- 1865-05-17 — The first international standards organization, the International Telegraph Union, was established in Paris where delegates were gathered in conference from 20 European states. The mandate was to help connect telegraphic networks between countries. The Union was tasked with implementing basic principles for international telegraphy which included the use of the Morse code as the international telegraph alphabet, the protection of the secrecy of correspondence, and the right of everybody to use the international telegraphy.
In 1906 Berlin was the host of a conference to consider radiotelegraph standards. It was attended by representatives of 29 nations and culminated in the International Radiotelegraph Convention. An annex to the convention eventually became known as ITU Radio Regulations. At the conference it was also decided that the Bureau of the International Telegraph Union would also act as the conference's central administrator. The name International Telecommunication Union was adopted in 1932 to reflect its expanded responsibilities over radio and the telephone. On 15 November 1947, the ITU entered into an agreement with the newly created United Nations to become a specialized agency within the UN system.
The mandate of the ITU has broadened with the advent of new communications technologies. It promotes the shared global use of the radio spectrum, facilitates international cooperation in assigning satellite orbits, assists in developing and coordinating worldwide technical standards, and works to improve telecommunication infrastructure in the developing world. It is also active in the areas of broadband Internet, optical communications (including optical fibre technologies), wireless technologies, aeronautical and maritime navigation, radio astronomy, satellite-based meteorology, TV broadcasting, amateur radio, and next-generation networks.
Based in Geneva, Switzerland with regional offices on every continent. the ITU's global membership included 193 countries as well as more than 1,000 businesses, academic institutions, and international and regional organizations. [ITU Website]
- 1870-07-19 —
Franco-Prussian War was a conflict between the Second French Empire of Napoleon III and the German states of the North German Confederation led by the Kingdom of Prussia. The conflict was caused by Prussian ambitions to extend German unification and French fears of the shift in the European balance of power that would result if the Prussians succeeded.
- See KA90 for Bahá'u'lláh's reference to this and KAN121 for `Abdu'l-Bahá's interpretation.
- 1870-09-01 —
Battle of Sedan. Napoleon III suffered defeat at the hands of Kaiser Wilhelm I. It resulted in the capture of Emperor Napoleon III and large numbers of his troops and for all intents and purposes decided the war in favour of Prussia and its allies, though fighting continued under a new French government. Napoleon went into exile in England, where he died in 1873.
- Bahá'u'lláh referred to this in KA86.
- 1877-09-26 — Birth of Siegfried Schopflocher, Hand of the Cause of God, in Germany.
- 1883-04-15 — Birth in Goslar, Germany, of Dr Artur Eduard Heinrich Brauns, a prominent German Bahá'í, named by Shoghi Effendi a Disciple of `Abdu'l-Bahá.
- 1905-00-00 —
A Bahá'í group was established in Germany soon after the arrival of the first Bahá'í in the country, Dr. Edwin Fischer, in Stuttgart. He was dentist and a returned emigrant to the United States. German-born Alma Knobloch also became a Bahá'í in the United States 1903, before Fischer, arrived in Germany in 1907. [BBRSM:107, 219; BWNS390]
- The German Baha'i Community under National Socialism: by Harry Liedtke says he arrived in 1904.
- 1905-00-00 — A Bahá'í group was established in Germany. [BBRSM219]
- 1907-00-00 — Alma Knobloch, the sister of Pauline Hannen, settled in Stuttgart. [SYH13; BW9p642]
- 1908-09-30 — The passing of Amalie Knobloch (b.Böblitz Germany 11 May 1858 d. 30 September 1908 in Washington, DC) She was buried in Prospect Hill Cemetery in Washington. She was the mother of Fanny Knobloch (1859-1949), Alma Knobloch (1865-1943) and Pauline Knobloch Hannen (1874-1939). [ASK5-6, 7]
Janet Ruhe-Schoenin in Champions of Oneness: Louis Gregory and His Shining Circle p77, noted that 'Abdu'l-Bahá recognized race amity matriarch Mrs. Amalie Knobloch and revealed a Tablet to be read when visiting her grave:
He is God! O, thou Pure Spirit, Amalie Knobloch! Although thou didst soar away from this terrestrial world, yet thou didst enter into the immeasurable, illumined Universe of the Almighty. While in this life thou didst hear the Divine Call, beheld the light of Truth, became alive by the Breaths of the Holy Spirit, tasted the sweetness of the Love of God, became the Maid-Servant of the Lord of Hosts and the object of the Bounties of His Highness the Desired one. Thou didst lead the erring ones into the Path of Truth and bestowed a portion of the Heavenly Food to those who are deprived. Thou didst consecrate the days of thy existence to the Service of His Highness the Clement and spent thy time in the diffusion of the Fragrances of the Paradise of Abha. There are many souls perfumed and many spirits illumined through thy services!
O, thou divine, beloved Maid-Servant! Although thou didst disappear from the mortal eyes, yet thou didst train and educate thy daughters, each of whom has arisen to serve the Kingdom like unto thee and is engaged in the guidance of the souls. In the Assembly of wisdom they are the lighted candles; they sacrifice their lives in the Path of God; they are gardening in thy orchard and irrigating thy rose-garden. Happy is thy condition, for thou art enjoying Eternal Life in the Kingdom of Everlasting Glory and hast left in this world kind and loving Remembrances.
Happy are those souls who visit thy luminous resting-place and through thy commemoration receive and acquire spiritual Powers!
[Bahá'í Chronicles]
See Aflame with Devotion Chapter 9, "Loss of a Matriarch" pp99-109 for moving description of the passing a believer that was so beloved of Àbdu'l-Bahá.
- 1909-00-00 — Karl Kruttner, a professor in Bohemia, became a Bahá'í, the first person to do so in the Austro-Hungarian empire. [Bahaipedia 1909]
- 1911-05-00 —
Louis Gregory travelled to Stuttgart after his visit with 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Egypt. There he renewed his acquaintance with Alma Knobloch, he had learned of the Faith in the Hannen household.
