kit volume xxiii no 2 september 2011 -highres 1-99mb
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b) High resolution. Dear Tim, Dave and all: I want to thank you for your diligence and commitment to keeping us all in touch. As soon as I get the Newsletter I read it straight thru. Even though painful reading at times (deaths of so many people that I truly loved - including my parents Norma and Lowell LeBlanc), I have to accept that it is all part of our "history". I grew up in Forest River, Woodcrest, Macedonia, Evergreen and Oak Lake,TRANSCRIPT
Keep In Touch Newsletter Volume XXIII No 2 September 2011 The KIT Newsletter editorial staff welcomes all suggested contributions for publication in the Newsletter from subscribers and read-
ers, but whether a given submission meets the criteria for publication is at the sole discretion of the editors. While priority will be
given to original contributions by people with past Bruderhof connections, any letters, articles, or reports which the editors deem to be
of historical or personal interest or to offer new perspectives on issues of particular relevance to the ex-Bruderhof Newsletter reader-
ship may be included as well. The editors may suggest to the authors changes to improve their presentation.
Have you made your KIT Newsletter subscription/donation payment this year? Please find details on last page.
Contents
Letters to the Editor 1
Thanks for Keeping us in All in Touch 1
Stan and Hela Vowles Lived an Interesting Life 1
Some News from Australia 1
Cotswold Community Farm for Sale 2
Several Enthusiastic Reports about the KIT Gathering at FC 3
The Youth Hostel was Opened 64 Years Ago and Soon
Welcomed Bruderhof Guests 3
This Was my First Official Attendance Together
With Bettina 4
Reconnecting With my Extended KIT Family 5
Informal Meetings About a Representation at CSA, and
About the KIT Newsletter 7
Communal Webs, Communal Threads, Communal Ripples 8
Peer Pressure on the Bruderhof 9
Eileen Robertshaw Remembers her Childhood 10
Changes: KIT Address List Sept 2010 13
KIT Friends Remember Josua Dreher 10-14
KIT Gathering in Blossoming Bulstrode Park 14
Autumn - Poem 15
Armadillos Harbor Mycobacterium Leprae 15
KIT-Staff - Contact Details 16
___________________________________________________
Letters to the Editor
Thanks for Keeping us All in Touch
May 11, 2011: Dear Tim, Dave and all: I want to thank you for
your diligence and commitment to keeping us all in touch. As
soon as I get the Newsletter I read it straight thru. Even though
painful reading at times (deaths of so many people that I truly
loved - including my parents Norma and Lowell LeBlanc), I
have to accept that it is all part of our "history".
I grew up in Forest River, Woodcrest, Macedonia, Evergreen
and Oak Lake, (from the age of three until twelve years) and then
returned with hubby Art and children (1975-1981).
I remember Eileen Robertshaw as a very sweet, lively, funny
person. She had such a sparkle about her.
We will be so thankful to God forever for “rescuing” us from
the old destructive life and for the new life in and with Him (over
25 years!). All our eight children are now grown adults. Each
one is following their own unique “calling”. In our Lord's love
and provision our family includes: a college math professor, a
nurse anesthetist, two computer science professionals, a lawyer,
two social workers, and a mechanical engineer; also six grand-
children who are our joy and delight!
Life is never easy but we are assured that we are always car-
ried in the Palm of His Hand. I greet you with tender thoughts.
Deb Herman, Blairsville, Pennsylvania
Stan and Helen Vowles Lived an Interesting Life
Thank you, Erdmuthe, Linda, Charlie and Dave, for a very good
KIT letter. Special thanks to you Raphael and your siblings for
your contributions. We read with great interest about your father
and mother Stanley and Helen Vowles. They surely led a very in-
teresting life. They did so well with so many obstacles in their
way. I think here it would be very good to say: Veni, Vidi, Vici! –
I came, I saw, I conquered! I certainly take my hat off to them.
Thanks again!
Nadine and August Pleil, Washington, Pennsylvania
Some news from Australia
Dear Linda and the KIT production team, thank you once again
for a great issue of the KIT Newsletter April 2011 – it really does
keep us in touch with old friends all over the world.
I was particularly interested in the article about Stan and He-
len Vowles because I knew them in Primavera and their daughter
Brenda, now Vickery came with her husband to Australia as mi-
grants from England some years ago.
Brenda lives fairly isolated in Bundaberg on the north coast
of Queensland. About six years ago she was diagnosed with a
cancer behind one of her eyes. She came to Brisbane from time
to time to see a specialist and was able to use accommodation we
have at our Quaker Meeting House. A couple of years ago Bren-
da had surgery to remove the tumor behind her right eye. The
Danthonia Bruderhof near Inverell in New South Wales (NSW)
took Brenda in for a few weeks before the operation and sent
someone to look after her while recovering from the operation.
Francis and I met Bruderhofers when we went to visit Brenda in
hospital and they invited us to come and visit Danthonia for Eas-
ter 2007. Brenda was there when we visited and looked like she
was making a good recovery. The community was very good to
her and helped her by having her stay in Danthonia for as long as
she wanted to.
< Francis and Rhoda
Dorrell with their
great granddaughter
Olivia just a day old in
March 2011.
When we visited the
Danthonia Bruderhof
in 2007 Randy and
Linda Gauger were
the Servant and
Housemother there.
They have been there
since its beginnings
about twelve years
now. Most of the
families have been
brought in as immi-
grants from the USA communities, mostly young people who
come in on student visas or have special skills Australia is look-
ing for. Manuel and Meg Loewenthal looked after us that week-
end. Some of you may remember the Loewenthals from Prima-
vera; Meg is one of Dr. Milton Zimmerman‟s daughters; she is a
nurse, and nurses are in high demand here as immigrants. They
left three or four sons behind in USA.
Keep In Touch Newsletter 2 Vol. XXIII No 2 September 2011
< Meg and Manuel Loe-
wenthal came for a visit
Meg and Manuel were
very nice and we have
had them over here for a
visit with us recently.
They came to show us
and the Chattertons a
video of a group of
young people from the
Bruderhof going to Pa-
raguay to restore the
Primavera burial ground.
Apparently the Menno-
nites ploughed over the
ground and destroyed the
fences. The Bruderhof
claimed it back and has built stronger fences and scientifically
relocated and renamed every grave. The youth group held a spe-
cial ceremony in the graveyard to rededicate the graves by light-
ing candles and reading out the names of the people buried there.
It was quite a moving video. The Chattertons lost a little girl
called Maria around eight years old, who is buried there. Appar-
ently they have a new Bruderhof house in Asunción called Pri-
mavera House. It is actually funny, just before Manuel and Meg
visited us I was trying to get hold of Andrew Chatterton to see if
we could arrange to get together with the Loewenthals; when I
saw him working on a house near our Quaker Meeting House in
Brisbane. I had not seen Andrew for a few years and there was
this man with a shock of red hair and beard doing carpentry
work. When I said hallo, he looked up. I said, “I know you don't
I?”, and he said, “Andrew Chatterton, aren‟t you Rhoda?”
The Danthonia community also looked after Doris Chatterton
in the nursing home not far from here, having a young girl by her
side for many weeks in the last stages of her life. She died in Oc-
tober 2007. The Bruderhofers are really trying to right some of
the wrongs they committed in the Heini era. When we were there
that Easter 2007, we told them that we did not hold any grudges.
Reg Chatterton had passed away suddenly thirty years earlier
(in June 1978); I think of an aneurism in the brain. It was a great
shock to Doris and the family. They had bought a large property
near Maleny-Kennelworth north of here and were running it as a
Caravan Park. Most of the boys were involved with that at the
time, but only David lives there now. Part of the property was
divided to give all of the children a block of land for a house, and
the rest was sold. That is when Doris was able to make a trip
back to England to visit friends and family. Over the years Doris
David and Kay Chatterton came to Francis’ birthday party.
was very well looked after by her family as well; most of her
children live close to or in Brisbane and we keep in touch.
My husband Francis celebrated his 70th
birthday on Septem-
ber 7th
, 2011. Andrew and David Chatterton came to his birthday
party. Below, in the first column is a picture of David and his
wife Kay. Andrew‟s wife Wendy is sitting behind David.
I will try to write my family‟s “Cocksedge” history from
Primavera to present time. In peace and love,
Rhoda Dorrell Cocksedge, Redland Bay, Queensland
Cotswold Community Farm for Sale
By Erdmuthe Arnold
On August 27th
2011 an auction took place at the former Cots-
wold Bruderhof, to sell off the furniture of the school there
which has moved already to a new location in Oxfordshire. Since
1973 the property was owned by the Wiltshire County Council
which made sure the Cotswold Community Farm remained a
school and home for difficult boys, but with therapeutic rather
than corrective institutional aims and methods.
Cotswold Community Farm – photo submitted by John Holland.
