View source for Dühren (Baden-Württemberg, Germany)

Dühren is a village in the Sinsheim area of the Heidelberg district in [[Baden-Württemberg (Germany)|Baden]], [[Germany|Germany]], where a Mennonite church came into being in the second half of the 17<sup>th</sup> century. The founders were refugees from the [[Bern (Switzerland)|Swiss canton of Bern]]. In spite of the Palatine decree of tolerance of 1664, the religious activities of the Mennonites were still subject to arbitrary Palatine officials. This often led to conflict between the government and the noblemen on whose estates the Swiss exiles were settled. A register of 53 Mennonites arrested at a meeting in Steinfurt in 1662 includes the names of Rudolf Hagi and Martin Maylin of Dühren.

The refugees arrived in a pitiable state. To alleviate their dire poverty the Dutch Mennonites gave them aid in 1672. The adjacent farms were already in Mennonite hands. On the Birkenauerhof were Ulrich Rieck, the widow Magdalena Neglee, and B. Mengel. The earliest list of members extant is dated 1731 and includes 13 families. Only two of the names, Bletscher and Sauter, on the list are still found in the congregation. Some families emigrated to [[North America|North America]], while others moved in from neighboring churches. In 1858 most of the members dissolved their connections with the Mennonite <em>[[Verband deutscher Mennonitengemeinden (Federation of Mennonite Churches)|Badischer Verband]] </em>and became followers of Michael Hahn ([[Michelians|Michelians]])<em>, </em>but without leaving the Mennonite Church. In 1921 the congregation numbered 37 souls, living in seven towns, and most of them farming. They held their services three times a month in Dühren and in the neighboring Ursenbacherhof (called Bleihof), hence was called Ursenbacherhof-Dühren. It appeared for the last time in 1941 in the directory of the <em>[[Christlicher Gemeinde-Kalender (Periodical)|Gemeinde-Kalender]] </em>with a membership of 50 plus seven unbaptized children. In 1945 the group joined the Sinsheim Mennonite congregation.
= Bibliography =
Hege, Christian and Christian Neff.<em class="gameo_bibliography">Mennonitisches Lexikon</em>, 4 vols. Frankfurt &amp; Weierhof: Hege; Karlsruhe; Schneider, 1913-1967:<em> </em>I, 485.

Hoop Scheffer, Jacob Gijsbert de. <em>Inventaris der Archiefstukken berustende bij de Vereenigde Doopsgezinde Gemeente to Amsterdam</em>, 2 vols. Amsterdam: Uitgegeven en ten geschenke aangeboden door den Kerkeraad dier Gemeente, 1883-1884: No. 1196.

Müller, Ernst. <em>Geschichte der Bernischen Täufer</em>. Frauenfeld: Huber, 1895. Reprinted Nieuwkoop : B. de Graaf, 1972: 210.
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