Castle Eerde

Castle Eerde

Castle Eerde near Ommen, The Netherlands, was the European center for Jiddu Krishnamurti. In the early 1920s, baron Philip van Pallandt deeded the castle and its lands to the Order of the Star in the East, of which Krishnamurti was the spiritual leader. The baron was devoted to him. For several years the order held huge summer gatherings called "Star Camps" in the castle grounds. After the order was dissolved in 1929, Krishnamurti held a final camp in 1930, but in the following year the property was deeded back to the van Pallandt family. Krishnamurti held a few more lectures and meetings at the castle during the 1930s.

Beatrice Wood attended the 1930 camp with her friend Helen Freeman at Krishnamurti's invitation, and described the castle like this:

I first saw the castle through an archway of trees; it was a large structure with simple lines, surrounded by a moat full of brown reflections and white swans, in whose waters swam enormous golden carp, some a century old, from whose ancient scales glittered metallic tones. Beyond this were acres of forest through which wove narrow footpaths which led through the cool of the trees.

Inside, a handsome curving stairway dominated the large entrance hall. Old pewter goblets and plates decorated the white walls, and Gobelin tapestries hid the stern surfaces of other rooms The dimensions were awesome, making me feel immaterial.

As did Krishnaji when he spoke. In earlier years, he had lectured informally in one of these stately rooms. At that time, he spoke to invited friends, as he had planned to this time. But so many uninvited visitors presented themselves, that there was no place in the castle to seat them. Therefore, a large tent was put up in the garden for the morning talks, which were attended by well over a hundred people.

These sessions were referred to as the "Pre-Camp" and were followed by a gathering of at least two thousand people who lived in a village of white tents during the main camp.