View source for Neufeld, Dietrich (1886-1958)

Dietrich Neufeld (1886-1958): writer and college instructor; (adopted the name Dederich Navall when he became a U.S. citizen) was born at Orloff, [[Zagradovka Mennonite Settlement (Kherson Oblast, Ukraine)|Zagradovka]], Russia, on 2 September 1886, the son of Dietrich Neufeld (3 November 1860, South Russia - 29 November 1919, Orloff, Zagradovka, South Russia) and Anna (Baerg) Neufeld. Dietrich died in 1958.

In 1907 he completed his secondary training by obtaining a teacher's certificate, after which he taught in Russia until 1919. After this he taught in various schools in [[Germany|Germany]], and studied at the universities of Basel, Heidelberg, Leipzig, and Jena where he received his Ph.D. in 1922. Meanwhile, he spent some time during the [[Russian Revolution and Civil War|Revolution]], 1919-20, in Russia, at the [[Chortitza Mennonite Settlement (Zaporizhia Oblast, Ukraine)|Chortitza]] and Zagradovka settlements. He married Lotte Ross of Emden, Germany, 21 December 1921. His experiences during the Russian Revolution are related in the books <em>Mennonitentum in der Ukraine</em> (Emden, 1922), <em>Ein Tagebuch aus dem Reiche des Totentanzes</em> (Emden, 1921), and <em>Zu Pferd 1000 Km durch die Ukraina</em> (Emden, 1922). Navall was a good writer who greatly appreciated the Russian culture and was influenced by Tolstoi.

In 1923 he came to America and taught at Bluffton College 1923-26, then at Antioch College, University of New Mexico, Pomona College, and George Pepperdine College. In America he wrote the drama <em>Kanadische Mennoniten</em> (Winnipeg, 1924), published under the pseudonym Novocampus, and <em>Russian Dance of Death</em> (Claremont, California, 1930) under the pseudonym Dirk Gora. The latter is a translation of the German <em>Totentanz</em>.
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