- "When he went to Stuttgart," 'Abdu'l-Bahá wrote of him, "although being of black color, yet he shone as a bright light in the meeting of the friends." [239 Days in America]
- Members of that community, Miss Alma Knobloch, Mr and Mrs Herrigel and Mr Haiges went to London when 'Abdul-Bahá was visiting that city.
- When He was Paris in October, Mr and Mrs Eckstein and Mr and Mrs Häfner and their child went to that city and were photographed with Him. From the 13th to the 16th of October, Miss Margarethe Döring remained with 'Abdul-Bahá and had the honour of living in the house occupied by Him; from the 19th to the 22nd, Miss Anna Kastlin, Miss Julie Stäbler and Mrs Schweizer were in Paris and during the three days of their visit were received six times in private audience. [SoW Vol 2 No 17 January 19, 1912 p8]
- 1911-11-30 —
It was about this time that 'Abdu'l-Bahá sent four Bahá'ís to Germany to assist with the teaching and the consolidation of the Faith. They were: Lady Blomfield, a Mrs Earl, Mírzá Asadu'lláh-i-Isfáhaání and Mirza Ahmad Sohrab. They remained in Stuttgart until the 7th of December.
- Lady Blomfield then travelled to Vevey, Switzerland to be with her daughters and to continue working on the collected talks of 'Abdu'l-Bahá for publication. They stayed at the Hôtel Belvedere. [ABF255-256, 275]
- 1913-03-30 —
`Abdu'l-Bahá traveled from Paris to Stuttgart. [AB379]
- He told His attendants to wear European dress and to discard their oriental headgear. [AB379]
- He did not tell the Bahá'ís of Stuttgart of His arrival in advance. [AB379]
- The party arrived on the 1st of April and took rooms in Hotel Marquardt, near the train station. Then He asked His attendant to telephone the Bahá'ís to announce His arrival and invite them to the hotel. [AB379-380]
- 1913-04-01 — 'Abdu'l-Bahá departed for Stuttgart from Gar de l'Est accompanied by Siyyid Ahmad-i-Báqiroff, Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, Siyyid Asadu'llah-i-Qumi, and Mahmúd Zarqání. It was His first trip to Germany and it lasted for 7 days. [ABF537-538]
- 1913-04-03 — 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke to a large audience in the City Museum. The talk was translated into English by Ahmad Sohrab and then rendered into German by Herr Eckstein. [AB380-382]
- 1913-04-04 — See a photo of 'Abdu'l-Bahá with a group of friends in Stuttgart. ['Abdu'l-Bahá
Champion of Universal Peace by Hoda Mahmoudi and Janet Khan]
- 1913-04-07 —
`Abdu'l-Bahá traveled to Bad Mergentheim by automobile to visit the hotel and mineral bath owned by Consul Schwarz (later named Disciple of `Abdu'l-Bahá by Shoghi Effendi). [AB383]
- Later, in 1916 the local Bahá'í community commemorated the visit with the dedication of a monument, a life-sized likeness of the head of 'Abdu'l-Bahá on a granite stone about two metres in height. The Nazis removed it in 1937 but it was replaced in 2007. [BWNS524]
- 1913-04-08 —
`Abdu'l-Bahá returned to Stuttgart, then left in the evening for Budapest, changing trains in Vienna the next morning. To this date no travel teacher had visited Budapest and there were no resident believers. [ABM316]
- The trip was made at the invitation of, among others, Mr and Mrs Lipót Stark. the Secretary General of the Theosophical Society, who had given a lecture entitled "The Bahá'í Movement" on the 25th of February, 1912 and the text of the lecture had been published in the Esperanto periodical Teozofia (Theosophical). [SBBR14p110]
- `Abdu'l-Bahá was accompanied by Wilhelm Herrigel to serve to translate into German. [AB384]
- For further information on His time in Budapest see 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Budapest by György Lederer in Bahá'ís in the West SBBR Vol 14 pp109-126
- See as well The Utterance Project 9-18 April 1913
- 1913-04-24 —
`Abdu'l-Bahá left Vienna and returned to Stuttgart, where He arrived in the early hours of the next morning. [AB389]
- This marked the end of HIs visit to Austria where He had spent 6 days.
- 1913-05-01 —
`Abdu'l-Bahá left Stuttgart and returned to Paris. [AB391]
- The start of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's fourth and last visit to France. It lasted 1 month and 12 days.
- 1914-06-22 —
The defection of Dr Amín Faríd, (b. 1882, d. 1953)`Abdu'l-Bahá's translator while in America, became known publicly. His mother was a sister of Munirih Khanum, wife of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. [CB341, AB407]
- For his activities against `Abdu'l-Bahá see AB230, 402, 407–9.
- Dr. Aminu'lláh Faríd travelled to Europe in defiance of the wishes of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. In the absence of Lady Blomfield in London, a meeting at the Kingsway Hall had been arranged for him. Dr Lutfu'lláh prevented Dr Farid from speaking. Mason Remey and George Latimer were in London at the time. 'Abdu'l-Bahá also sent Dr Habibu'lláh Khudákhsh (later called Dr Mu'ayyad) and 'Azízu'lláh Bahádur to go to Europe to counter his activities. They were in Stuttgart when the war broke out. He recalled all four to the Holy Land (Sep-Oct). [AB407-409; Concerning Covenant-breakers: Excerpt by 'Abdu'l-Bahá translated by Ahang Rabbani]
- Laura and Hippolyte Dreyfus-Barney were dispatched to the United States where Mrs. Chevalier had been acting as Dr. Farid's emissary. [AB408]
- See the message from Shoghi Effendi in MBW53-54.
- For a description of his activities as a young man in 'Akká see M9YA104, 418, 448-n81.