Until recently the settlement had been a village on its own, with
its own playing field, swimming pool, school, meeting hall,
postbox and farm buildings centered on the attractive old far-
myard. Gardening was encouraged, and vegetables, nurtured
with loving care, sometimes attained spectacular dimensions, as
one can read in an interesting and informative article by John
Whitwell online [http://www.johnwhitwell.co.uk/index.php/the-
cotswold-community-farm/]. Sadly fund-raising for this school
had become more and more difficult since its draw had become
nationwide with thirty nine of the forty children not local, but
coming from every corner of the United Kingdom.
Recently the Wiltshire County Council decided to sell 87 of
the 350 acres for gravel extraction.
John Holland, who lives nearby and was asked by the Ashton
Keynes Community to remove a tennis enclosure, found out
about the auction, which he attended on August 27th
and bought
a bed, a side cabinet, lamp and other items for a family member
paying only 20 Euros. He heard that the Darvell Bruderhof had
been supporting the upkeep of the buildings of the Cotswold
Community Farm practically and financially. Some of the build-
ings are listed – this means that the future purchaser will have to
maintain and incorporate them more or less as is in future devel-
opments.
It will be interesting to hear more about what will become of
the Cotswold Community Farm.
Keep In Touch Newsletter 3 Vol. XXIII No 2 September 2011
Several Enthusiastic Reports about the KIT Gathering at Friendly Crossways
The Youth Hostel was Opened 64 Years Ago and Soon Welcomed Bruderhof Guests
By George Maendel, Maine
The Hostel was opened 1947. (Photo: Virginia Cuanca)
August 13th
2011:We are at the Blackberry Inn, a Bed and
Breakfast open for overnight guests since 1763. Ben Cavanna
and I got here yesterday about 8:30pm, coming from Littleton,
Massachusetts where we attended the KIT Gathering at the old-
est continuously operating Youth Hostel in the USA, Friendly
Crossways, open since 1947 when a large dairy barn was con-
verted to a guest house and Youth Hostel. The barn and the at-
tached house are still the only buildings on the property. The
barn has private and semi private rooms as well as two dormito-
ries, located in the former hayloft. Ben and I shared a room on
the second floor. When the Bruderhof sent representatives from
Paraguay to the USA to find a property to buy in the early 1950s
they stayed at Friendly Crossways, so it has long Bruderhof con-
nections. KIT Gatherings have been held at Friendly Crossways
since 1990, twenty one years ago! The gatherings are like a fami-
ly reunion. Many of the people who attend have family in the
Bruderhof, family they don't get to meet with or see except when
it suits Broodie leaders.
We had a late dinner last night at another gathering, the
Sheble family reunion held at a camp near Norfolk, on Doolittle
Lake, where Annie‟s sister and her husband own a lakefront ca-
bin. Well, I guess it can be called a cabin or a camp, as we say in
Maine, but it is very spacious and elegant too. Annie‟s two
Discussing an interesting Hutterite Photo Book which George
brought with him: Erdmuthe Arnold, Hanna Homann (Patrick),
Ben Cavanna, George Maendel, Virginia Cuenca (Loewenthal).
daughters were there and six of her nephews, so there was quite a
gang of young people, most of whom are in college or working
their first jobs since graduating from college.
August 14, 2011: Traveling around the Norfolk, Connecticut
area with Ben Cavanna in his rental car, a rear wheel drive
Dodge Charger. We drove up Dennis Hill to a stone and wood,
eight-sided pavilion. Dennis Hill was once a volcano, back in
approximately that era when the Appalachian Mountains were
extruded upwards by the collision of continents, about 300 mil-
lion years ago. Brazil and Africa were connected back then and
you could walk from the part we call New England to Ireland. I
began to wonder why anyone would build such a complex struc-
ture in a small state park (300 acres) when Ben told me it was
originally built by a famous New York City doctor, last name of
Dennis, who was doctor and surgeon to several US presidents,
1900 to 1910. Another of his famous patients was the scientist
and inventor Michael Pupin, an immigrant from Serbia and a fel-
low resident of New York City whom he introduced to the Nor-
folk area. Mr. Pupin bought land just outside the village of Nor-
folk and built a huge stone mansion and a stone carriage house
People arrive. From left: Adolf Wegner, Vera DeBell (Stevenson),
Margot Purcell (Wegner), Gerrit-Jan Stevenson, Ruth Lambach
(Baer), Blair Purcell. (Two photos: Heidi Strickland [Kleiner])
both of which still exist in excellent condition and which served
for many years as the central buildings for the Bruderhof‟s Ever-
green and then Deerspring Community. They are now owned by
a Buddhist organization. The place is well guarded with a gate
which always seems to be closed. They do not encourage visi-
tors. From the road it seems that the extensive workshop and fa-
brication buildings left by the Bruderhof are not being used. But
it is a sure bet that these Buddhists do not patronize any of those
ubiquitous storage facilities that seem to sprout all over the coun-
tryside, in Maine anyway.
Driving through the village we stopped at the Library, an ele-
gant red stone building dedicated in 1889 and twice enlarged,
both times using stone from the same quarry in Longmeadow,
Massachusetts, where the original stone came from. It is the most
elegant library building you can ever hope to see and it was open
Sunday afternoon when Ben and I stopped to look at the tele-
phone directory to see if there were any Maendels listed. We
found one Jake Maendel and a few minutes later we were on his
Keep In Touch Newsletter 4 Vol. XXIII No 2 September 2011
doorstep, a mile or two from the library, just off the main high-
way. He invited us over even though he and his wife were pre-
paring to leave for Torrington, her home town. Jake has worked
at a factory in Torrington for the past twenty years. He also has a
locksmith business on the side and a workshop located in what
was built as a two car garage. They park their vehicles outside.
Jake is our cousin, one of David and Anna's children, born Feb-
ruary, 1952. He said his family had been at Woodcrest for more
than a year when the carriage house burned, an event he re-
members well since it occurred on his birthday, 1957. At the KIT
Gathering there was a booklet on early Woodcrest from which I
was trying to determine when Dave and Anna moved there. It
listed two dates: January, 1956 and in another place it said Janu-
ary, 1957. Jake's memory cleared that up. I remembered only that
my friends Nathan and Harold disappeared from Forest River not
long after the first Bruderhof people arrived. Nathan, married to
Ben Cavanna's sister, lives at Maple Ridge these days, Harold
has not been heard from since attending a family wedding in
1977.
Being in the Norfolk area feels like a visit to a foreign coun-
try, people say it reminds them of the Tyrol or of Switzerland.
The area has been settled for hundreds of years, giving each
property a human story. Local custom demands that the past be
taken into consideration before radical changes are made. Many
places are listed on The National Register of Historic Places,
which means they are somewhat protected from demolition or
radical design change. The Blackberry Inn where we stayed two
nights is a listed property. This summer several of their hired
staff is from Austria. Featured on the breakfast menu were the
light, light pancakes we sometimes had at Forest River, simply
eggs and flour, according to Marlene, our Austrian waitress.
Monday morning, August 15th
, after a second delicious
breakfast, we said farewell to Ben and left for Maine. We were
quick about it since we were blessed with pouring rain which
lasted for most of our drive to Boston. From Portland north the
roads were dry, but it rained here last night, just over 1 and 1/2
inches, very welcome to our garden and to all growing things.
Our squash is taking over the garden, as it does every year
about this time. The rain has stopped and I need to get to work.
A year ago I bought a truckload of wide pine boards which have
been stick-piled (for drying) in our greenhouse. I need to load
them on the pick-up truck and on a trailer for transport to a plan-
ning mill where they will be planed to an even thickness and cut
to have a tongue on one side and a groove on the other. I like
watching the boards go through the machine and enjoy the smell
of fresh cut pine. The boards will be the floor in our new “barn”.
This Was my First Official Attendance Together With Bettina
By Hans Zimmermann, Colorado
My wife Bettina and I arrived late Friday afternoon at Friendly
Crossways. This was my first official attendance at a KIT gather-
ing together with my wife who previously had many reservations
about participating, not sure if she could stand days listening to
people complain and expressing their grievances about the Bru-
derhof. However the combination of a visit to New York City
and then visiting friends of many years at Hunter Mt. in the
Catskills persuaded her to come along; but living in a youth hos-
tel environment gave her some trepidation.
All this was soon overcome when we received such a warm
and joyous welcome from all of my friends most of whom I had
not seen for fifty years, and others I just recognized through
knowing their parents in Primavera. Tim, one of my earliest
buddies in Primavera greeted us with a beer in hand, and then
was accommodating enough to
< Hans Zimmermann
(Photo: Heidi Strickland)
us so that my wife had better
access to the main facilities. The
Johnsons were well represented
with Barnabas always ready to
start playing the next song either
on the piano or his recorder(s);
otherwise acting as unofficial
singing director. One always knew where Rosie was as she could
not contain her infectious enthusiasm. It was great to see Erd-
muthe Arnold again who has and is so instrumental in publishing
the KIT letter, Miriam Arnold Holmes and Joy Johnson MacDo-
nald did much of the organizing, with so many other willing hel-
pers: Hanna Patrick, Eileen Goodwin, Maeve Whitty, and Mar-
got Purcell to name a few. It was great to see again the Wegner
boys Hans-Helmut and Adolf (now men), Gerrit-Jan Fros, and
others whose names now escape me as they came dribbling in. I
hope someone can provide us with a list of attendees as I cannot
recall all of you, but was very interested in every ones past expe-
riences. Friday night‟s dinner was chicken, a delicious salad,
Barnabas Johnson accompanied the weekend as well accepted mu-
sic director and piano/recorder player (Photo: Virginia Cuanca)
wine, beer, etc. followed by a meet and greet in the conference
room.
