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Against the Wind: Eberhard Arnold and the Bruderhof - Plough

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<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

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