30. The Wiens Family Moves to Omsk

In 1903 a family from Hamberg migrated to the Omsk Settlement and established a village they also named Hamberg.  It may have been because of this family that Agatha and her second husband David Pankratz and the whole family decided to move to Omsk in 1905.  We don't know exactly where the Wiens/Pankratz family settled in Omsk, but it could have been in Hamberg.  In any case, reportedly David was a 'go getter' and wanted to set up a dairy farm in Siberia.  Probably the three Wiens boys were looking for a place they could all have land to farm.

They built a log house and soon had a farm with cows and a grain mill.

David Pankratz, Anna and Maria in front of the log house.

At the time of the move the oldest son, John, was 26 and had just married Katarina Peters in June of 1905.  Abram was age 23, Aron 18, and the girls Anna and Marie were 15 and 12.  The older 2 girls, Suzanna age 36 and Agatha age 27 may not have moved with the family because they were married and had children. The younger girls helped with the farm operation and their job was making butter.

Anna, Maria and Aron, three siblings who were very close, in 1912.

            The Wiens family was very musical and the young people enjoyed singing and playing instruments.  Two other families, the Borns (Peter's cousins) and the Schmidts (relatives) also had teenagers who joined the group.  Anna Wiens played guitar, John Wiens played accordion, and Peter Friesen played balalaika.  Anna remembers fondly the teaching of Peter's father at the church services that were held in the homes.