The atmosphere was relaxed, and my wife soon adjusted. I
enjoyed the singing, lively discussions, the camaraderie, good
food and drink, the early morning walks with Rosie and Hanna
as the mist was still stuck to the dew laden grass and bushes. We
had to be careful not to step on the occasional green frogs who
were trying to jump across our path. We were welcomed back
with a healthy breakfast of eggs and other goodies. I was glad to
see Justina Jaime in attendance who had just returned from visit-
ing her sister Tina in Asunción, Paraguay. Various people
brought photo albums in addition to many of our Primavera song
books, so in the sing along we had plenty to choose from.
I was pleased that we were able to use the public swimming
beach at the Harvard lake which provided a roped off area big
enough for most people to swim. These activities helped me to
build a good appetite for the evening meal of Pasta Primavera –
Keep In Touch Newsletter 5 Vol. XXIII No 2 September 2011
Miriam Holmes (Arnold) received much praise and acknowledge-
ment for organizing the KIT Gathering once again; next to her
Erdmuthe Arnold and Justina Nolden (Jaime).
followed again by singing in the meeting room. Sunday morning
I went for another walk concentrating on the grass and trees as
there were few birds to be seen. On return I found Heidi Strick-
land and others, busy in the kitchen making pancakes the way we
knew them on our trips to the river Tapiracuay in Primavera;
they tasted just as good. We (I) enjoyed the fact that things were
rather informal yet well organized. My special thanks to those
who made this possible.
I will fondly keep you in my mind and hope to see you again
in the future. Yes a next meeting in the Midwest or nearer to
Colorado would be welcomed, but has to have water and longer
hiking trails. I will try to find you on the map on my next trip
across the country and should you pass through Colorado, give
me a shout, I may even find a horse for you to ride.
Hasta la proxima!
Reconnecting With my Extended
KIT Family
By Hanna Homann (Patrick), Iowa
I flew into Newark on August 10th
, Virginia Loewenthal. picked
me up. She lives close to the airport and suggested that I spend
the night and we could drive up to Friendly Crossways on
Thursday. She had been having car problems, but after having
Johanna Homann and Virginia Cuenca travelled together for more
than a weekend.
The weather was just fine. Here enjoyed by: Al Hinkey, Christrose
Sumner (Johnson) and Joy MacDonald (Johnson) – for many years
engaged as KIT treasurer. (Three photos: Heidi Strickland)
a new alternator installed, we had an uneventful four and a half
hour drive up. I was the map reader and was glad that she was
able to drive us safely through all of that heavy traffic!
After settling into our rooms, we headed to Muschie's place.
First we went with her to pick up some pizza, salad and wine and
then back to her place to put together a grocery list for our food
shopping trip Friday morning. Erdmuthe and Justina were arriv-
ing at FXways at 7:30pm and we joined them later for food, wine
and good conversation. Friday, I was up early and headed across
the road to enjoy the sunrise on my one hour hike in the Nature
Preserve, through the White Pine woods, the prairie, and the
many wild flowers. I enjoyed a few black raspberries in the
woods and picked a bunch of wild flowers to place in the dining
room for breakfast. Justina, Virginia and I had a relaxed break-
fast and enjoyed chatting with some of the other hostel guests.
Muschie, Virginia and I left later that morning to meet Heidi at
the Market Basket Store where we spent close to $500 on food
for the weekend. Upon our return we were greeted by familiar
songs played on the piano by Barnabas. Others were arriving,
Tim, Ben, George, later Hans and Bettina, Purcells and Rosie,
John Holland, Maeve, Gillian Burleson and many others. The
weather was just beautiful for our weekend and many of us spent
the afternoon visiting out on the patio. We even had a Bruder-
Schwester-Rat gathering out there, to peel the freshly picked
sweet corn for the evening meal.
Saturday, I awoke to the call of a Great Horned Owl and was
later joined for a sunrise walk in the Nature Preserve by Rosie
and Hans. We spent the morning visiting with old friends and
greeting new arrivals. For lunch the men did a great job cooking
the meat on the grill, while others helped set out the rest of the
food.
We had new volunteers who cooked a great evening meal of
Pasta Primavera and then gathered for an evening of singing our
favorite songs. It was amazing to realize how many songs we
still remembered and to hear the blending of so many voices,
soaring together in harmony. Later Hans kindly drew maps of Is-
la and Loma for me, from memory. Amazing, after fifty years! I
hope to compare them to my large canvas map of Primavera that
I put together in the 80ties.
Sunday the weather changed. We had gentle showers for
most of the day and Barnabas had to take down a wet tent. He
did report that he had no nocturnal visits from Black Bears, and
really enjoyed the night-time choruses of crickets, cicadas and
tree frogs! So did I! It was wonderful to be able to leave the
Keep In Touch Newsletter 6 Vol. XXIII No 2 September 2011
Ruth Lambach and Gillian Burleson cooking the Pasta Primavera
(Photos above and below: Heidi Strickland)
Dan Thorn and his boys Ethan and Nick are enjoying a meal.
windows open and to be lulled to sleep by Nature's music! At
Virginia's it was tree frogs, at Friendly Crossways: tree frogs, ci-
cadas and owls, and at my last location, the Vermont Retreat, it
was rain drops and rushing streams. Fantastic!
Vermont was our next retreat
Sunday is always harder, as people are leaving. We still had fun
visiting and greeting some new arrivals. Some had to get to Bos-
ton airport, others started their long drives home. Virginia and I
would leave in the evening for a Vermont Retreat belonging to
Maeve's friend, Helen.
Geryunant Retreat- What a wonderful place! It was pitch
black when we arrived and, as this retreat is off the grid, Maeve
had to scurry up to the dark house in the rain to find a Solar lan-
tern to light our way. She turned on the solar lights inside and
gave us a tour of the large house and surrounding cabins. The
property is hilly and heavily wooded, with a rushing stream run-
ning right through it. The house and cabins have lots of large
windows, some stained glass, tile floors, colorful rugs, beautiful
wood paneling, quilts and artwork everywhere. There are wood
burning fireplaces in all the buildings, and several composting
toilets – fantastic! They are clean and efficient and the bathrooms
and outhouse always smell like fresh cedar wood. The outhouse
had its own stained glass window and two walls made of colored
bottles embedded into some medium – just amazing! There was
plenty of hot water for showers and we did have a gas stove for
cooking.
Once again Al Hinkey was the barbecue cook, and he did a good
job! (Photo: Virginia Cuenca)
We all chose where we wanted to sleep; I picked a newly con-
structed hexagon shaped cabin, almost completely surrounded by
windows. It was decorated with stained glass, candles and art-
work and I was lulled to sleep by the sound of falling rain and
rushing water from the nearby stream. If it wasn't so late I would
have lit a little fire, but even without a fire, it felt like I had found
a little piece of heaven!
It was still pouring when I awoke the next morning; the rain
continued for the next twenty four hours. I went up to the main
house – the owner was gone until that evening, so I made myself
at home. After a nice cup of Earl Grey tea I made a fire in the
wood burning stove centered in the middle of Helen‟s lovely liv-
ing room. Maeve and Virginia had joined me by then and after
breakfast we relaxed by the warm fire while Virginia read to us
from May Davis's book about her Bruder'hof experiences. We
decided to wait until John and Barnabas arrived before going into
town, as we weren't sure if the wet, dirt roads would let us get
back up the hills after all of that rain. Virginia and I played some
board games until the guys arrived. They had a quick tour of the
place and picked their cabins before it got dark and then Barna-
bas entertained us with piano music, while John and Maeve went
into town for food. After enjoying a delicious meal and some
great company we all turned in for the night. I found that my ca-
bin had sprung a leak when I stepped on a wet rug in the dark,
but my bed was dry and I was soon lulled asleep by the sounds
of the rushing water.
Maeve Whitty had invited to another retreat after FC, and shows
Barnabas how to get to Geryunant. (Photo: Heidi Strickland)
Keep In Touch Newsletter 7 Vol. XXIII No 2 September 2011
Helen arrived late after I had turned in and it was such a pleasure
to meet her the next morning! She and Maeve took a quick dip
below the waterfall of the rushing stream before they joined us
for breakfast. Virginia and I had to leave that afternoon to get
back to New Jersey for my flight the next day, so we packed our
things. John helped Helen brainstorm about correcting the prob-
lem of the leak in my cabin. The next day he helped her with lots
of needed repairs. The skies were clearing when we left for the
town of Brattleboro. We strolled around this quaint little town;
full of little stores and eventually stopped in a small cafe for a
hot drink and a pastry. What a nice way to end our short visit to
this beautiful place and say good bye to our friends. Our drive to
Virginia's house took only four hours and we enjoyed more
wonderful conversations. We had another special Nature surprise
right after we arrived, when Virginia beckoned me to her back
garden to see a doe and her fawn just lingering outside her gar-
den fence! What a treat!
