A peace pole is erected in Schwarzenau.

At the 300th Anniversary Celebration in Schwarzenau, Germany, on Aug. 3, a Peace Pole was given to the village by the Brethren Encyclopedia Board of Directors on behalf of the Brethren bodies. In 1708 the village of Schwarzenau was the site of the first Brethren baptisms, which took place in the Eder River.

The villagers have now erected the Peace Pole near the village information sign at the end of the bridge across the Eder River. The Peace Pole has on it the words "May Peace Prevail on Earth" in eight languages.

"Peace Poles are memorials, silent prayers, and international symbols for peace," said Karin Zacharias, a Schwarzenau resident and a member of the Schwarzenau Planning Committee for the 300th Anniversary Celebration, when she spoke at the ceremony. "They remind us that peace is possible and can only grow within us, and that we should live our everyday lives in the spirit of the words 'May Peace Prevail on Earth.'"

The villagers of Schwarzenau (population 800) worked diligently to make the 300th Anniversary Celebration a most memorable occasion for the more than 500 Brethren who attended from 18 nations. The Peace Pole will be a constant reminder of the village's appreciation of the Brethren, and stands as a challenge to all who see it to work for peace on earth.

--Dale Ulrich is a member of the Brethren Encyclopedia Board of Directors and helped coordinate the celebration in Schwarzenau.

Source: 12/31/2008 Newsline