When Aminu'llah Farid (Ameen Ullah Fareed) left the United States in 1913, and settled in Cairo as he had been instructed by 'Abdul'-Bahá. (He had displeased Him during the western journey by appealing to the wealthier American Bahá'ís for money. He had been rebuked and had apologized three times but on the fourth instance he was sent away. 'Abdu'l-Bahá revealed that Fareed had been soliciting funds from visitors to Haifa to build a hospital on Mount Carmel. When built, he lived in it himself and later rented it. While in North America he obtained yet more money claiming that he had to mortgage the hospital.) On the 24th of November 1913 he married a rich American, Gladys Elaine Hoerber of Chicago, whom he had presumably met while he was studying homeopathic medicine in Chicago.
He travelled from Egypt to Europe and on the 21st of June, 1914 he arrived in London with his wife, his mother Radiyyih Khánum, his sister Farhangíz and her husband, Sydney Sprague and their infant son. The next day a telegram arrived from 'Abdu'l-Bahá expelling Fareed and his family from the Bahá'í community. Mason Ramey and George Latimer were in London at the time en route to Haifa. They assisted the community in understanding the implications. Both families were refused entry to a Unity Feast that had been scheduled. Fareed's father, Mírzá Asadu'lláh and his maternal uncle, Sayyid Yahyá arrived in London with a story that he had consulted with 'Abdu'l-Bahá about Fareed's situation and had come to an agreement, but that he had lost the letters from 'Abdu'l-Bahá that he had brought with him addressed to the Bahá'í community. It was soon evident that Asadu'lláh had sided with his son in the matter. Mírzá Asadu'lláh Isfahaní, his son Fareed, as well as his daughter Farhangíz and her husband, Sydney Spraque, were all prohibited from partaking in the Bahá'í community. They associated with the New Thought and psychic community in London teaching their own version of the Bahá'í faith and spiritual practice. They left Britain for America arriving from Liverpool on the 14th of October, 1915 and finally settled in Los Angeles where Sprague took up a career as writer of musical plays, Mirza Asadu'llah, his daughter Farhangiz Sprague and son Fareed began lecturing on religion and Iranian culture. Fareed also had a medical practice. [LGHC208; The Bahá'í Community of the British Isles 1844-1963 p288-293]
See as well SBB1 188-189, p221 note 211
Arches of the Years by Marzieh Gail
- The disappearance of Abdu'l-Bahá's signet ring p95
Between the time that Mirza Abu'l-Fadl died in Cairo on the 21st of January, 1914 and the time of his burial, Faríd entered and secretly remained in Mírzá's house and removed precious manuscripts. Abdu'l-Bahá predicted that "at a future time, during a weakened phase of the Faith, certain enemies in whose possession were stolen writings of the Faith, would l=slightly falsified their contents."
Summon Up Remembrance by Marzieh Gail p129-132
- See the description of Farid as a youth in the Master's household and his undermining the spirit of Ali Kuli Khan and that of another young man, Mirza Habíb, with tales of the disapproval of the Master's daughters. Farid also caused a "crises of faith" for Aqá Husan who owned a coiffed shop in Haifa. Mirza Habíb, whose parents had been exiled with Bahá'u'lláh from Baghdad to the Holy Land, whose had been schooled at the hand of 'Abdu'l-Bahá Persian, Arabic and Turkish as well as the Writings of the Faith, left the Holy Land and went to Constantinople and then to Persia where he entered in Consular Service. The spark of his faith had left him. Aqá Husan committed suicide.
- 1914-08-04 — England declared war on Germany.
- 1918-09-23 —
"During the early years of World War I, though no longer imprisoned, 'Abdu'l-Bahá faced repeated threats against His life by authorities who were antagonistic towards Him and the Bahá'ís. The Commander of the Ottoman fourth army corps had even threatened to crucify 'Abdu'l-Bahá if the Turkish army were ever to be displaced out of Haifa." Lady Blomfield in London had learned of these threats and through her contacts in Cabinet, the British Army was instructed to protect Him and His family. [BWNS69, BWNS1202]
The British army took the city in the 1st Battle of Haifa: The battle was won due to a courageous uphill assault by the Jodhpur Lancers of the Indian Army who took the German and Turkish artillery and machine gun emplacements on top of Mount Carmel by surprise. This attack is believed to have been one of the last cavalry charge in modern military history. Each year, on this date, the Indian Army commemorates this victory as Haifa Day. [AY104; BBR335; DH148, Scroll In 68095]
- For details of the battle see BBR335-6.
- For letters from the British authorities stating that `Abdu'l-Bahá is safe see BBR336-7.
- For a photos see The Indian Weekender 5 October, 2018 as well as Wikipedia.
- For videos see India Today, The Battle of Haifa Part 1, The Battle of Haifa Part II.
- See the story as recounted by Col (Dr) Divakaran Padma Kumar Pillay.
- See as well Battle of Haifa: The Last Great Cavalry Campaign in History
by Ajeet Singh Choudhary. This article provides a comprehensive historical account of the Jodhpur Lancers and Battle of Haifa.
- See PG85-86, on the 23rd of August, 1919 'Abdu'l-Bahá, in conversation with Major-General Watson, referring to the success of the British army in taking Haifa stated, "God hath wished it to be so, it was His Divine aid and assistance that made it possible." and "It was God that helped you from every standpoint."
- 1919-02-22 — The "Self-Publishing of the Bahá'í Association" was replaced by the establishment of the "Publishing House of the German Bahá'í Federation GmbH". This publishing house was founded by eighteen Bahá'ís with a share capital of 25,000 marks. [German Bahá'í website archive]
- 1920-07-00 — Harlan and Grace Ober made a pilgrimage to visit 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Haifa. They returned via Germany and England where they had the privilege of meeting Shoghi Effendi, then a student at Oxford.
In Germany, at the suggestion of 'Abdu'l-Bahá they went to Leipzig where they spoke about the Faith at the Theosophical Society where two persons accepted the Faith. One was future Hand of the Cause Dr Hermann Grossmann and the other was Frau Lina Benke who shared the message with her husband George Adam Benke, the first European martyr. [BW13p869]
- 1920-08-00 —
The first Argentineans to become Bahá'ís, Hermann Grossmann and his sister Elsa Grossman, accepted the Faith in Leipzig in 1920.
- They were born in Argentina and emigrated to Germany in 1909.
