Pete Maloff

Peter “Pete” Maloff was born in Saskatchewan in 1900, the year after the Doukhobors immigrated to Canada. He spent the first years of his life in the Doukhobor community of Christianovka. He lived through the eras of WWI and WWII, dedicating himself to pacifism and the promotion of peace. He was jailed for his activism, forced into isolation from his family for many years. During his time under house arrest, he wrote his memoirs of the first thirty years of his life. Upon his release from house arrest in 1943, he continued to write and to speak to audiences about peace and equality. In the 1940s, he authored his comprehensive book, Doukhobors: Their History, Life and Struggle. In the 1950s, he edited the literary journal Rassvet: The Voice of Free Thinkers. His work led to recognition from Mahatma Ghandi, Ilya Lvovich Tolstoy, and J. William Lloyd. He lived alongside his family until his passing in 1971.