Friedrich von Frankenberg
Encyclopedia
Friedrich von Frankenberg (2 January 1889 - 1950) was one of the early founders of Sufism
in Australia
.
Friedrich von Frankenberg was an early Australian representative of Sufism, the mystical order of Islam first brought to the West by Hazrat Inayat Khan
. He was born to an aristocratic and cultured family and raised mostly in Germany
. His mother, Jessie Elliot, was the daughter of a wealthy Australian industrialist family. Her family owned property in Algeria
, and her father resided there for lengthy periods. This may be where von Frankenberg first encountered Islam. In 1925 he attended the Sufi Movement Summer School, led annually by Inayat Khan at Suresnes in France
. He was accepted by Inayat Khan as a mureed, and given the Sufi name of Momin (meaning faithful), as well as instruction in spiritual practices.
In 1927, Von Frankenberg immigrated to Australia, leaving behind his wife and son in Germany. His mother, Jessie Elliot, had inherited a substantial estate from her father, but it had been frozen during World War I
because Elliot and her son were German nationals. Von Frankenberg seems to have initially travelled to Australia in order to settle his claim to the family property. In Australia, he married an Australian woman, Olive Pauline Ward Taylor. His second wife, generally known as Stella, or by her Sufi name of Lila, was an accomplished pianist and member of a successful business family in Sydney. In the 1930s the Von Frankenbergs settled on a dairy farm called 'Spring Hills' at Camden, on the outskirts of Sydney
. From the 1930s to the end of his life Von Frankenberg worked to spread Sufism in Australia and established and led the first Sufi groups in Australia. During World War II, von Frankenberg again came under suspicion from the Australian authorities, due mostly to his German background. He was questioned and his mail was monitored, but he was not interned. In the later years of his life, the small movement that he had founded split, with some members following Francis Brabazon
into becoming disciples of Meher Baba
.
Von Frankenberg died in 1950 at the age of 61 and was buried in the Camden cemetery.
Sufism
Sufism or ' is defined by its adherents as the inner, mystical dimension of Islam. A practitioner of this tradition is generally known as a '...
in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Friedrich von Frankenberg was an early Australian representative of Sufism, the mystical order of Islam first brought to the West by Hazrat Inayat Khan
Inayat Khan
Inayat Khan was an exemplar of Universal Sufism and founder of the "Sufi Order in the West" in 1914 . Later, in 1923, the Sufi Order of the London period was dissolved into a new organization formed under Swiss law and called the "International Sufi Movement"...
. He was born to an aristocratic and cultured family and raised mostly in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. His mother, Jessie Elliot, was the daughter of a wealthy Australian industrialist family. Her family owned property in Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, and her father resided there for lengthy periods. This may be where von Frankenberg first encountered Islam. In 1925 he attended the Sufi Movement Summer School, led annually by Inayat Khan at Suresnes in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. He was accepted by Inayat Khan as a mureed, and given the Sufi name of Momin (meaning faithful), as well as instruction in spiritual practices.
In 1927, Von Frankenberg immigrated to Australia, leaving behind his wife and son in Germany. His mother, Jessie Elliot, had inherited a substantial estate from her father, but it had been frozen during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
because Elliot and her son were German nationals. Von Frankenberg seems to have initially travelled to Australia in order to settle his claim to the family property. In Australia, he married an Australian woman, Olive Pauline Ward Taylor. His second wife, generally known as Stella, or by her Sufi name of Lila, was an accomplished pianist and member of a successful business family in Sydney. In the 1930s the Von Frankenbergs settled on a dairy farm called 'Spring Hills' at Camden, on the outskirts of Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
. From the 1930s to the end of his life Von Frankenberg worked to spread Sufism in Australia and established and led the first Sufi groups in Australia. During World War II, von Frankenberg again came under suspicion from the Australian authorities, due mostly to his German background. He was questioned and his mail was monitored, but he was not interned. In the later years of his life, the small movement that he had founded split, with some members following Francis Brabazon
Francis Brabazon
Francis Brabazon was an Australian poet and a member of Meher Baba's mandali.Brabazon was born in London, but moved to Australia with his family when he was still a boy. At the age of 21, Francis Brabazon embarked on a quest to discover the relationship between beauty and truth. He studied music...
into becoming disciples of Meher Baba
Meher Baba
Meher Baba , , born Merwan Sheriar Irani, was an Indian mystic and spiritual master who declared publicly in 1954 that he was the Avatar of the age....
.
Von Frankenberg died in 1950 at the age of 61 and was buried in the Camden cemetery.
External links
- From Chishtiyya Diaspora to Transnational Sufi Movementhttp://coombs.anu.edu.au/SpecialProj/ASAA/biennial-conference/2006/Genn-Celia-ASAA2006.pdf