutherans from Alsace-Lorraine, Rhineland, Baden-Württemberg, and Switzerland in the latter half of the1700s to form new colonies in Russia per invitation of Empress Catherine II. Her proclamation promised free land, a farmhouse, freedom of religion, and more.
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By Dr. Patricia (Trish) Spindel,
introduction by Mervin Weiss.
Recently, I found my mother Erika’s diary. It was written in 1945 when she was 18 years old, but it describes her life in 1939 at age 11 which is when, as she put it, her childhood ended. She was born Austrian in Bodenbach, a town in what became known later as the Sudetenland, part of Czechoslovakia. It was annexed by Germany in 1939. Her father, a Bürgermeister (senior official) on the railroad, was a Social Democrat, which made him a target, especially in light of his support of the resistance against Nazi Germany.
Erika’s diary gives the reader an inside look at the turmoils which lead to her family’s flight from Europe and at the challenges of an unfamiliar agricultural way of life in Saskatchewan.
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By Arlene Fedorchuk.
Arlene recounts the story of her father, Karl Friedrich Seemann, born on August 12, 1930 in Großsoltholz, Germany, making his way to Canada. During WWII, an older friend from Karl’s village had been recruited by the Nazis. He was captured and eventually sent to a POW camp in Taber, Alberta. When the war was over, the POW’s were released and were left either to make the long back home to Germany or stay in Canada. Sigi stayed and encouraged Karl, along with other young men, to come to the land of opportunity. After seeing recruitment flyers for Canada needing more lumberjacks, Karl made the decision in 1952 to board the M.S. Columbia in Bremerhaven for Halifax, N.S.
Read the full story.
Mervin Weiss
Writer, Editor, and Storyteller of SGC’s Immigration Stories
Merv is a collector of stories, rooted in the windswept plains of southwestern Saskatchewan. Raised in Fox Valley—a community shaped by German-Russian immigrants—Merv grew up surrounded by a rich cultural heritage and untold histories.
All four of his grandparents were Germans born in the former Russian Empire, immigrating to Canada in 1913 and 1925. Inspired by this legacy, Merv has been actively researching his family’s journey since 2000, diving deep into the migration paths from the Black Sea region of old South Russia—now Ukraine. His travels to Ukraine and Germany have not only fuelled his research but also led to meaningful reconnections that helped him rediscover his “German-ness.” For many years, Merv has shared his knowledge and expertise with communities across Canada and the United States, delivering engaging talks for a wide range of organizations.
A former teacher and business owner, Merv brings insight and curiosity to every story he uncovers. Whether he is editing previously written accounts, assisting families in crafting their immigration stories, or listening with care and writing down tales passed through generations—he is dedicated to preserving memory, and nurturing a more profound understanding of the past.
Impactful Work
- Preserves history and life stories through writing, editing, and mentorship
- Increases awareness of the contributions made by German Canadians to Saskatchewan
- Fosters education and appreciation of cultural heritage
- Builds a sense of belonging and continuity within communities
- Creates and supports meaningful cultural programs by creating immigration stories that are published on SGC’s website and in the Postillion newsletter.
If you would like to share your own story here, get in touch with us!