Chapter 17
The fact is that the Guardian is very sad over the present condition and because it is almost impossible for him to intervene from such a distance and without hearing both sides, he has written over and over again asking that the friends should gather, should talk frankly and fully without ill-feeling and should solve their difficulty. This to Shoghi Effendi's deep disappointment has not been possible, Mr. Herrigel has been uncompromising and firm and the result is that the Cause in... is at a standstill. This is why Shoghi Effendi would ask everyone and especially yourself to make every effort and help the situation....
[From the Guardian:]
My dear co-worker:
A trusted friend of ours, Dr. Yunis _Kh_an is proceeding to Germany to visit the Baha'i centres and I trust he will be enabled to promote true understanding and sustained cooperation in.... He is most trustworthy and capable. I will continue to pray for you from the depths of my heart. Rest a.s.sured and never feel disheartened.
Your true brother, Shoghi
LETTER OF 5 NOVEMBER 1945
5 November 1945
Dear Baha'i-Brother:
The message signed by you and other of our dear Baha'i-friends, and dated Sep. 16th, Esslingen, reached our beloved Guardian, and brought great joy to his heart. He wishes you if possible to convey the following message to those who addressed him:
Tell them that it was a source of deep comfort and gratification to him to receive a word of love and devotion from some of the German Baha'is after all these years of silence and danger. He was so happy to know they are well and have been able to meet with you and receive news of the progress of the Faith in other lands.
He hopes that now that the war is over, and the regime which banned all Baha'i activities in Germany is no more, the believers there will exert their utmost to teach this great religion of ours to their fellow-countrymen. No doubt after so many years of deep suffering and bitter disillusion there are many souls eager for the truth, and more awakened to the need of a spiritual solution for the world's problems.
Please convey his love to them all, and a.s.sure them they are, and have been, often remembered in his ardent prayers.
The Guardian was so very glad to know you had been able to meet with some of the German Baha'is. He urges you to help and inspire them all you can.
His loving prayers surround you, you may be sure...
[From the Guardian:]
Dear and valued co-workers:
I was thrilled by the message you have sent, and feel profoundly thankful to Baha'u'llah for having preserved you and your dear co-workers in that land, and for the spirit, which, despite the sufferings and turmoil that have afflicted your country, you so powerfully display and exemplify. I cherish great hope for the future of your work, and I pray from all my heart for the Almighty's richest blessings on your activities. Rest a.s.sure, be happy, and persevere in your historic and meritorious labours.
Your true and grateful brother, Shoghi
LETTER OF 30 DECEMBER 1945
30 December 1945
Beloved Baha'i Friends:
Your letter of April 4th has just been received by our beloved Guardian, and he has instructed me to answer it at once on his behalf.
It was with feelings of great pride and deep sorrow that he read of the sufferings of the German believers for their Faith and
All during these long and tragic years of war his thoughts have been with the Community of the German believers, and his prayers have constantly been offered for their protection and the lightening of their heavy burden. Other Baha'i Communities, like France and England, have also suffered, but not to the extent of the German and Burmese friends who have been in lands ravaged by war and invasion, and in the hands, at the same time, of political parties who persecuted them.
The loss of all the records of the National and Local a.s.semblies is indeed very great, and he hopes that your family, Dr. Muhlschlegel, Dr. Schmidt, Herr Jorn, Anna Kostlin, Frau Schweizer, Frau Schwarz-, in fact, all the old believers, will try and reconstruct from memory, and write down, as much of the history of the Cause in Germany as they can remember, so that some accurate records for the future will remain. He would also like you to write a comprehensive account of what the Baha'is have endured in Germany since 1937 for the "Baha'i World", vol. X, and send it to him as soon as possible. The news of the German believers' activities has been sadly missed in the last two volumes, and he is anxious to have them take their place again as soon as possible.
He has just written to N.S.A. of America urging them to help, and do all they can to protect the German Baha'is; he has also urged them to make every effort to get German Baha'i books published, and sent to Germany as soon as possible.
You all have a tremendous task before you. He knows how great is the suffering for just ordinary German citizens at present as an aftermath of the war-but in spite of these physical hards.h.i.+ps the German believers are called upon to establish again the inst.i.tutions of their Faith, teach its life-giving message to the ma.s.ses, and help their country to obtain the spiritual destiny 'Abdu'l-Baha foresaw for it. You may be sure the Guardian and the Baha'is everywhere will do all in their power to help the German believers accomplish their tasks.
Please a.s.sure all the friends-especially those who have lost dear ones in the war-of his most loving and ardent prayers on their behalf, and of his feelings of pride and grat.i.tude for their devotion and loyalty to the Faith.
To you all he sends his loving greetings, his deep appreciation of your spirit, and the a.s.surance of his constant prayers....
[From the Guardian:]
Dearly-beloved friends:
My heart is filled with joy, pride and grat.i.tude as I witness, thru the receipt of your most welcome letter, the evidences of the protection of the Almighty and of the vitality of the faith of the long-suffering German believers, who have laboured so devotedly and valiantly during so long and crucial a period and who as a community have survived the greatest ordeal in the history of their Faith in that land. My prayers during these years of danger, of stress, of suspense and anxiety have ever surrounded them, and I rejoice to learn of their safety, their unity, their zeal, and their determination to arise and resume the great and historic work they are destined to carry to a triumphant conclusion in the years that lie ahead.
The organization of spiritual a.s.semblies, the reestablishment of the national a.s.sembly, the formation of national committees are the immediate objectives, and should, if possible be carried out with the utmost speed and vigour, for upon them will rest the expansion and consolidation of the activities of a sorely-tried Faith. I am appealing to various Baha'i communities in East and West to lend their a.s.sistance in whatever manner possible to the arduous task of reconstruction that now faces the German believers. I long to hear of the news of the friends in other parts of that land and will do my utmost to aid them to resume their activity and services to our beloved Faith. Please a.s.sure them all of my great love, of my profound admiration, of my bright hopes for their future, of my heartfelt grat.i.tude for their perseverance and of my fervent prayers for their future success.
Your true brother, Shoghi
LETTER OF DEC. 30TH, 1945
Dec. 30th, 1945
Dear Baha'i Friends:
It was with great joy that the beloved Guardian received your letter of Aug. 1st, and he has instructed me to answer it on his behalf.
During these long, sad, years of separation his thoughts have constantly been with the well-loved German Baha'is, and his ardent prayers have been offered in the Holy Shrines for their protection and the protection of the Faith there.
Now that the friends are once again free to profess their beliefs, hold their meetings, teach the Cause, and uphold its inst.i.tutions, he hopes they will exert their utmost to reestablish, as speedily as possible, the Baha'i Communities of Germany. The Faith in that land had, before it was suppressed and banned, just began to enjoy the fruits of many long years of labour to promulgate it, and create its administrative bodies; he hopes that all the German Baha'is will unite to bring it to the former level of prosperity it enjoyed.
He wishes to a.s.sure you all, and through you, all your Baha'i brothers and sisters in Germany, that he will do all in his power to a.s.sist you in your labours, and that your fellow-Baha'is the world over will likewise aid you as much as they can.
The beloved Master cherished very bright hopes for the future of the German Baha'is. His promises and prophecies will surely be fulfilled, and the Holy Faith not only be reestablished in Germany but grow and expand as never before.
The Guardian has urged the American N.S.A. to supply the German Baha'is with literature as soon as possible; this will enable you to bring the teachings to your sore-stricken countrymen, and enlist them under the banner of Baha'u'llah.