Artifacts From Brunnental
This section includes pictures with descriptions of artifacts
that were brought to the US or Canada from Brunnental.
The pictures are of a "camel hair" filled quilt from Brunnental.
It came from Russia to Alberta, Canada with the
JOHN HARTUNG family in 1925 which suggests that the quilt is at least 100 years old.
Kenneth Hartung writes:
"After opening it out today I realized that it is a unique artifact. I am
also sending a couple of pictures that has a cooking pot that came from
Russia as well. I am sure the pot is well over 100 years old as well.
These were two very essential items necessary for this family to survive the
very turbulent times which forced them out of Russia. The older I get the
more sentimental these things are becoming."
Here is another camel hair filled quilt brought
by the Hartung family to Canada in 1925.
Kenneth Hartung of Vulcan, Alberta, Canada describes finding out about
this additional quilt:
"I had a chat with mother (Mrs. George [Lillian] Hartung) the other evening.
She said I had TWO camel hair quilts from Brunnental, Russia.
I said I couldn't have. She said there were two camel hair quilts
that came from Brunnental and told me where to look.
Sure enough.... I found another quilt.
This one is heavier than the previous one and in a little better condition.
I had never seen it before Monday evening.
You may think I'm exaggerating, but that is fact.
So now I have two. Mom and dad used to lay this one over their mattress
as a comforter and sleep on top of it. Amazing. Occasionally I used to slip into bed
and sleep between mom and dad when I was a child and I guess I used to sleep on it."
According to Dr. Wiest:
"As for 'provenance' we have no solid documentation. What we have is the fact
that both Thelma and I heard my mother say that this was the only piece she had
that her parents had brought from Russia. She said her mother, Maria Elizabeth (Weber)
Buxman, had given it to Marie (my mother's oldest sister) who, in what I would describe
as a misguided effort at equal distribution, cut it up into pieces so everyone of her siblings
could have a piece! The motivation was generous but the overall result probably detracts
from the antique value of the piece. The cut piece we have is slightly yellowed and is about
2 feet long and 1.5 feet wide. My mother thought the piece was from Brunnental and she said
she thought it had been made by her grandmother, Maria Elizabeth (Mohn) Weber.
But she wasn't totally certain of that.
One thing is clear: the piece said to be from Brunnental and probably made by her grandmother,
is not very different from the many bedspreads and table cloths that my grandmother herself
made over the years with her crocheting hook. But, we have a dresser scarf made by my
grandmother that is somewhat similar in its construction to the piece said to have been
made by my great-grandmother in Brunnental. My grandmother's beautiful work is now scattered
over many of her descendents, most of whom treat the items with the respect they deserve."
For any of our readers who enjoy crocheting or cross-stitch, I have reproduced this pattern on
graph paper for you and included it with the picture of the bedskirt. I'll be anxious to hear if anyone
creates a modern day item using this pattern from Brunnental. If so, please share it with us !
Updated Nov 8, 2003