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This book is a richly textured and layered story of the author's father. At its basic level, it is a biography--a fascinating story of a man who lived through a remarkable era of European history and lived to tell the stories. Then, Hans Werner reflects on the role his father's memory played in shaping an reshaping the stories of his past, how memory selected what was included and excluded, how memory adapted to different contexts, and how memory was influenced by gender. In addition, Werner reflects on the importance of both storytelling and memory in the way his father constructed his identity; hence, the title of the book--The Constructed Mennonite. --John J. Friesen Journal of Mennonite Studies This story of shifting identities and allegiances is intrinsically captivating. It invites readers to consider the rare story of a common soldier who emerged from a community of religious pacifists but ended up serving in not just one but two armies during World War II. As such, the book offers arresting plot lines, twists of fortune, and surprise revelations, and is as gripping and well-told as any historical novel. --Tobin Miller Shearer Journal of American Ethnic History This highly readable monograph reconstructs one man's life within a turbulent period that required the constant identity shifts echoed in the four names. At the same time, it offers a case study in how events are remembered, reconstructed, and retold to form a coherent, usable past for their authors. --Emily B. Baran Canadian Slavonic Papers Beautifully written and engaging, The Constructed Mennonite offers an unflinching look at how we present ourselves to those around us. --Rachel Waltner Goossen Mennonite World Review Those interested in understanding the conflicted responses of Soviet Mennonites to Stalin's terror and World War II should read The Constructed Mennonite. --Colin Neufeldt Mennonite Historian A rich work of history, which will appeal to academics with interests in World War II, transnationalism, migration, and oral history, as well as to others with interests in bringing complex family histories to new life. --Susie Fisher Manitoba History The title and the cover design suggest that our memories sometimes show a distorted picture, with pieces that don't quite fit together properly. When the pieces don't fit, our memories use creative reconstruction. Perhaps all our Mennonite communities are products of such creative reconstructions, and if we look closely we will discover there are flaws we'd rather not see. --Barb Draper Canadian Mennonite A significant contribution particularly to the canon of life-stories of Mennonites (and other Soviet Germans) who lived through the tragic years of Stalinist repression and the Second World War. Werner's struggle with his ethnic identity as illuminated in the numerous name changes he experienced in his lifetime provides important and rare insight into issues of belonging and identity. --Marlene Epp, University of Waterloo

A rich work of history, which will appeal to academics with interests in World War II, transnationalism, migration, and oral history, as well as to others with interests in bringing complex family histories to new life. --Susie Fisher Manitoba History A significant contribution particularly to the canon of life-stories of Mennonites (and other Soviet Germans) who lived through the tragic years of Stalinist repression and the Second World War. Werner's struggle with his ethnic identity as illuminated in the numerous name changes he experienced in his lifetime provides important and rare insight into issues of belonging and identity. --Marlene Epp, University of Waterloo Canadian Mennonite Beautifully written and engaging, The Constructed Mennonite offers an unflinching look at how we present ourselves to those around us. --Rachel Waltner Goossen Mennonite World Review This book is a richly textured and layered story of the author's father. At its basic level, it is a biography--a fascinating story of a man who lived through a remarkable era of European history and lived to tell the stories. Then, Hans Werner reflects on the role his father's memory played in shaping an reshaping the stories of his past, how memory selected what was included and excluded, how memory adapted to different contexts, and how memory was influenced by gender. In addition, Werner reflects on the importance of both storytelling and memory in the way his father constructed his identity; hence, the title of the book--The Constructed Mennonite. --John J. Friesen Journal of Mennonite Studies This story of shifting identities and allegiances is intrinsically captivating. It invites readers to consider the rare story of a common soldier who emerged from a community of religious pacifists but ended up serving in not just one but two armies during World War II. As such, the book offers arresting plot lines, twists of fortune, and surprise revelations, and is as gripping and well-told as any historical novel. --Tobin Miller Shearer Journal of American Ethnic History Those interested in understanding the conflicted responses of Soviet Mennonites to Stalin's terror and World War II should read The Constructed Mennonite. --Colin Neufeldt Mennonite Historian The title and the cover design suggest that our memories sometimes show a distorted picture, with pieces that don't quite fit together properly. When the pieces don't fit, our memories use creative reconstruction. Perhaps all our Mennonite communities are products of such creative reconstructions, and if we look closely we will discover there are flaws we'd rather not see.--Barb Draper Canadian Mennonite This highly readable monograph reconstructs one man's life within a turbulent period that required the constant identity shifts echoed in the four names. At the same time, it offers a case study in how events are remembered, reconstructed, and retold to form a coherent, usable past for their authors.--Emily B. Baran Canadian Slavonic Papers