- Dr Grossman heard of the Faith at a public meeting given by Harlan and Grace Ober at the Theosophical Society. [BW13:869]
- 1921-03-00 — Two Bahá'í publications began, Sonne der Wahrheit, meaning Sun of Truth, and Wirklichkeit, meaning Reality. [BWNS1289; German Bahá'í website archive]
- 1922-04-00 — Shoghi Effendi sent verbal messages through Consul Schwarz to Germany and Ethel Rosenberg to Britain to form local spiritual assemblies and to arrange for the election of a national spiritual assembly in each country. [CB293; EJR209, 211-12; PP56]
- 1923-04-21 — The formation of the National Spiritual Assembly of Germany and Austria. [GPB333]
- 1925-04-00 — Of the 38 localities where Bahá'ís resided in Europe, 26 were in Germany. [BBRSM182]
- 1925-05-00 — Louise Gregory travelled from Graz, Austria to Budapest where she met Frau Szirmai, the president of the Women's League for Peace and Freedom. Frau Szirmai had met 'Abdu'l-Bahá when He visited in 1913. During her time there she made the acquaintance of the Szántó family, who she would meet on subsequent trips.
After a stay of three weeks she travelled to Wiesbaden in Germany to visit a contact and spent five days at the home of the Schweitzers in Suffenhausen. She visited friends in Esslingen and stayed one night in Frankfurt before sailing from Antwerp on the 17th of June for the United States. During this trip she visited Liverpool in England, Luxembourg, Vienna and Graz in Austria, Budapest in Hungary, Zuffenhausen, Esslingen, Frankfurt, Wiesbaden and Nuremberg in Germany as well as Spa and Brussels in Belgium. [SYH132-134, 240]
- 1925-09-01 —
Dr. Arthur Eduard Heinrich Brauns (b. March 15, 1883 Goslar, Germany d. September 1, 1925 Switzerland) was a prominent early German Bahá'í named as a Disciple of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. He heard of the Faith at a lecture given by William Herrigel likely in Carlsruhe, Germany. He was among the group of Christian Scientists that enrolled in the Faith. Later he introduced his father-in-law, August Forel, to the religion. His wife, Marta Brauns-Forel, was also a prominent member of the German Bahá'í community. He was survived by her and their five children when he drowned while on a rafting trip.
- Marta Brauns-Fortel In Memoriam.
- 1928-03-15 —
In early Spring Louise Gregory sailed for Dresden, Germany where she spent 11 days renewing old acquaintances. [SYH149]
- Around the beginning of April she went to Prague were she met with Martha Root and spent about 2 weeks. [SYH149]
- By March or perhaps mid April she was in Sofia installed at the Hotel Union Palace and nourishing her group of about 5 interested persons. Her knowledge of Esperanto was link to her contacts. On the 14th and the 18th of the month there were severe earthquakes near Bulgaria's second city, Plovdiv. The shocks were felt in Sofia so normal activity was suspended temporarily. [SYH149-150]
- In May, to escape the heat of the summer in Sofia she took refuge the Villa Viktoria in Trenčianske Teplice, a spa town situated in the Carpathian mountains of Slovakia. She stayed there in June, July and most of August. Here she received a great deal of assistance from an attracted soul, Dr Binder and his friend, Mr Schapira. An earthquake in Bulgaria's second city, Plovdiv, upset the country and the teaching work [SYH150-152]
- On about the 20th of August she made her way to Vienna and spent time with a previous contact. From there she took boat down the Danube on August 26th and arrived in Ruse, Bulgaria on the 30th of August and travelled overland to Sofia where she resumed her work with her study group in mid-September. One of her contacts translated Dr Esslemont's pamphlet "What is the Bahá'í Movement" into Bulgarian and 2000 copies were printed. She held study classes, taught languages, held public meeting and put articles in the local paper to attract interested persons. [SYH155; BN No 31 April 1929 p4]
- On the 19th of March 1929 she departed Sofia en route to Haifa and her second pilgrimage. It is likely that she took the Simplon Orient Express to Tripoli, Lebanon and then by autobus to Beirut and Haifa. The latter part of the journey was completed by the Nairn Transport Company. [SYH161-165]
- After her pilgrimage she sailed from Haifa on the SS Asia of the French Fabre Line to Providence, Rhode Island where she arrived on the 13th of May 1929. From their she travelled home to their cottage at Green Acre. During this trip to Europe she had visited Dresden in Germany, had accompanied Martha Root in Prague, Czechoslovakia, spent the summer in Teplice, Czechoslovakia and went back to Sofia before embarking on pilgrimage. [SYH165-166, 241]
- 1931-01-13 —
Consul Albert Schwarz, (b. December 14, 1871, Stuttgart, Germany), Disciple of Abdu'l-Bahá, 'Germany's outstanding Bahá'í pioneer worker' passed away. He was buried in Pragfriedhof – Stuttgart. [BW4:118–19, 264; Find a grave]
- For his obituary see BW4:264–6.
- See as well Bahá'í Chronicles.
- 1931-06-01 —
The first German Bahá'í summer school was held, at Esslingen. [BBRSM182; BW5:44]
- UD98 and BW5p30 put this date as 1932.
- 1934-03-14 —
Louise Gregory arrived in Belgrade to join Martha Root in the teaching work. Their overlap lasted until the 25th of March when Martha left for Athens. [SYH186-187]
- Martha had arranged for a new believer, Mrs Draga Ilić, to translate Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era as well as the Hidden Words into Serbian. [SYH187]
- During her time here Louisa received American visitors Charles and Helen Bishop from Portland, OR, who were on their way to Geneva to take up service at the International Bahá'í Bureau. They had been on pilgrimage in Haifa. [SYH188; BW6p133]
- Louise established herself as a language teacher giving private lessons. On the 19th of June she moved to a larger house near the Austrian border then after a few weeks went to Salzburg to meet with Miss Fürth until the end of July. When Marion Jack arrived they travelled together to Munich and Göppingen and then to Esslingen to attend the German Bahá'í summer school at the request of Shoghi Effendi. It ran from the 5th to the 12th of August. [SYH190-191, 195]
For photos taken at the summer school see SYH198-199.
