# Schopflocher, Siegfried

*Exported from [Holy-Writings.com](https://www.holy-writings.com/) on 2026-06-21 — 1 clipping.*

---

> Source: Bahá'í Library Online (bahai-library.com), curated by Jonah Winters. Used by permission of the curator. Original citation: Will C. van den Hoonaard, Schopflocher, Siegfried, bahai-library.com.
> ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
> 
> Schopflocher, Siegfried
> 
> Will C. van den Hoonaard
> 
> 1993-06
> 
> Schopflocher, Siegfried. Born in Germany in 1877, Siegfried
> Schopflocher was raised as an orthodox Jew, but after leaving school turned
> towards agnosticism and a search for a more universal expression of religion.
> He emigrated to Canada and, after becoming a successful businessman, became a
> Bahá'í in summer 1921. An "astute, hard-driving, forceful man of
> the business world," he was President of the Bronze Powder Works with offices
> around the globe, and held the world patent rights for bronze powder.
> 
> Devotion to Shoghi Effendi
> Soon after his declaration as a Bahá'í he made his first
> visit to Shoghi Effendi, Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith. One
> account states that his "devotion to the Guardian was immediate and lasting"
> (CBN, Nov. 1953). A letter from Shoghi Effendi to the Canadian believers (4
> February 1924) speaks of Siegfried as a "zealous and promising disciple of
> 'Abdu'l-Bahá." From that moment onward he not only carried out specific
> assignments given to him by the Guardian, but also undertook business trips to
> many parts of the world. These travels gave him ample opportunity to visit
> Bahá'í communities; early Bahá'í magazines would
> carry his accounts of these visits. He knew all continents and was highly
> regarded by his business associates and newfound Bahá'í friends
> in many lands. He was one of the earliest believers in Canada to fathom the
> importance of the "World Order" letters by the Guardian.
> 
> Contributions to the North American Bahá'í
> Community
> Siegfried, who became known as "Freddie" to many of his co-believers, made
> a number of remarkable contributions to the development of the North American
> Bahá'í community. The most enduring one relates to the building
> of the Bahá'í House of Worship in Wilmette. Immediately after
> his first visit to the Guardian, he realized the importance of this future
> edifice for the growth of the Bahá'í Faith and was able to
> generate fresh enthusiasm for resumption of construction work on the exterior
> ornamentation of the House of Worship. Possibly in reference to Jewish
> scripture, the Guardian called Siegfried Schopflocher, the "Chief Temple
> Builder."
> His other contribution relates to his interest in developing the Green
> Acre Bahá'í School in Eliot, Maine, where he had become a
> Bahá'í through his wife, Lorol, a world traveller in her own
> right (see hereunder). In describing this experience he once told a gathering
> that he said to himself when looking at the Green Acre buildings, "Freddie, if
> you become a Bahá'í, it's going to cost you a lot of money. Well,
> I did, and it did!" Thus, Green Acre Bahá'í School became the
> object of his attention and care and was furnished with considerable
> improvement and repairs, in addition to several important properties he
> donated. Geyserville Bahá'í School was also the beneficiary of
> his personal generosity.
> 
> Contributions to the Canadian Bahá'í Community
> Between 1924 and 1947, Siegfried Schopflocher served on the National
> Spiritual Assembly of the United States and Canada, and continued to serve as
> member of the National Spiritual Assembly of Canada when it was formed in 1948.
> Serving as its treasurer, Siegfried made a special point of "writing
> affectionate" notes of appreciation with every receipt. Through his efforts,
> Siegfried was able to secure the incorporation of this National Assembly by a
> special Act of Parliament in April 1949.
> As in the United States, Siegfried Schopflocher contributed significantly
> to the development of summer schools in Canada. When in 1941 it was no longer
> possible for Canadian Bahá'ís to attend Bahá'í
> schools in the United States on account of currency-exchange regulations, he
> provided the material means to arrange for such schools in Canada. A
> much-cherished gift was the donation (with Emeric and Rosemary Sala), in 1947,
> of "Beaulac," a permanent Bahá'í school property located north of
> Montreal. This school became one of the chief means by which the Canadian
> Bahá'í community could acquire its Bahá'í
> education.
> When Shoghi Effendi announced the appointment of a second contingent of
> Hands of the Cause of God on 29 February 1952, Siegfried was elevated along
> with six others around the world. On that occasion, the Guardian requested him
> to assist the National Spiritual Assembly of Canada in the establishment of its
> National Bahá'í Centre.
> 
> Personal qualities. The Bahá'ís recognized in
> Siegfried a profound humility, a love for punctuality, and a great generosity.
> In particular, Shoghi Effendi once mentioned being "deeply impressed by the
> sweetness of his nature, his ardour, his humility and selflessness..." (4
> February 1924).
> An unobstrusive person, he conveyed a deep humility. After his return
> from pilgrimage in January 1952 he gave his report to the National Spiritual
> Assembly, but omitted to mention his appointment as Hand of the Cause of God
> which the Guardian would announce the following month. When he would make his
> customary three-day business trip to Malone, New York, from Montreal, he
> preferred to ride in the baggage car, playing cribbage with railwaymen. A
> number of these men and borderguards came to his funeral, lining up alongside