This book is a richly textured and layered story of the author's father. At its basic level, it is a biography--a fascinating story of a man who lived through a remarkable era of European history and lived to tell the stories. Then, Hans Werner reflects on the role his father's memory played in shaping an reshaping the stories of his past, how memory selected what was included and excluded, how memory adapted to different contexts, and how memory was influenced by gender. In addition, Werner reflects on the importance of both storytelling and memory in the way his father constructed his identity; hence, the title of the book--The Constructed Mennonite. --John J. Friesen Journal of Mennonite Studies Beautifully written and engaging, The Constructed Mennonite offers an unflinching look at how we present ourselves to those around us. --Rachel Waltner Goossen Mennonite World Review A rich work of history, which will appeal to academics with interests in World War II, transnationalism, migration, and oral history, as well as to others with interests in bringing complex family histories to new life. --Susie Fisher Manitoba History A significant contribution particularly to the canon of life-stories of Mennonites (and other Soviet Germans) who lived through the tragic years of Stalinist repression and the Second World War. Werner's struggle with his ethnic identity as illuminated in the numerous name changes he experienced in his lifetime provides important and rare insight into issues of belonging and identity. --Marlene Epp, University of Waterloo This story of shifting identities and allegiances is intrinsically captivating. It invites readers to consider the rare story of a common soldier who emerged from a community of religious pacifists but ended up serving in not just one but two armies during World War II. As such, the book offers arresting plot lines, twists of fortune, and surprise revelations, and is as gripping and well-told as any historical novel. --Tobin Miller Shearer Journal of American Ethnic History This highly readable monograph reconstructs one man's life within a turbulent period that required the constant identity shifts echoed in the four names. At the same time, it offers a case study in how events are remembered, reconstructed, and retold to form a coherent, usable past for their authors. --Emily B. Baran Canadian Slavonic Papers Those interested in understanding the conflicted responses of Soviet Mennonites to Stalin's terror and World War II should read The Constructed Mennonite. --Colin Neufeldt Mennonite Historian The title and the cover design suggest that our memories sometimes show a distorted picture, with pieces that don't quite fit together properly. When the pieces don't fit, our memories use creative reconstruction. Perhaps all our Mennonite communities are products of such creative reconstructions, and if we look closely we will discover there are flaws we'd rather not see. --Barb Draper Canadian Mennonite

This story of shifting identities and allegiances is intrinsically captivating. It invites readers to consider the rare story of a common soldier who emerged from a community of religious pacifists but ended up serving in not just one but two armies during World War II. As such, the book offers arresting plot lines, twists of fortune, and surprise revelations, and is as gripping and well-told as any historical novel. --Tobin Miller Shearer Journal of American Ethnic History This highly readable monograph reconstructs one man's life within a turbulent period that required the constant identity shifts echoed in the four names. At the same time, it offers a case study in how events are remembered, reconstructed, and retold to form a coherent, usable past for their authors. --Emily B. Baran Canadian Slavonic Papers Those interested in understanding the conflicted responses of Soviet Mennonites to Stalin's terror and World War II should read The Constructed Mennonite. --Colin Neufeldt Mennonite Historian A rich work of history, which will appeal to academics with interests in World War II, transnationalism, migration, and oral history, as well as to others with interests in bringing complex family histories to new life. --Susie Fisher Manitoba History This book is a richly textured and layered story of the author's father. At its basic level, it is a biography--a fascinating story of a man who lived through a remarkable era of European history and lived to tell the stories. Then, Hans Werner reflects on the role his father's memory played in shaping an reshaping the stories of his past, how memory selected what was included and excluded, how memory adapted to different contexts, and how memory was influenced by gender. In addition, Werner reflects on the importance of both storytelling and memory in the way his father constructed his identity; hence, the title of the book--The Constructed Mennonite. --John J. Friesen Journal of Mennonite Studies Beautifully written and engaging, The Constructed Mennonite offers an unflinching look at how we present ourselves to those around us. --Rachel Waltner Goossen Mennonite World Review The title and the cover design suggest that our memories sometimes show a distorted picture, with pieces that don't quite fit together properly. When the pieces don't fit, our memories use creative reconstruction. Perhaps all our Mennonite communities are products of such creative reconstructions, and if we look closely we will discover there are flaws we'd rather not see. --Barb Draper Canadian Mennonite A significant contribution particularly to the canon of life-stories of Mennonites (and other Soviet Germans) who lived through the tragic years of Stalinist repression and the Second World War. Werner's struggle with his ethnic identity as illuminated in the numerous name changes he experienced in his lifetime provides important and rare insight into issues of belonging and identity. --Marlene Epp, University of Waterloo

Author Information

Hans Werner teaches Mennonite Studies and Canadian History at the University of Winnipeg, Canada. He is the author of Imagined Homes: Soviet German Immigrants in Two Cities. John Werner was his father.

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