We had the honour of visiting Schloss Ballenstedt and speaking with His Highness Julius Eduard Erdmann, Ernst August Prinzip von Anhalt. In the historic halls he shared reflections on thirty generations of family heritage, on the lasting legacy of an enlightened ancestor’s garden, and on how those lessons resonate with Sufi ideals of service and humility.
The conversation began with the question of what wisdom can be drawn from a lineage reaching back to figures such as Albrecht the Bear and Catherine the Great. Prince Julius Eduard spoke of one forebear in particular, affectionately called “Father Franz,” who is remembered in Germany as the “Prince of Enlightenment.” Father Franz created the first English-style garden on the European continent, a vast landscape open to the public in which nature and human design meet. The prince described walking through it with “open eyes, an open heart and full awareness,” so that beauty becomes a living classroom for humility, stewardship and wider horizons.
This legacy of openness led to a discussion of the responsibilities of today’s custodians of heritage. Because entry to the garden is free, it depends on shared care rather than ticket income. Prince Julius Eduard sees this as an invitation to practise khidma, selfless service, by fostering a sense of common ownership and respect for shared spaces. True nobility, he emphasised, lies not in titles but in the willingness to serve the public good without exploiting privilege.
Asked about his own role today, Prince Julius Eduard expressed a quiet gratitude. Rather than outlining a detailed agenda, he stressed the importance of turning ancestral teachings into actions that benefit both his region and the wider world, in keeping with the Sufi principle that inner transformation shows itself in outward compassion.
The interview also touched on the historical ties between the House of Ascania and the Ottoman Empire, an exchange that mirrors our own mission of cross-cultural friendship. These centuries-old relations remind us that mutual respect and curiosity have long linked peoples across continents.
For further reading on this heritage and its spiritual dimensions, visit our Library, where additional resources and translations are available.