- After the summer school Marion and Louise went to Stuttgart and arrived back in Salzburg on the 3rd of September. She had trouble having her visa renewed and ultimately had to go to Vienna for this purpose. She returned to Belgrade by boat down the Danube. [SYH196-197]
- A report on her teaching work in Belgrade was printed in the Bahá'í News No 90 March 1935 pg11.
- Because her visa expired she was obliged to return to America. She left Belgrade near the end of April and went to England with plans to visit her relatives before boarding the Laconia in Liverpool destined for Boston on the 11th of May 1935. She had been away from home some 18 months on this teaching trip and had visited Varna in Bulgaria, Salzburg in Austria, Belgrade in Yugoslavia, Esslingen, Munich, Göppingen and Stuttgart in Germany, Salzburg and Vienna in Austria. [SYH 203-205, 242]
,
- 1935-05-07 — In response to a letter from a very successful National Convention in Germany the Guardian called the German community the standard bearers of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh in the continent of Europe. [LDG72]
- 1935-08-00 — Mary Maxell pioneered to Germany. Her first meeting with the Bahá'ís was at the Esslingen Summer School. [WMSH45]
- 1936-00-00 — Because the Bahá'í teachings were considered "international and pacifist" the Nazi close the Bahá'í summer school in Esslingen. [SYH208]
- 1937-05-21 —
All Bahá'í activities and institutions were banned in Germany by a special order of the Reichsführer SS and the Gestapo Chief of Staff Heinrich Himmler when he banned the Bahá'í Faith in Germany. He blamed it on the religion's "international and pacifist tendencies." The Nazi government increasingly targeted the Bahá'ís after Himmler's edict, first by tearing down the public memorial to 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Bad Mergntheim and then, in 1939, making mass arrests of the former members of the National Spiritual Assembly. Bahá'ís went to jail, some for very long periods, without charges. In 1942, more mass arrests occurred. Many of the Bahá'ís from Germany and the surrounding countries disappeared in the Nazi concentration camp system.
[BBRSM185; Bahá'í Teachings; German Bahá'í website archives; The German Baha'i Community under National Socialism p19]]
- See talk by David Langness entitled Nazi Germany: The Untold Story of the Bahá'ís.
- See Shoghi Effendi's letter of 11 February 1934 where he says in part:
The wave of nationalism, so aggressive and so contagious in its effects, which has swept not only over Europe but over a large part of mankind is, indeed, the very negation of the gospel of peace and of brotherhood proclaimed by Bahá'u'lláh. The actual trend in the political world is, indeed, far from being in the direction of the Bahá'í teachings. The world is drawing nearer and nearer to a universal catastrophe which will mark the end of a bankrupt and of a fundamentally defective civilization. [LDG1p55]
- See letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi 10 November 1938 regarding the German community's efforts to have the government rescind the ban. [Messages from Shoghi Effendi to the Benelux countries pp38-40]
- 1938-00-00 —
The fourth Trustee of the Huqúqu'lláh was Jináb-i-Valíyu'lláh Varqá, the third son of Varqá the martyr. He was born in Tabriz and after the death of his father and brother he was raised by his grandmother, a fanatical Muslim. At the age of 16 his uncle removed him from the home and taught him the Faith. He attended the American University at Beirut and spent summers with 'Abdu'l-Bahá and accompanied the Master to America and served as His interpreter. He returned to Iran where he served on local and national assemblies and was made a Trustee of the Huqúqu'lláh in 1938 at a time when the observance of the law spread throughout Iran. [Message from the Universal House of Justice dated 25 March, 1985]
- He was elevated to a Hand of the Cause of God in 1951 and passed away in Tubingen, Germany in 1955 while taking a treatment for an illness. [BW13p831-834]
- 1939-09-03 — World War II began with Britain and France declaring war on Germany after Germany invaded Poland.
- 1944-05-02 — The German government held a public trial of some of the jailed Bahá'í leaders in Darmstadt. Dr. Hermann Grossmann was allowed to testify as a witness for the defense about the non-political nature of the Bahá'í Faith and the attitude of the trial had been pre-ordained. The government found the Bahá'ís guilty, levied large fines and banned all Bahá'í institutions ordering that they be immediately disbanded.
[Bahá'í Teachings; German Bahá'í website archives]
- 1945-08-14 —
The German Bahá'ís, 80 per cent of whom lived in the American sector of occupied Germany, obtained permission to re-organize. [BBRSM185]
- A US soldier stationed in occupied post-war Germany, John Eichenauer, helped during the first days of the reconvening of the community. The American Bahá'ís sent money, food and literature, and aided them in rebuilding the administrative structures. [BWNS390]
- Brief mention of this event is made in this film on Vimeo.
- 1946-04-21 —
The National Spiritual Assembly of Germany and Austria was re-established. [BN No 187 September 1946 p8-9]
- It was elected for the first time since 1937. Those elected were: Fred Kohler, Dr Adelheid Jäger, De Hermann Grossmann, Martha Brauns-Forel, Erwin Knorr, Paul Golfer, Edith Horn, Martel Weiss, Hede Schubert. [The German Baha'i Community under National Socialism p18]
- Three American servicemen, Bruce Davison, John Eichenauer, and Capt Henry Jarvis rendered service to the stricken community. See the article The Baha'i Faith: Banned by the Nazis and the Communists by Caroline Fowler on Bahá'í Teachings.org.
- It would appear that there was no Austrian representation at this National Convention nor at the National Convention the following year. [BW11p30]
- See The German Baha'i Community under National Socialism p21-26 for the persecution of the Bahá'í community before and during the war.