Virginia took
this photo of
a doe and
fawn in the
backyard of
her house. >
We enjoyed
a nice meal
and more
conversation
on the patio
of a local
restaurant
and I headed
for bed soon
after that.
We would
have an early start in the morning, when Virginia would drop me
off at the airport before heading off to work. John and Maeve
would head up to Peaks Island Thursday, to visit with Barnabas
and Lowrey, before heading back to Boston on Saturday.
So, I'm back into a routine, while trying to come down from
this tremendous high of reconnecting with my extended KIT
Family! I want to thank Muschie, Joy, and all of those who made
such a memorable experience possible!
Informal Meetings About a Representation
at CSA, and About the KIT Newsletter
By Tim Johnson, Georgia
There were three informal meetings during the gathering at
Friendly Crossways. In brief, the first evening (Friday) we had
the traditional round of introductions, which included several
new attendees. This session ended with the traditional and lusty
Die Gedanken sind Frei. At that meeting there were also the
usual housekeeping announcements to facilitate smooth opera-
tions for the next two days. This included scheduling two infor-
mal more “business oriented” meetings. It also included a heart-
felt “thank you” especially to Muschi, but also to others who
helped organize this year's KIT gathering.
The first informal meeting, held Saturday morning, and at-
tended by at least half of the assemblage, was called by Ruth
Lambach and me, to invite discussion of issues people would
like to have included in a talk that Ruth and I will be giving on
Meeting time, from left: George Maendel, Judith Tsukroff, Eileen
Goodwin and Gillian Burleson. (Photo: Heidi Strickland)
Saturday morning, October 1st, 2011 at the annual meeting (in
Kentucky) of the Communal Studies Association (CSA). A brief
abstract we submitted some months back, relating loosely to the
overall theme of the meetings, which is "Communities at the
Margin" was accepted, and now we have to prepare the presenta-
tion! (We'd mentioned this on hummer, a week or so before the
FC meeting). Our purpose in the FC meeting was to get interest-
ed participants to give us their perspectives on the phenomenon
of "KIT". It will necessarily set the stage with a bit of history,
and something about the “KIT community” participants' general
characteristics, and will then go into issues of the functions KIT
has served, and does now serve, for its participants. It will also
go into some speculations on its future. That‟s it in a nutshell,
except to say that both Ruth and I are organizing our notes from
that meeting, to see
how they fit with, or
modify our prior think-
ing. It was a lively ses-
sion, and many partici-
pants offered their
suggestions, for which
we are grateful.
< Tim Johnson led the
meetings. (Photo: Bar-
nabas Johnson)
The second meeting,
held Sunday morning,
was also surprisingly
well attended. This
was our informal up-
date on the KIT New-
sletter, letting meeting
attendees know infor-
mally the present sta-
tus. Erdmuthe, Joy
and I were the ones present who could best speak to this, as oth-
ers with significant involvement (Charlie Lamar, Dave Ostrom,
Linda Jackson, and Anthony Lord) were not there. The voluntary
nature of KIT was emphasized, along with the need for more
submissions of suitable contributions, and of course the need to
get more readers involved as subscriber/donors, though it was
noted that the percentage of contributing readers has risen since
Joy's last report. Also noted was the desire to have some turnover
Keep In Touch Newsletter 8 Vol. XXIII No 2 September 2011
Singing along – from left: Barnabas Johnson, Hans-Helmut Wegner
and his wife (hidden), Al Hinkey, Adolf Wegner, John Holland (be-
hind:) Christrose Sumner, and Miriam Holmes.
of some of the above-named staff, who have been active for
many years, and would be glad to share the “management” of
KIT and its finances. However, none of the current staff have
threatened imminent strike action!
In addition to these semi-formal meetings, there were lots of
informal group walks, and of course the frequent group singa-
longs. Though at least two of us brought ping-pong paddles, that
particular activity never got organized (though I confirmed the
ping-pong table was still in the basement). Thus, walking and
swimming were the only "group" activities undertaken outside
the building and its immediate porch/lawn areas. However, it did
seem that pretty much every minute was filled, so no complaints!
Communal Webs, Communal Threads,
Communal Ripples?
By Ruth Lambach, Chicago/Illinois
There‟s going to be a new regular column in KIT. I‟m editing it.
It is going to explore positive aspects of communal outcasts from
communal life today. While I have not attended all KIT gather-
ings, I understand that at one gathering everyone participated in
an exercise expressing something positive they still valued from
communal life. So far, there are already two volunteers who wish
Gerrit-Jan Stevenson, Ruth Lambach (the editor of the new KIT
column) and John Holland. (Photos on pages 8/9: Heidi Strickland)
VOLUNTEER needed to organize EuroKIT 2012
KIT. If there is to be a Euro KIT next year, someone will be
needed to come forward and set the time and the place soon –
and be willing to organize the gathering. A short informational
notification should be published in the December issue of KIT so
that people can make arrangements.
Some of our readers might think it is up to the KIT Staff to
organize the gathering – but frankly every one of us already in-
vests enough private time for keeping in touch. On the other
hand we know of several people who would be happy to meet for
a weekend in Europe. Please positively think about this:
Could YOU be the one to organize EuroKIT next year? You
will always find KIT-Staff-addresses on the last page of a News-
letter. Please let one of us know what you can do.
to write for this column. Above, are three possible titles that have
come to me this week. When I asked Erdmuthe what we should
name the column she, with a wry smile, advised waiting to see
what emerges. My choice at this moment is ripples as I have
swum in Lake Michigan every day since my return to Chicago.
From the airport to my home on Monday, I listed 46 people
(among them four children) being at Friendly Crossways. As I
did this I thought how strange it was that I needed to do this. It
reminded me of when I was first out on the streets of Pittsburgh
in 1959 and felt overwhelmed with the masses of people I passed
on the sidewalk thinking that I needed to get to know everyone‟s
name. Riding on the streetcars, I felt obliged to talk to anyone I
sat next to. After three days of talking, I noticed that I was the
only one talking. People were either reading or looking out the
windows. I followed suit and looked through the books in the
rack of a drug store and bought On The Beach by Nevil Shute, a
post apocalyptic end of the world novel by a British/Australian
published in 1957. The world I had entered felt like the end of
my world. It was barren, devoid of the comforts and securities
I‟d been accustomed to in communal life. Worst of all for me
was eating by myself.
The difference between the way of being in communal life
and the world rushing about in unfettered capitalism was sharply
focused when I returned my rental car, got lost, got a friendly
young Haitian to guide me to the Thrifty car rental and then
hopped into his cab to get to the airport. He got hung up where
two roads diverged and he sat and blurted out “Savages”. Relen-
tlessly the glaring lights sped past, each to their own destination
in the predawn dark rain. Sitting beside this young man in his
new white cab, stopped at a dangerous and illegal intersection to
consider which road to take, I chuckled remembering how I‟d
joked about Yogi Berra saying “when you come to a fork in the
road, take it.” Now it was no joke. I had taken the wrong turn
just an hour earlier at this very juncture.
This experience was starkly different from my arrival in Bos-
ton, where within fifteen minutes after landing, I got a call from
Gillian Burleson ready to help me take public transportation to
Maeve Whitty‟s place in a beautiful section of the city next to a
lake and within half a block of a bike path on which one could
get all the way to Concord and Walden Pond. I rented a car and
got to Maeve‟s house where she graciously served John Holland
and me lunch. John and I then drove out to Littleton, taking a
four hour meandering adventurous road to the hostel. We never
did back-track but found at least two other Littleton Roads, be-
sides other interesting winding roads in the area. Stopping by
Walden Pond, taking pictures, getting tea at a Dunkin Donut –
taking a picture of a young woman‟s cleavage marked with an
Keep In Touch Newsletter 9 Vol. XXIII No 2 September 2011
< Gretka Domer
(Mommsen) and
Jonathan Clement
– lived in Wood-
crest and Oaklake.
implanted spar-
kling stone – all
of these were ad-
ventures to John
who perhaps
feigned naiveté
about things in
America in order
to heighten the
sense of living every moment to its fullest. We discussed differ-
ences in language between British English and American English
as when I referred to the beautiful horse‟s ass, he was taking a
picture of.
Other reports fairly well covered the events at Friendly
Crossways but I want to mention Maeve who did a yeoman‟s job
of transportation. In all, she and I missed no less than six hours
of interchange at the gathering because we drove to Boston and
brought Geert Burger out on Saturday and then returned him
again that night. The next day we went to the airport. We missed
out on about an hour‟s worth of singing! But, all of it was
worthwhile because I got to know Maeve, we talked about our
lives and of course had the sense that we were making a contri-
bution to the smooth functioning of the whole.
