Personal History

Personal History

[Note: This history is told by Frederick Hermann Wendrich, a cousin. Notes in square brackets are by Randall T. Peterson.]

[DOB: 27 May 1891 -- DOD: 8 Sep 1914.]

[Born: Kunzendorf, Löwenberg, Schlesien, Preußen. Died: Western Front, WWI.]

[Baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Görlitz Branch, 9 Dec 1910 by Elder Joseph Jensen and confirmed the same day by Elder J. O. Douglas.]

"As a baby, I lay in the same cradle with my cousin Alfred Liewald [KWJ6-KDG], my mother’s sister’s oldest son. It was through Alfred that I found the church. . . . . " On October 2, 1911, a Monday morning at 5:00 a.m., I left my father’s house for the train to Rauchwalde [A western suburb of Görlitz where Frederick’s mother’s parents - Johann and Johanna Liewald were living.] by Görlitz in the Ober-Lausitz. My brother Oskar went to the depot with me. It had always been my desire to learn to operate a farm on a large scale and my cousin Alfred Liewald [The only son of Frederick’s mother’s sister, Pauline [LHM9-D3F]] had secured work for me on a 200 acre farm owned by Emil Weber, a man of some wealth. In that day, 200 acres was considered a very large farm. I was very pleased for this opportunity; especially so, since Emil Weber was a good employer and treated me as his son. I enjoyed the two years I worked for him. . . .

"Cousin Alfred worked on a neighboring farm. So all week long, we labored on our respective farms, but on Sunday noon, we would generally meet and go to our grandparent’s home. The Liewalds lived on the opposite side of town from our places of employment. [This suggests that the farms where Frederick and Alfred worked may have been east of Görlitz in the area which is now Poland.] Each time Alfred would say, just as we entered the town, “Now you go on to our grandparents and I’ll meet you there later. I’m going to a meeting first.”

"Before I had left my father’s house, I had been warned about associating with Alfred Liewald since he had joined “that terrible cult from America” and become a Mormon. I assured them that they had no need to worry as I would never bring such disgrace upon my family. It was considered a great disgrace to leave the faith for which our forefathers had given their very lives. However, I had always enjoyed and respected Alfred and was now curious about his Mormon meetings.

"After a few Sundays together, I asked Alfred about his meetings. To my questioning he said, “Come and see.” One Sunday afternoon, I did go with him. Never will I forget the spirit of that meeting—its simplicity—its peacefulness. I wondered at my feelings of reverence in such simple surroundings when I had been used to worshipping in high vaulted cathedrals adorned with the splendor of the centuries. To think that I could find peace of mind among these few simpleminded people, the peace that passeth all understanding, was unbelievable. There were about fifteen people present, which number I was told was a good group on that particular Sunday. A Brother Taylor from Provo, Utah, was the missionary who spoke. I wondered much about that meeting in November 1911. The following six months I did not attend any church, trying to content myself with answering my own questions about life. As time passed, I became more and more miserable and perplexed. Life had no meaning and I was torn with a desire to investigate Mormonism on one hand and, on the other, by the feeling of guilt which was generated because of my lack of faith in the religion of my forefathers. This constant turmoil within me left me very bewildered.

"One Saturday evening, Alfred, noting my mental depression, sat on my bed and said, “Fred, I’ve been staying away from you for I wanted you to fight this out on your own.” He continued, “I went through this period of uncertainty and mental anguish, as do all converts to the gospel, until they can, for an acuity, reach a decision.”

"Then again I went to the Mormon meeting, met with the missionaries from time to time, and gradually learned the precious truths of the Gospel. Experiences became testimonies to me, too numerous to mention. I was thrilled by the Book of Mormon and the testimonies of the three witnesses. Hearing of the Kirtland Temple greatly impressed me. The many marvelous answers to prayer which I experienced are all a part of my testimony. For me, the doctrines of Mormonism became a necessity."

[In another account (oral), Frederick gave additional details about Alfred’s role in introducing him to the Church. Frederick’s words are preserved as he presented them.]

“I had a cousin. He had joined a church from America called the Mormons – a terrible bunch and sect of people, the most despised people on the face of the earth. And as mother heard about it (that cousin of mine—we had laid together as babies in one basket) we hadn’t seen each other ‘til we became about twenty years of age and he came and visited me and he told me about those people that came, that sent missionaries from America. And of course, we ridiculed him. We didn’t want that sect to get a footing into our faith and put their feet into our family. So, we pushed him aside. But the few things that he had told me put me to think. Mother, of course she heard about it too and she warned that we should not make any further investigations. Father didn’t say anything, in fact I think that he didn’t even knew (sic) anything about it. We didn’t dare to tell him because I knew he would have blown the top, so to say. Our father’s word was law, we never dared to argue with him – we had many a friendly chat with mother. But we knew how far it was permissible to go even with her. But as it is in all things, the forbidden things are first investigated.

