Forged by Fire: A History of German Immigration in Southern Brazil

By Astrid Kepler Neitzke

Hard-working and straightforward people of unshakable faith who leave footprints that their descendants will follow!

The book, written in a romantic style, will absorb you. You will be involved in stories of secure and resilient families who build successful companies.

The Author is Astrid Kepler Neitzke. Her father, Otto Kepler, is a first-generation immigrant. Her grandfather, Adolfo, was a courageous and tireless explorer, who came from Europe as a teenager. The Kepler Weber company started with blacksmithing and is today known worldwide in the agribusiness sector in the post-harvest stage of the grain production chain.

Astrid is his youngest daughter, who was born when her parents’ life was at its peak. As a baby of four months, she loses her father! What he left behind gave her lasting impressions that shaped the course of her life.

A huge treasure! Her mother, Fanny Stillner Kepler, continues to lead the family, keeping them happy together in the small town called initially New Württemberg and today Panambi, where until the Second World War, they also spoke the German language.

Astrid discovers that her grandfather, Vincenz Stillner, a native of Austria, was a street boy in Vienna, who became a beloved and respected pastor in Porto Alegre, Brazil.

The Kepler family continues to work and have faith. Other families are connected, like the Richters, the Rehns, the Stillners, and the Neitzkes. Astrid marries Ari Neitzke.

The Author upholds the cheerful and adventurous humor she inherited. People forged by fire which left a legacy to be remembered and imitated.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: May 14, 2020
• ISBN: 9781973689850

Astrid Kepler Neitzke

ASTRID KEPLER NEITZKE is Brazilian of German descent. She graduated in Accounting. Her work in the family business made her travel internationally. She married at 23. A dedicated wife, loving mother of three happy children, grandmother of five boys, and involved in society and social works in Brazil and abroad. Neitzke’s collected memories narrated in a beautiful story: images of love, faith, and trust in God unwrapped in a personal way.

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Copyright © 2020 Astrid Kepler Neitzke.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

WestBow Press

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Author: Astrid Kepler Neitzke

Writer: André Daniel Reinke (Portuguese Edition)

Translator: Rudi Augusto Kruger

All Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

ISBN: 978-1-9736-8984-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-9736-8983-6 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-9736-8985-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2020907057

WestBow Press rev. date: 05/13/2020

TESTIMONIES

What readers are saying

I could not stop reading

A fascinating, engaging, and exciting story! I read the whole book overnight on a flight from São Paulo to London, and could not stop reading. I couldn’t sleep a minute, because I was so involved in the story, I felt a deep sense of belonging.

Congratulations to my friend Astrid Kepler Neitzke, and thank you, God, for inspiring her to do this incredible work.

Mr. Sérgio Pessil Soares –Businessman

Truly fascinated!

… I finally had time to stop and start reading [your book]. I’m in the middle of it and truly fascinated! I must say, Auntie, what a beautiful project you are leading! Congratulations!

Ms. Fabiana Kepler, BA Biology, Harvard, Corporate Affairs Director,

Niece (Otto Vicente Kepler’s daughter)

They turned painful realities into miracles

Forged by Fire has made a profound impact on me. First, it tells the Kepler family saga in southern Brazil. But then, it is also a story of faith, work, and courage to explore unknown lands and to turn painful realities into miracles. Finally, it is the testimony of entrepreneurial families imbued with the motto Pray and Work, who built a big family, a healthy church, and a large company.

Ms. Janete Kepler Wächter, Teacher of Music and Pedagogics, Niece

(Alfredo Kepler’s daughter)

Faith comforted inspired them to achieve their goals.

This book is a very engaging history of the hardships and triumphs of the Kepler Family that migrated from Germany to Brazil. It illustrates how their strong faith in God comforted them through their trials and inspired them to achieve their goals.

Mr. Richard Thompson MME (MIT); Fossil

Energy Research, President, Friend

My grandfather was such a strikingly, admirable man.

