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William Hechler
William Henry Hechler (1 October 1845 – 30 January 1931) was an English Restorationist Anglican clergyman; eschatological writer; crusader against antisemitism; promoter of Zionism; and aide, counselor, friend and endorser of Theodor Herzl, the founder of modern Zionism.
William Henry Hechler was born in the Hindu holy city of Benares, India. His father was Dietrich Hechler (1812–1878) born in Vögisheim, Germany, now part of Müllheim. Dietrich moved to Islington, near London, becoming an Anglican priest, studying at an Anglican seminary in preparation for overseas missionary service. While in London, he married Catherine Cleeve Palmer. They were sent to India by the "Church Missionary Society."
After the death of his mother in 1850, Hechler attended boarding schools in London and in Basel. Hechler demonstrated a perceptive ability in religious studies and languages. His bi-national education cemented his German-English heritage. Over his lifetime he gained proficiency in English, German, Hebrew, Greek, Latin, Arabic, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, French and two African dialects.[citation needed]
In 1854, Dietrich Hechler returned to London for health reasons and took a position with the London Society for Promoting Christianity Amongst the Jews. His father's Philo-Semitism deeply influenced William. The family relocated to Karlsruhe, Germany in 1866. William's interest in Jewish studies and Palestine evolved under the influence of developing European Evangelical Restorationist theology. He began developing his own eschatological theories and timelines for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
After completing his studies at Turbingen and Islington in 1870, Hechler became an Anglican clergyman. An Anglophile as well as a Germanophile, Hechler enlisted in the German army during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–1871. He served as a clergyman and medical aide. He was wounded and was twice decorated with distinction.
At the end of the war, Hechler accepted a missionary post in Lagos, Nigeria. After contracting malaria, Hechler returned to Germany, where his father did missionary work with Jews in Karlsruhe. Hechler was sufficiently recovered by 1873 that he became the household tutor to the children of Frederick I, Grand Duke of Baden. Through Friedrich's son Ludwig, Hechler developed a relationship with the Grand Duke's nephew, the young Hohenzollern prince, and later German Kaiser Wilhelm II. While at the Grand Duke's court, Hechler expounded on his Restorationist views. Hechler's Restorationist theology resonated with the Grand Duke. Prince Ludwig of Baden died prematurely in 1876. Hechler left the Grand Duke's court to accept a position in the Irish County of Cork. There he married Henrietta Huggins (d-1922). They had four children, Hannah (d-1877), Amy Victoria (1878–1961), Ludwig Ernest (1880–1972) and Miriam Ada (1882–1938). Hechler's position in Cork was not successful and he moved to London in 1879.
Hechler attempted to secure an appointment as the Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem at the Christ Church there. It was a position he desired all his life. Hechler wrote what is still considered one of the finest histories of the Protestant Church in Palestine to help obtain the position, "The Jerusalem Bishopric", 1885. Deteriorating relations between Prussia and the United Kingdom blocked his appointment. This disappointment, and corresponding spousal strains, led to his marriage failing the same year. However, he did secure an appointment as the Chaplain of the British Embassy in Vienna. Hechler remained Chaplain from 1885 to 1910.
Two years later (1881), he became "Metropolitan Secretary" of the Church Pastoral Aid Society. In his new position, he had the opportunity to expand his interest in Jewish affairs and Restorationism. In 1882, in his official capacity, he traveled to Germany, France and Russia to investigate the Jewish situations there. Hechler was particularly shocked and revolted by the violent pogroms being instituted in Russia against the Jews. Traveling through Odessa, he met the proto-Zionist, Leon Pinsker, author of Auto–Emancipation, a treatise on a Jewish solution to endemic antisemitism by the establishment of a separate State. Hechler observed emerging Zionist hopes in the Eastern Jewry.
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William Hechler
William Henry Hechler (1 October 1845 – 30 January 1931) was an English Restorationist Anglican clergyman; eschatological writer; crusader against antisemitism; promoter of Zionism; and aide, counselor, friend and endorser of Theodor Herzl, the founder of modern Zionism.
William Henry Hechler was born in the Hindu holy city of Benares, India. His father was Dietrich Hechler (1812–1878) born in Vögisheim, Germany, now part of Müllheim. Dietrich moved to Islington, near London, becoming an Anglican priest, studying at an Anglican seminary in preparation for overseas missionary service. While in London, he married Catherine Cleeve Palmer. They were sent to India by the "Church Missionary Society."
After the death of his mother in 1850, Hechler attended boarding schools in London and in Basel. Hechler demonstrated a perceptive ability in religious studies and languages. His bi-national education cemented his German-English heritage. Over his lifetime he gained proficiency in English, German, Hebrew, Greek, Latin, Arabic, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, French and two African dialects.[citation needed]
In 1854, Dietrich Hechler returned to London for health reasons and took a position with the London Society for Promoting Christianity Amongst the Jews. His father's Philo-Semitism deeply influenced William. The family relocated to Karlsruhe, Germany in 1866. William's interest in Jewish studies and Palestine evolved under the influence of developing European Evangelical Restorationist theology. He began developing his own eschatological theories and timelines for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
After completing his studies at Turbingen and Islington in 1870, Hechler became an Anglican clergyman. An Anglophile as well as a Germanophile, Hechler enlisted in the German army during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–1871. He served as a clergyman and medical aide. He was wounded and was twice decorated with distinction.
At the end of the war, Hechler accepted a missionary post in Lagos, Nigeria. After contracting malaria, Hechler returned to Germany, where his father did missionary work with Jews in Karlsruhe. Hechler was sufficiently recovered by 1873 that he became the household tutor to the children of Frederick I, Grand Duke of Baden. Through Friedrich's son Ludwig, Hechler developed a relationship with the Grand Duke's nephew, the young Hohenzollern prince, and later German Kaiser Wilhelm II. While at the Grand Duke's court, Hechler expounded on his Restorationist views. Hechler's Restorationist theology resonated with the Grand Duke. Prince Ludwig of Baden died prematurely in 1876. Hechler left the Grand Duke's court to accept a position in the Irish County of Cork. There he married Henrietta Huggins (d-1922). They had four children, Hannah (d-1877), Amy Victoria (1878–1961), Ludwig Ernest (1880–1972) and Miriam Ada (1882–1938). Hechler's position in Cork was not successful and he moved to London in 1879.
Hechler attempted to secure an appointment as the Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem at the Christ Church there. It was a position he desired all his life. Hechler wrote what is still considered one of the finest histories of the Protestant Church in Palestine to help obtain the position, "The Jerusalem Bishopric", 1885. Deteriorating relations between Prussia and the United Kingdom blocked his appointment. This disappointment, and corresponding spousal strains, led to his marriage failing the same year. However, he did secure an appointment as the Chaplain of the British Embassy in Vienna. Hechler remained Chaplain from 1885 to 1910.
Two years later (1881), he became "Metropolitan Secretary" of the Church Pastoral Aid Society. In his new position, he had the opportunity to expand his interest in Jewish affairs and Restorationism. In 1882, in his official capacity, he traveled to Germany, France and Russia to investigate the Jewish situations there. Hechler was particularly shocked and revolted by the violent pogroms being instituted in Russia against the Jews. Traveling through Odessa, he met the proto-Zionist, Leon Pinsker, author of Auto–Emancipation, a treatise on a Jewish solution to endemic antisemitism by the establishment of a separate State. Hechler observed emerging Zionist hopes in the Eastern Jewry.
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