Mennonites have lived in Weierhof, Germany, for almost 350 years since the Swiss Mennonite Krehbiel family first settled there. Sisters Esther, Christine and Sigrid Neff grew up next to the village cemetery.  In connection with other historical commemorations occurring in connection with the  500th anniversary of Anabaptism, they decided to create a website to explore the stories people buried there may have told about their own lives.

“The cemetery opposite our parents’ house has always had a special attraction for us,” they reported. “As children, the cemetery was a place of wonder and discovery. We spent hours there, observing insects and plants and planning routes along the narrow paths between graves. It was also a place to ‘meet’ deceased relatives as we tagged along with our mother when she tended their graves.”

These childhood memories awakened a desire to learn more. “Who were the people whose names have accompanied us since childhood?” the Neff sisters asked. They recognized that, whether or not the name on the grave was familiar, each would have a story. The sisters began searching, locally and abroad, for clues that would help people of today to get reacquainted with some of these people.  

The resulting website introduces five remarkable people, with text, images and audio. Their stories tell of emigration to America, of world wars, of flight and expulsion, of a new home, of culture and poetry and of community life at the Weierhof.

Some of these individuals include Marie Krehbiel (1800-1875), a strong woman who emigrated to Lee County, Iowa, with her six children in the middle of the 19th century after a family tragedy; and Johannes Driedger (1889-1966), a farmer from West Prussia, who fled with his family and found a new home at Weierhof. He was involved in relief work and an active member of the local agricultural cooperative.  

People able to visit Weierhof in person can access the stories at the Weierhof cemetery via QR codes.  The project is part of a larger outdoor exhibition in the village, “At Home Worldwide – Shaped Locally.” The Neffs acknowledge with gratitude the support of the larger exhibit’s sponsors, the German Mennonite Historical Society and 500 Jahre Täuferbewegung 2025, as well as design and technical production by Matthias P. Bartel. They also welcome feedback through the address listed on the website.