File Folder 2 - Braun, Abraham

BOX 19, FOLDER 2 This Description represents a later version of the original notes--a somewhat edited and perhaps more complete version--as compared to the Items listed under Folder 2. Thin (3/16”) folder. The correspondent very probably was Abraham J. Braun, associated with the south-German Mennonite Conference and chairman of the organization governing the Mennonitisches Lexikon. Some of the correspondence is about planning the program of the 1952 Mennonite World Conference. Letters are in German, mostly typed. (Note: this annotator’s German is not strong, and his notes may be quite incomplete and not entirely accurate.) {1} Abraham Braun to Bender, no date: seems to ask Bender to destroy this short letter after reading it; that Brother Händiges [probably Pastor Emil Händiges ?] was sick and as chairman of the organization no longer in the foreground; writer did not know what could be done... (continues with more). {2} Abraham Braun to Bender (at Basel), Ernst Crous, Fritz Hege, Gerrit van Delden, and Heinrich Schneider, February 20, 1948 (wrote as chair of the “Mennonitisches Lexikon Lexikon - Auschuss” (Mennonitisches Lexikon Lexikon Committee ?), from Ibersheim in Hesse in the Rhineland]: answering a letter of January 28 to the main writers; thankful for the November 27, 1947 transcript (notes, minutes ?) of the Lexikon Committee and the Treasurer’s report...; according to the contract of August 31, 1947, the inheritance [legacy??] from Hege and Neff [Christian Hege, Christian Neff] had ?? the Lexikon project something about being transferred (jointly ??)to the union of German Mennonite churches and the Baden-Wurtemberg-Bavarian church union... (continued with 1/4 page of explanation).... {3} Abraham Braun to Bender, April 6, 1949 [informal stationery of the Palatine-Hessian Conference]: answering Bender’s of February 15 [not extant here]; sorry about the delay, Braun had been away; thanks for the comment that the brethren E. Waltner [Erland Waltner ?], C. J. Rempel [Cornelius J. Rempel], and G. F. Hershberger [Guy Hershberger, Guy F. Hershberger] wished to attend our Conference on June 16 in Ludwigshafen; you suggested putting Waltner on our program; Braun hoped that there would be time for greetings from the others of you; on June 14 the leaders of the conference would meet at Monsheim, and on the 15th the membership would meet at Ludwigshafen... (more such information); suggested attending Thomashof Days on 18th and 19th; mention Brother Crous [probably Ernst Crous]; if Bender was in Europe it was necessary to have a meeting of the Lexikon committee--details yet unknown; cc’s to Robert Kreider [Robert S. Kreider] in Basel and Walter Eicher at Neustadt. {4} Abraham Braun to Bender, May 25, 1949: unfortunately had not been possible to write earlier--hoped this letter will reach you before your trip to Europe; was sending the exact program of the June 16 Conference [see just above]...; with your coming it would be useful to have a meeting of the Lexikon committee; mention brothers Crous and Hege [probably Ernst Crous, Fritz Hege]; details.... • • • ATTACHED, Abraham Braun to Bender, Ernst Crous, Fritz Hege, Engineer Gerrit van Delden, publisher Heinrich Schneider, May 25, 1949: agenda for next meeting of the Lexikon Committee, June 19, 1949 at Thomashof, at 8 p.m. {5} Abraham Braun to Bender, August 21, 1950: reference to Bender’s of August 18 [not extant here]; had hoped you and I could speak before your return to America; would have liked to discuss mission questions; it seemed impossible to form a European Mennonite Mission Committee; ... (seems to be pointing to theological differences, etc.); on a matter that your letter did not raise, about an Advisory Committee (seems to be pleading that all was going well with brotherly love...); doubted he could be a candidate--the nomination (?) would have to [be approved by ??] No. 1 Chairman Brother Händiges [probably Pastor Emil Händiges ?], and [? Braun could scarcely nominate himself]; let the matter rest in God’s hands. / In your letter to Brother Cattepoel [probably Dirk Cattepoel] you indicated that at your October 7 MCC meeting in Chicago you would compose official letter to the Union and other organizations; please take care that there will be no misunderstanding with Chairman Händiges [probably Pastor Emil Händiges ?]