- 1947-04-21 —
The Bahá'ís of Germany held their first National Convention since Himmler's proclamation in 1937, marking the removal of more than a decade of oppression and the establishment of a return to normalcy. This freedom would not last long in the eastern part of Germany, as the newly-formed communist German Democratic Republic banned all Bahá'í activities again in 1948. Bahá'í activities were encouraged to continue in the Western Zone, under the new government now known as West Germany. The ban on the Faith in the GDR would last for the entirety of the GDR, where the Faith was not officially recognized until after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1990. During this time, the Bahá'ís of Germany distributed Bahá'u'lláh's messages of peace and unity throughout Eastern Europe.
- See the article The Baha'i Faith: Banned by the Nazis and the Communists by Caroline Fowler on Bahá'í Teachings.org.
- 1948-00-00 — In the German Democratic Republic all Bahá'í activities were banned. In 1991, for the first time in 53 years, the Bahá'ís in eastern Germany elected delegates to the National Assembly. After 55 years, the Spiritual Assembly was re-formed in Leipzig. [German Bahá'í website]
- 1948-04-21 — The Germano-Austrian teaching plan, the German Five Year Plan(1948–53), comprising of internal goals only, was launched. [BBRSM158; The Spiritual Conquest of the Planet (Supplement) p2]
Some goals were:
- To double the number of Local Spiritual Assemblies from fourteen to twenty-eight, increasing the Bahá'í membership in each community
- To raise the number of localities in Germany and Austria where Bahá'ís reside
- To deepen the understanding of the friends in the operation of the Administrative Order
- To encourage deeper study of the teachings
- To construct the National Hazíratu'l-Quds in Frankfurt
- To enrich Bahá'í literature with two publications by March 1949, fifteen by March 1950, six by March 1951 and nine by 1952
- 1953-04-19 —
Shoghi Effendi announced plans to build a House of Worship in Frankfurt. [BW13:733; LDG191–2]l
- For the difficulties in pursuing the project see BW13:733–7.
- 1953-08-14 — In a letter written on behalf of the Guardian to the National Spiritual Assembly of Germany and Austria it was stated that:
He is Particularly anxious to have some of the
German Bahá'ís enter the western territories of
the Soviet Union not yet open to the Faith,
namely: Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Ukraine,
White Russia and Moldavia, and every effort
should be made to enable some of the Bahá'ís,
German or of other nationality, to go to these
countries. The young people in particular may be
able to arrange their affairs in such a way as to
procure employment in the Soviet Union. This would be a great service, and is part of the work allotted to the German Bahá'ís under the World Crusade. [14 August 1953] - 1954-10-01 — Bahá'ís of Germany and the European Hands of the Cause invited the Bahá'ís of Europe to the Haziratu'l-Quds in Frankfurt am Main to develop plans and to coordinate action in the work of the second phase of the Ten-Year Crusade.
[BN No 285 Nov 1954 p5]
- 1955-11-12 —
Hand of the Cause of God Valíyu'lláh Varqá passed away in Stuttgart.
- For his obituary see BW13:831–834.
- Shoghi Effendi had appointed him among the first contingent on the 24th of December, 1951. [MoCxxiii]
- 1957-00-00 — The land for the future Mashriqu'l-Adhkár in Langenhain was acquired. [from the pamphlet "First European Bahá'í House of Worship" published by the NSA of Germany]
- 1957-10-03 —
- 1958-07-25 —
The fourth Intercontinental Conference was held at the mid-point of the Crusade and convened in Frankfurt, Germany. [BW13:327]
- Amelia Collins, who had been designated by the Guardian as his representative, attended, accompanied by ten other Hands of the Cause. [BW13:327]
- For the message of the Custodians to the conference see MC102–6.
- For a report of the conference see BW13:327–9.
- 1959-04-21 —
Separate national spiritual assemblies were formed for Germany and Austria. [BW13p274, 283; BBRSM186]
- For the letter of the Custodians to the national convention of Austria see MC158–60.
- For a photo of the first National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Austria see WMSH244. The members were: Johanna (Hauff) von Werthern, Franz Pollinger, Bertha Matthisen, Leopoldine Heilinger, Dr Mehdi Varqá, Gunther Hang, Ursula Kohler, Dr Masoud Berdjis and Dr Aminolláh Ahmedzadeh.
- 1960-11-20 —
The cornerstone of the fifth House of Worship was laid in Langenhain, Germany, by Hand of the Cause of God Amelia Collins. [BW13:739; MC238, 245, 249–50]
- See also MoC14–15, 236.
- 1962-11-16 — The superstructure of the European House of Worship near Frankfurt was completed and the Temple was turned over to the Bahá'ís by the contractor. [BW13:737; MoC15]
- 1964-07-04 —
The House of Worship in Langenhain, Germany, the Mother Temple of Europe, was dedicated. [BW14:483–4]
The interior of the auditorium is bounded by 27 pillars, supporting the dome. Twenty-seven ribs lead from the floor to the apex of the dome, culminating in a ring which carries a lantern. The dome segments are arranged in a special way in order to permit full access of daylight. These produce an interesting play of lights and shadows, attractively brightened by the sun's reflexes on the 570 glass panels. The supporting parts of the structure consist of prefabricated concrete material reinforced by steel fillings, which were produced in the Netherlands.
- For the message of the Universal House of Justice see BW14:485–6.
- For pictures see BW14:482, 483, 485, 491.
- For a description of the teaching conference accompanying the dedication see BW14:586–8.
- See also MC14–15; PP432–4.
- See this brief film on Vimeo on the life of Anneliese Bopp and her part in the building of this Temple.
Specifics
Location: Frankfurt, Germany (near the village of Langenhain in the Taunus Hills)
Foundation Stone: 20 November 1960 by Hand of the Cause Amelia Collins representing the World Centre. She placed Sacred Dust from the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh in the foundations.
Construction Period: 1960-1964
Site Dedication:4 July 1964 Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum represented the Universal House of Justice.
Architect: Teuto Rocholl (plans approved by Shoghi Effendi)
Seating:450 – 600
Dimensions: Diameter at the base: 48m (158ft), Height from the base to the top of the dome: 28m (92ft), Outer diameter: 25m (82ft); Inner diameter: 23m (69ft), Inner height of the dome: 24m (72ft). Height 20.5m (67ft)
Cost:
Dependencies: A home for the aged.
