The Amish: A Pioneer Heritage: Text, Photos & Design

by John M. Zielinski

Dust jacket notes: "Like the Pilgrims and the Puritans, the Amish came to the New World in search of religious freedom. Unlike the others, the Amish are still very much with us. Today across the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0870691252
• ISBN13: 9780870691256
• Release Date: January 1975
• Publisher: Wallace-Homestead Book Co
• Length: 176 Pages
• Weight: 1.80 lbs.

Customer Reviews

A culture where zippers are considered to be 'too worldly'

Over the course of twelve years, John M. Zielinski researched the Amish way of life, and took the many photographs that are an essential part of his portrayal of the Plain People. He begins with their origins and history--a rather bloody birth for such a gentle people. The religion of the Plain or Amish people originates in sixteenth century Europe coincident with the beginning of the Protestant reformation. Zurich, Switzerland was the original home of the Anabaptists who disagreed with the 'mainstream' Protestants of the time over infant baptism. The Anabaptists believed that baptism should only be conferred on adults who were willing to following the disciplines of the new Church. They also renounced oaths, reveling and drunkenness, the use of force in war or civil government, and personal adornment. These practices did not make them popular with their fellow Protestants or the local rulers, and the book "Martyr's Mirror," found in every 'modern' Amish home, records the persecutions of this period. Gradually, the Anabaptists split apart into the Mennonites, Amish (mainly because of disagreements over the practice of shunning), and Hutterites and migrated to America and Canada, where they could own land and provide for their children. This book, written by a sympathetic, non-Amish observer, defines the Plain lifestyles in both photographs and words, right down to barn-raisings and favorite quilting patterns. He differentiates between various sects of Plain folk such as the white buggy group and the yellow buggy group: the 'white buggy' group is very strict and consider windmills, suspenders, and bonnets too worldly. This very strict sect in Pennsylvania's Kishacoquillas Valley refused to communicate with the author, and was by far the most reluctant to be photographed. However, he is actually more interested in comparing the 'generic' Amish life style to that of our own pioneer ancestors. Some of the Amish groups froze their dress and church customs as far back in time as the American Revolution. One of the charms of this book is the numerous quotations from 'Budgets' (a sort of communal weekly newsletter) on topics such as weddings, 'frolics,' crop status, and the all-too-common farming accidents. This is an example from an Amish settlement in Caaguazu, Paraguay: "Aug. 5---The past week has been quite warm. A shower should be good for garden things....Katie said she only got 6 stings yesterday! [while preparing cane molasses]..." The only anxiety I felt while reading "The Amish" was caused by pictures of bare-footed children milking cows or helping with the horses. There was a recent outbreak of polio amongst the Minnesota Amish (the first in this country in many years), as the Plain People do not believe in vaccinating their children, and I couldn't help but wonder how they feel about tetanus shots. Also mentioned in this book: one family had to put down its dog because of rabies, and then their three cats became rabid.