“It was shortly that I (inasmuch as I was the oldest in the family and my brothers and sisters became old enough that they could help on the place) so I was sent to a place, to what you call here a good sized ranch to learn how they handle things on a bigger scale. And naturally I came very close – I worked on one side of the street and my cousin who had joined that Mormon outfit, he lived on the other side of the street. And we came quite frequently together. I could never have his association on Sunday because he had to go to meetings. I couldn’t have his association on Wednesdays, he would go to his Bible class, he would go to his church. I went to the church in that town, that magnificent cathedral. I still see myself sitting in there in that magnificent, palatial home of a church, adorned with all kinds of beautiful statuary, gilded. And when I walked out of that magnificent cathedral I felt just as empty as when I went in. Finally, one Sunday, my cousin says, “Why don’t you go to my church once?” “Okay, it’s a deal.” I went with him. I still see myself coming into that little, dilapidated back room in a side street. It was just as despised and forsaken and forlorn as the people itself were, I guess. They were not even permitted to held (sic) their meetings in an open space. And I remember speaking to my cousin after we left that meeting. One man talked about a man named Joseph Smith and another talked about something else and of course it was all Chinese to me, so to speak. And I said to my cousin, “How can you associate yourself with such people, the people that were there were the poor of the land. They came from distant places – some they peddled their bicycles from as far as a couple of miles. I felt like (unintelligible) and I ridiculed him. I razzed him, called his attention to the fame of his ancestors. They were just as mine had been in the days of which I spoke to you. I could not shake him. I went home. I thought I had done a wonderful work. I tapped my chest. I thought I had done a wonderful job. I thought I had rescued my cousin. But when the other Sunday come I couldn’t see my cousin. And I went on for several months struggling between my own self. I wasn’t satisfied, I had no peace of mind, and the more I wanted to keep away from Mormonism, the more I read about in the scriptures, the more I felt that they had something that was superior to any people on the face of the earth. Finally, I remember it was one evening, it was just beginning to get dark. I was through with my work. I laid on my bed and I was so sick and disgusted, my cousin came in. [I said,] “Where have you been all the months?” [He replied,] “Well, I figured you go through the same period that I went through.” And he sat down and told me -- we just had an old-fashioned heart-to-heart talk. He told me of the things he went through and when he was through all, it was through the same mental agony, conditions and mental sufferings that I had passed through. And I said, “Well, what can we do about it? You seem to be always happy, always smiling? Everything goes good with you.” And he said, “Well, that is something you just have to battle out within your own self.”

“So, I read more in the scriptures. The following Wednesday I went over to his place and picked him up to take him to meeting. And I still see the old rusty, smoky coal-oil farm lantern as most of you still see around on the farm, standing on that little table in the room where he got ready for the meeting and he said, “There is a Book of Mormon. Why don’t you look at it while I get ready?” I got to tell you, I had never seen a Book of Mormon before, but I had heard of it. And I opened that Book of Mormon and my eyes fell upon the testimony of the three witnesses, Oliver Cowdery, Martin Harris, David Whitmer. And when I opened that and read in my native tongue, “Be it known to all nations, kindred, tongues and people unto whom this work may come . . . .” and so on, I finished it and closed the book and I got a testimony right there that this book was a writing inspired by a man of God. I read that book. I read it again when I came across the Atlantic. And tears were rolling down my cheeks for gratefulness for when I read that part where the Savior comes in Third Nephi to this continent and established his Church here on earth – that was another testimony to me. And I want to tell you brethren and sisters, the Book of Mormon is the most outstanding piece of literature that this continent has produced.”

[Images of two pages from the Görlitz Branch records are reproduced below. Note that in the Görlitz Branch ordinance book Alfred’s baptism was recorded in 1910 and his cousin, Friedrich Wendrich’s baptism was recorded two years later. See the references on line 6 to “Liewald, Richard Herman Alfred” and the references to “Friedrich Wendrich” on line 14. Source: Microfilm Record of Members, 1900-1924, Libr. (Historian’s Office Library) No. 6344., Görlitz Branch (Germany), Swiss-German Mission.]

[Richard Hermann Alfred Liewald, was killed in action on 8 September 1914 on the Western Front before he married. His death was announced in “Der Stern” on 1 December 1914. His death was also noted in the “Millennial Star”, published in London. The notice in “Der Stern” (and a translation) are reproduced below.]

[This is an English translation of the “Death Notice” above.] John 15:13 (Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.) Revelation 2:10 (Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer:?… be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.) In Memoriam From the field of honor the following members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints encountered a hero’s death for their Fatherland. Hans Max Walter Völker Member of the Stettin Branch, born on January 25, 1894 in Mescherin, Randow, Pommern, baptized on April 6, 1914. Richard Hermann Alfred Liewald Member of the Görlitz Branch, born on March 21, 1891 at Kunzendorf in Schlesien, baptized on December 9, 1910. Both brothers fell on the Western Front, Brother Völker on November 2, Brother Liewald on September 8, 1914. We express our heartfelt sympathy to the sorrowing relatives. May our Father in Heaven succor them in their sorrow and may they find comfort in the knowledge that he who, like the dear departed ones, has kept the faith unto the end and has been true until death is not lost, but has gained eternal life, and has only been called home to a higher sphere and to a better world, to look forward to an eventual reunion with those he loves."