Note: The construction of this temple was delayed by legal roadblocks instigated by church opposition, both Protestant and Catholic.
References: BW14p483, BW14p483-484, BW18p104, CEBF241
- 1967-10-05 —
Six Intercontinental Conferences were held simultaneously in Panama City, Wilmette, Sydney, Kampala, Frankfurt and New Delhi to celebrate the centenary of the proclamation of Bahá'u'lláh to the kings and rulers of the world in September/October of 1867. [BW 14:221]
- For the message of the Universal House of Justice to the conferences see BW14:221–2.
- For descriptions of each conference see BW14:223–58.
- See CG68-69 for a brief description of the Intercontinental Conference in Kampala.
- The six Hands of the Cause representing the Universal House of Justice at the conferences travelled to Adrianople to visit the House of Bahá'u'lláh before dispersing to the conferences. [BW14:236, 458; VV2]
- 1968-07-07 —
The passing of Hand of the Cause Hermann Grossmann in Neckargemünd, near Heidelberg, (b.16 February, 1899) [BW15p416-421]
- Shoghi Effendi had appointed him among the first contingent of Hands of the Cause on the 24th of December, 1951. [MoCxxiii]
- For his biography see Hermann Grossmann: Hand of the Cause of God, A Life for the Faith by Susanne Pfaff-Grossmann.
- For his obituary see BW15:416–21.
- For cable of the Universal House of Justice see BW15:416 and WG157–8.
- Alternatively see Mess63-86p135.
- 1969-07-15 — The European Dawnbreakers' Show, ''A Plea for One World," was conceived at a Swiss winter school by four young Baha'is from four countries. The original idea of a singing group blossomed into thirty-two Baha'is from ten countries presenting the message of Baha'u'lláh through mime, songs, Baha'i scripture, and documented narrations. A total of eighteen performances were given in The Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium. The five-week tour was organized by the Baha'i youth in Europe and supported by the National Spiritual Assembly of Germany [BN No 466 January 1970 p14]
- 1971-00-00 —
In Germany, Hermann Zimmer resurrected the claims of Ruth White in a small book published in 1971 (English translation in 1973), A Fraudulent Testament devalues the Bahá'í Religion into Political Shogism.
- In Switzerland, Francesco Ficicchia wrote a comprehensive attack aimed mainly at the Bahá'í administration,
- Der Bah'ismus Weltreligion der Zunkunft? (Evangelische Zentralstelle für Weltanschauungsfragen, Quell Verlag, Stuttgart, 1981).
- Both of these works were financed and distributed by Evangelical Protestant organizations in Germany. [The Covenant and Covenant-breaker by Moojan Momen]
- 1977-06-01 — At the behest of the Universal House of Justice, two conferences were held for Persian-speaking Bahá'ís resident in Europe, one in Germany and one in London. [BW17:194]
- 1981-01-01 —
The publication of Der Bahā'ismus, Weltreligion der Zukunft?: Geschichte, Lehre und Organisation in Kritischer Anfrage (Bahá'ism-Religion of the Future? History, Doctrine and Organization: A Critical Inquiry) by Francesco Ficicchia under the auspices of the Central Office of the Protestant Church for Questions of Ideology in Germany. This book was distributed by the Protestant Church and became the most widespread book on the Bahá'í Faith in German, and as such was widely accepted as a critical academic publication. At the time of its distribution a decision was taken to not dignify the publication with a rebuttal. This proved to be an error. Making the Crooked Straight was published in 1995 in German and translated/published by George Ronald Publishers in 2000. The purpose of the book, as the name suggests, was to address the distorted views presented in Ficicchia's publication. [MCSintroduction]
- See The Refutation of Francesco Ficicchia and the Dangers of Silence by Jack McLean.
- 1984-02-28 —
The passing of Renée Szanto-Felbermann (b 21 June, 1900, d. 28 February, 1984) in Freiburg, Germany. She is considered the first to declare her faith in Hungary. [BW19p633]
- She is the author of The Memoirs of Renée Szanto-Felbermann, published in London by the Bahá'í Publishing Trust. It is the autobiography of a woman of Jewish heritage who was the first Hungarian Bahá'í. Particularly interesting is the period as Jewish-Bahá'í in Hungary during the Nazi era. [Collins7.2521]
- See the article The Baha'i Faith: Banned by the Nazis and the Communists by Caroline Fowler on Bahá'í Teachings.org.
- 1987-11-00 — Representatives of 17 national spiritual assemblies in Europe and North America, together with senior representatives of the Offices of the Bahá'í International Community, met in Germany to discuss their external affairs. [AWH56; VV105]
- 1989-12-18 — During the Youth Winter School in Traben-Trarback participants from 12 countries including East Germany, Romania, Hungary and the Soviet Union gathered for the first time since the Second World War. [BINS215:2]
- 1989-12-19 —
West Berlin Bahá'í communities were joined by 26 Bahá'ís from six European countries and the United States in proclamation and teaching activities among East Germans. [BINS215:2]
- More than 50,000 copies of a shortened version of the Peace Statement and other Bahá'í materials were distributed at four major border checkpoints in West Berlin and at the Brandenburg Gate. [BINS215:2]
- 1990-00-17 — With the approval of the Universal House of Justice, the Bahá'í administrative institutions of the eastern and western parts of Germany were re-united. [BINS230:2]
- 1991-02-05 —
The highest legal authority in Germany, the Federal Constitutional Court, overturned the decisions of a number of lower courts that had refused to register the by-laws of a Local Spiritual Assembly on the grounds that the authority granted to the National Spiritual Assembly in the document violated the legal principle requiring the autonomy of all legally incorporated associations.
- The case was first brought before the District Court of Tübingen when the legal administrator refused to register the Local Assembly on the 8th of December, 1983. The decision was appealed on the 5th of May 1985 to the High State Court in Sturrgart and rejected on the 27th of January 1986. News of the decision caused other jurisdictions to demand that local assemblies amend their By-Laws or face cancellation of their existing incorporation. The National Spiritual Assembly was in danger of the same fate. An appeal was submitted in March of 1986.
