Aurich (Ostfriesland, Niedersachsen, Germany)
Aurich is a city in East Friesland. The city contains a provincial archives with important documents under the title "Mennonitica." From Aurich a sharp decree of Edzard II was issued to the Emden council against the Anabaptists on 13 January 1577. From here Count Rudolf Christian on 26 May 1628 issued the first letter of protection to the Mennonites, which became a pattern for future attitudes. About that time there was probably an Anabaptist congregation here, concerning which there are only a few bits of information. On 10 February 1644 Ennon Rippers, Hendrik Stralman, Clas Janssen, Sicke Azelts and Jakob Frerichs, all citizens of Aurich, complained that their preacher had been taken from them and imprisoned, although they were entirely unaware of any wrongdoing; and that they had been surprised by the police on 1 February 1644 in nearby Oldeborg at divine services, and their leading preacher arrested. The Dutch Elder Leenaert Bouwens had baptized six persons at Aurich between 1551 and 1554, and 17 between 1563 and 1565.
From a register dated 1646, listing 21 names (probably names of families) it is seen that there were in Aurich two Mennonite churches, a Flemish and a Waterlander. The little congregation was obviously not able to meet the increasing financial pressure of the government; it seems to have dissolved through the emigration of the members. In a petition of the East Frisian Mennonites in 1709 the statement is made that the church in Aurich "had died out or had perished in some other way."
At the instigation of Prince George Albrecht the two parties (Mennonites and Uckowallists) met in Aurich on 1 May 1723 in order to consider a new government assessment of 3,000 talers.
Bibliography
Hege, Christian and Christian Neff. Mennonitisches Lexikon, 4 vols. Frankfurt & Weierhof: Hege; Karlsruhe; Schneider, 1913-1967: v. I, 96.
Müller, Johann Peter. Die Mennoniten in Ostfriesland vom 16. bis zum 18. Jahrhundert: aktemässige kulturgeschichtliche Darstellung. Emden: W. Haynel, 1887.
Maps
| Author(s) | Christian Neff |
|---|---|
| Date Published | 1953 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Neff, Christian. "Aurich (Ostfriesland, Niedersachsen, Germany)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1953. Web. 16 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Aurich_(Ostfriesland,_Niedersachsen,_Germany)&oldid=54097.
APA style
Neff, Christian. (1953). Aurich (Ostfriesland, Niedersachsen, Germany). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 16 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Aurich_(Ostfriesland,_Niedersachsen,_Germany)&oldid=54097.
Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 1, p. 190. All rights reserved.
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