Page 149 - The Diary of A. H. W. Behrens

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1883 – 1884
My father and I were also on the list, father as the biggest horse tradesman of South Africa and I as a “fraudster” etc. Pastor Harms recalled two missionaries to Germany, one from here and one from Natal after a commission that had been sent up here had done prior investigations and had found nothing wrong.
Thus Missionary C. Penzhorn and his wife left from here. Everything dwindled to nothing, no guilt was proven, no measures were taken. Also, the deceased Superintendent K. Hohls had been heavily accused by Otte. Pastor Director Harms appointed Missionary Fröhling as provost in Natal and Missionary Penzhorn as provost in Transvaal. Penzhorn came out with all authorities and books etc. in 1884 and introduced himself to the missionaries as their superior!! My father, who had held this office for 18 years, got no letter, was not removed from this office in honour, but was simply treated as though he had never been there, although he was known as chairperson
in all congregations, among all missionaries, the chiefs and
he was accredited with the Transvaal government. That was a shame and a degradation for him, everybody had to think: the old Behrens must have committed a crime, they just don’t want to tell us. Father requested a dismissal and I did so together with him. This was unbearable! Harms did not intervene, tried to embellish and excuse