1. 1954. Haifa Notes. Ramona Brown. Notes from a pilgrimage in 1954. Pilgrims.

1. 1953-10-00 —
   Edmund ('Ted') Cardell arrived in Windhoek and wss named a Knight of Bahá'u'lláh for South West Africa (Namibia). [BW13:456]
   • He was later joined by his wife Alicia and the first German Bahá'ís to pioneer to Africa, Martin and Gerda Aiff and their children.
   • In 1955 Hilifa Andreas Nekundi, (also known as Tate Hilifa), was the first Namibian to become a Bahá'í. Mr. Nekundi later served on the first Local Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Windhoek, and the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Namibia. [BWNS280]
2. 1981-04-21 — The National Spiritual Assembly of South West Africa/Namibia was formed with its seat in Windhoek. [BW18:107, 163; BN no606 November 1981 p10]
3. 2001-03-13 — The passing of Martin Aiff (b. 21 March 1919 in Darmstadt, Germany) in Windhoek, Namibia.

   He became a Bahá’í in 1946 and soon after was appointed to the National Youth Committee in Germany. In 1948, he married Gerda Hafimann and they had six children together. He was elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of Germany and served as a member of that body from 1957 to 1959, when he left Germany to live and teach the Bahá’í Faith in Afiica during the Ten Year Crusade. The family settled in Southwest Africa (later Namibia) in the capital of Windhoek and remained there until 1967 before moving to Leuderitz and later Tsumeb. Mr. Aiff had a variety of jobs in Namibia, working as a commercial salesman, manager of general stores, school administrator, and manager of arts and crafts centres. For seven years he and his wife had served as caretakers of the German national center, and they performed the same duty at the national center in Windhoek during their residence in that city. Mr. Aiff served on the National Spiritual Assembly of South and West Afnca in 1973—74 and was elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of Namibia upon its formation in 1981. He was a member of that National Spiritual Assembly from 1981 until 1984 and in 1985. In 1986 he was appointed to the Auxiliary Board, serving that institution until 1996. In its message after his death, the Universal House Of Justice wrote that his persistent activities in Africa would “serve as shining examples of devotion for generations to come.” [BW29 p267]

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