1951 (In the year)
195- |
Palle Benemann Bischoff, the first to become a Bahá'í in Denmark, settled in Aasiaat, and became the first Bahá'í to live in Greenland. [MC22]
Shoghi Effendi had given Canada the goal of opening Greenland, a seemingly impossible task because it was a closed country in which no one could enter with obtaining permission from the Danish government. See BW20p803-804 for John Robarts role in opening the path for Palle Bischoff.
Despite having a degree in commercial science, he began his career in Greenland as a fisherman, later working as a manager in a fishing station, and then opening a ski school.
He was best known for being the first person to teach the Greenlanders to ski and for having organized the first ski competition in West Greenland.
He returned to Denmark in 1954 where he became a member of the first local assembly of Copenhagen as well as the Regional Assembly of Scandinavia and Finland from 1957 until 1963 when he was elected to the first National Spiritual Assembly of Denmark. He also served as a member of the Auxiliary Board from 1963 until 2000. [BW20 p303; Bahaipedia] |
Greenland; John Robarts; Palle Benemann Bischoff |
first Bahá’í in Denmark; first Bahá’í resident in Greenland |