The Community of True Inspiration at Eben-Ezer
About This Essay
Published in the New York History Review in August 2024 and updated in September 2025, this essay reconstructs the history of a German Inspirationist religious community that settled in Ebenezer, near Buffalo, in 1842 and lived there for more than a decade before relocating to Iowa.
The Community of True Inspiration was a Pietist group that practiced communal living and believed in ongoing divine inspiration through recognized prophets. They emigrated from Germany under the leadership of Christian Metz, seeking land and autonomy that they could not find in Europe. In Ebenezer (which they called Eben-Ezer), they established six villages, constructed workshops and mills, and built a self-sustaining communal economy.
In 1855, facing pressure from Buffalo's rapid expansion and wishing to preserve their communal way of life, the community relocated to Iowa, where they established the Amana Colonies. The Amana Colonies still exist today and are a major heritage and tourism destination in Iowa.
Dr. Lubienecki's essay, one of the more thorough recent accounts of the Eben-Ezer period, draws on community records, land documents, and published accounts by former members to reconstruct the community's Western New York years. The essay was updated in September 2025 to incorporate additional material.
Publication Details
Publication: New York History Review Date: August 2024, updated September 2025 Read online: New York History Review