Erik Blumenthal
Erik Blumenthal | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Born | September 9, 1914 |
| Died | June 27, 2004 |
| NSA member | Germany & Austria 1955 - 1959 Germany 1959 - 1963 |
| ABM | Europe 1957 - 1968 |
| Counsellor | Europe 1968 - 1985 |
Erik Blumenthal (September 9, 1914 - June 27, 2004) was a German Bahá’í who served as a Continental Counsellor for Europe. In his career he was a psychologist.
Biography[edit]
Blumenthal was born and raised in Germany. His father was of Jewish descent and while he wanted to study medicine he was not allowed to enroll in university by the Nazi regime. During the Second World War he went into hiding to avoid persecution by the Nazi's.[1]
At some point Blumenthal was introduced to the Bahá’í Faith by Adelbert Muhlschlegel and he declared in 1953 which was the same year he began studying psychology. He was elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of Germany in 1955 and served until 1963 and Muhlschlegel appointed him to the Auxiliary Board for Europe in 1957. The Universal House of Justice appointed him as a Continental Counselor for Europe in 1968 and he served as Counselor until 1985.[1]
In addition to his Bahá’í service he was successful in his professional career being named president of the Swiss Society for Individual Psychology in 1964 and he was awarded the Medal of Honor by the Guild of Counsellors of Individual Psychology in 2001.[1]
In his personal life Blumenthal married Dolores and they had four children. She passed in 1957 and Blumenthal remarried to Marianne in 1959 and they had two children.[1]
Blumenthal passed in 2004 and was survived by Marianne, four children, fourteen grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. The Universal House of Justice conveyed the following in a message following his passing:
"The guidance he provided as a prominent psychologist, the high standard of personal excellence he set, and his kind and gentle manner served as an example for all those with whom he interacted,"[1]
