Joining local Christians in paying tribute to the life of Rev Hermann Moegling was his children and great grand children who came down to Mangalore, Karnataka to take part in the German missionary’s bicentenary birth celebration.
Some sixteen Germans, descendants of Rev Moegling, arrived from Frankfurt to join in the 200th birth anniversary of the Protestant missioner who devoted attention to education and vocational training opportunities.
Rev Moegling (1811-1881) arrived in the city of Mangalore in 1836 and was involved in the missionary works of Basel Mission.
Known for his immense contribution in Kannada literature, Moegling published the first Kannada newspaper titled ‘Mangalooru Samachara’. He also translated Kannada literature into German.
Thursday's bicentenary celebration, organised by the Karnataka Christian Educational Society, saw Moegling’s descendants Monika Landgraf, Peter Landgraf, Wilfried Landgraf, and Jorn Ponade, besides a number of well-wishers from Germany.
Peter Kaundinya, grandson of Ananda Rao Kaundinya, a Brahmin convert and first Indian to be trained as a missionary by the Basel Mission, was also present on the occasion.
Dr BM Hegde, the former vice chancellor of Manipal University, was the chief guest at the event. Hedge said Moegling was a true symbol of secularism, and respected others’ religion while loving his own.
A German book “Eine Reise in Die Religionen” and its English translation “A Journey Into Religions” was released by Dr Hegde.
Missions
German missioner's 200th birthday celebrated in Mangalore
By: Babu Thomas
Friday, 28 October 2011, 21:09 (IST)
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Added: Sunday, 24 June 2012, 8:01 (IST)
I was delighted to learn that Herrmann Moegling is still being honored for his missionary work in India. He is my half great great grand uncle. A German Basel . missionary in India, 1838-1852, Johann Konrad Hiller (my great,great grand father) married a daughter of Herrmann's father, Friedrich Moegling and his second wife. Hence, my "half" relationship to Herrmann. . Friedrich's first wife, the mother of Herrmann and his younger brother Theodor, died from the birth of Theodor (one of the leaders of the 1848-49 revolt in Baden). .I would be happy to correspond with living relatives of Herrmann. who were present at the 200th anniversary at Mangalore. I am a retired college professor in the USA.
Perry J. Troutman, Ph.D., Annville. Pennsylvania, USA
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