A Peasant's Funereal

I wrote what follows more than 20 years ago. It’s a description of my wife’s grandfather’s funereal who was in fact a peasant. I thought what I was witnessing was the end of peasantry, at least in western world. Happily, I’ve found I was mistaken.

Julius Kamenz, 95, died an old-timer.  His funeral was surprisingly well attended considering his age.  Most people have few friends left when they're 95, and are mourned only by immediate family.  Julius' funeral was standing room only, and all the more remarkable in that, since his arrival to the United States thirty six years ago, he refused to speak the language of his adopted land.

Lothar, Julius's son-in-law, lead a large choir in German hymns.  Passages of scripture were read first in English and then once more in German.  This bilingual order of service carried through to the eulogy.  The funeral ran somewhat long.  In fact, it seemed as two separate funerals were being conducted simultaneously; one directed toward and immigrant church, and the other aimed at the American born children of these immigrants.

While almost every one possessed a fluent command of English, There were many who found comfort in their native German.  And considering that Julius never spoke English himself, it wouldn't have been appropriate to conduct his funeral exclusively in English.

Somewhere into the second sermon, the German sermon, a general restlessness settled among the crowd. A reference first to Hitler and then Stalin sounded, and like a shot brought everyone to attention.  Unexpected, the reference seemed grossly misplaced in the context of a eulogy.  Only Julius' obituary, printed with the order of service and read after the invocation and opening prayer, gave a clue as to why this infamous pair should be mentioned at a man's funeral.

"Born on February 26,1893, in Tacherjackow, Russia," it spoke of a peasant born into the rich farm land of the Ukraine.

Julius Kamenz' ambition was to farm.  Prior to world war I, Russian agriculture hadn't drastically changed since the middle ages.  Julius expected no more from life than a piece of land and a good team of horses.

"In 1915," it continued, "during World War I, he and his parents were sent from their home in the Ukraine to Siberia."

Empires gave way to modern nation states.

The birth pains of an industrial age started taking a toll. Two-million Russians died in World War I.  Revolution, civil war and famine claimed nine-million more.  Refugees became a distinguishing feature of this century.

"They returned home four years later, and farmed for their livelihood," it went on. Stalin had his own vision for the modern world.  In 1927, it didn't include opposition.  By 1930, it excluded most of the Ukraine.  Again, famine claimed seven-million.  Another seven-million were arrested.  One-million were executed outright, and the rest sent to labor camps where most died.

The short obituary continued, "during World War II, the family fled from the Ukraine to Germany."

Two-million ethnic Germans, whose settlement in the Ukraine dated from the time of Catherine the Great, were either deported or fled from their homes. The Nazi occupation army wasn't an army of liberation from Stalin's tyranny.  In just two days, Nazi death squad, Einsatzgruppe C killed over 33,000 Jews in the ravine of Babi Yar, a few miles outside Kiev, the Ukrainian capital.  The horror of Stalin yielded only to the horror of Hitler.

Julius Kamenz knew both.  Pastor Babbel's mention of these two contrasted their ambition, power and final infamy, with the humble peasant who finally entered into the full glory of God.

And finally, "as many other refugees, they sought a new life in the United States.  In 1952, the family came to Milwaukee...Where Julius was employed as the grounds keeper/gardener at a convent.”

At a brief burial service the following morning, the family had the coffin reopened for those few who hadn't attended the funeral the night before.  This service included only family and a few friends.  It was conducted entirely in English.

Afterwards, the funeral director offered a rose to the widow. He went on to invite everyone to come and also claim a rose.  A solemn procession filed by a closed coffin.