Most of the
Palatine emigrants began their journey by boat down the Rhine River, some
leaving as early as late February when it was sufficiently clear of ice to
permit travel. By mid-March the earliest
emigrants had arrived in Rotterdam, with no idea of how to continue their
journey. They camped pathetically on top
of dikes, perched precariously above flood waters caused by melting snow and
spring rains. By this time, they were
starving.
Rotterdam
officials, as well as some private groups, couldn’t bear to witness this level
of suffering so they raised funds to help support the Palatines. To ease the burden on their city, they even paid
for the passage of the first 800 emigrants to move on to London. But as those 800 left, thousands more took
their place.
Meanwhile, back
in Germany, the principalities were becoming worried about this mass
exodus. In June many of them issued
decrees that prohibited any more of their citizens from leaving. Yet, still they went.
My mind
continually goes back to Gerhardt and Maria Schaeffer. Records indicate that they had two young
adult children with them. They left
Germany in early May, but how were they travelling and what did they take with
them? As with all of the Palatines, they
would have had to choose among their few possessions. This probably meant the clothes on their
backs and perhaps a few extras; sturdy walking shoes, if they had them; and a
few loaves of bread. In the case of
Gerhardt and Maria, however, they also chose to bring their Bible. That doesn’t seem like an odd choice, until
you realize that the Bible was 9” wide x 14” long x 4” high, and weighed
several pounds.
“What to
pack?” takes on new meaning when you also have to ask “How are we going to
carry it?” Carrying that enormous Bible
was undoubtedly a hardship, but one they endured. Sitting on the table next to me as I write
this, is that very same Bible. And I
have come to revere it.
Reference: “Becoming German” by Phillip Otterness
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