I finished reading the book that tells the story of my family in Brazil. How exciting and truly inspiring. Wow! My great-grandparents Adolfo and Olga - Vicente and Francisca! My grandfather Otto, and my grandmother Fanny followed the same kind of admirable lifestyles. I didn’t get to know my grandfather Otto, but the book makes it clear that he was such a strikingly worthy man. I met and lived with my grandmother Fanny, a charming but amazingly hardworking woman; my father Alfredo, who followed in the same footsteps of his father, and who was my most significant human reference, along with my mother, Ilena. Coming to the end of the reading, I felt proud to have in my name both my grandfather’s ‘Otto’ and my father’s ‘Alfredo.’ Thanks to my dear aunt Astrid Kepler Neitzke for her beautiful work of the book.

Mr. Alfredo Otto Kepler, Business Management degree, Entrepreneur,

Nephew (Alfredo Kepler’s son)

Suspense

Wonderful read!

History in a romantic style, making it easy and fun to read.

The book has it all - history, love, suspense, but mostly how their faith in God carried them through all the difficulties of life.

Ms. Lore Wegermann, Elementary School Teacher, Long-time Friend

Excellent to remember our ancestors

Hi Aunt, I would like to thank you immensely for the book Forjados Pelo Fogo (Forged by Fire). I loved the dedication you wrote, and it has already become a treasure for me. My grandparents inspire me and make our family very proud. In difficult times it is great to remember our ancestors and see how the Lord has always been faithful to them and continues to be committed to us as well. Today we reap the rewards, the blessings in our lives because of the foundation they left us. I believe in this with all my heart! And how grateful I am to them for that. And thank you for your wonderful initiative to create this invaluable memory. I would like my children to be able to read the book, too, as they will be as proud and inspired as I am. Dear Aunt Astrid, thanks again very much! I want you to know how deeply your book has touched me!

Mr. Rogério Kepler, MBA(USA), Director,

Solutions Architecture, Nephew

(Helmut Kepler’s eldest son)

Nothing falls by itself from the sky.

What did I learn? What is the essence of this book? You wrote it beautifully. I read with a notepad and pencil by my side. I just finished reading. I did it in two days! My notes are ten pages long! just a few words: Ora et labora means pray and work. Strong words that every main character of the story adopted. It reminded me of the word ‘prayer’: nothing falls by itself from the sky. So, pray, engage in more action, and things happen - faith, prayer, work, and determination; I’m amazed, Kat.

Ms. Katharina Hapke, Old Time Friend

Emotions while reading the book.

At this moment, I would like to hug you, Astrid. This reading is giving me so much! I am having now a big desire to get to know those people that had a good influence over me. Looking at the chronology, my grandfather must have talked a lot with your father, Otto Kepler. I wish I had been there as they talked about life and faith and trust in God. As I look at myself, I realize that I need to learn more about this loving Father, who has always taken care of me.

Ms. Soni Mello, Teacher, Friend

If I had read it 50 years ago!

I was privileged to read a draft of Forged by Fire. What a pity that this book, especially with Otto Kepler’s life story, didn’t fall into my lap half a century ago. I believe I could have become a much better person - a better friend, a better husband, and father, a better professional, a real man, if I had read, known, learned certain truths which he knew and loved! Unforgettable reading material!

If you are a man, you must read it; if you are a woman, be ready to be inspired.

Mr. John P. August, Entrepreneur

DEDICATION

I dedicate this book primarily to my dear husband, Ari , for his support and dedication, and to our children Alexandre, Raquel, and Daniel .

Also to my dear brothers and sisters, my best friends, my companions in traveling, parties and gatherings, in good and bad times, as well as their families:

Alfredo (to the memory of), his wife Ilena and children Cristine, Janete, Rejane, and Alfredo Otto;

Helga, her husband Nilson do Amaral Fanini (to the memory of) and children Otto Nilson, Roberto and Margareth;

Gisela and children Fred, Ricardo and Mariane;

Helmuth, wife Sandra and children Filipe, Priscila, Rogério and Fernando;

Otto Vicente, wife Dorita, and daughter Fabiana.

