( Elfrida Hildegarde Klamroth ) aka Freda Martin

"The Eagle"

Born : 1876 - New York

Died : 8th February 1956

Married: Hugh Whitfield ( Riccardo ) Martin - 14th Dec.1899, Manhattan, NY.

Father :   Albert KLAMROTH - born ; Prussia 1833

Mother : Josephine A. Weismann - born ; New York 1840

Children : Biji

Nationality : American

1933

Quentin Tod had a dear friend who called herself Ruano Bogislav. (Ruano's real name was Elfrida Klamroth.) Ruano, 57, had been a singer, actress and businesswoman who had been married to Ricardo Martin, a well-known tenor of New York's Metropolitan Opera Company. Ruano had been living in Paris, and when Tod returned to England from India in June, he had stopped in Paris to tell Ruano about Meher Baba.

Lord Meher ; Bhau Kalchuri - Vol.   p1786

During his stay in Portofino, Baba received invitations from a number of ardent admirers in Europe to come to their countries. Various persons had been contacted in Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Romania by Norina and Tod. To visit each country would take a long time and Baba was anxious to return to India. He cancelled any plans to visit these other countries and decided instead to stay in Italy to work. He did, however, allow many visitors to come to Portofino and see him. A few persons like Ruano Bogislav and Hedi Mertens were allowed to stay in town and come to the villa every day during fixed visiting hours. Baba spent most of his time being attentive to his close group.

1933

A telegram was sent to Ruano Bogislav in Paris about the delay. Kitty thereby learned more about the Master's ever-constant vigilance. Enid left for Milan on the 2:30 P.M. train, while the mandali stayed at the station to watch over their belongings. Baba and the group left Venice on the 6:50 P.M. train and reached Milan that evening at 11:30. Even at that late hour, Winifred Foster and two others were waiting to see him.

The group arrived in Paris at two, Sunday afternoon, October 8th. Ruano Bogislav, Norina Matchabelli and Quentin Tod were present at the station to greet them. Baba checked into the Hotel Vouillement and then went to Ruano's apartment, where about fifty people had gathered for his darshan. He saw them all in less than three hours. Among those seen were Otto Haas-Heije, his wife and their daughter.

When Biji, Ruano's daughter, went into see Baba, Ruano introduced her saying, "Baba dear, this is my baby."

Biji immediately said, "Baba, she is much more of a baby than I am!"

Baba spelled out on the board, "Baba also means baby, so we are three babies."

Baba was so loving to Ruano and her daughter that both were deeply affected, causing Ruano to ask Baba why he was so kind to her and Biji. "Because you were kind to me long ago in Egypt," Baba answered.

Lord Meher ; Bhau Kalchuri - Vol.  p1819

1933

ESTELLE GAYLEY, known as Nonny, was the widow of a prominent New York attorney. She was then fifty-eight years old. Her daughter Madeleine, called Rano, was thirty-one and an artist who had worked for some years designing fabrics in New York. They had learned about Meher Baba through their friend Ruano Bogislav and her contact Quentin Tod in Paris the previous summer, and had expected to meet Baba in America when they returned there. Ruano was now in London with Baba and had written Nonny and Rano as soon as she found out about Baba's change in plans, and they had immediately left for London.

Upon reaching London, it was difficult for them to find out where Baba was staying. Ruano had cabled the address, but Rano had not received it. Nonny was in tears, repeating, "Where is Baba? Where is Baba?" Rano comforted her and they both checked into a hotel.

Rano phoned the English Speaking Union, as her correspondence with Ruano had been through its address, and she was given Ruano's telephone number. When Rano called, Ruano informed her where Baba was staying. Rano asked when they could meet Baba, and was told that it would be at four that afternoon. Both Nonny and Rano were eager to meet Baba; however, doubts befell Rano and made her wonder: "What kind of Master is he?

Is he aware of our faith? We are longing for his sight, yet he doesn't seem to care ..."

Lord Meher ; Bhau Kalchuri - Vol. p 1827-8

Thirteen days later, on June 22nd, 1934, they reached Marseilles, France, where Ruano Bogislav and Rano Gayley were awaiting their arrival. Baba had previously intimated that only Ruano should be at the dock to meet them and Rano was afraid of what Baba might say when he saw her. Before disembarking, Baba called them into his cabin and warmly embraced them. Rano whispered in his ear that she was not supposed to be there. Baba reassured her, by replying, "I am pleased with you, so don't worry."

