Steinbach (Manitoba)
Steinbach is a rapidly growing small town in the south of the Canadian prairie province of Manitoba. After Winnipeg and Brandon Steinbach is with 13,524 inhabitants in third place in the province. As a model for the current growth applies Winkler ( Manitoba ), a town 100 km south-west with a similar story.
The town was founded in 1874 by German-speaking Mennonites from the Ukraine and the former Russia ( Russian Mennonites ). Because of their pacifist Mennonites in South Russia were ( now Ukraine ) advised by the Russian tsars under increasing pressure. Among other things, they refused, as before, in Prussia, military service, and also on education of children in Mennonite private schools. A Canadian publisher Mennonite literature by inviting the traditionally oriented Mennonite church movement " Small community " (now Evangelical Mennonite Conference) to migrate into the sparsely populated southern Manitoba one.
Even today, more than 2500 German and German descent in the city; about half of the population has German ancestors, wears German name and speaks German. The current mayor is called Chris Goertzen. Steinbach is oriented predominantly agricultural and grew in the first decade of the 21st century due to an open immigration policy by 60 %. This is reflected also represented here, insbesonderen Christian religions in a variety. In addition to the Mennonites there are communities of Pentecostals, Lutherans, Baptists and others. 45 churches are located in Steinbach. The Open Air Museum Mennonite Heritage Village documents the history of the Mennonite immigration to Canada.