To all of you, my love and gratitude.

CONTENTS

Testimonies - What readers are saying

Dedication

Foreword

Foreword to the English Version

Chapter 1     The Exodus: Leaving Europe Behind

Chapter 2     A Blacksmith Is Born

Chapter 3     A Promise in the Land of Bushes and Beasts

Chapter 4     When You Sing, You Scare Evils Away

Chapter 5     The First Iron Stove

Chapter 6     Suffering as the Early Apostles

Chapter 7     The Doctor from Vienna

Chapter 8     Giving Birth at the Train Station

Chapter 9     The Horn Procession of New-Württemberg

Chapter 10   An Unyielding Little Woman

Chapter 11   When My Parents Got Married

Chapter 12   A Thriving Business, And A Growing Ministry

Chapter 13   The First Telephone Ring In Southern Brazil

Chapter 14   The War Roars on and the Truth is its First Victim

Chapter 15   Panambi: A City Forged by Fire

Chapter 16   A Hero, A Role Model Called Home

Chapter 17   The Keplerhof Chronicals

Chapter 18   The Faithful Guardian Of The Family

Afterword - Why did I write this book?

Attachments

Appendix I     Who was Otto Kepler?

Appendix II    Nutrella – A Success Story

Appendix III   Pastor Vincenz Stillner

Birthday Dates

Pictures

References

More About The Author of Forged by Fire

FOREWORD

M s. Astrid Kepler Neitzke had the desire to pass on to the next generation the history of her family in the Kepler branch. Follow suit this book was born. It would come in a narrative form, like a novel. The challenge was clear: to deal with real facts but in the form of an engaging, romanticized narrative. As it is a rather lengthy account, involving dozens of people and mostly three generations, we decided to present it as a sequence of short stories.

In the center, we find the Kepler family arriving in Brazil, beginning with the patriarchs Adolfo¹ and Olga Kepler, followed by their eldest son, Otto Kepler. While there are many other Keplers in this lineage, we decided to set work borderlines to preserve the scope of the narrative. Meanwhile, the Kepler family’s- story unravels stories of other similar families like the Richters, the Stillners, and the Neitzkes.

When we decide to present reality or facts in a narrative form, some gaps will arise. What do we as storytellers do? Imagination fills the gaps. We know the day of an event, its location, and details of the how or why, and so on. Or, sometimes we are even aware of dialogues that occurred, because of some well-kept isolated memories. But in most cases, we do not have such details. Nonetheless, the narrative must present a somewhat fully rounded picture to preserve its plausibility and authenticity, allowing the work to be pleasant and gratifying to the reader.

The outcome isn’t exactly a history book, in its more technical sense. It is indeed a true story but filled with imagination in secondary details. For example, when we discuss Otto and Adolfo Kepler’s decision to start the Kepler Brothers (Kepler Irmãos) company in 1925, all relevant facts come from Olga’s memoirs: her encouragement, the investing parties, and every technical detail. The fiction and story-telling techniques came on the scene in the dialogues at the table. We don’t know if they decided to start Kepler Brothers during dinner, or over a weekend, at the store, or wherever. But we needed to situate the event to make it real. That goes for the whole book: every date, name, and location mentioned, are all factual. The poetic license is allowed when it came to the who said what to whom happenstances.

