View source for Friedenreich, Lorenz (1718-1794)

Lorenz Friedenreich, who came from [[Switzerland|Switzerland]] to [[Neuwied (Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany)|Neuwied]], [[Germany|Germany]], in 1743, became minister of the Mennonite congregation there in 1755 and elder from 1758 until his death, did much to improve the lot of his brethren in Switzerland and the [[Palatinate (Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany)|Palatinate]]. He was the intermediary in establishing connections with Holland, [[Danzig (Poland)|Danzig]], and Hamburg-Altona through an extensive correspondence, and repeatedly visited the directors of the Amsterdam Committee on Foreign Needs on behalf of his Swiss and Palatine brethren. This remarkable man, who during the summer of 1774 received [[Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von (1749-1832)|Goethe]], Lavater, and Basedow in his home, must have had considerable education. By trade he was a <em>Gürtler</em>, that is, he made shoe buckles and other objects of brass. His son Heinrich (1747-1797) was also a preacher in the same congregation 1788-1797, and his grandson Abraham (1785-1864) was a <em>Vorsteher</em>, as was also Abraham's son Theodor (1822-1909).
= Bibliography =
Bach, Adolf. <em>Goethes Rheinreise mit Lavater und Basedow im Sommer 1774: Dokumente</em>. Zürich: Seldwyla, 1923: 119.

<em>Beiträge zur Geschichte rheinischer Mennoniten</em>. Schriftenreihe des Mennonitischen Geschichtsvereins, 2. Weierhof (Pfalz): Mennonitischer Geschichtsverein, 1939.: 145 f., 149.

Hege, Christian and Christian Neff. ''Mennonitisches Lexikon'', 4 vols. Frankfurt &amp; Weierhof: Hege; Karlsruhe: Schneider, 1913-1967: v. I, 706.

Hoop Scheffer, Jacob Gijsbert de. I<em>nventaris der Archiefstukken berustende bij de Vereenigde Doopsgezinde Gemeente to Amsterdam</em>, 2 vols. Amsterdam: Uitgegeven en ten geschenke aangeboden door den Kerkeraad dier Gemeente, 1883-1884, I, Nos. 1543, 1544.

Mannhardt, W. <em>Die Wehrfreiheit der Ältpreussischen Mennoniten.</em> Marienburg, 1863: 54.

<em>Mennonitische Blätter</em> 77: 107 f.

Müller, Ernst. <em>Geschichte der Bernischen Täufer</em>. Frauenfeld: Huber, 1895. Reprinted Nieuwkoop : B. de Graaf, 1972: 47.
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