Amana Colonies

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Iowa Amana Colonies Welcome Sign
Typical house in town

The Amana Colonies (to German Amanakolonien ) consist of several settlements in the US state of Iowa . The Amana are a Christian denomination that goes back to the pietistic movement of the Inspired in Germany . It was based in Iowa from 1855 to 1932 on common ownership , collective labor, and the subsistence of its members from the jointly earned.

history

Origin in France and southern Germany

The movement of the inspired ( community of true inspiration ) emerged after the failed uprising of the French camisards in the Cevennes in southern France . The camisards were French Reformed ( Huguenots ), some of whom went back to the Waldensians . After the failure of the uprising, many of them were accepted into pietistic communities in southwest Germany. Here they also came into contact with radical pietism .

Emigration to America

A group of around 800 people finally emigrated from Germany to America in the 19th century . These settled from 1843 under the name Ebenezer Society ( Ebenezer Society ) in Buffalo , New York State . They migrated on to Iowa around 1854 .

In the 19th century there were religious refugees in Herrnhaag near Büdingen / Hessen, the "Amanas" who emigrated from here to North America.

Settlement in Iowa

Near Iowa City on the Iowa River , they founded several villages (colonies) under the name Amana, which are still in existence today. The colonies were named after the Amana hill named in the Song of Solomon . Until 1932 the community had no private property . However, the Great Depression forced the community of property to be abandoned . But the Amana villages still represent a culturally independent structure that is still heavily influenced by German, even if preaching has been in English since 1960. The Amana German is based heavily on southern German dialects (see also Pennsylvania German ). Unlike the Amish , the Amana have always been open to technical advances. Nevertheless, strong parallels between the pietistic inspired and the Anabaptists such as the rejection of military service or the oath were found in the life of faith . Friendly relations existed at the end of the 19th century, especially with the Hutterites , who were financially supported by the Inspired of the Amana villages after their immigration to the USA in 1878.

present

Now known as the Amana Church Society Church is partly also as The Community of True Inspiration ( community of true inspiration known).

The Amana still farm today. Among other things, they grew the tomato Amana Orange .

The Millstream Brewery, which originated in the Amana colonies, is the oldest brewery in Iowa.

The Amana colonies have been listed as part of the US National Historic Landmark since 1965 . The Amana Heritage Museum reminds u. a. to a communal kitchen around 1932.

See also

literature

Web links

Commons : Amana Colonies (Iowa)  - Collection of pictures, videos, and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. Victor Peters: The Hutterite Brothers . NGElwert Verlag, 1992, p. 115 .
  2. ^ Website of the Amara Heritage Museum , accessed April 1, 2016
  3. pp. 163-198.

Coordinates: 41 ° 48 ′  N , 91 ° 52 ′  W