- The ruling affirmed Bahá'í community, by its right as a recognized religion, recognized by public knowledge and by the testimony of scholars of comparative religion, had the right to a legal identity. [AWH87]
- See Ridván Message 1991.
- For complete details of the case see Mess86-01p206-235.
- 1991-04-21 — The Bahá'ís of East and West Germany were united at their 61st convention for the first time after the war. [VV113]
- 1992-03-07 — The first local spiritual assembly in Eastern Germany was formed in Erfurt. [BINS267:3]
- 1993-04-21 — The Local Spiritual Assembly of Leipzig, Germany, was re-formed 56 years after its dissolution during the time the Faith was banned. [BW93–4:82]
- 1994-07-20 — The European Bahá'í Youth Council sponsored five regional 'Shaping Europe' conferences, in Berlin, Bucharest, St Petersburg, Barcelona and Wolverhampton, United Kingdom. [BINS323:3–5; BW94–5:177–8, 189]
- 1995-00-00 —
The publication of Desinformation als Methode by Udo Schaefer, Nicola Towfigh and Ulrich Gollmer. This book was written in response to a pseudo-academic monograph on the Bahá'í Faith by an embittered ex-Bahá'í, Francesco Ficicchia, claiming to be the standard work on the Faith and published in Germany under church auspices. For over 15 years the accusations raised in Ficicchia's book largely shaped public and academic perception of the Bahá'í Faith in German-speaking Europe, damaging its reputation with a picture of an authoritarian cadre-dominated cult with totalitarian, fascist goals.
- was translated from the German to English by Dr Geraldine Schuckelt and published in 2000 under the title Making the Crooked Straight; A Contribution to Bahá'í Apologetics and is available from George Ronald Publishers.
- 2007-04-07 — A memorial removed by the Nazis when the Bahá'í Faith was outlawed in 1937 was restored by municipal authorities in the resort town of Bad Mergentheim in Germany. The stone commemorates the visit of 'Abdu'l-Bahá on April 7-8, 1913. The new memorial was unveiled on 7 April, by Mayor Lothar Barth accompanied by Bahman Solouki, a representative of the Bahá'í community of Germany. Please see the news story for pictures of both the original and the replacement monuments. [BWNS524]
- 2009-02-07 — Regional Conferences were held in Frankfurt, Germany and Padua, Italy. [Padua, Frankfurt]
- 2010-04-27 —
The passing of Dr Nossrat Peseschkian (b. 18 June, 1933 in Iran d. 27 April, 2010 in Wiesbaden, Germany). He came to Germany in 1954 for his studies in medicine at the universities of Freiburg, Frankfurt am Main and Mainz. After his medical specialization and his dissertation, he had his postgraduate training in psychotherapy in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and the United States. Prof. Peseschkian was the founder and leading figure in the growth and development of Positive Psychotherapy for almost 40 years. As an international lecturer, he had traveled to 67 countries worldwide. A global network of over 100 local, regional and national centres of Positive Psychotherapy has been established in 33 countries to date. Among his works is the book "Oriental Stories as Tools in Psychotherapy: The Merchant and the Parrot", which included short stories from Persia and other countries that can be used in psychotherapy. [Wikipedia]
- See Iranwire.
- 2012-02-20 —
The passing of Anneliese Bopp, former Counsellor member of the International Teaching Centre at Bad Bruckenau, Northern Bavaria, Germany. [BWNS892]
- First appointed to the Continental Board of Counsellors at Ridván 1970, she served at the International Teaching Centre from 1979 until 1988.
- See Vimeo for a short biographical film on Anneliese Bopp entitled Miss Anneliese Bopp: A Champion of Faith.
- Bahaipedia.
- 2017-12-17 —
The announcement by the Universal House of Justice of the passing of former House member Mr. Hartmut Grossmann.
"...he poured out his life in uninterrupted service to the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh, as a teacher, pioneer, and member of the National Spiritual Assemblies of Germany (1963-1969) and Finland (1977-1980), the Continental Board of Counsellors in Europe, (1980-1988) the International Teaching Centre (1988-2003) and, ultimately, of the Universal House of Justice (2003-2008)." [BWNS1228]
- He was the son of Hand of the Cause of God Hermann Grossmann (1899-1968). He was predeceased by his wife Ursula. [BWNS622; Bahá'í Chronicles]
- 2019-08-00 —
Religions for Peace is the world's largest inter-religious coalition. Their mandate is to work to transform violent conflict, advance human development, promote just and harmonious societies. It is comprised of a world council of religious leaders and bodies from over 125 countries.
Its organization, built over its 50-year history, comprises of six regional Interreligious Councils and is built on the principle of religious representation that reflects the fabric of religious demography.
- The Bahá'í International Community's Principal Representative, Ms. Bani Dugal, was elected as a co-president and member of the World Council of Religions for Peace to become part of the 51 member council of co-presidents. The election, which is held every five years, was held in August in Lindau, Germany. Ms. Dugal was elected by over 700 voting delegates.
- Dr. Azza Karam, Professor of Religion and Development at the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam, Netherlands and former senior advisor on culture at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) was elected as the body's new secretary-general, becoming the first woman to hold the post. At UNFPA, she also served as chairperson of the UN task force on engagement with faith-based organizations.
[BIC News]
- 2019-08-30 —
The passing of Dr Udo Schaefer (b. October 19, 1926 in Heidelberg, Germany). He enrolled as a Bahá'í in 1948 and became one of the most important contemporary theologians of the Bahá'í Faith, well known for his scholarship and his defence of the Faith. He came from a family of musicians and his early studies were in in that field but he changed streams and became a lawyer. [FaceBook]
- English translations of his work include:
- His publications in German.
- His publications in French
- His publications in Spanish
- His publications in other languages, (Russian, Portuguese, Dutch and Farsi).
- His articles.
- His website.
- Wikipedia.
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