Bahá’í World/Volume 20/Johanna Høeg
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JOHANNB HOEG
1891—1988
Johanne Haeg passed away shortly before midnight on 13 November 1988, and with her passing, the first link of the Bahá’í history of Denmark was gone. Mrs. Hoeg, born Johanne Sorensen on 5 January 1891, had learned about the Faith at a public talk given
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by Orcella Rexford in Honolulu, Hawaii, in 1925 and had accepted it immediately. After her first pilgrimage to Haifa, she had brought the Faith to Denmark and for 22 years was the only believer in the country.
A1though she was alone she served the Faith in many ways. As early as December 1925 Johanne wrote to the Guardian asking for advice and guidance. Through him and others to whom he referred her, she arranged for a number of Bahá’ís to Visit Denmark and give public addresses. When Martha Root Visited Scandinavia in 1927, she was Johanne’s guest and the Message was delivered to King Christian X. During the same trip the two women Visited Iceland.
Johanne focused her energies, however, on ensuring that Danish readers had access to Bahá’í literature. In 1926, she translated and sponsored the publication of two pamphlets. In 1932, Bahd ’u’lláh and the New Era was translated into Danish and published through her efforts. She had the Kitab-i—iqan translated directly from Persian and Arabic by the renowned orientalist, Arthur Christensen. In 1947, Johanne arranged for another Oriental scholar, Professor Raj Barr, to translate the three daily obligatory prayers to be distributed in booklet form. Finally in 1948, The Hidden Words was translated from Arabic and Persian by Professor Barr.
In 1945 Johanne married a physician, Dr. J.C. Haeg, and moved with him to a small Danish island and subsequently to Jutland. She was an excellent housewife and maintained a warmly hospitable and beautifu1 home.
Mrs. Haeg sent Bahá’í literature and a picture of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to all radio stations and outstations in Greenland, and for more than 15 years corresponded with the Greenlandic translator, Mr. Hendrik Olsen, who became the first native believer in Greenland. Nearly 75 years old at the time, Mrs. Hoeg went to Holsteinsborg, now called Sisimiut, to meet him personally and accept his dec1aration of faith according to his wish. Dr. Hfishang Raf‘ at, then a young pioneer to
THE Bahá’í WORLD
Denmark, insisted on accompanying her, and they Were able to have a number of public meetings at stops the boat made along the coast en route from Godthab to Holsteinsborg. Later, Mrs. Hoeg helped J ohn and Lotus Nielsen move to Greenland as pioneers.
Mrs. Hoeg was a remarkably humble person who had neither time nor inclination to speak of. herself, but when the Cause was involved she forgot all about her shyness and with determination and courage took on great tasks, persevering until the charge was brought to perfect conclusion.
Her deep social insight and warm understanding made her a true citizen of the world. When she was faced with what we call a “cultural cleft”, she bridged it in her own way, going to the country Where she had encountered the problem and finding out about the background.
Her love for the Greatest Holy Leaf, and for the beloved Guardian who maintained a long and precious correspondence with her, gave her strength and support.
After her passing the Universal House of Justice cabled:
GRIEVED NEWS PASSING JOHANNE Hose, DEVOTED MAIDSERVANT BAHA’U’LLAH. HER EXEMPLARY STEADFASTNESS SERVICE CAUSE GOD OVER PERIOD SIXTY-THREE YEARS, FOR FIRST TWENTY-TWO OF WHICH SHE sroon ALONE UPHOLDING LIGHT FAITH HER HOMELAND, CONSTITUTES UNIQUE CONTRIBUTION ANNALS THAT COUNTRY, FULLY ENTITLES HER BE REGARDED AS MOTHER DANISH COMMUNITY. HER UNSWERVING DEVOTION BELOVED GUARDIAN, HER CHERISHED LINK WITH GREATEST HOLY LEAF, HER THREE PILGRIMAGES TO THE WORLD CENTRE, HER INDOMITABLE DEDICATION TASK TRANSLATION Bahá’í LITERATURE DANISH LANGUAGE, HER COLLABORATION WITH RENOWNED ORIENTALISTS ARTHUR CHRISTENSEN AND KAJ BARR, HER ASSOCIATION MARTHA ROOT AND JOHANNA SCHUBARTH, HER PROMOTION TEACHING WORK IN DENMARK AND HER PART IN ESTABLISHMENT FAITH IN GREENLAND,
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IN MEMORIAM
ALL LOVINGLY RECALLED. PRAYING SACRED THRESHOLD PROGRESS HER RADIANT SOUL ABHA KINGDOM. ADVISE HOLD BEFITTING MEMORIAL SERVICES ALL Bahá’í COMMUNITIES DENMARK AND GREENLAND. KINDLY CONVEY SYMPATHY MEMBERS HER FAMILY BEHALF Bahá’í WORLD.
INGER HJELME