History
Hutterites trace their origins to the Anabaptist movement, which emerged in Zurich, Switzerland, in the early 16th century. The Hutterite movement itself began in 1528 when some two hundred Anabaptists, led by Jacob Wiedemann, left Nicholsburg, Moravia, and embraced communal living. Symbolizing their commitment, Wiedemann spread a blanket on the ground, and all members relinquished their possessions for the collective survival of the group. Wiedemann's group embarked on a journey to Austerlitz, where pastor Jakob Hutter later joined them. Over time, Hutter assumed the role of the chief elder within the community and devoted himself to consolidating the scattered Anabaptist groups that spanned the Roman Empire. The Anabaptists encountered relentless persecution and were confronted with the constant threat of violence and death due to their unorthodox beliefs. In 1536, the Anabaptist elder Jakob Hutter was captured, tortured, and publicly burned at the stake in Innsbruck, Austria. As a gesture of reverence and remembrance for Hutter's sacrifice, the community of Anabaptists adopted the name “Hutterites” soon after his execution.
Through the Reformation in the 16th century in Switzerland, three reformed churches were established. The first one under Ulrich Zwingli in Zurich, the second one under John Calvin in Geneva, and the third one is the movement of the Anabaptists which had separated itself from the reformed church of Zwingli. They separated because the Reformed Church of Zurich was too beholden to the laws of the Council of Zurich and did not move their reforms fast enough. The Anabaptists believed that neither human beings nor the church should leave the decisions in matters of faith to the state. In particular, one should mention three men as founders and leaders of the movement: Conrad Grebel, Felix Manz, and Georg Blaurock. In a letter to Thomas Münzer Grebel emphasized that God and not the Pope is the final authority in matters of faith, the faithful must not take up the sword for their own defense or that of others (as it is the case with the Catholics and the Protestants), only human beings who had made a personal decision for a Christian life should be baptized--and this decision only adults can make.
Therefore, the baptism of adults is the only correct one. Grebel, Blaurock, Manz, and twelve other men baptized one another on the 21st of January, 1525, and thereby founded the movement of the Anabaptists or the Wiedertäufer and became known under the name Schweizerische Brüder (Swiss Brethren). The death penalty was introduced for Anabaptists, and a few months later Felix Manz was captured and gruesomely drowned in the Limmat River (Zurich). Thus Manz became the first in a series of Anabaptist martyrs. Many more were to follow during the next four hundred years. Anabaptists had to flee to Germany and Austria; Blaurock fled to the Tyrol where he preached secretly, taught, and baptized. In 1529, he was captured, tortured, and burned at the stake. An eight-year-old boy, Peter Walpot, who was a witness of the execution, became later a Vorsteher (elder) of the Hutterite Brethren in Moravia, an important refugee center in the history of the Anabaptists.
Through the Reformation in the 16th century in Switzerland, three reformed churches were established. The first one under Ulrich Zwingli in Zurich, the second one under John Calvin in Geneva, and the third one is the movement of the Anabaptists which had separated itself from the reformed church of Zwingli. They separated because the Reformed Church of Zurich was too beholden to the laws of the Council of Zurich and did not move their reforms fast enough. The Anabaptists believed that neither human beings nor the church should leave the decisions in matters of faith to the state. In particular, one should mention three men as founders and leaders of the movement: Conrad Grebel, Felix Manz, and Georg Blaurock. In a letter to Thomas Münzer Grebel emphasized that God and not the Pope is the final authority in matters of faith, the faithful must not take up the sword for their own defense or that of others (as it is the case with the Catholics and the Protestants), only human beings who had made a personal decision for a Christian life should be baptized--and this decision only adults can make.
Therefore, the baptism of adults is the only correct one. Grebel, Blaurock, Manz, and twelve other men baptized one another on the 21st of January, 1525, and thereby founded the movement of the Anabaptists or the Wiedertäufer and became known under the name Schweizerische Brüder (Swiss Brethren). The death penalty was introduced for Anabaptists, and a few months later Felix Manz was captured and gruesomely drowned in the Limmat River (Zurich). Thus Manz became the first in a series of Anabaptist martyrs. Many more were to follow during the next four hundred years. Anabaptists had to flee to Germany and Austria; Blaurock fled to the Tyrol where he preached secretly, taught, and baptized. In 1529, he was captured, tortured, and burned at the stake. An eight-year-old boy, Peter Walpot, who was a witness of the execution, became later a Vorsteher (elder) of the Hutterite Brethren in Moravia, an important refugee center in the history of the Anabaptists.
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