After spending the day in Marseilles, Baba and the mandali took the train to Paris, joined by Ruano, Rano and Norina Matchabelli. During the night's journey, Rano felt hungry, but the food was kept in a tin container on the rack in Baba's compartment. Still new to Baba, Rano did not know that she should not disturb the Master while he rested. When she entered his compartment, Baba had his eyes closed and looked as though he were sound asleep. As Rano quietly took down the tin, Baba opened his eyes and motioned to her, asking what she was doing. Rano replied that she was hungry. Baba gestured, "All right, take something to eat and then go rest." Rano had been careful not to make the slightest noise when reaching for the food and was surprised that Baba was suddenly so awake.

After a while, Baba sent Kaka with two black velvet pillows, one each for Ruano and Rano, along with instructions for them to go to sleep on these pillows. They both were to keep the pillows and never part with them.

BABA arrived in Paris on June 23rd and stayed at the Metropolitan Hotel. Rano's mother, Nonny, joined the group there; she had arrived earlier and had been awaiting Baba's arrival.

Soon after going to Ruano's apartment, Baba met with Dr. Karl Vollmoeller, the German writer, poet and artist who was working on the film project.
Vollmoeller had completed the script and presented it to Baba. Baba discoursed to him for three hours about creation, transmigration, reincarnation, the spiritual planes and God-Realization, and showed him the chart which he had brought. Vollmoeller was impressed and Baba instructed him to write a new story based on the explanations and chart he had given.

For two days, Baba saw people in Paris. He met many of Ruano's friends and associates, including the Duke of Richelieu who had come to know of Baba through Norina.

On June 24th, a sixty year-old man came to see Baba and said, "Although I have had many minor turning points in my life, I feel today that the main turning point of my life has at last arrived by meeting you."

Baba smiled and explained to him, "Yes, that turning point has to arrive in each one's life. It is like a war. Every day, every hour, every minute of a man's life is a sort of minor war between the heart and mind, emotion and intellect, good and bad. And when these individual conflicts spread out and develop, the collective result eventually takes the shape of a big, worldwide war which can never be avoided by any number of peace conferences, unless and until the very root cause is removed."

DEPARTING PARIS for London on June 26th, Baba instructed Rano, Nonny and Ruano to remain behind. Travelling by train, Baba and the mandali reached London that same day via Calais and Dover. All the Master's English disciples showed up at Victoria Station to welcome him. Baba stayed at Delia's brother Herbert's apartment at 61 Compayne Gardens, West Hampstead. Elizabeth Patterson, Norina Matchabelli, Kitty Davy, Margaret Craske and Mabel Ryan stayed with Baba. Chanji, Kaka Baria, Adi Jr. and Quentin Tod were accommodated in Margaret Craske's apartment, although they were with Baba most of the time. Chanji and Adi Jr. stayed nearby Baba during the day, and Kaka was with him at night.

Lord Meher ; Bhau Kalchuri - Vol. p1878 - 9

1934

The Majestic was the largest ship in the world at the time and Baba was given a splendid stateroom with attached bath on the B deck. Once again, Kaka shared Baba's room, and Jal, Chanji and Adi occupied a smaller cabin. As previously planned, Rano and Nonny Gayley and Ruano Bogislav boarded the ship at Cherbourg. Baba approved of Nonny's and Rano's cabin, but he did not like the room assigned to Ruano. He sent Rano to change it with the purser, who refused to do so. Baba kept sending Rano back, however, and the man finally complied and gave Ruano a better cabin. Baba used to refer to the three women as "the trio" and one day revealed that they had close past connections with one another from a time in Egypt. Ruano and Nonny had been brother and sister, and Ruano's son had been Rano, who then jokingly called Ruano, "Pappy."

