Emil Frommel

Emil Frommel (1828–1896) was a German pastor and author, born at Karlsruhe. He studied at Halle upon Saale, Erlangen, and Heidelberg, held several pastorates, served as army chaplain in the Franco-German War of 1870–1871 and in 1872 was appointed court preacher at Berlin and pastor of the garrison in that city.

Life Emil Frommel was born on 5 January 1828 at Karlsruhe in the then Grand Duchy of Baden, Southern Germany. His father was director of the ducal art gallery. He studied theology at the universities of Halle, Erlangen, and Heidelberg before being appointed as vicar in Alt-Lussheim, near Schwetzingenin 1850. Four years later, he became vicar in his hometown and this was followed by a move in 1864 to Barmen in Westphalia.

His next appointment, in 1869, was as pastor in the Garnisonkirche in Berlin. His role as a field chaplain meant that he travelled to France with the army when the Franco-Prussian War began in the following summer. He marked the German victory on his return to the Garnisonkirche in 1871, delivering a sermon commemorating the dead in the presence of the German Emperor and other royalty. He was later appointed chaplain to the Imperial Court and between 1872 and 1887 he accompanied the Emperor on annual visits to Wildbad Gastein in the Austrian Alps.