Each of us signed three beautiful cards: one for August Pleil
whose 85th
birthday it was, one for Marlene Wegner and one for
Balz Trümpi. Individuals are remembered. The cards were works
of art designed by Heidi Strickland who also contributed fresh
garlic and basil from her garden, thrown into the leftover stew
cooked up by Gillian Burleson. I‟m not sure if anyone has men-
tioned the efforts of Joy, and of course Muschi who together ma-
naged to deal with the money and the logistics of sheets and to-
wels and Hannah for the meal planning and shopping.
Life in utopia would not be so rich if it weren‟t for the beauti-
ful sound of the recorder playing a beautiful, haunting Scottish
Gaelic melody by Barnabas Johnson emerging from his tent be-
tween the cornfield and the edge of the woods:
Morning has broken like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken like the first bird
…Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning
Born of the one light Eden saw play.
If you can‟t sing or hear this song to remind you that every
day is a new beginning maybe you can at least learn to purr.
I‟mglad I had the opportunity to experience for a weekend, some
elements of our communal past. This experience will help merge
the sharp contrast and boundary between utopia and the rest of
the world, complete with funky mugs and old floor rugs.
P.S. I think
Threads or Rip-
ples are better
than Vibes.
It was wonderful
to meet again
Vera DeBell
(Stevenson) and
Amanda Gurga-
nus (Stängl) –
from old Prima-
vera times. >
Please Submit your Personal Stories
KIT. We want to encourage our readers to submit personal ac-
counts and stories on topics which are of interest for our group of
ex Bruderhofers. Please send them electronically by email, as
word.doc, or pdf-file attachments – to make the work easier for
those who edit and publish the Newsletter on a voluntary basis.
Typed letters will also be accepted – as they can be converted
easily. Send your submissions to Erdmuthe Arnold or any of the
other KIT Staff – listed on last page.
Peer Pressure on the Bruderhof
By Hanna Johnson
I can remember a clearance meeting of all the high school stu-
dents at New Meadow Run in the 60ties. We were scolded about
not taking a stand against evil; the Brotherhood supported us
going to public schools. We must know how important it was to
be students even where we were exposed to lies and false ideas
(same speech getting us ready to go to high school). Implying
that we‟d failed, the speaker got louder and then there were
names and incidents that were news to me, some private office
conferences made examples of in our inner circle. Although my
name was usually out there and I was wondering what my infrac-
tions were, the accusations took a spin, “All you others are
equally guilty.”. Some of us were told how wrong we were to be
involved in things we had not known about – until the clearance
we knew nothing. So now that we‟d been told who, what, when,
and where it was evil to have such knowledge. The implications
of peer pressure were so twisted they made me sick on adrena-
line to flee: How to deal with such a lot of talk never to be men-
tioned again by any of us? I tried to forget about names named
and find love for each one in the circle as equals (equally loved).
When I was little child I had learned that it is my personal
struggle against wrong – to gain victory over sin, “Resist the De-
vil and he will flee from thee,” James 4:7. To go along with the
others doing wrong is no excuse (Eve did it, Genesis 3:12).
I developed a syndrome of testing limits, trying things in va-
gue areas. Yet as a trouble maker I felt safe expecting others to
keep me in line. Sure we are all sinners, but being told of things
done by an acquaintance, accused as party to that and then told
not to talk about it – well, how can that be addressed? Dear cult
leader I forgive you for the way you twisted my mind to be one
mind with you.
Where to draw the line intrigued me. Admonished to be more
open but with discussions limited to me listening and then
closed, causing trouble was the best way for me to test the safety
net. There certainly was a feeling of safety when I was being cor-
rected gently.
On my way out of New Medow Run I developed unsocial
pastimes and legal boundaries became observing other people's
deviances. Many get away with finding ways to claim both ig-
norance and freedom.
A statement I remember from childhood is, “What if every-
one did that?” I observe many things done that only a few do –
personal ways that are odd to say the least. I find my own differ-
ent ways. Peer pressure is usually spoken of negatively while
most of it is necessary for growing up socially adjusted. Some
talk sticks in my thoughts – what I remember to the best of my
ability.
I did not like being told to go to my room and think about it –
I‟d think about what I was told by a crocus dressed in gold. I got
Keep In Touch Newsletter 10 Vol. XXIII No 2 September 2011
sent to my room a lot but it was far from abusive. When I felt
under pressure I found many escape routes. I don't think Eber-
hard Arnold set up the best place for Christians to grow. That
may have been his vision but The First Law of Sannerz is the cult
foundation of the hof. His son Heini could not have become a
cult leader without that.
Eileen Robertshaw Remembers her
Childhood
By Hanna Johnson
As reported in the KIT Newsletter of April 2011, page 10, my
Aunt Eileen Robertshaw, nee Taylor, born in 1920 passed away
on March 29th
2011 at the age of 90. She was the younger sister
of my Mom, Margaret Goodwin, who was born in 1917. I have
copied for KIT some of Aunt Eileen‟s memories which she told
at Mom‟s memorial – memories of their childhood in Merton,
near London. I picked out bits and pieces I find to be interesting
and different.
Aunt Eileen’s Memories…
Our parents were “both great lovers of nature", and would go for
long walks.
There was a hymn in our Sunday school hymn book which
said, “The rich man in his castle, the poor man at the gate, God
made them high and lowly and ordered their estate.” – well fa-
ther opposed that. He felt it was totally un-Christian."
Mother was an ardent socialist, and between the two of them
we had many lively discussions.
It wasn't easy being in the church because our views were
different...
We were told that when the question of dismissing father (the
organist), Fred‟s father, Mr. Goodwin (also an organist), turned
to those who wanted to keep our father as organist and said, “All
pull together boys!” – And they pulled together sufficiently...
After father died in the spring of 1938, Margaret wanted to
cheer me up and encourage me. She devoted most of her summer
holidays to a two week youth-hostelling expedition with me. We
hiked across North Somerset and Devon, then south across Ex-
moor and Dartmoor. It was glorious country and we found plenty
of literary interest too. We walked through the Quantock Hills
and thought of Hazlett, to Westward Ho and talked of Kingsley
and Kipling. We visited Lorna Doone country and followed the
descent of Badgworthy Water. We planned – though not serious-
ly – to hike in Germany and write a book on the influences of
Landscape on Folk Tales. We stopped briefly at Dartington Hall
(reputedly very advanced in educational practices) and went by
boat down the river Dart to join my mother in South Devon.
After Fred and Margaret's wedding (1939) the young couple
joined the Oaksey Bruderhof.
In 1940 Eileen visited them at the Cotswold Bruderhof. She
went to Wheathill and my Granny Vera Taylor joined in the
work there. - End of Eileen’s memories.
* Eileen went to Paraguay in 1947 I think. I did not meet my Aunt
until DP camp Wheathill in 1961 or 1962. Robertshaws, the cou-
sins of Goodwins came back to England from Uruguay.
At New Medow Run we met again. I enjoyed singing out of
the Oxford Book of Carols.
After my Mom died 1992, my Aunt kept up correspondence
with me. Her last letter tells what joy she had with great grand
children.
KIT Friends Remember Josua Dreher
Josua Lost a Long Battle with Cancer
By Hans Martin (son of Ruth and Arno Martin)
Maybe I am not the first one to report the death of Josua Dreher.
He is the fifth child of Leo and Trautel (Fischli) Dreher and on
April 19th
, 2011.
Josua was born in England on January 20th
, 1938. According
to a letter I received he died peacefully on the Woodcrest Bru-
derhof after a long battle with cancer.
I visited Josua in 2003 on his little farm in Vaca Hú, Para-
guay. In 2008 I visited him again with Lucrezia Meier when we
spent a marvelous week together. He was the only one who could
still find the old places we used to roam in as children. Shortly
after my last visit he joined the Bruderhof, which had become
quite active in Paraguay. I believe he did the right thing, since he
was treated with great love and given excellent care. I visited
him on the Bruderhof last May when he was already quite sick.
Josua was a very quiet person. Because of the age difference I
did not know Josua well during my years in Primavera. Howev-
er, the times I visited with him in later years we talked a lot,
mainly about our childhood there.
Josua had joined the Bruderhof during his earlier years. He
came to North America. However, he could not forget his early
childhood and youth in Paraguay. He left, and returned to Para-
guay, were he got married and lived most of his adult life. He
had a wonderful family with three children. His wife preceded
him in death many years ago. His children are married; all live in
Paraguay. Josua also has several grandchildren. I got to know
three of them.
My Brother was the Happiest Child
By Evi and Adolf Pleil
Evi wrote: “A picture is worth a thousands words.” - Josua Dreher
with two of his grandchildren. (Photo submitted by John Holland)
Let me share in the KIT Newsletter some thoughts and memories
of my brother Josua. As a child, he was the happiest one of all
the nine children in our family. He was always in a good mood
and never picked a fight with anyone. If something got lost he
was the one to find it, thus the nickname “Schnuff”.
He also loved animals and always fed and took special care
of our family pets.
When our mother died quite unexpectedly, he was eight years
old. This was a hard time for our whole family, and our father
never really recovered from her loss. Our family was incorpo-
rated into the big Meier family, and as teenagers, Josua and Dan-
Keep In Touch Newsletter 11 Vol. XXIII No 2 September 2011
ny Meier decided to leave the Bruderhof to have their own ad-
venture.
