Against the Wind: Eberhard Arnold and the Bruderhof - Plough
Against the Wind: Eberhard Arnold and the Bruderhof - Plough
Against the Wind: Eberhard Arnold and the Bruderhof - Plough
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
<strong>Against</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Wind</strong><br />
to believe, <strong>Eberhard</strong> did not refer with so much as a word to <strong>the</strong> happenings in<br />
Sannerz.<br />
thE minimum numbEr<br />
Back in May of 1922 a committee of auditors had certified <strong>and</strong> confirmed<br />
<strong>Eberhard</strong> <strong>and</strong> Else von Holl<strong>and</strong>er’s business accounts. Obviously <strong>the</strong> accusation<br />
of fraudulent management was completely groundless, <strong>and</strong> it was soon dropped.<br />
Yet some of <strong>the</strong> accusers persisted with a bitterness <strong>and</strong> an irrational hatred.<br />
The hatred was mainly directed against <strong>Eberhard</strong>. The few who remained loyal to<br />
himhadtomeetwithderision<strong>and</strong>deliberateunkindness.AguestatSannerznotedthat 113<br />
“people are crying all day here; o<strong>the</strong>rs are on <strong>the</strong> verge of mental breakdown – poor<br />
Sunhearts!” 26<br />
The formal structure of <strong>the</strong> Neuwerk cooperative was self-destructing. Heinrich<br />
Schul<strong>the</strong>is <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> treasurer, Kurt Ernst Harder, were both authorized signatories.<br />
Knowing that two-thirds of <strong>the</strong> community supported <strong>the</strong>m, <strong>the</strong>y took <strong>the</strong> daily<br />
business transacions into <strong>the</strong>ir own h<strong>and</strong>s. <strong>Eberhard</strong> did nothing to resist this icy<br />
takeover, silently bearing <strong>the</strong> insults <strong>and</strong> furious outbreaks of former “bro<strong>the</strong>rs<br />
<strong>and</strong> sisters.” Gertrud Dalgas later wrote that she watched him “with trembling<br />
awe.”<br />
<strong>Eberhard</strong> intervened in <strong>the</strong> humiliating clamor only when <strong>the</strong> topic of<br />
conversation turned, without any word of protest, to a complete revision or even<br />
dissolution of <strong>the</strong> community. To <strong>Eberhard</strong> this attitude was intolerable, <strong>and</strong> he<br />
felt compelled to confront it. Toge<strong>the</strong>r with a small remnant of <strong>the</strong> membership<br />
he agreed that <strong>the</strong> community should be maintained on its original course.<br />
The crucial question of which of <strong>the</strong> two groups should take over <strong>the</strong> house in<br />
Sannerz brought matters to a head. The continuation of <strong>the</strong> formal structure<br />
of <strong>the</strong> Neuwerk cooperative played into this because, when <strong>the</strong> house had been<br />
rented, <strong>Eberhard</strong> <strong>and</strong> Emmy had signed <strong>the</strong> contract with Konrad Paul in <strong>the</strong> legal<br />
name of <strong>the</strong> cooperative. To maintain <strong>the</strong> legal form of <strong>the</strong> cooperative, as well<br />
as <strong>the</strong> contract, would require <strong>the</strong> support of at least seven of <strong>the</strong> twenty-three<br />
eligible voting members. The count was taken: <strong>Eberhard</strong> <strong>and</strong> Emmy <strong>Arnold</strong>, Else<br />
von Holl<strong>and</strong>er, Monika von Holl<strong>and</strong>er, Suse Hungar, Gertrud Dalgas, <strong>and</strong> Paul<br />
Hummel – <strong>the</strong> minimum number. 27