Schmiedeleut

The Schmiedeleut, also Schmiedeleit, are a branch of the

Hutterites that emerged in 1859. It is divided into two subgroups.

Name
The founder of the Schmiedeleut, Michael Waldner (1834–1889),
was a blacksmith and therefore called "Schmied Michel", i.e.
"smith Michael". From Waldner's nickname the Schmiedeleut,
meaning "smith people", took their name.[1]
Schmiedeleut Hutterites singing

History

Russian Empire

In 1857 some Hutterites under the leadership of George Waldner

tried to reestablish community of goods in Hutterdorf, Ukraine,
then part of the Russian Empire, after having abandoned this
custom in 1819 in Radichev, but this first attempt failed. In 1859
Michael Waldner and Jakob Hofer (1830–1900) successfully
reestablished a community of goods.[2]

America

The followers of Michael Waldner, all together 113 people, left

their homes in the Ukraine in June 1874 to settle at Bon Homme
Schmiedeleut Hutterites at school in
Hutterite Colony in South Dakota, the mother colony of the
Crystal Springs Colony, Manitoba,
Schmiedeleut. During their journey 36 children died of an epidemic
Canada
of dysentery in Lincoln, Nebraska.[3] The Schmiedeleut flourished
in their new home in South Dakota and in 1878 a second colony
(Tripp Colony in Yankton, South Dakota) was formed. An attempt
to relocate this second colony to Tidioute, Pennsylvania, soon
failed and the colony returned to South Dakota.[4]

Shortly after World War I, two Hutterite conscientious objectors,

Joseph and Michael Hofer, died in an American prison. This and
the growing anti-German sentiment caused the emigration of the
Schmiedeleut to Manitoba, Canada, in the following years.[5] Five
Schmiedeleut colonies (Milltown, Maxwell, Rosedale, Huron and
James Valley) left the United States, only Bon Homme Colony Schmiedeleut Hutterites at work
remained.
In the 1930s the Schmiedeleut started again to form new colonies in
South and North Dakota, thus returning to the United States. In
1950 there were 20 Schmiedeleut colonies in Manitoba, 15 in
South Dakota and one in North Dakota. In 1973 there were 91
Schmiedeleut colonies in Manitoba, South and North Dakota.[6] In
1980 the Schmiedeluet started their first colony in Minnesota. More
were to follow to this state in the next decades.

Division Limestone House at Bon Homme

Colony
In 1992 the Schmiedleut started to divide into two subgroups over
several questions like certain management procedures of the
Kleinsasser group, financial ventures and a lawsuit over patent
rights with another Hutterite. The relation with the Bruderhof
Communities and higher education were further issues. Elder Jacob
Kleinsasser of Crystal Spring Colony in Manitoba condoned all
these things, while a conservative group opposed them. It took
some time before separation was achieved.[7]

The followers of Kleinsasser later took the name "Hutterian

Brethren". They are also called "Schmiedeleut I" or "Group 1".
They are nicknamed "Oilers". The more traditional Schmiedeleut Schmiedeleut Hutterite women return
branch took the name "Committee Hutterites". They are also called from working in the fields
"Schmiedeleut II" or "Group 2". They are nicknamed "Gibbs".[8]

Around the year 2010 there were 120 colonies of the more conservative "Committee Hutterites", whereas
there were some 60 colonies of the "Hutterian Brethren" branch, that embraces many customs of the
modern world.[9]

There were also independent Hutterite colonies of Schmiedeleut origin, for example the Elmendorf
Christian Community.

Schmiedeleut today
Schmiedeleut today are the more progressive branch of the Hutterites, especially the "Hutterian Brethren"
who were the followers of Elder Jacob Kleinsasser. The women of the Schmiedeleut wear a tiechle (head
scarf) without or with very small polka dots, whereas Dariusleut have smaller polka dots and Lehrerleut
large polka dots that cover a large amount of the pattern of the fabric.[10]

References
1. Waldner, Michael (1834-1889) at Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online (http://g
ameo.org/index.php?title=Waldner,_Michael_%281834-1889%29)
2. John A. Hostetler: Hutterite Society, Baltimore, MD, 1974, pages 107/9.
3. John A. Hostetler: Hutterite Society, Baltimore, MD, 1974, pages 115/6.
4. Tripp Hutterite Colony (Yankton, South Dakota, USA) at Global Anabaptist Mennonite
Encyclopedia Online (http://gameo.org/index.php?title=Tripp_Hutterite_Colony_%28Yankto
n,_South_Dakota,_USA%29)
 5. "World War 1" (http://www.hutterites.org/history/world-war-1/). Hutterites.org. Decker Colony
School.
6. John A. Hostetler: Hutterite Society, Baltimore, MD, 1974, page 362.
7. Alvin J. Esau: The Courts and the Colonies: The Litigation of Hutterite Church Disputes,
Vancouver & Toronto 2004.
8. Hutterian Brethren: The Elders at hutterites.org (http://www.hutterites.org/the-leut/the-elders/)
9. Donald Kraybill: Concise Encyclopedia of Amish, Brethren, Hutterites, and Mennonites,
Baltimore, MD, 2010, page 237.
10. Lynne Hume: The Religious Life of Dress: Global Fashion and Faith, London et al. 2013,
page 46.

Literature
John A. Hostetler: Hutterite Society, Baltimore, MD, 1974.
Alvin J. Esau: The Courts and the Colonies: The Litigation of Hutterite Church Disputes,
Vancouver & Toronto 2004.
Rod Janzen and Max Stanton: The Hutterites in North America, Baltimore, MD, 2010.
John Lehr and Yosef Kats: Inside the Ark: The Hutterites in Canada and the United States,
Regina 2012.

External links
hutterites.org (http://www.hutterites.org/), the website of the Hutterian Brethren
Schmiedeleut split (http://www.hutterites.org/split/), information about the subgroups

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