The Christian Community is politically neutral. Sometimes it is blamed that it re-accepted the former high-ranking Nazi-functionary Werner Georg Haverbeck (28th Oct.1909 – 18th Oct.1999) “with all honours“ into its circle. That is not true. Haverbeck was ordained as priest on 7th Aug.1950. How much he revealed earlier of his Nazi-past to the leaders of the Christian Community cannot be established anymore; his curriculum vitae for the eyes of the priesthood does not contain anything about it. Only ten out of his eighty years lifetime he did work in a congregation.
In January 1960 Haverbeck was removed from his position because he talked politics so much to youths that it was incompatible with the political neutrality of his office. According to its own understanding the Christian Community cannot withdraw the ordination, but the office.
In June 1980, when it was beyond any doubt that the 70 years old Haverbeck could not anymore be considered for an office, an agreement was reached with him that he could partake again in the internal meetings of the priests. It was approved by both sides that Haverbeck should not be permitted to take on any work in a congregation and that his initiatives (i. e. the “Collegium Humanum“ in Vlotho) had nothing to do with the Christian Community. At that time it was unknown to the Christian Community how extreme the political orientation of the “Collegium Humanum“ was developing, otherwise even this reserved agreement might not have come about.
For the Christian Community it came as a shock, when Haverbeck published the book “Rudolf Steiner – Advocate for Germany“ in 1989. This was rejected completely in the Christian Community (as well as throughout the Anthroposophical press) – compare the review “One book too much” in the journal “Christian Community” 1989, p. 486.
The phrasing “re-admitted with all honours” is misleading: The ordination of Haverbeck could not be revoked, but every activity within the Christian Community.
Hanover, 3rd June 2008
Frank Hörtreiter, Public-relations officer of the Christian Community