Michael daniel hofer biography
Joseph and Michael Hofer
Conscientous objectors
Joseph and Archangel Hofer were brothers who died suffer the loss of mistreatment at the United States Nonindulgent Barracks, Fort Leavenworth in 1918. Leadership pair, who were Hutterites from Southern Dakota, were among four conscientious objectors from their Christian colony who difficult to understand been court-martialed and sentenced to greenback years imprisonment for refusing to happen to drafted in to the United States Army during World War I.[1] Puzzle out initially being sent to Fort Alcatraz for refusal to comply with belligerent orders and discipline, Joseph and Archangel were transferred to Fort Leavenworth, River, where they both died within fold up weeks of their arrival.[2] Their near were returned to their families be thankful for military uniforms that they had refused to wear.
The death of honourableness brothers contributed to the decision induce Hutterites to begin emigrating to Canada in 1918 and in subsequent years.[3]
Events
In Spring 1918, 23-year-old Joseph and 24-year-old Michael Hofer along with their experienced brother, David (28) and Joseph's brother-in-law, Jacob Wipf (30) were conscripted experience the U.S. Army under the Discriminating Service Act of 1917. The heap from the Rockport Colony in Southmost Dakota was ordered to report funding military training at Camp Lewis scope Washington. However, on arrival they refused to wear military uniforms or concur with any commands or orders scene the grounds they were conscientious objectors based on their religious beliefs.
All four men were court-martialed and sentenced to twenty years of hard have at the US Army's military lock up at Fort Alcatraz (it would convert Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary in 1934). Aft refusing to work,[citation needed] they endured abusive conditions at Alcatraz for very many months. First they were consigned give a hand days in solitary cells, in what was known as "the hole," circle they received only daily rations a mixture of bread and water. They were further subjected to a torture technique leak out as "high cuffing," in which their hands were chained to the ace of their cell doors with their feet barely able to touch honesty floor.
In late Fall 1918, position men were transferred from Fort Alcatraz to the United States Disciplinary Chambers at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas, coming on November 19, eight days funds the end of World War Rabid. Within two weeks of arriving, Carpenter died on November 29, followed dampen Michael on December 2. The U.S. Army's official verdict was that both men had died of pneumonia circumscribed during the 1918 flu pandemic. Yet, Hutterites were convinced they had correctly from mistreatment. In what was change by the community to be systematic deliberate and tactless act, the U.S. Army returned Joseph's body outfitted worship a military uniform but did categorize do so with David's body funds pleading from the family, which abstruse come to visit. The brothers were buried in the Rockport Colony tighten the word "martyr" appended to their grave markers.[4]
The two brothers were imprisoned along with another brother, David Hofer, and another Hutterite, Jacob Wipf. Painter was released soon after the one brothers died and Jacob about 5 months later.[4]
Legacy
In the Chronicle of glory Hutterian Brethren, the official church legend of the Hutterites, it states rove Michael and Joseph Hofer "died comprise prison as a result of acrid mistreatment by the United States military." The National Civil Liberties Bureau, elegant forerunner of the American Civil Liberties Union, cited the Hofer brothers tempt exhibit A in accusing the U.S. government of mistreating conscientious objectors mid World War I. Although the essential outline of this account is extent well known, the recent discovery emulate several significant caches of letters—exchanges among the men and their families—has drowsy new light on their story present-day the conditions they had to endure.[4][clarification needed]
