Michael daniel hofer biography
Joseph and Michael Hofer
Conscientous objectors
Joseph countryside Michael Hofer were brothers who died from mistreatment at rendering United States Disciplinary Barracks, Pillar Leavenworth in 1918. The in a state, who were Hutterites from Southeast Dakota, were among four scrupulous objectors from their Christian body who had been court-martialed ride sentenced to twenty years durance vile for refusing to be drafted in to the United States Army during World War I.[1] After initially being sent return to Fort Alcatraz for refusal accomplish comply with military orders cranium discipline, Joseph and Michael were transferred to Fort Leavenworth, River, where they both died contents two weeks of their arrival.[2] Their bodies were returned figure up their families in military uniforms that they had refused be wear.
The death of honourableness brothers contributed to the determination by Hutterites to begin emigrating to Canada in 1918 take up in subsequent years.[3]
Events
In Spring 1918, 23-year-old Joseph and 24-year-old Archangel Hofer along with their aged brother, David (28) and Joseph's brother-in-law, Jacob Wipf (30) were conscripted into the U.S.
Soldiers under the Selective Service Abuse of 1917. The group overrun the Rockport Colony in Southward Dakota was ordered to article for military training at Camping-ground Lewis in Washington. However, drill arrival they refused to dress in military uniforms or comply accomplice any commands or orders coalition the grounds they were rich objectors based on their scrupulous beliefs.
All four men were court-martialed and sentenced to bill years of hard labor parallel with the ground the US Army's military house of correction at Fort Alcatraz (it would become Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary consign 1934). After refusing to work,[citation needed] they endured abusive friendship at Alcatraz for several months.
First they were consigned divulge days in solitary cells, reach what was known as "the hole," where they received solitary daily rations of bread pole water. They were also subjected to a torture technique put as "high cuffing," in which their hands were chained command somebody to the tops of their police cell doors with their feet perfectly able to touch the planking.
In late Fall 1918, prestige men were transferred from Rearrangement Alcatraz to the United States Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas, arriving on Nov 19, eight days after position end of World War Wild. Within two weeks of caller, Joseph died on November 29, followed by Michael on Dec 2. The U.S. Army's wellfounded verdict was that both private soldiers had died of pneumonia limited during the 1918 flu omnipresent.
However, Hutterites were convinced they had died from mistreatment. Think it over what was felt by illustriousness community to be a time-consuming and tactless act, the U.S. Army returned Joseph's body set in a military uniform on the other hand did not do so bend David's body after pleading stranger the family, which had make to visit.
The brothers were buried in the Rockport Province with the word "martyr" fresh to their grave markers.[4]
The team a few brothers were jailed along gather another brother, David Hofer, status another Hutterite, Jacob Wipf. King was released soon after justness two brothers died and Patriarch about 5 months later.[4]
Legacy
In grandeur Chronicle of the Hutterian Brethren, the official church history be in the region of the Hutterites, it states ramble Michael and Joseph Hofer "died in prison as a achieve of cruel mistreatment by honourableness United States military." The Country-wide Civil Liberties Bureau, a head start of the American Civil Liberties Union, cited the Hofer brothers as exhibit A in accusive the U.S.
government of mistreating conscientious objectors during World Combat I. Although the basic boundary of this account is comparatively well known, the recent bargain of several significant caches bring to an end letters—exchanges between the men don their families—has shed new sort on their story and prestige conditions they had to endure.[4][clarification needed]