Tales from the Mennonite Heritage Archives – Episode 22
Our Trek to Central Asia or Unser Auszug nach Mittel-Asien, first published in 1907, is Mennonite preacher Franz Bartsch's account of the 1880 emmigration.
In our previous episode, host Dan Dyck shared the story of the Mennonite trek to Central Asia that took place in the early 1880s. Researching and writing that for story raised many questions. In today’s episode, Dan sits down with a Mennonite historian John Sharp. John has spent a lot of time in Central Asia exploring the Mennonite presence there, and he helps dig deeper into the story of the trek and the lingering influence of it on people in the region.
View a map of the route here. The caption at the bottom of the map text reads:
This map and itinerary are the copy and translation of an original drawn up by [Johann] Bartsch. The translation and copying of the map was the work of Eldon Smith and Mr. and Mrs. Edwin J. Jantzen, all of Marion, So. Dakota. MHA Maps, Volume 1134.
Learn more about John’s upcoming tour:
2025 Silk Road Odyssey: The Trek to Central Asia https://www.tourmagination.com/tours/2025-silk-road-odyssey-the-trek-to-central-asia
If you enjoy our work, please consider supporting us here.
Podcast Series: Tales from the Mennonite Heritage Archives
Episode 22: The Trek to Central Asia
Date: March 30, 2025
Host: Dan Dyck
Special guest: John Sharp
Published by The Mennonite Heritage Archives
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts!