General Description

    The Hutterites are a unique group in that they have maintained their social structure for over four centuries.  This
structure is characterized by economy of human effort, communal sharing of wealth and a high degree of security for the
individual.  Both spiritual and material needs are satisfied.

    By living on large acreages of communally owned land, the Hutterites maintain a degree of geographic isolation.  Their
German dialect and distinctive dress assure social isolation.  To Hutterites, honoring God requires communal living, devout
pacifism, proper observance of religious practices and refraining from excessive outside influence through television, radio
and computers.

    The Hutterites are the largest family-type communal group in the Western world.  They are especially noted for large-scale
farming, larger families, and effective training of the young.  All Hutterites inhabit the United States and Canada; there are
none left in the European areas of their origin.

History

    The Hutterites originated during the Protestant Reformation in the sixteenth century and are one of three surviving
Anabaptist groups.  The other two are the Mennonites and the Old Order Amish.  The Hutterite branch of the Anabaptists
wished to establish Christian-type communities in which private property would be abolished and possessions surrendered
voluntarily.

    The Hutterites regard 1528 as their founding date.  While fleeing from Nikolsburg to Austerlitz, a group of religious
refugees introduced the practice of "community of goods".  They shared all material goods and selected overseers to
distribute them fairly.  The first colony was founded in Austerlitz, in Moravia.  Hutterites are named after their most
outstanding leader, Jacob Hutter, who was whipped and burned at the stake in 1536.

    Since Hutterites were outstanding farmers and craftsmen, they were tolerated for a time in Moravia.  This was a time of
growth and prosperity as they expanded to about eighty colonies, containing around 20 000 people.  Colony trades included
ceramics, cutlery, milling, wine making, spinning, weaving, tailoring, clock making, and carriage making, and all young men
were apprenticed into one of these.  Hutterite nurses, midwives, and doctors were in great demand, as were Hutterite
schools.  The development of Kindergartens by Hutterites, occurred in Europe during this time.

    Growing intolerance for Hutterites followed prosperity.  They were accused of monopoly and were the targets of raids
and robbery.  Following the war between Austria and Turkey in 1593, Hutterites were driven from Moravia, east into
Slovakia and other small states.  Here they were pressured under torture to return to the Catholic faith and many did, but a
small group relocated to the Ukraine in 1770.  In Russia, economic recovery was followed by a period of decline and
illiteracy, and then religious revival.  By 1872, all Hutterites were forced to leave Europe.  They did so voluntarily since they
were no longer allowed to teach German in their schools and religious freedom was in jeopardy.

    The Hutterites, who were 800 in number, relocated to South Dakota, where about half chose to homestead individually.
The other established three separate colonies, between 1874 and 1877.  At first things went well and the Hutterites were
largely ignored by the general populace.  However, when the First World War began in 1914, and the U.S. became involved,
Hutterites were viewed as enemy foreigners, because of their refusal to participate in military service.  During this time,
Hutterite men were beaten and tortured, livestock was raided and people were forbidden to speak German.  This caused many
Hutterites to immigrate to Canada.  The war had created a labor shortage on the Canadian prairies and the Canadian
government was anxious to settle Hutterites there.  Consequently they were assured of military exemption and religious
freedom.  Land was purchased in Alberta and Manitoba in 1918.  There was some anxiety among other settlers, especially in
Alberta, but this passed when the war was over.

    The fifteen colonies that settled in Canada in 1918, were located in grain-growing areas, similar to South Dakota.  The
Schmiedeleut settled six colonies in Manitoba, and the Darius and Lehrerleut, settled nine colonies in southwestern Alberta.
Between 1918 and 1929, four additional colonies were founded in Manitoba, and eleven in Alberta.  This rapid expansion of
Hutterite holdings, along with Mennonite immigration to the Canadian prairies, caused some concern that these groups were
buying up the best lands in the province, but when the depression hit in the 1930's, opposition died out.  The Hutterite groups
were self-sufficient, and did not require assistance to get through tough economic times, although they were still very poor.
Because land prices were low at this time, more colonies were established: seven new Schmiedeleut Colonies in Manitoba and
seven new Darius and Lehrerleut Colonies in Alberta.

    By 1940, there were 52 Hutterite Colonies in Canada, which were well-off and on good terms with their neighbours.  This
changed when World War II began, as Hutterites refused to enter military service and were classified as conscientious
objectors.  In lieu of jail time, many chose to do alternative service like planting trees, handling grain at elevators and running
church camps.  Much of the hostility towards Hutterites came from their continued expansion, at a time when farming was
again profitable and land prices more competitive.  During the 1940's, a series of discriminatory government acts in Alberta,
like the "Communal Property Act", made selling land to Hutterites, almost impossible, and forced colony expansion into
Saskatchewan, Montana and northern Alberta.  Twelve colonies were established in Montana and eight in Saskatchewan
during this time.  Smooth transitions to Hutterite ownership were facilitated, especially in Saskatchewan.  Eventually the
Government in Alberta set up a Communal Property Control Board to regulate Hutterite expansion.  At this time, there was a
sixty mile minimum set between Colony properties.  Twelve new Hutterite colonies were started in Manitoba, during the
1950's.  Colonies were spread out more and did not get to be as large as those in Alberta.

    The opposition and restrictive legislation directed towards the Hutterites after World War II in Canada, drew them more
closely together.  In 1950, the three main branches of the Hutterites, the Dariusleut, Lehrerleut, and Schmiedeleut unified to
form the Hutterian Brethren Church.  This organization meets once a year to discuss matters of common concern.

    In 1960, the Bill of Rights, which was passed by the Diefenbaker Government, made people more aware of civil liberties
and attacks on minorities became less tolerated.  In Alberta, the Communal Property Act was repealed in 1973, allowing
Hutterites to purchase land for the first time in 30 years.  As a result, seven new colonies were established.

Education
Colonies in Horizon School Division each have their own school where teachers, hired by the Division, provide instruction to Hutterite children based on the guidelines established in the Alberta curriculum.  Hutterite children also have the opportunity for instruction in their German language prior to and following the English school instruction.
 
 

Hutterian Brethren School	Teacher	Phone Number
Armada	Terri Hansen	792-2346
Bluegrass	Kim Francis	642-3693
Cameron Farms	Lorraine Lavoie	223-8394
Elmspring	James Schalk	642-2181
Enchant	Kim Estabrooks	739-2069
Fairlane	Jody Grue	222-3993
Hillridge	Rachel Wilson	223-8412
Lomond	Wendy Egeland	792-2369
Midland	Bruce Oka	223-8430
Miltow	Sharon Kerfoot	642-2259
Oaklane	Ryan Nugent	223-8431
Prairiehome	Shane Wilson	223-8412
River Road	Charlene Price	344-2265
Sunnysite	Doris Janzen	642-2294
Delco	Suzanne Karren
Kingsland	Rod Bevans	733-3510
Cameron Farms East	Heather Brantner	380-9202