Nonresistant Mennonites from West Prussia started settling in Russia in 1789, induced by land and special privileges including exemption from military service.
Meeting with community leaders, he exaggerated the difficulties that would be encountered in North America and promised some form of alternative to military service.
The Russian government provided supervision of the projects, tools needed for the job and paid each man 20 kopeks (a minimal amount) per work day.
Voluntary contributions from Mennonite congregations, who had an incentive to provide an alternative to military service, were sufficient to run the program for nearly three decades.
Peace churches almost exclusively financed Civilian Public Service, while draftees served in forestry, agricultural and other types of units.