Episode 48: Smallpox and the Mennonite Experience

Tales from the Mennonite Heritage Archives: Episode 48

  • The border town of Gretna, Manitoba, as it appeared circa 1900. Gretna endured multiple smallpox outbreaks. (MHA 005-37.0)

Today, we we present you with the story of Smallpox and the Mennonite Experience. According to historians, the smallpox virus has been circulating among humans for about 3,000 years. In this episode, we unpack the involvement of Russian Empress Catherine the Great and her vaccine cause, and share Mennonite encounters with smallpox and vaccinations as they lived and travelled across Europe, Russia, and into Canada.

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Podcast Series: Tales from the Mennonite Heritage Archives
Episode 48: Smallpox and the Mennonite Experience
Date: November 2, 2025
Host: Dan Dyck
Published by The Mennonite Heritage Archives

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