Johann G. Wiens was born on August 3, 1874 in Steinthal, Molotschna, South Russia. In his youth, he lived in Tiegenhagen. He received his elementary and secondary education in the Orloff Zentralschule and attended the Baptist Seminary at Hamburg, Germany from 1899 to 1903. In 1896, he married Helena Hildebrand in Chestand.
In 1903, Wiens was ordained. Wiens and his wife served a term as missionaries in India from 1904–1910 among the Telegus. The Wiens family went to Europe in 1910 to seek help for their ailing daughter. They could not return to India because of the war so they returned to the Ukraine and lived in the Crimea. Between 1911 and 1925, Wiens visited almost all of the Mennonite Brethren churches in Russia. From 1918 to 1924, Wiens was leader and teacher of the Tchongrav Mennonite Brethren Bible School, where he taught together with A.H. Unruh, Heinrich J. Braun, and Gerhard Reimer. In 1924 the government closed the school, which had at that time 50 students and was offering a three-year course. The Winkler, Manitoba, Bible School was in a sense a continuation of the Tchongrav school.
In 1926, Wiens and his family immigrated to Canada, arriving in Winkler Manitoba where he worked in the Winkler Bible School (Pniel), again together with A.H. Unruh. Wiens taught at the school for twenty-three years, until 1949. He visited many Canadian Mennonite Brethren churches as an itinerant minister. He also operated a service station in Winkler, together with his son. Wiens died after a short illness in 1951.
Taken from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Volume IV.
Sermon material from the Rev. Johann G. Wiens was received on November, 1973 from Dr. Harold Wiens, Winnipeg (grandson).
The Johann G. Wiens fonds consists of booklets by Wiens, sermons and sermon outlines, lecture notes, poetry, plays, and songs related to his work as a teacher at the Winkler Bible Institute. Wiens wrote many poems, some are handwritten, many are typed and copied with a Gestetner. Most of Wiens’ creations are in the German language, some in the Gothic script.
Finding aid for photographs: NP114–1.
Photocopies of assorted German poetry, songs, and readings, some by Wiens. Many of these were created for special occasions. – 1926–1950, mostly undated.
Materials relating to Pniel, the Winkler Bible School.
Lecture notes, student lists, and student marks. – 1945, undated.
Wiens’ reflections on his years of teaching at Pniel.
Minutes of a Pniel student meeting. – 1935.
Missions program at Lowe Farm. – 1929.
Bible school program. – 1931.
Pniel Christman program. – 1927, 1933.
Newsletter about the Bartches. – 1934.
Introduction to Old and New Testament books by Koehler. – 1933.
Plays for various occasions, wedding, silver, golden, Christmas, Easter, and various religious themes. – 1926, 1930–1935, 1949, undated.
Poetry for weddings (silver and golden). – Undated.
Sermons and lectures. – Undated.
Time-table for Predigerkursus. – 1948.
Program for Bibelbesprechung at Kansas. – 1951.
Five lectures prepared for the Predigerkursus. – 1946.
Lecture for the Predigerkursus. – 1947.
Record of contributions of Canadian MB Churches for various missions and institutions. – 1944–1945.
Sermon notes. – 1932, 1945, undated.
Sermon notes. – 1943, 1944, 1948.
Sermon and lecture notes. – 1922, 1933, 1946, undated.
Personal items such as expense and address notebooks, receipts. – 1928, 1931, 1932, 1937, 1949.
Names of new converts at Winkler. – Up to June 27, 1928.
Certificates of Registration to authorize officiating at weddings. – 1931, 1948.
Preaching schedule notebook. – 1913–1928.
Letter to A.H. Unruh. – 1939.
Two letters to family. – 1947, undated.
Large ledger book of sermon notes and poems. – 1922, undated.
Booklet: Jacob Ein Deklamatorium fuer christliche Jugendvereine by J.G. Wiens. – Undated.
Booklet: Die Aufgabe des Predigers by J.G. Wiens. – Undated.
Booklet: Die Gottesdienstlichen Einrichtungen in Israel by J.G. Wiens. – 1945.
Book: Homiletik by J.G. Wiens. – 1939.
Booklet: “Das Leben Jesu.” No author given. – Undated.
Booklet: “Die gottesdienstlichen Einrightungen in Israel.” No author given. – Undated.
Booklet: “Alt-Testamentliches Exegese.” No author given. – Undated.
Booklet: “Der Epheser Brief.” No author given. – Undated.
Booklet: “Das Dekl. Die christliche Liebe.” No author given. – Undated.
Booklet: “Alt-Testamentliche Exegese.” – Undated. – 96 pp.
Booklet: “Israelit. Volksleben.” – 1932. – 64, 6 pp.
Booklet: “A.T. Exegese”. – 1929. – 109 pp.
NP114–1–1 Johann G. Wiens in the Crimea. – [189-].
NP114–1–2 Two of Wiens’ children. – [189-].?
NP114–1–3 Wiens’ farm in Manitoba? – [19-].
NP114–1–4 Wiens’ farm in Manitoba? – [19-].
NP114–1–5 Wiens and his wife sitting in their livingroom. She is knitting and he is reading. – [194-].
NP114–1–6 Wiens sitting at his desk. – 1950.
NP114–1–7 Portrait of Wiens. – [194-].
NP114–1–8 Post card picture of Rev. and Mrs. Wiens. – [193-].
NP114–1–9 Post card picture of Rev. and Mrs. Wiens. – [194-].