Why We Walk - The Netherlands

The Mennonite religion originated in The Netherlands in the 17th Century as a protest movement against the Catholics. The Mennonites believed in the separation of church and state, refused to swear oaths and were devoted pacifists. Because of this, they were brutally oppressed by the Catholic Church. Mennonites were regularily tortured and executed in The Netherlands before many decided to leave for Germany and Gdansk (Danzig), Poland in the 18th Century. Today, you can still find Mennonites in The Netherlands, but their numbers are far lower than they were in the late 17th century. Many of their former churches have been converted into housing or commercial spaces and the remaining congregations are shrinking in numbers.