...; ... hoped to speak with Cattepoel at the next opportunity; comments about relating with the brotherhood [? hinting at theological differences, with Braun taking his stand with the Bible?? -- Pietism v. liberalism ?? and] mentioning some one [Mennonite Brethren?] being dogmatic about the form of baptism.... {6} Bender to Abraham Braun, June 21, 1951: Brother Kleine [?? C. J. Kleine, Cornelius J. Kleine ??] had noticed that Brother Händiges [probably Pastor Emil Händiges ?] was not on the Mennonite World Conference program; after consulting with Brother Crous [Ernst Crous ??]; seems to suggest that Händiges be allowed to conduct devotions.... {7} Abraham Braun to Bender, July 17, 1951 [fully two-page, closely typed letter]: appreciated yours of July 7; was in full agreement with your letter to Brother Wenger--mentioned some details, including about registration at the Conference [probably Mennonite World Conference], Treasurer’s report, and membership of the Executive Committee; follows with a further paragraph, then a program plan, discussion of the program plan; mention Benjamin Unruh, Erland Waltner, overall theme “The Church of Jesus Christ--Its Task”, and other more specific themes; cc’s to members of the Executive Committee [not named]. {8} Abraham Braun to Bender [as Chairman of the Planning Commission for the Fifth Mennonite World Conference, August 1, 1951: about the memorial plaques the Mennonite World Conference had in mind for Conrad Grebel and Felix Manz in Zurich; thanks for your July 13 letter [not extant here] with its definitive sketch of the program; half-page of comments under points. {9} Bender to Abraham Braun, October 22, 1951: through your son Christian [Christian Braun], whom Bender saw almost daily, he had news of your illness and condition; that [? because of Braun’s condition he should do very little on behalf of the brotherhood for a month ??]; goes on with Mennonite World Conference business; about [giving responsibilities ?] to either Otto Schowalter or Brother Händiges [probably Pastor Emil Händiges ?]; very disturbed that Waltner would not be coming [probably Erland Waltner]; about the Dutch exercising a veto concerning Dr. Horst Quiring regarding has party connections and wartime work in Holland; that has to be a mistake, no? can you explain?.... • • • REPLY, Abraham Braun to Bender, November, 1951: glad for his son Christian’s [Christian Braun] year at Goshen College...; about giving Brother Händiges [probably Pastor Emil Händiges ?] a place--he might accept if Bender proposed it; willing to stay with the theme “The Church of Jesus Christ--Its Task”--that Braun understood it to refer to more than just ...; had spoken with Brother Otto Schowalter, and he was ready to pursue that theme; mention an assignment for Brother Richard Hertzler; to whom shall he communicate his assent--the secretary in Basel or to C. F. Klassen [Cornelius F. Klassen]?... (bit of comment). / That Brother Dr. Horst Quiring had not been a party member [Nazism?], not even nominated; in 1935 he had studied in Holland, but was not there during the war--but for a short time in France, then the rest of the time in Poland and Russia, where he became a prisoner of war; Braun suspected he was being confused with Walter Quiring [earlier, Jakob Quiring], who had been “PG”, or else with a Horst Quiring of Hannover, whom Braun did not know was Mennonite--not our Horst Quiring. / Brother Bender, you overestimate me! I am clumsy with many mistakes... (elaborates at length, mentioning Brother Neff [probably Christian Neff]); very regrettable and unfortunate if Erland Waltner could not come to Basel.... {10} Abraham Braun to Bender, December 21, 1951: full-page letter, in some detail, about the program of coming Mennonite World Conference, with ample personal gratitude and credit to Bender. {11} Abraham Braun to Bender, February 11, 1952: the Mennonite World Conference matters were giving him no rest; 2/3 page letter seems to express worry about giving proper roles or recognition to different Mennonite communities or regions of Europe.... {12} Abraham Braun to Bender, April 26, 1952: reference to Bender’s of April 17 [not extant here]; details about Mennonite World Conference program. 