Lord Meher ; Bhau Kalchuri - Vol. p1925

1934

AFTER THREE DAYS in New York, on December 15th, Baba took a train westward across America on the Santa Fe Railway, headed for California. Besides the mandali of Chanji, Kaka Baria, Adi Sr. and Jal, accompanying him were Elizabeth, Norina, Minta, Nadine, Rano, Nonny and Ruano. During the three and a half day journey to Los Angeles, the train halted in Chicago, Illinois; Omaha, Nebraska; Denver, Colorado; and Santa Fe, New Mexico. Baba was headed for Hollywood and preoccupied himself by reviewing the film scripts and discussing the variations in plots and characters.

The train halted in Albuquerque, New Mexico for thirty minutes at noon on December 17th. Baba's mood became serious and he spelled "INDIAN" on the palm of his hand. He suddenly left his compartment with Ruano Bogislav. The men mandali knew to follow. Baba walked two blocks away from the station, arm-in-arm with Ruano. Then he spotted a small side street. Abruptly, he turned down it and continued on as if he knew exactly where he was headed. Ruano's only thought was that they were going to miss the train. Baba stopped when he noticed two Native American Indians standing on the corner. One was selling trinkets and he walked away as soon as Baba approached. The other Indian was a tall, fat man with a red bandanna tied around his head. He stayed exactly where he was. He and Baba then stood facing one another. Their eyes met, but no word was spoken. Baba then walked quickly back to the station and boarded the train.

Once on the train, Ruano narrated the incident to the others and Baba commented about the Indian, "He is one of my agents. He is the direct agent in charge of America." Baba later explained that he was an agent of the fourth plane – one of four in the world with miraculous powers.

The train arrived in Pasadena, California on the morning of the 18th of December. Baba was delighted to be in California. Jean and Malcolm Schloss greeted Baba and his group at the train station. They drove to a rented house in Los Angeles at number 1840 Camino Palmero where they were to stay for a month.

Once settled in, Baba warned the group, "We should not spend more than is necessary on food, so arrange the meals in ways that they may not be costly." Rather than eating at restaurants, they hired a woman to do the cooking and Ruano began to manage the shopping. Baba wanted spinach every day and Ruano washed it herself before having it cooked.

Lord Meher ; Bhau Kalchuri - Vol. p1934

Malcolm Schloss and Jean Adriel and Ruano Bogislav faced the dilemma of insufficient funds to make the ship voyage to India, but with Garrett Fort's financial help, they too were able to come.

Lord Meher ; Bhau Kalchuri - Vol.6  p2039

After two days in Zurich, Baba, Chanji and Kaka took a train back to Paris on November 8th and met with Ruano Bogislav. She, too, was informed about coming to India and was to make plans accordingly.

That night, Baba and the group were driven half an hour outside of Paris to spend the night at a large French style country estate belonging to Gana Walska, a wealthy friend of Norina's who had not met Baba before. The house was magnificent and the garden and grounds beautiful. After a lavish meal, Baba was shown to his bedroom. It was winter and by some thoughtless mishap his room was not heated. Baba nearly froze and got no rest. He later took Norina aside and complained bitterly about it.

Before they left the next morning, Gana Walska gave them a tour of the house. They admired all her treasures of art, and when they came to one painted portrait, Gana proudly exclaimed to Baba, "That is my master – my guru!" Elizabeth was shocked.

Lord Meher ; Bhau Kalchuri - Vol.6  p2044

Thereafter, Baba personally led the group to the Sarzat building and assigned single rooms to each person. Kitty, Delia, Margaret, Tom, Malcolm, Jean, Will, Mary, Nadine, Garrett, and later Ruano Bogislav, were each given a single room. One room was kept vacant as an editorial office for Garrett and Malcolm. Norina and Elizabeth shared a room in the main Manzil bungalow not far from Sarzat, where Rano and Nonny had their own rooms. Baba had a private room and a bath in the same building. The Eastern mandali had quarters elsewhere, and Freiny, Rustom and their children stayed in a small cottage near the main bungalow.

Lord Meher ; Bhau Kalchuri - Vol.6  p2061

THE LAST to come to India, Ruano Bogislav arrived in Bombay on January 2nd, via Colombo aboard the Strathaird. She was met by Chanji, who brought her to Nasik the same day. There were now fifteen Westerners staying together in the ashram.