> the bier.
> "Freddie" was never known to be late for a meeting. He was often heard to
> say that he would rather be ten minutes early than one minute late for a
> meeting.
> His great generosity affected both the Bahá'í Cause and, on
> a more personal level, many individuals whom he would forever give small
> meaningful presents.
> Siegfried had a capacity to bring to the believers a clearer appreciation
> of the services of the Guardian, and a new understanding of the Hands of the
> Cause of God.
> Siegfried was planning to attend the New Delhi Bahá'í
> Intercontinental Conference despite his advanced age of 76 years. Before his
> departure, however, he passed away after a few days' illness at 9:30 am, 27
> July 1953. He was buried close to the grave of Sutherland Maxwell, another
> Hand of the Cause of God, in Mt. Royal Cemetery, Montreal. A message cable
> from Shoghi Effendi on occasion of his passing reads in part: "Profoundly
> grieved passing dearly beloved outstandingly staunch Hand Cause Fred
> Schopflocher. Numerous magnificent servuces extending over thirty years
> administrative teaching spheres United States, Canada, institutions
> Bahá'í World Centre greatly enriched annals formative age Faith.
> Abundant reward assured Abha Kingdom."
> 
> Florence Evelyn "Lorol" Schopflocher. Siegfried's wife, Lorol, was
> probably the most striking member of the early Montreal Bahá'í
> community. Born in 1896, her father was Swiss (George Albert Snyder) and her
> mother a New Yorker (Agnes Louis Ransom). She was at first privately tutored
> and later went to a high school in Chicago and the University of Michigan, Ann
> Arbor. Lorol also took extension courses in several European and American
> universities. In 1918, she married Siegfried Schopflocher at Marble Collegiate
> Church, New York City.
> Living in an affluent home, she "suddenly became bored and antagonistic
> toward her life, its ... interests and limitations" (Harrison, 1940: 638). Her
> travels negated her boredome to a large extent, but her contact with the
> Bahá'í Faith provided her with the means to uplift her life in
> service to a cause that preached universality and the unity of humanity. To
> that end, Lorol traveled extensively around the world, making particularly
> effective presentations on the Bahá'í Faith to both notable
> people and others.
> During 1924-1925 she cooperated with Mrs. Keith Ransome-Kehler in her
> attempt to bring about amicable relations between her persecuted
> co-religionists in Iran and Shah Pahlavi. Between 1924-1929 she toured Iran,
> to the extremes of North-South, and East-West. A biographer (Harrison, 1910:
> 639) states she was partially responsible for removal of the veil in Iran. By
> 1934, she had undertaken nine world tours, in the interest of the
> Bahá'í Faith and the League of Nations Union, and had taken
> active part in the emancipation and education of women in Asia.
> Lorol had several "firsts" in her name, including the first woman to fly
> from England to India (1926), the first Western woman to cross the Hamad Desert
> between Damascus and Baghdad (early 1920s). She traveled on the
> Hindenburg twice; her passage on the ill-fated voyage on the
> Hindenburg was cancelled. Her book, Sunburst, was published in
> 1937 and had a "tremendous appeal" to anyone interested in international
> problems, recording her visits to many lands.
> She was associated with numerous organizations, such as the Women's
> International Association of Aeronautics, International Leage for Peace and
> Freedom, and the League of American Pen Women.
> 
> Sources
> 
> [Canadian] Bahá'í News, Nov. 1953;
> Letter from Shoghi Effendi to the believers in Canada, 4 February 1924;
> 
> Interview with Rowland Estall by W.C. van den Hoonaard, 1992;
> 
> National
> Bahá'í Historical Record Card, National Bahá'í
> Archives, Wilmette, Ill.;
> 
> Canadian Bahá'í News, May 1966:
> 4, and June 1966: 4;
> 
> W.C. van den Hoonaard, Bahá'ís in Canada:
> A Social History, 1898-1948;
> 
> The Bahá'í Magazine (v.
> 18, April 1927-1928) contains a series of Siegfried Schopflocher's travel
> accounts around the world.
> 
> Information on Lorol Schopflocher is derived from H. Harrison, ed. (1940)
> National Reference Book on Canadian Men and Women. 6th ed., Canadian
> Newspaper Services (1940): 638-639. Her Bahá'í life and travels
> are recorded in her autiobiography, Sunburst, and in such
> Bahá'í publications as The Bahá'í Magazine
> (April 1927-1928: 91-95
> 
> METADATA
> 
> Views14463 views since posted 1999; last edit 2015-02-22 21:20 UTC;
> 
> previous at archive.org.../hoonaard_encyclopedia_siegfried_schopflocher;
> URLs changed in 2010, see archive.org.../bahai-library.org
> Language
> English
> Permission
> author
> Share
> 
> Shortlink: bahai-library.com/455
> Citation: ris/455
> 
> select Collection:
> Archives
> Articles
> Articles-unpublished
> Audio
> Bibliographies
> BIC
> Biographies
> Books
> Chronologies
> Compilations
> Compilations-NSA
> Compilations-personal
> Documents
> East-asia
> Encyclopedia
> Essays
> Etc
> Excerpts
> Fiction
> Glossaries
> Guardian
> Histories
> Introductory
> Letters
> Maps
> Music
> Newspapers
> NSA-documents
> NSA-letters
> Personal
> Pilgrims
> Poetry
> Presentations
> Resources
> Reviews
> Scripts
> Software
> Statistics
> Study
> Talks
> Theses
> Transcripts
> Translations
> UHJ-documents
> UHJ-letters
> Video
> Visual
> Writings
> 
> home
> 
> sitemap
> 
> series
> 
> chronology
> 
> search:
> author
> 
> title
> 
> date
> 
> tags
> 
> adv. search
> languages
> 
> inventory
> 
> bibliography
> 
> abbreviations
> 
> links
> 
> about
> 
> contact
> 
> RSS
> 
> new
>
> — *Schopflocher, Siegfried (Used by permission of the curator)*