December 30. On this date in 1945, Shoghi Effendi wrote German Bahá'ís his "feelings of great pride and deep sorrow that he read of the sufferings of the German believers." In 1934 he wrote the Nazis would respect "individual conscience in all matters pertaining to religion." In 1938, one month after the Anschluss of Austria, he wrote a letter stating "it made him immensely happy to realize that the friends in Germany and Austria have been again drawn together.

 

December 30. On this date in 1945, Shoghi Effendi wrote German Bahá'ís his "feelings of great pride and deep sorrow that he read of the sufferings of the German believers." In 1934 he wrote the Nazis would respect "individual conscience in all matters pertaining to religion." In 1938, one month after the Anschluss of Austria, he wrote a letter stating "it made him immensely happy to realize that the friends in Germany and Austria have been again drawn together.

On February 11, 1934, Shoghi Effendi addressed a letter to a German Bahá'í stating about the Nazi governmentthat "obedience to the regulations and orders of the state is indeed, the sacred obligation of every true and loyal Bahá'í" and that "our German friends are under the sacred obligation to whole-heartedly obey the existing political regime, whatever be their personal views and criticisms of its actual working. There is nothing more contrary to the spirit of the Cause than open rebellion against the governmental authorities of a country, specially if they do not interfere in and do not oppose the inner and sacred beliefs and religious convictions of the individual. And there is every reason to believe that the present regime in Germany, which has thus far refused to trample upon the domain of individual conscience in all matters pertaining to religion will never encroach upon it in the near future, unless some unforeseen and unexpected changes take place. And this seems to be doubtful at present."

On April 25, 1938, one month after Nazi Germany's Anschluss of Austria, a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi stated "it made him immensely happy to realize that the friends in Germany and Austria have been again drawn together, and are closer than ever in the past. He hopes that the removal of the barriers which have hitherto so sadly separated the German and Austrian communities will mark the beginning of a new era of unprecedented growth and expansion in your affairs."

30 December 1945 Beloved Bahá'í 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 the persecutions they underwent so heroically, and with such unflinching loyalty, for our Holy Cause.

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 Bahá'í 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 Assemblies 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 Bahá'ís have endured in Germany since 1937 for the "Bahá'í 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 Bahá'ís; he has also urged them to make every effort to get German Bahá'í 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 hardships the German believers are called upon to establish again the institutions of their Faith, teach its life-giving message to the masses, and help their country to obtain the spiritual destiny 'Abdu'l-Bahá foresaw for it. You may be sure the Guardian and the Bahá'ís everywhere will do all in their power to help the German believers accomplish their tasks.

Please assure 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 gratitude for their devotion and loyalty to the Faith.

To you all he sends his loving greetings, his deep appreciation of your spirit, and the assurance of his constant prayers....

In the Guardian's own handwriting:

Dearly-beloved friends:

My heart is filled with joy, pride and gratitude 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 assemblies, the reestablishment of the national assembly, 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 Bahá'í communities in East and West to lend their assistance 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 assure them all of my great love, of my profound admiration, of my bright hopes for their future, of my heartfelt gratitude for their perseverance and of my fervent prayers for their future success.

Your true brother,

Shoghi Dec. 30th, 1945

Dear Bahá'í 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 Bahá'ís, 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 institutions, he hopes they will exert their utmost to reestablish, as speedily as possible, the Bahá'í 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 Bahá'ís will unite to bring it to the former level of prosperity it enjoyed.

He wishes to assure you all, and through you, all your Bahá'í brothers and sisters in Germany, that he will do all in his power to assist 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 Bahá'ís. 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 Bahá'ís 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 Bahá'u'lláh.

You may be sure the Guardian's loving prayers surround you all and sustain you in your labours for the Cause....