On January 5th, Baba took the Westerners to Rahuri. All rose early, at 4 A.M., and after breakfast left Nasik at six o'clock. Arriving at Rahuri, the group met the men mandali – Ghani, Vishnu, Pendu, Padri, Raosaheb, Baidul and Dr. Nilu.

Lord Meher ; Bhau Kalchuri - Vol.6  p2070

Meetings discussing the future of the ashram continued throughout the next week whenever Baba was with the Westerners in Nasik. One morning, Jean Adriel went to Baba and asked that Norina be relieved of her duties as manager. Baba called Norina and made Jean repeat all her complaints before her. He explained that he wanted Norina to be the manager, but Jean kept insisting Ruano Bogislav would be better.

Lord Meher ; Bhau Kalchuri - Vol.6  p2180

Toward the end of June, Baba instructed Sam Cohen to stay in the Tiger Valley cave at Panchgani, but he was afraid to be there alone by himself, and so Baba directed him to go to Europe via Colombo, Ceylon. He left on June 23rd.

On June 26th, there was a Trust meeting at Meherabad. Norina and Elizabeth drove there from Nasik with Ramjoo and Kaka and returned the same evening.

Baba directed Nadine Tolstoy to go to Venice, Italy, for the purpose of some work and she left on July 8th. Baba went to Bombay to see her off. With Nadine's departure, there were only eight Westerners remaining in Nasik: Jean and Malcolm Schloss, Norina Matchabelli, Elizabeth Patterson, Ruano Bogislav, Tom Sharpley, and Rano and Nonny Gayley. Thereafter, all the necessary preparations for travelling to Cannes began.

Lord Meher ; Bhau Kalchuri - Vol.6  p 2189

After a few days in Bombay, Baba left for Nasik on July 18th.,1937. This was the last time he visited his Western lovers at Meher Retreat. He stayed two days and left for Meherabad on July 20th.

Ruano Bogislav left Nasik on July 23rd. She was sent to Europe via Ceylon and instructed to meet Baba in Cannes.

Lord Meher ; Bhau Kalchuri - Vol.6  p2197

1937

BABA and the group reached Marseilles at six o'clock on the morning of August 13th and were met by Delia DeLeon. They then traveled by train to Cannes, reaching there about four in the afternoon. Prior to Baba's arrival, Kitty Davy had gone to Cannes at the end of June and rented villas with the help of Delia and Norina's sister, Gita Bloum.

The arrangements were quite pleasant, but Baba for some reason was dissatisfied with the women's villa and Norina was ordered to rent another. The new villa was where Baba and the women mandali, Norina, Elizabeth, Rano and Kitty would stay. For the men mandali a second villa was rented, and a third for the Western men and women who had come: Delia, Ruano, Gita, Jean, Malcolm, Nonny, Sam Cohen, Christine McNaughton, Anita de Caro and Andreé Aron. Andreé, a French lady, had previously met Baba in Zurich in 1934 at Otto Heije's art school and was a friend of Anita's. Ruano Bogislav was appointed head of the household to manage the living arrangements in this villa.

Lord Meher ; Bhau Kalchuri - Vol.6  p2200

On September 18th, 1937, Baba was at Capo di Monte the whole day, from eight in the morning until eight in the evening, to celebrate the occasion of Ruano Bogislav's and Adi Jr.'s birthdays. Someone, probably Mercedes, pointed out that it was also Greta Garbo's birthday.

Special food had been cooked for dinner, including a large birthday cake. Just as the cake was brought out, the telephone rang. It was Hedi Mertens calling from Zurich. Baba went to talk with her through Norina, and some began eating their pieces of cake before he returned. Baba showed his disappointment about their mistake in etiquette; they should have waited until the Master gave permission to eat. Baba instructed all to keep silence with him for five minutes with their eyes closed to clear the air of their depressed feeling. Presents were then given to Ruano and Adi Jr., the first one by Baba himself – a hearty embrace to both.

Lord Meher ; Bhau Kalchuri - Vol.6  p2217

1952

MEHER BABA and the group landed at New York's Idlewild Airport at 6:35 A.M. on April 20th, where Elizabeth Patterson, Margaret Craske, Delia DeLeon, Ruano Bogislav and Dr. Donkin met them. They stayed the day at the Penn Station Hotel. Since it was a Sunday, most of the restaurants were closed, so they had to be content with going to an Indian restaurant. Goher was feeling indisposed, but Baba made her eat a lot, and she then felt better.

