The Wennagel Story

About the Book

This book is not only a family history, it also deals with the beginning of the Temple Society and how the 'Friends of Jerusalem' left the Black Forest to establish a new Kingdom of God in Palestine the Holy Land.

The Wennagel master builders built the first houses in Sarona, the German Settlement including the 'Community House' in the 1870's, in other words, they were the building pioneers in the southern part of the country, whereas the Beilharz family, which also migrated from Dornstetten in the Black Forest, were building in the northern part of the country around Haifa, under the direction of Christoph Hoffmann (1815-1885) and Georg David Hardegg (1812-1879). The Wennagel pioneering family continued their building activities right through the Templer period in Palestine as well as in Australia.

Israeli scholars are now beginning to appreciate the Templers' contribution to the modernisation of Israel, as an agent of change who transformed the country from a forsaken Ottoman province into what Israel is today. The Wennagels were part of that transformation, and this book does historical justice in documenting it. No doubt this book will become a source for scholars who engage in Land of Israel studies.

The Wennagel story is told in an interesting style, from the year 1699 to today (2007). The families are illustrated with many different genealogical charts and over 1,000 historical photographs from 'The Albert Blaich Family Archive-Australia'. The Wennagel families and relatives, as well as people interested in the history of the Templer movement in the Holy Land will find Irene's book fascinating and enlightening.

About the Author