Eugen Schmidt
Eugen Schmidt | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | February 22, 1901 Stuttgart, Germany |
| Died | 1982 |
| NSA member | Germany & Austria 1932 - 1937 1945 - 1959 Germany 1959 - 1964 |
| ABM | Europe 1954 - ???? |
Dr. Eugen Schmidt (February 22, 1901 - 1982) was a German Bahá’í who served as a National Spiritual Assembly and Auxiliary Board member.
Biography[edit]
Schmidt was born in Stuttgart, Germany, in 1901 and was raised in a Christian family. As a result of living through World War I in his youth he became committed to the concept of world peace and in 1924 he was first introduced to the Bahá’í Faith.[1]
Through speaking at youth congresses Schmidt met Erna Kauffmann who he married and had three children with, a son and two daughters. As his father was unemployed he was unable to pursue higher education until later in his youth but was able to complete a doctorate in political science in 1932 specializing in public health and social security.[2] In 1932 Schmidt was elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of Germany and Austria and he served until 1937 when the Nazi regime prohibited the Bahá’í Faith. During the war he undertook mandatory military service and was a prisoner of war for some time.[2]
After the end of the Second World War Schmidt secured employment in the field of public health and social security and he was active professionally as a writer, editor, and organizer. In 1946 the National Spiritual Assembly of Germany and Austria was able to reform and Schmidt was elected as Chairman of the body with his pragmatic organizational skills being integral to the re-establishment of the German Bahá’í community. In addition to his service on the National Assembly he also served on the Local Spiritual Assembly of Stuttgart and later the Local Spiritual Assembly of Leinfelden-Echterdingen, as editor of the Bahá’í periodical Sonne der Wahrheit, and the organizer of many conferences and gatherings for the community in the period shortly after the War.[2]
In the 1950's Schmidt helped secure a building to serve as the National Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds for Germany which was dedicated in 1952 and he was appointed as an inaugural Auxiliary Board member for Europe in 1954 serving in the role until retiring due to old age. Into the 1960's he assisted efforts to construct the German Mashriqu’l-Adhkár which was completed in 1964 and he served on the Bahá’í Public Relations Committee and assisted the Bahá’í International Community in its relations with the United Nations.[2]
Schmidt passed away in 1982 and the Universal House of Justice conveyed the following message after his passing:
CONVEY MEMBERS HIS FAMILY LOVING SYMPATHY PASSING OUTSTANDING STALWART DEVOTED BELIEVER EUGEN SCHMIDT. HIS LONG SERVICES ADMINISTRATIVE TEACHING FIELDS WILL ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED. ASSURE PRAYERS HOLY SHRINES PROGRESS HIS SOUL ABUNDANT REWARD ABHA KINGDOM.[3]
References[edit]
- ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1986). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 18 (1979-1983), Pg(s) 800. View as PDF.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1986). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 18 (1979-1983), Pg(s) 801. View as PDF.
- ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1986). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 18 (1979-1983), Pg(s) 802. View as PDF.
