Against the Wind: Eberhard Arnold and the Bruderhof - Plough

Against the Wind
Paradoxically, in these months Eberhard was fully alert to the pulse of life
around him and contributed amply to it – but at the same time it seems as if he
were preparing for death. Eberhard always demanded dedication to the utmost
limits of capacity, and he himself always gave his energy to the last ounce of his
strength. It was as though he knew that his strength would not last forever.
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In the summer and fall of 1935 Eberhard and Emmy shuttled between the two
Bruderhofs, staying at the Alm for a few weeks on several occasions but always
returning to the Rhön. On the Alm Bruderhof at the end of June they wrestled 200
for the life of their daughter-in-law Edith, Hardy’s young wife who was in extreme
danger after the birth of her first child. Almost defiantly Eberhard affirmed his
faith that “the life of God and his perfect love and his life-giving Spirit ultimately
triumph over everything else.” 25 Meanwhile on the Rhön Bruderhof a stagnant,
lethargic spirit had settled over the community, and for months it refused to give
way. Little groups and cliques formed, paralyzing the community. As Gertrud
Dalgas would later express, the Spirit was in chains.
During those weeks Eberhard had a nightmare. 26 He dreamed of a seven-armed
candlestick bearing seven lighted candles, and he recognized it as the symbol of the
Gemeinde. He identified the center candle as Jesus Christ, the Lord of the Gemeinde.
The other candles represented attributes such as love, unity, and community. Then
in his dream he saw a dark hand pick up the candles and rearrange them, changing
their positions. The hand moved the candle representing Christ over to one side.
All at once the candle of community was placed in the center. Eberhard cried
out – and the vision disappeared. He told the brotherhood of his dream, begging
and pleading with them, “Don’t let it happen!” 27 At the Alm Bruderhof his words
were heeded. Even so, weeks of talks and meetings were necessary to clarify the
situation, but then the atmosphere at the Alm cleared once again.
When Eberhard set out from Silum on October 5 at the end of his sixth stay at
the Alm, he left a well-ordered and alert brotherhood with forty-four members,
as well as many novices, guests, and children. At the Rhön Bruderhof, on the other
hand, the situation was still not resolved. To the contrary, in mid-October the crisis
broke out anew. On the surface the community presented a picture of harmony.
As Eberhard described it, “nearly everyone is working hard and being nice to each
other.” But that was precisely the problem. There was “almost an anxiety about
staying even-tempered, kind, and good-hearted toward themselves and everyone