5/8 page letter. {13} Bender to Abraham Braun, January 13, 1953: urgently needed additions to two Mennonitisches Lexikon articles now translated for Mennonite Encyclopedia... (specifics). {14} Abraham Braun to Bender, Ernst Crous, Fritz Hege, Engineer Gerrit van Delden, publisher Heinrich Schneider, May 16, 1953: for the Lexikon Committee meeting on May 31 at Weierhof bei Marnheim in the Palatinate, here is the agenda; some comment; if Bender could not come, asked him to name a representative. {15} Abraham Braun to Bender, Ernst Crous, Fritz Hege, Engineer Gerrit van Delden, publisher Heinrich Schneider, July 9, 1954: agenda for Lexikon Committee meeting at MCC house in Frankfurt, July 26.... {16} Abraham Braun to Mennonite Central Committee, Akron; Vereinigung der Deutschen Mennoniten Gemeinden, Hamburg; Verband der Badisch-Württembergisch-Bayerischen Mennoniten-Gemeinden [Union of German Mennonite Churches; Association of the Bad-Wurtemberg Mennonite Churches], October 14, 1954: the organization had been formed upon the deaths the Mennonitisches Lexikon founders [Christian Neff, Christian Hege]; basic information naming committee personnel, purposes, etc.; an attached document with headings [in German] for “Archives”, “Library”; statistics about it; financial report; etc. etc. {17} Abraham Braun to Bender, November 14, 1955: responding to yours of October 17, 1955 [not extant here], clarifying which was the largest group in the German brotherhood--elaboration; mention Richard Hertzler; gave some recent actions of the Conference of south-German Mennonites; the conference’s relation to MCC; cc’s to Otto Schowalter of Hamburg and Fritz Stauffer of Ludwigshafen on the Rhine, Johannes Botel of Batzenhof, Ulrich Hege of Reihen, “Th. Glück” [?? Theodor Glück, Theodor Glueck ??] of Lamprechtshof. {18} Bender to Abraham Braun, January 7, 1957: had Braun’s letter of December 30 [not extant here]; good to have clarification; sorry he had not been able to agree to the rise in price--elaborated a bit; tomorrow planed to write a letter to you and brother Craus [sic--probably Ernst Crous]; seems to write about some difference of opinion about Mennonitisches Lexikon needing [? to pay for ??] old age pensions [social insurance, social security ??];Bender had not contemplated the project lasting for more than three years--it was really impossible that this thing would extend to ten years, accumulating the costs; Crous had not seen this clearly. {19} Abraham Braun to Bender, August 11, 1957: handwritten receipt for a check of $225.00 from Mennonite Publishing House via Bender. {20} Abraham Braun as Chairman of the Lexikon Committee to the members--Bender, Ernst Crous, Fritz Hege, Engineer Gerrit van Delden, publisher Heinrich Schneider, Horst Quiring, October 12, 1957: heading, “Einladung” [invitation]; about the Sixth Mennonite World Conference in Karlsruhe; about a meeting of the Lexikon Committee members only on November 12, 1957; gives 12-point agenda; logistical details. {21} Abraham Braun as Chairman of the Lexikon Committee to the members--Bender, Ernst Crous, Fritz Hege, Engineer Gerrit van Delden, publisher Heinrich Schneider, Horst Quiring, October 29, 1957: had invited you to an urgent meeting of the committee at Göttingen from October 12 to November 12 1957 [?? meaning sometime during that period ?]; circumstances dictate that the meeting should be on November 11 at 2 p.m.; elaborates, mentioning Dr. Crous [surely Ernst Crous].... {22} Abraham Braun to members of the Lexikon Committee--Bender, Ernst Crous, Fritz Hege, Engineer Gerrit van Delden, publisher Heinrich Schneider, Horst Quiring, 16th month, 16th day [sic--from external evidence, probably December 16], 1957: reference to the Committee’s protocol of November 11 and Brother Crous’ [Ernst Crous] memorandum of December 12 about the further direction of Mennonitisches Lexikon...; the memorandum says that the activity of Brother Hein [his four organizations ??] should be paid--elaboration at length; if the project ran for ten years, it would be absurd to hire someone for only 3 years.... {23} Bender to Abraham Braun and Ernst Crous, no date, but responding to the protocol and the memorandum mentioned in letter just above: had received Crous’ memorandum of December 12, 1957 yesterday; agreed with Braun’s proposal; the prospects that Bender might be in Germany late July, early August and of having a meeting of the chairmen of the history organizations; outlined 2 points, mention van Delden [Gerrit van Delden], Crous [Ernst Crous], and Brother Hein and a proofreader for Mennonite Encyclopedia; would explain further in a later writing.