Therefore, this is not a book of historical fiction because it is not the creation of an adventure within broader historical facts. Instead, it is a real story romanticized. We aimed at presenting a true story without the historian’s tedious annotations of the historical proof. We were not concerned with filling in the text with notes. We did not want to lose the pleasing effect of a straight narrative. Hence, this book has a real master line but imagined tangential and peripheral elements supplement it. There is nothing here on which to build a ‘case.’ Historical science has long understood the inevitable intermingling between history and fiction.²

Let us turn to the sources of this narrative. In addition to the verbal testimonies, thanks to the excellent memory of some family members, we had access to previous publications. The main ones were: the book The Origin and Descendants of the Kepler Family, containing testimonials of the relatives, collected in the 1980s; the book Vincenz Josef Stillner - An Autobiography, organized by Helga Kepler Fanini; and the posthumous booklet Otto Kepler zum Gedächtnis (In Remembrance of Otto Kepler). Among secondary sources are records about the city of Panambi, the state of Rio Grande do Sul, of the Pioneer Baptist Convention (Convenção Batista Pioneira), and the Emanuel Baptist Church (Igreja Batista Emanuel). Finally, there were several other documentary sources, such as personal letters and news reports from the Baptist community, which also helped to give direction to the events narrated here.

In short, this is a book of stories about the Kepler family - stories that tell the truth.

André Daniel Reinke - Historian, Writer, and Theologian.

FOREWORD TO THE

ENGLISH VERSION

We did this translation in a family spirit. I wish to thank my whole team, including my gorgeous granddaughter Lidia Kruger Braconnot, my dear friend and sister, Psychologist Julie Chambliss Ph.D., and our dear cousin, Prof. Karen Canton-Malet. Without you, I could never have been able to finish this challenging but very gratifying task.

About the subject of the book: I was inwardly involved because many of the stories I knew either through the short distance (I lived about 30 miles away) or because it was about dear people of my childhood and youth, pastors, and friends. It was an emotional work, but very gratifying. My main principle was to pass to the English (and primarily American) readers essential imprints that would enable them to experience the deeper meaning of the stories despite the cultural differences.

From the side of the author, Ms. Neitzke, there are two vital points she wants to highlight: (1) fidelity to what happened and (2) the disclosure of what was of help to her and most people involved.

The facts described happened to ordinary people who, however - at specific times - acted like giants, despite their limitations.

Here we have the story of a family, with its difficulties, struggles, mistakes, and failures. But also the positive, pleasant, and victorious side of personal or collective effort, of persistence, of building a family, a community (church), village, city, where they have become pillars!

Moreover, we have the history of the world around them: from changes and improvements that affect local living conditions to local, regional, and national social upheavals, culminating in the catastrophic impact caused by world wars.

Amid all these occurrences and variables, we find the growth and development of personal traits in the main characters - mainly for good, worthy of being imitated. It makes the reading pleasant and worthwhile.

Perhaps the most decisive factor in the author’s mind was the recognition or awareness of how frantic our memories are. Her main objective is to make her descendants recognize and remember the challenges of life, the importance of work, dedication, and prayer. Still, also how their ancestors overcame seemingly insurmountable barriers – they were achievers indeed.

Finally, there is the awareness of special protection in several stunning circumstances. Like when the ship was going through a strong storm or when the destination was still far away, and they were riding a wagon without any comfort: the wagoner, Olga, Adolfo, and the one-month-old baby, Otto, sitting on one board without a backrest. But genuinely incredible, when the young family, a few months later, decided to move to a single wall hut in the middle of the woods. They indescribably experienced terrific protection. Surely, they were under the wings³ of the Almighty⁴, privileged by the company of the promised angel⁵, who delivered them.

Rev. Rudi Augusto Kruger, Pastor, Educator, Translator

CHAPTER 1

The Exodus: Leaving Europe Behind

T he sudden, strange, cold wind hit the boy’s face on the deck. He could feel the sea shaking, the ship swaying back and forth, impatient, waiting for the approaching storm.

It was a late afternoon in 1895. The steamship Strassburg suffered from ruthless, violent waves of the North Atlantic. Two weeks ago, they had left the port of Bremen, Germany. In the distance, there were dark clouds whose rays illuminated the tumultuous mass of air tenebrously.