We then met my brother again in the USA where he had to
do his CO-Service in Evergreen. He lived with Adolf and me,
and our two oldest sons. Our boys simply adored and loved him.
Josua then moved to Woodcrest. From there he worked his way
back to Paraguay, his Heimat – home. Throughout the years he
warmly welcomed and hosted the many visitors who came to see
the place where they grew up and where he met and married his
wife, Elvira, and settled down to have a family. They had two
sons and two daughters. His wife, Elvira, and son, Antonio, sadly
predeceased him. His daughters, Marisa and Gladiola, and son
Buena Ventura live in Paraguay.
In January 2011, Adolf and I visited my brother Josua in
Woodcrest. We knew he was very sick. He seemed very, very
quiet and thoughtful, but attentive to everything we said. In our
hearts we knew we would not see him again. Our sister Maidi
wrote to let us know about him, but we did not have the chance
to talk with him again before he passed on.
Rest in Peace, dear brother!
Fond Memories of an Old Friend
By Bill Bridgwater (alias Ingmar Wingård)
I was very sad when Paul Dyroff called to say that our good
friend Josua had passed away in the Easter week. Although we
were of the same age I can‟t remember having Josua as a class
Josua on Rey, with Ingmar outside of the Isla kitchen.
mate. One of my first memories of Josua is when we as teenagers
attended lectures on cattle breeding, given by Johnny Robinson.
We took a team of horses and the “Kutsche” – a two wheeled
wagon with springs – and drove from Isla Margarita to Loma
Hoby in Ben Hur style; one spring broke to our wheelwright
Heinz Bolk‟s great dismay. The course ended in a memorable
ride with Johnny to Estancia Santa Virginia where Danni Meier
was working. On our way back we stopped for some tereré
(Yerbamate with cold water) at a small boliche (inn). There was
a guy playing a mandolin, Johnny asked if he could have a look,
he was given the instrument and started playing. Both we and the
locals were amazed, we had never seen or heard anyone play the
mandolin that well. In the years to come Josua and I worked in
the cowshed, and participated in the work on the Estancia, Josua
on his beloved mount Rey. We formed a good team and got on
very well; the milk production soared.
I left the Bruderhof before the final collapse, and met Josua
again briefly in 1961 when, for some odd reason, we all were
1987: Elvira Dreher chatting with Lucrezia Meier in her kitchen.
called to come to Primavera prior to departing to Europe. It was
a depressing experience, some people were apathetic, and others
seemed scared stiff.
Our next encounter was in 1987, when Hans Jürg, Lux, my
wife Margareta and I went to visit Josua on his chacra (small
holding) in what in our day had been known as the Tujango for-
est, a haunted place, according to the locals, who were scared to
pass through by night.
Josua had left the Bruderhof in the US in 1964 and returned
to work on the De Stefano Estancia, adjacent to Primavera. There
he met Elvira, the daughter of the capataz (foreman). They mar-
ried and built themselves a rancho (primitive thatched structure)
on the property they bought. They had four children, the oldest,
Turi (Buena Ventura), a foster son followed by their son Antonio
and two daughters Marisa and Gladiola. The boys attended
school; they were smartly dressed but only had one pair of shoes
and one bike which they used on alternate days.
There was no electricity, a gas lamp provided light. Water
had to be drawn from the well. Hans Jürg, my wife and I slept on
the floor in what was going to be the new brick house. There was
one room which was used for storing maize and had to be cleared
We were woken at 4:00am the following morning by an angry
cock-a-doodle-doo from a cock out looking for maize. We spent
some nice days with Josua and his family looking at the rem-
nants of Primavera, taking a dip in the Tapiracuay River, going
to Friesland, Itacurubi, Puerto Rosario, etc.
Josua was always willing to show visitors around the ruins of
our childhood paradise. He also loved to wander off on his own
Evening meal at gas lamp light. (Photos submitted by author)
Keep In Touch Newsletter 12 Vol. XXIII No 2 September 2011
Later on Josua moved into the house of his daughter Marisa – here
with her husband and son in 2009.
and spend days on end fishing in the river. He often went to the
burial ground to sit at his mother‟s grave and meditate. When
strapped for cash, he would work for the Mennonites.
We helped Josua finishing the little brick house which the
family subsequently moved into. When electricity came, Hans
Jürg and I helped him with a pump, water tank, tubing etc. He
built a primitive shower, but when asked, if he would put in a
WC he replied I don´t think my women can cope with so many
novelties.
In January of 2000 son Antonio died of leukaemia. He was
soon followed by his mother. She could not get over the loss of
her son. Eventually Josua sold his property and moved in with
his oldest daughter Marisa, who is married and lives in Carolina
where she runs a small shop. Gladiola is also married and lives in
the vicinity of Friesland.
Josua and his son in law, a butcher, bought a new property
and had a nice little herd of cattle.
I have visited Josua many times in the last twenty years. The
last time I saw him was in 2009. We took a ride on the camp (sa-
vannah) and spent a couple of nights at the nice motel Tannenhof
in Friesland. We sat talking about old times and he gave me a
nice compliment by saying: “You are my oldest friend, the only
white guy I know who successfully broke in a mule.”
By this time Josua had reconciled with the Bruderhof. It hap-
pened during the baptism of Martin Dyroff which took place at
the Isla Margarita burial ground. A crowd of bruderhofians had
flown in from the US in a private jet to do the ritual. The arrival
of this jet in Asunción caused all kinds of speculation in the local
media. Josua mockingly showed me a large bundle of letters of
“love” he‟d received from the community which I did not bother
to read.
He was required to go to the local phone booth each Saturday
afternoon to await a phone call from his mentor Jacob Gneiting.
When I was due to leave for Asunción, Marisa asked if I could
take Josua along. He had an appointment with a lawyer provided
by the Bruderhof, to arrange for his papers. Josua had lived all
these years in Paraguay as indocumentado – without documents.
Quite a risky business and the reason why he stayed put and was
unwilling to leave home.
We spent a couple of days in Asunción and I had the feeling
that he, although he did not actually say so, was seriously con-
templating going back to the Bruderhof. When the news came I
was not surprised; especially after hearing that he was suffering
from advanced prostate cancer and needed specialist treatment.
I will always treasure the fond memories of one of my oldest
friends – may he rest in peace.
*
My most recent visit to Paraguay was at the end of August to
early September, 2011. I did the normal rounds of visiting
friends, among them Josua‟s daughters. During our discussions it
became evident that Josua had made a pragmatic decision when
returning to the community: He was dying of prostate cancer.
Knowing what cancer treatment in Paraguay costs – he had lost
his son Antonio who died of leukaemia – Josua opted for the
Bruderhof. His strategy had always been to keep all avenues
open just in case; don‟t burn any bridges.
I suppose he got the best treatment possible, far better than
what he had gotten in Friesland. He died among friends, and the
community got another trophy.
Fida Meier went to see Josua‟s daughters to show a video of
Josua in the US. The older daughter accepted her visit; the other
daughter declined.
Gringo Aleman
By Hans Zimmermann
After we lived in Loma Hoby for two years, Josua all of a sud-
den showed up. I cannot recall where he lived before, but I was
familiar with Maidi and Evi. We immediately clicked and be-
came good friends. He was one and a half years older than I and
two classes ahead. We would go hunting wild pigeons together
with sling shots, he always let me have the first shot saying:
“Hap (my nickname at the time) you are the better shot.” It kind
of embarrassed me a little because most older boys would not do
that, luckily I could deliver, he was totally content to point at a
dove and say, “shoot that one,” then “that one.” Josua felt totally
at ease to let another person take the glory.
He was barely out of school when he disappeared again for
two or three years (I did not know where at the time) onto an Es-
tancia in the Chaco. He totally adjusted to the Paraguayan cul-
ture, learning Guaraní and all the native customs. He also ac-
quired the art of working with leather, braiding lassos, halters,
reigns, cinches etc. He was a good rider but not what we would
call a Jinete or damador.
I believe when he returned, the Ibaté dairy was his new do-
main, or was it Isla Margarita? At that time each hof still had its
separate dairy cows. That soon changed, as our dairy herd now
was mostly Holsteins, which started to give more milk. So the
dairy production was moved to Ibaté for consolidation. Josua
must have made the move to Ibaté at that time because I saw lit-
tle of him. He was always content to play the supporting role,
giving advice, rarely taking the lead on his own initiative unless
asked to. In that way he remained approachable and made friends
easily. Josua was never argumentative and rarely pushed his
point of view, in youth meetings however he would act as the ar-
biter when arguments did arise.
We did not see each other again until my return early 1960
from my stints on various Paraguayan Estancias both in the
Josua worked 1958 in Isla’s dairy. (Photo album Erdmuthe Arnold)
Keep In Touch Newsletter 13 Vol. XXIII No 2 September 2011
Chaco and last in Caazapa in south eastern Paraguay. We had
less contact as he was now in the brotherhood, and I decidedly
undecided as what my future there would be. After the breakup
we lost touch with each other even though both of us were in the
USA but at different locations.
