Family History-My Grandmother's story

I found this record that I had forgotten I had. It was compiled by a cousin after interviewing my Grandmother Heske, for a school report. I will be adding more information and pictures at a later date. I thought some of you may be interested in this and I wanted to have a recorded copy. Here it is:

' I recently had the pleasure of being able to interview my father's aunt, Mrs Marie Heske. She presently resides in New Sarpeta, Alberta Canada. She is 83 years old and was an immigrant to Canada, having been born in an area which was then part of Russia. She was able to tell me what living under the rule of the Tsar, and later, the communists was like. Mrs. Heske was also able to to tell of being of German ancestry and language, what it was like being removed, by the Russian Government, from the path of the German Army during World War One, and then immigrating to Canada's West after the War. This is what had to say.....
"I was born in Plaschef(1) in the province of Wolhynien, which was part of West Russian, in 1900. Today, this area is part if the Ukraine S.S.R., Plaschef being a colony on the Styr River, just north of the city of Lutsk(2).
"In the past, Wolhynien has been occupied by many countries. It was owned by Lithuania till the late 1500:s, then annexed by the Polish, and later, taken by the Russians in the 1700's during the Great War, it was occupied by Germany and Austria, then, after the war, made part of the Nation of Poland. In 1921, Wolhynien was taken back by the Soviet Union.
Plaschef was one of many German colonies(3) in Russia, around the turn of the century. We had Russian citizenship but we were German in nationality, language, religion and ancestry. Most people in the colony spoke German. In school, half the classes were taught in Russian, the other half in German. We had classes from November till Easter. The remainder of the year was spent working on our farms. There was one church in the colony. It was Lutheran, as all Germans in Plaschef were Lutheran.
My father Eduard Jahns, my mother Helene (nee Jeske), myself, my brothers, August, Henry, and Reinholdt and my sisters Amanda and Alma, lived on a farm in the outskirts of Palschef. We lived fairly well, as were not poor.
In 1914, the War broke out. In 1915, the Russian government told us we had to leave Plaschef and move deeper into Russia. Many colonists were sent to Siberia, where life was very bad. Those who had some money, like us, took a train into south Russia. It took one week in box cars to get to our settlements which was a German speaking Mennonite colony called Leonidovka(4) Every colony had a number. Ours was three. We stayed in Leonidovka for three years. Myself and one sister worked in a foundry. My brother August also worked there but later worked at making tiles for the roofs. My father made soles for shoes. They were made out of wood because there was no leather.
In 1918 we were under Communist rule but life had not changed much. We started having more contact with the Russian and Ukrainian speaking people. In 1918 we were sent back to Plaschef again by train in box cars. We were very sad to leave Lionidovka. After a whole month, we arrived to find Plaschef flattened by the fighting. Only three building still stood. We lived the whole winter in a sod house with a straw roof. In spring, the men cut enough lumber to build a house for us. At this time, we had Ukrainians working on our farm.
In 1921 Friedrich Heske and I were married. I had known Fred since we were children in Plaschef. we went to school together. When World War One started my family and I had left for Leonidovka, while Fred and his family had gone elsewhere. When the war had ended, both of our families had returned to Plaschef. We received land from my husband's parents. We built a house and farmed the land till 1927 when we went to Canada.
At this time. many people were going to Canada. My brother-in law, Albert had been there since 1914. People went to flee from the Communists or because they thought life would be better over in Canada. After many letters from Albert, we decided to go to Canada and start over again.
In 1927 we sold any belongings that we could not bring with us. Some belongings we left behind. After saying all our goodbyes, we left on a ship for Canada.
We landed in Halifax then travelled by rail to Saskatchewan where my husband got a job in a brick factory(5) We lived here for one year. Urged by my brother, we moved out to New Sarepta, Alberta and bought some bush land. Most of our neighbours were Russian or German.
We cleared the land and built a small cabin to stay out of the winter. In the spring of 1928, we rebuilt the house and put up a barn, made from our own lumber. We grew our own grain and raised our own livestock on the farm.

Times were hard during the Depression, everyone had little money but one family had no more than another. We helped each other out. Our family was slow to learn the English language since our neighbours all spoke German or Russian.
When World War Two broke out we were thankful we had immigrated to Canada. Despite the fact that Germany and Canada were at war we were still allowed to keep our schools, churches and language.
After the war our area received many people coming over from Europe. Among them were Czechs, Poles and Hungarians fleeing Communists. I sometimes wonder what life would be like if we had not come to Canada in 1927. We had to work very hard to stay alive with the farm. We sold and bought new land twice. It was hard work but I think we have provided well for our children. In 1967 we retired from farming. In 1974 my dear husband Fred Heske passed away.
We have trusted in God and I am thankful that I have lived so long and can still remember my younger days.
Mrs Heske lives alone in New Sarepta and is still able to care for her home.

(1)- she was born in Roszyszcze, Russia the German spelling is Rozhishche. This is the closest community. The name of the colony is Plaschef but it dosen't exist. They settled according to langauge and religion. This was a Lutheran community.
(2) Could be spelled Lus'k in Poland/ Russian. This is the closest biggest center.
(3) many German families settled in this area and stayed for many years. They stayed as families in communities as indicated by the story.
(4) Leonidovka is the sight of Russian miltiary storage of chemical weapons from CW. My how things have changed. The history of this place is interesting
(5)This is Claybanks Saskatchewan and where my dad was born.

I have more information to add to this story and will at a later date.