Paul Richter stared at those gray, blackening clouds with fear. Do not worry, they had told him, the Strassburg has held up a lot in these waters. It is not now that it will surrender! But the anguish would not stop beating the heart of someone that faced the enormous, colossal ocean for the first time. His sister had taken this trip with her husband twice — one, going, another, coming back — and assured him that even though tiresome, it was a safe trip.

Those dark clouds were the problem. Paul had left behind his frustrated dreams and came just with the clothes he had on in search of a fresh, new beginning in a promising land — South America, Brazil. The darkening clouds were an ominous sign. Time alone would prove whether or not it had been the right decision. An unexpected bump caused by a more substantial wave threw water in the air and splashed on him, who lost his balance and knocked against the wall. He felt a familiar sharp pang in the ribs, old wounds of the sawmill where he used to work. He moaned but did not scream.

You better get downstairs and stay in the cabin, it’s going to bother you a bit, boy! shouted a tall, burly crewman, hardened from the sea.

Of course, right away.

Paul went downstairs, still feeling his ribs throbbing, to the third-class cabin where the family was staying. He opened the heavy door — the creaking of the hinges echoed down the corridor — and entered. His sister Auguste was sitting in bed with her husband Edmund Lohmann and a one-year-old; they were quiet since the trip was nothing new. But his brother, Otto Richter, and his younger sister, Olga Richter, were looking worriedly at Anna, their mother lying in bed. They did not even know what she had; they put some wet, cold cloth wipes on her forehead, hoping the fever would subside. Thus far, it had not.

Olga looked at Paul, who returned with a look displaying the same discouragement. They were in the middle of the ocean, without help, without a hospital. She remembered the times when life seemed to smile more at them and how everything had changed.

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The Richters were Germans from Saxony but lived in Lodz, Poland, which was then part of the Russian Empire, where the family emigrated in search of a better life. Papa was a master weaver, and in the Polish textile industry, he had found better conditions and a better livelihood.

They worked day and night, but Sundays were for the family. The four children eagerly invaded the couple’s bed, and there they would stay, listening to the rain drip on the window glass. Mama would cook a delicious breakfast — playing with each other, fighting for a particular place close to Papa. In the afternoons, if the weather allowed, they left the city and its large factories built of red bricks to walk in the green areas of the countryside, an old German habit, which the head of the family liked to keep.

"My children, look at how wonderful God’s creation is. There are so many beautiful things to see in this world. Remember: The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands,⁶ says the psalmist. When things get tough when it seems like life is going to swallow you up, look at nature, and remember that God has a plan, and He’s going to do His best." Father would say this as they walked along. So blissful in many ways were their Sunday afternoons, while having an open-air Bible School. Did the Master inspire Pappa?

"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these",⁷ quoting the Gospel. He pointed to the flowers growing in the fields of the countryside.

He liked the air there; he felt the peace that the settlements in the interior enjoyed, freed from the confusion of the busy city. Eventually, he pressed his hand onto the pit of his stomach, coughed deeply, and continued their delightful walk.

But those times of relaxation and tranquility all too often were eclipsed. The contrast of what they saw on Sundays was accentuated by what happened during the week. England was experiencing an unprecedented industrial explosion, and its products were priced far below those of the Polish factories. As a result, the wages of the workers were falling, and it was getting increasingly difficult to make ends meet on the family’s livelihood. Pappa’s stomach ache was getting worse and worse. He seemed to know that his end was coming. At that time, without his children knowing, he was giving instructions for a soon departure of his family, perhaps without him. Suddenly, agents of the Brazilian government appeared in the region where they lived, talking about a new possibility of colonization in Brazil. Olga remembered her older sister’s protests.

Papa, I already went there, and it’s terrible. Don’t you remember that you helped us to get back because we had nothing else but unhappiness? Auguste said between tears, remembering the three babies that they had lost, two of them due to yellow fever.

"But this time it’s different, there are plots of land available in the South of the country, they say the climate is the same as here, the land is very fertile and cheap. Besides, the Brazilian government is paying the tickets from Bremen to the capital of the province, Porto Alegre. Our friends