We next saw each other forty-two years later in Tujango,
Paraguay where he had his homestead. That was a joyful reun-
ion and we spent three days together, visiting Primavera‟s vari-
ous locations, Isla Margarita, the burial ground, orange wood
spring, Ibaté and the old corrals we personally had built with
Irundaímy trunks, Invernada, the Brennkorral in Riveros Cué,
Loma Hoby, one full day at the Tapiracuay River, with Willy
and Helly Braun being our hosts in Friesland. Kulla Fischer and
Clementina Jaime were our companions. We had a wonderful
time together.
Two years later in 2004 I visited again and stayed three days
with Josua at his son-in-law‟s home in Carolina where he was
now living. We talked late into the nights about everything, re-
vealing much more about our youth than we would have dared
during our Bruderhof days, having matured and lost some of our
false inhibitions. We walked from Carolina to Isla Margarita and
then traced the old foot path to Loma Hoby. On another day we
helped build a rancho for one of the cowboys who was watching
his son-in-law's cattle. We had a great time together, but he con-
fessed that as a Gringo he would never be fully accepted by the
natives; he would always be an outsider. I found this hard to be-
lieve at the time, but there must be a lot of truth behind it; once
his wife had died and his daughters married natives, he lost part
of what tied him to that life. This may have made it easier for
him to go back to the community.
I want to give him the benefit of doubt that what drove him
back was in his best personal interest. It saddens me immensely
that he is gone and that I will not see him again on my next visit.
It would have been great if the community had buried him at our
place in Primavera
Josua, where ever you are, you remain my friend.
Zu Besuch bei Josua
Von Irene Pfeiffer-Fischer
Von 1993 bis 2001 bin ich alle zwei Jahre mit meinem verstor-
benen Mann Ludwig Fischer nach Paraguay geflogen. Auf jeder
Reise war es ein Muss, bei Josua Dreher und seiner Frau Elvira
vorbeizuschauen. Ich habe sehr nette Erinnerungen an diese Be-
suche. Einmal verbrachten wir eine Nacht bei ihnen. Elvira hatte
uns ein Zimmer mit zwei Betten fertig gemacht. Hans Jürg
Meier, Kuller Fischer sowie unser damals achtjährige Sohn Se-
bastian waren mit von der Partie. Als es abends dunkel wurde,
saßen wir beim Schein einer Gaslaterne vor dem Haus und san-
gen deutsche Balladen. Elvira freute sich sehr darüber, konnte al-
lerdings nichts verstehen. So bat ich Josua ihr doch etwas zu
übersetzen, was er auch tat. Als nächstes war das Lied „Es zogen
drei Sänger“ an der Reihe. Bei der Strophe „und er breitete sei-
nen Mantel aus und setzte Feinsliebchen obendrauf“, hörte ich
aus der Guaraní-Übersetzung von Josua nur die Worte poncho
und cuñataí heraus. Beiden war der Spaß ins Gesicht geschrie-
ben.
Wenn wir die mennonitische Familie Braun im ehemaligen
Isla Margarita besuchten, baten wir Josua mitzukommen. Wir
nutzten diese Gelegenheiten auch, um schöne Stunden am
Tapiracuay-Fluss zu verbringen. Die Brauns luden Josua ein, bei
ihnen zu bleiben, bis wir uns wieder verabschiedeten. Unser
Sohn Sebastian absolvierte bei Josua seine erste Reitstunde. Das
Pferd wollte den Jungen partout unter einem Espina de Corona
Baum abstreifen. Da riet Josua Basti, „gib ihm anständig welche
mit der guacha“! Diese Besuche waren immer nett und voller Er-
innerungen; wir spürten, dass sie Josua gut taten.
Josua hat sich für alle Ex-Primaveraner, die ihn besuchten,
Zeit genommen, um ihnen unser einstiges zu Hause zu zeigen. Er
erklärte immer wieder geduldig, wo sich ehedem beispielsweise
die Küche, der Kuhstall und so weiter befanden. Denn: in Loma
Hoby gab es kein einziges Haus mehr; in Isla Margarita stand
nur noch das Babyhaus und in Ibaté das Steinhaus, in dem wir -
die Friedemanns – dereinst wohnten. Von der Bäckerei war le-
diglich eine Ruine übrig geblieben. – 1998 oder 1999 hat ein
Wirbelsturm das Babyhaus verwüstet. Die Familie Braun zog da-
raufhin zurück nach Friesland.
Ich begrüße es sehr, dass der Bruderhof Josua für seine letzte
Lebenszeit bei sich aufgenommen hat.
Visiting Josua
By Irene Pfeiffer-Fischer
Every two years from 1993 to 2001 my late husband Ludwig
Fischer and I flew out to Paraguay. It was a must that on every
trip we called in on Josua and his wife Elvira. I have some lovely
memories of these visits. Once when we spent a night with them,
Elvira had prepared a room with two beds just for us. Hans Jürg
Meier, Kuller Fischer as well as our son Sebastian, who was
eight at the time, were all part of the group. In the evening when
it got dark, we sat in front of the house by the light of a gas lan-
tern, and sang German ballads. Elvira enjoyed this very much,
even though she couldn‟t understand any of it. So I asked Josua
to translate some of the words for her, which he did. The next
song was “Es zogen drei Sänger“ (Three wandering minstrels).
When it got to the verse: “and he spread his cape on the ground
and settled his sweetheart upon it,” I recognised just two words
Changes: KIT Address List Sept 2010
Please copy these updated and new addresses and add them to
your KIT Address List September 2010.
Cuenca, Virginia (Loewenthal) – her current address:
805 Tabor Rd
Morris Plains NJ 07950
Herman, Deb (LeBlanc) – new email address:
Jackson, Gordon & Linda (Lord) – new email address:
Johnson, Hannah (Goodwin) – new address:
100-102 Elm Street, Apt. B-6
Edgewood, PA. 15218 USA
Stevenson, Gerrit-Jan – newly listed:
616 Celebation Dr
Princeton/Illinois (IL) 61356 USA
tel: +1 815 876 6002
Tsukroff, Judith – address and phone number corrected:
c/o Ray Tsukroff
35 Dally Farms Rd
Windsor, CT 06095-4316
tel: + 1 860727-8090
Vickery, Brenda (Vowles) – newly listed:
6 Mc Dougall Street, Kepnock
Bundaberg
Australia QLD 4670
tel: + 61 741 528 047
Keep In Touch Newsletter 14 Vol. XXIII No 2 September 2011
in Josua‟s Guaraní translation: poncho and cuñataí. Their sense
of fun was clear to see on both their faces.
We asked Josua to come with us when we visited the
Brauns, a Menonite family, living in what used to be Isla Marga-
rita. We also used this opportunity to spend many happy hours
by the Tapiracuay river before we had to leave again. Our son
Sebastian had his first riding lesson with Josua. The horse
wanted to throw him by going under an Espina de Corona tree.
Josua advised Basti to “give him a few firmly with the guacha“!
These visits were always great, and full of memories, we felt
they did Josua good.
Josua always had time for all Ex-Primavera folk who visited
him, to show them around what was once our homeland. He pa-
tiently explained over and over again, where for example the
kitchen or the cow sheds and so on once used to be: As in Loma
not one single house remained, in Isla just the baby house, and in
Ibaté the stone house in which we - the Friedemanns - once
lived. The bakery was nothing but a ruin. –In 1998 or 1999 a tor-
nado destroyed the baby house, at which point the Braun family
moved back to Friesland.
I welcome the fact that the Bruderhof took Josua back into
their care for the last years of his life.
Translation by Linda Lord Jackson
Memories of a Dear Friend
By John Holland
Over a forty-year-period Josua took anybody who came to visit
the old Primavera down to the river Tapiracuay in his horse cart.
He gave wonderful hospitality to a whole stream of visitors. He
treated everybody with great respect as if it were their first visit
or might be their last.
I remember him in the cowshed, and when my brother Peter
and I lived with the single men. I particularly remember his
sparkle and love for animals.
In 2002, the first time I saw him since we left Paraguay in
1961 he put his arms round me and hugged me as if we had nev-
er been apart.
Josua looking after his cows. (Two Photos: John Holland)
In 2005, on my next visit, we travelled together through northern
Paraguay and into the Chaco. It was like travelling with a Para-
guayan encyclopedia. His knowledge of Paraguay and the people
there made it a very special journey for me. We went together to
Makxawaya (the Lengua Indian mission station that our family
lived at for a year in 1961). Josua had a very realistic concept of
what the Lengua Indians needs were.
And then we had the memorable river trip on the river stea-
mer down the Paraguay River from Concepción down to Asun-
ción. We paid the rent on the 18 third-class-hammocks so that
the people on the boat could have a comfortable night. We really
enjoyed the company of the fellow travelers. Josua just had a
knack of making everybody relax and making it possible for us
all to enjoy each other's company.
