Against the Wind: Eberhard Arnold and the Bruderhof - Plough

Against the Windconferences were cast into quite a different light: they seemed suddenly cynicaland unrealistic.A 1916 song sheet provides some insight. This martial “Hymn of hate againstEngland,” scored for men and illustrated with bayonet-wielding German soldiers,bristles with hate – exactly as the title indicates. 25 Underlined in the margin is aone-word note in Eberhard’s handwriting, in bold, large strokes: “Love?”He now made more time to study the Bible and Christian authors, especiallythe mystics. 26 He read Jakob Böhme, Meister Eckhart, and others. Was this theresult of or was it a reason for the change that took place in him?After the spate of pompous pronouncements on the meaning and course of thewar, after all the self-confident commentaries, it is all the more noticeable thatby the end of 1916 this sententious tone began to fade from Eberhard’s style andfinally ceased altogether. Of course he diligently continued to write articles, buthe cut his words to the minimum and was cautious in his assessment of the war.All at once the sense of patriotic mission seems to have vanished. In Die FurcheEberhard featured biographical and literary articles and a series on significantpeople in the history of thought, including Rudolf Steiner and Martin Buber. 27 Nomore glorification of the “German spirit.” No more sideswipes against the English,French, and Russians – at least not from Eberhard’s pen.At the beginning of March 1917 Eberhard held a series of revival meetings in theRannischer Platz Fellowship. His theme for the final evening is noteworthy: “Love andUnitywithinaDividedMankind.”Forthefirsttimeinyears,hereferredtothesufferingof all humanity –no more talk of the mission of the German people. Unfortunately,extensive notes of this meeting no longer exist.In the weeks that followed Eberhard and Emmy paused for rest and reflection atBraunlage in the Harz Mountains. It was one of those increasingly rare occasionswhen the two could spend time completely alone. Here they could find perspectiveat a sufficient distance from the publishing house, the SCM, and all the oldimperial saber-rattling, as well as from Berlin’s emaciated people and discontentedmutterings. Eberhard and Emmy used the time to take stock of the past few yearsand to gain clarity about the road ahead. While skiing in the mountains Eberhardinjured his left eye, detaching the retina. Back in Berlin, care and quiet healedEberhard’s eye and extended the opportunity to pause and reflect.Meanwhile the political situation had changed dramatically. There was noprospect of a military breakthrough for either side. People were war-weary. Hungerprotests arose in Berlin and in other major German cities. In April the munitions72