From Alm to the Cotswolds

Papa’s flight to the Alm Bruderhof afforded him some respite, but the safety that the Alm Bruderhoh afforded over the Rhoen Bruderhof, could not lessen the effects that the Nazi movement had over all of Europe. The control that Hitler exerted in Germany would spread over all of the European continent, and any opposition that presented itself to the Nazi way would be stifled, at best, but usually just crushed.

In April of 1937 the Rhoen community was informed by telephone that all their residents had twenty-four hours to leave the Bruderhof. The state had confiscated all books and keys and they were ordered out!

Before they left, the officials of the state wrote down names ages and any other pertinent information that could be useful to the Hitler regime. The community was forced from its home, and forced out without any of their household goods or anything connected with the community. Basically, with only the clothes on their backs.

It was obvious that it would not be long before the surrounding countries would be forced to succumb to the mounting pressure of the “Third Reich”.
Consequently, those that were in the Alm community in Liechtenstein knew that they had little time before they would be forced out of the country, and worse, that the military aged men would be forced to enter the German army. To refuse would most certainly be prison or, quite possibly, death.

Once again, Papa would have to flee. As his passport was getting close to expiration his escape would have to be soon. A friend had been chosen to escort him to the safety of England as there was a Bruderhof in the English area of the Cotswolds. Papa could only speak German and was able to travel by himself as far as Ostend, Belgium.

In order to obtain a visa to enter into England, it was necessary for Papa to have an invitation for work. His invitation, from a Mrs. Mason, was for the purpose of Papa helping her purchase horses (I suppose that the times he spent with the horses instead of being in kindergarten was preparing him for those times).
Ironically, the same agent that Papa met at customs was also the agent that received another man from the Bruderhof who also had an invitation from a Mrs. Mason, but his invitation was for the express purpose of assisting her in the purchase of “cattle“. Coincidence aside, Papa was able to enter England!