As soon as we reached Asunción, Josua could not wait to get
back to his homestead. He did not like the city.
I met him again in 2009 in Asunción, when he was with a
Bruderhof group and preparing for his move to Woodcrest.
When I suggested to him that he should not spend too much time
with me, because the bruderhofers might not like it, he said with
his usual twinkle, “Ach, what difference does it make – what can
they do?” And we carried on, laughing about our stories.
And then I met him at Woodcrest later that year. We had our
usual hug and delight at meeting up with each other again. He
was very happy and
seemed to have a wonder-
ful relationship with all his
old friends there. When I
asked him about his health
he said: “Ach, don't worry
John.” – Adios amigo.
John Holland visited the
grave of Josua in Woodcrest
this year. >
___________________________________________
KIT Gathering in Blossoming
Bulstrode Park
By Raphael Vowles
The annual gathering of KIT folk in the United Kingdom was
held again at Bulstrode Park, on Saturday – 7th
May 2011. The
event was well attended with many friends meeting to enjoy the
occasion. A great range of food was provided by all. The park
and lakes were exceptionally beautiful this year – the timing was
just perfect to catch the wide variety of exotic flowering shrubs.
It is always a pleasure to see the whole place so well cared for.
Many thanks again to the organizers and WEC for making the
facilities available.
It being the 50th
anniversary of the abandoning of Primavera
a picture CD was available for those that wanted to take home
the memories from the Swiss photographers that visited Prima-
vera in January 1961. A book celebrating Paraguay‟s 200 years
of independence was also available for those that were interested.
Desecration at the grave yard
Those gathering in Bulstrode were shocked to find that the grave
of Don Alexander‟s father had been desecrated and that the site
had been vandalized. WEC and Darvell were informed. This
seems to have been a targeted action that left the other graves un-
touched. Some people felt they would no longer be happy to visit
the graves of their loved ones alone; the graveyard atmosphere
was no longer peaceful.
The desecration of graveyards is a criminal offence. I have
had much opposition in my attempts to publish this information.
I feel it is important to bring this news to the wider KIT reader-
ship. I do hope the wind can help us come to terms with these
tempestuous times.
Keep In Touch Newsletter 15 Vol. XXIII No 2 September 2011
Autumn
Poem by Susanna Alves, November2001
He gets up from the chair, his body aches.
He shuffles to the door.
She plays the song again,
“Remember me my dear.”
Remember me. Remember.
How can he forget.
Standing in the door, he sees the light unfold.
The saxophone’s calls, cries and sobs
expand behind him.
How can he bear it, this entreating sound.
His eyes drift inward
while gath’ring in his surroundings.
He sees a most beautiful, mellow autumn day.
The sky is clear of cloud
yet early mist still hangs on the horizon
and won’t let the sky take blue.
Not yet.
It overcomes him how beautiful this day is,
this autumn;
how much he hungers to enjoy it.
Enjoy his autumn in autumn.
Share the beauty with her,
she whom he remembers far too well.
She sees this beauty too.
But she is gone.
He can only share autumn and beauty
with his own self now.
Yet when beauty is thus overwhelming,
aloneness is not enough anymore.
As beauty seeps into him
it requires to be let out again
into the chest and heart and mind
and brain and bloodstream and bones
and nerve centres
of his beloved.
The saxophone sails
above orchestra and choir.
It yearns, calls, woos.
Now it recedes;
returns, coaxing.
Why is it sobbing?
They hold hands as they walk,
and she says, “Oh, look,”
and he will look.
He will know and see as her eyes and soul see.
They will stand quietly,
she will lean against him
as she always does,
their bodies touching,
alongside each other.
He places his arm around her warm waist.
She turns her face,
their eyes meet
to find the beauty reflected there.
They kiss gently.
Old, tender lips, soft as silk.
Now nature breaks the spell
— a laughing blackbird flies low over the road;
a Robin, unseen, offers a brief trill.
But not anymore.
Now, multiplied beauty seeps away unnoticed.
He knows that it will revert to where it comes from,
but this knowledge does not satisfy,
is not enough.
His torment is turned unbearable
because beauty’s dance will begin ever again.
Its perpetuity he cannot intercept and end.
It is the pain that paralyses.
He stands and remembers,
and looks to his horizon,
focussing his eyes:
A hedge, shrubs, some roofs, a distant tree.
Like gossamer shroud,
the thin mist still floats,
pinned to that horizon.
The saxophone has ceased its lament.
He hears a rustling in the room behind him.
He turns and looks.
“Don’t play it again, Samantha, my child,” he says.
Armadillos Harbor Mycobacterium
Leprae
By Erdmuthe Arnold
A report in the Wall Street Journal of April 28th
, 2011 says that
“the armadillo is the only non-human animal known to harbor
Mycobacterium leprae, which causes leprosy.” Remembering
how eager the boys in Primavera were to hunt these animals to
harvest a special treat of tasty roasted meat, I now think how for-
tunate they really were.
In his article, “Leprosy Linked to Armadillos,” Ron Winslow
cites several studies which have fingered the armadillo as the
most likely source of leprosy (also called Hansen‟s disease)
among some Americans
who contracted the rare dis-
ease in the USA. According
to the New England Journal
of Medicine, several small
studies during the years
1980-2000 “suggest that
contact with the wild arma-
dillos is a risk factor,” but
that this risk is low. Re-
< Horst Pfeiffer with a nine
banded, young armadillo, in
Isla Margarita about 1958.
(Photo submitted by Andy
Harries).
searchers of the National
Hansen’s Disease Program
found out that infected armadillos captured in five southern
States had the same strain of Mycobacterium leprae as that found
in some Hansen's patients from the area. The most likely way
Keep In Touch Newsletter 16 Vol. XXIII No 2 September 2011
people might acquire the infection would be through contact with
the blood or uncooked flesh of an armadillo – because of a cut or
scratch in the skin.
In the USA leprosy is rare; with fewer than 250 new cases
reported yearly, most of them were acquired overseas. But in
one-third of the cases the “patients weren‟t out of the country or
couldn‟t recall contact with another infected person, leaving re-
searchers uncertain of the source of the bacterium,” writes Ron
Winslow. – On the other side, leprosy was a terrifying, lifelong
disease in Paraguay – as long it couldn‟t be treated properly. And
we do know from our time in Primavera that armadillos were a
extra supply of food for the people living in the countryside.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Contact Details for the Volunteers Who Produce Keep In Touch:
Charles Lamar: receives/edits articles, letters, etc; address: c/o SFCR, 755 Frederick St. 1st floor, San Francisco, CA 94117, USA,
Tel: +1-415-386-6072 - Email: [email protected]
Erdmuthe Arnold: receives/edits articles, letters etc. and formats the issue; address: Ostendstraße 22, 60314, Frankfurt am Main,
Germany. Tel: +49-69-444099 - Email: [email protected]
Linda Jackson: maintains address lists, sends out email newsletters and mails paper newsletters for Europe and the rest of the world
(Argentine, Brazil, Paraguay, Australia). Address: 7 Severn Street, Longridge, Lancashire, PR3 3ND. UK. - Tel: (land line) +44-
(0)1772-784473 or (mobile) +44-(0)7703-133369 - Email: [email protected]
Dave Ostrom: mails US and Canadian paper newsletters; address: 1530 Lydon Court, Clarkston, WA 99403 USA;
Email: [email protected]
Your annual contribution for the KIT Newsletter 2011
The suggested annual contribution is US$ 20, UK£ 10, or Euro€ 15 for three issues. The next issue in 2012 is planned for April.
Depending on which currency you use, please send your money
in North America to Tim Johnson: US $ cash or checks made out to „Tim Johnson‟. Address: 155 Garden Lane, Decatur, GA30030,
USA. Tel: +1-404-373-0633; Email: [email protected]
in England to Joy MacDonald: UK£ checks, cash or Bank transfer. Please check details with Joy. In any case, checks should be made
out to Joy MacDonald personally, and not to KIT (as Bank rules have changed). Address: Foxglen, Pinemount Road, Camberley, Sur-
rey, GU15 2LU, UK. Tel: +44-(0)1276-26938. Email: [email protected]
Euros or other currencies to Anthony Lord: Euro € checks, cash or bank transfers. Details for bank transfers: Volksbank Brüggen-
Nettetal EG, BLZ: 31062154, Kontonummer 2201052010, Objektbezeichnung: „KIT‟. From other countries, currencies converted to
Euros can also be deposited into the account using: IBAN: DE52 3106 2154 2201 0520 10, or BIC: GENODED1KBN. Address:
House of Lords, Johann-Finken-Straße 35, 41334 Nettetal, GERMANY. Email: [email protected]
Email subscribers: Please let Linda Jackson know that you have received the KIT Newsletter ([email protected]). Also please let
her know if you have changed your preferred email address.
Addresses – a request for all subscribers: Please let Linda Jackson know of any errors in address, or change of address: 7 Severn
Street, Longridge, Lancashire, PR3 3ND, UK. Email: [email protected] (write or email only please).
Also, if you need an enlarged printout of the Newsletter (size A3) please contact Linda.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________