Bernd of Hermitage

At around 3am in the morning of Thursday 11 May, Aurovilian Bernd Theilmann peacefully passed away in his home at Hermitage at the age of 74. Having gone through years of dialysis and further physical challenges, this last half year had been difficult and taxing for him.

Before coming to Auroville, Bernd and his partner Agnes, both from Germany, stayed in Delhi from 1983 till ’89 with Bernd working as technician at the Max Mueller Bhavan there. After this, the couple came directly to Auroville where Bernd assumed stewardship of the place they called ‘Hermitage’, the development of which has been the love of his life ever since. In 1992 Bernd officially became Aurovilian. Aided by his strong-willed and good-natured personality, all his energies went into the planting of lakhs of trees in his endeavour to transform the place into a paradise which, indeed, gradually grew up around them.

Bernd’s body will remain at Hermitage where friends are welcome to visit during the coming three days from 2 till 5pm. Info re funeral will be shares as/when available.

We warmly salute and thank a dedicated green worker who so much added to Auroville’s natural wealth, and our warmest condolences and love go out to Agnes and other members of the Hermitage community.

OM~

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This page has been published in order to create a space of remembrance for all of those who lived, struggled and enjoyed in Auroville, making a conscious effort to manifest the Dream of Human Unity that is in the process of emerging.