Against the Wind: Eberhard Arnold and the Bruderhof - Plough

Against the Windevening professors Falckenberg, Römer, and Hensel conducted Eberhard’s oralexamination. Very soon afterwards Emmy received a telegram: “Summa cumlaude. Arrive tomorrow morning in Halle.”takEn at thEir wordBefore noon on December 1, 1909, Eberhard set foot in the von Hollander home,Dessauer Strasse 8A, for the first time in more than a year. Emmy’s parentsreceived him very kindly, just as if nothing had ever come between them. Eberhardcame right to the point. He had passed his examination. Now he requesed thatJohann Heinrich von Hollander give him Emmy’s papers and honor his promisenot to further deter their marriage. After some preliminary hesitation the lawyeropened his strongbox and gave his future son-in-law Emmy’s birth certificate, hercertificate of nobility, and her proof of nationality. Eberhard and Emmy lost notime and went that same morning to the registrar in north Halle. The first possibledate for their wedding was December 20.The couple had already rented a small apartment in Leipzig a few days beforeEberhard’s examination. (“Irresponsible!” was what Emmy’s parents had calledthe step.) Else and a former housekeeper of the von Hollanders now busiedthemselves setting up the new household, but Emmy’s mother was conspicuousby her absence.Eberhard’s parents came to the wedding from Breslau, apparently reconciledwith their son and proud of him and his bride. His sisters Clara, Hannah, andBetty were there, as were a few relatives from both sides – a company of sometwenty people in all. Both fathers wished to sign as witnesses to the wedding andwent to the registrar with the couple, driving in a dapper blue carriage. Of course,in keeping with the wedding couple’s convictions, there was no church ceremony.But there was at least a wedding sermon. Otto Mau, from Erfurt, spoke on Mark6:7: “Jesus sent out his disciples two by two.” Then Carl Franklin Arnold tookover. “As you have rejected the church’s blessing, I can do no more than give youa blessing from both your parents,” he said; and he blessed his son and daughterin-lawin the name of the triune God. Pastor Ernst Ferdinand Klein, Eberhard’suncle, told of Eberhard’s religious awakening in the summer of 1899, and drewattention to the deep earnestness required for a couple to found their marriageon faith without any assured income. A few hymns ended the ceremony, whichwas followed by a wedding meal at The Crown Prince. Emmy and Eberhard soontook leave of the wedding party and traveled by train to Leipzig-Lindenau, the44