Tales from the Mennonite Heritage Archives Episode 49
Photograph of Nestor Makhno, taken in 1921. (Photos-Coll 759-3)
Today, we start a three part series on Nestor Makhno, a Ukrainian anarchist revolutionary during the Ukrainian Revolution in the late 1910s. Makhno was reviled by some, and praised by others. He commanded 100,000 troupes, bands of whom pillaged Mennonite villages, executed Mennonite landowners, and raped and killed Mennonite women. The Makhno name still strikes horror in some Mennonites today, while in Ukraine, a statue honours him.
In this series, I’ll take a deep dive into who Nestor Makhno was with historian Sean Patterson. Sean has been studying Makhno and his movement for fifteen years.
Your donations help preserve and share stories like this one! Make a gift here or call 204.560.1998.
Podcast Series: Tales from the Mennonite Heritage Archives
Episode 49: Who Was Nestor Makhno? (Part 1)
Date: November 9, 2025
Host: Dan Dyck
Published by The Mennonite Heritage Archives
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Youtube, or wherever you get your podcasts!