Baba and the women left New York by train from Penn Station at midnight for Florence, South Carolina, accompanied by Elizabeth, Margaret, Delia and Ruano; Donkin was also with them. Although no one was supposed to see him off, Filis Frederick and Adele Wolkin had gone to the station and hidden behind some large pillars on the third balcony to catch a glimpse of Baba. Although they were far away, Baba smiled and waved at Filis and Adele, spelling on his board, "Filadele," their new nickname.

Lord Meher ; Bhau Kalchuri - Vol.11 p3778

RECOVERING in Myrtle Beach, Baba was kept in an air-conditioned room at Youpon Dunes. The women stayed in the house with him, the men at the Center. Nilu attended Baba day and night, and Meherjee would somehow contrive to make Baba eat. Kitty Davy was overseeing the preparation of Baba's food, as well as food for the women, with Ruano Bogislav's help.

Lord Meher ; Bhau Kalchuri - Vol.11 p3856

Another day, Baba took the women for tea to Fred and Ella Winterfeldt's apartment in Manhattan House on East 66th Street. Baba praised the tea and stated, "Ella is an angel."

Then he remarked, "Even angels do not have this love for God. If they want to be Realized, they have first to become human. When a person becomes God-Realized, he drops the body in one to three days."

Baba teased Margaret about not caring in the least about God-Realization. "Baba, I love Maya," she joked. "I think Maya is beautiful! Besides, I would like to be with you again."

Ruano Bogislav was also there and she had something on her mind. She asked, "Is it true that certain substances hold impressions?" Being a rather strange question, Baba shrugged his shoulders, and Ruano continued, "When you called me to come to India in 1936, I had little money. But with a friend, I happened to go to a fortune teller, who said I should take off the old Chinese bracelet I was wearing, and things would improve. She said it had belonged to someone who had lost everything in life. So I did. I thought, why not? And, almost at once, someone sent me a check for five hundred dollars, enough for the boat to India."

Baba spelled on the alphabet board (which Mani read), "It is true, certain substances or creatures at the four corners (turns) of evolution hold impressions – certain metals, gems, black wool, cats, dogs. Not much should be said about it because it creates superstition."

"Will I be with you again in India?" Ruano asked.

"Maybe," Baba replied.

Lord Meher ; Bhau Kalchuri - Vol.11 p3878

Ruano Bogislav died of a heart attack in New York City at 1 A.M. on February 8th.,1956, Ruano lived in the Nasik ashram in India for several months during 1936-37, and she once told Baba, "When I see you, Baba, I feel as if wings are sprouting on my back! I feel as if I could soar like an eagle!" And Ruano would go through the motions of flapping her "wings."

Baba was amused and used to refer to her as "my eagle." When she died, Fred Winterfeldt sent this telegram to Baba: "Your eagle has flown to you."

Baba cabled back: "My eagle has not died, but ever flies in my kingdom."

When news of Ruano's death was received at Satara, Baba remarked, "Three more are coming to me some time soon."

When Mani queried, "From the East or West?" Baba said, "Both."

A few weeks later, on February 25th, Margaret Scott, another longtime lover from New York, also passed away.

Lord Meher ; Bhau Kalchuri - Vol.14 p4905

Sunday, July 22nd,1956

Baba's message "Divine Bliss and Human Suffering" was read by Don Stevens. In it Baba explained about the difference in suffering between an ordinary man, Perfect Masters and the Avatar, and ended: "Ordinary man suffers for himself; Masters suffer for humanity; whereas the Avatar suffers for one and all beings and things."

As the waiters began to serve dinner, a well-known radio and television personality, David Ross, feelingly read a number of spiritual poems, one each from the great Masters Kabir, Hafiz and Rumi, and one from Baba's close lovers such as Delia DeLeon, Norina Matchabelli, Malcolm Schloss, Josephine Ross, Jean Foster, Ruano Bogislav, Francis Brabazon and sister Mani. Baba sat almost motionless at times during the recitations.

Lord Meher ; Bhau Kalchuri - Vol.14 p4981

TAKE ME, O BELOVED

The following pages appeared in The Awakener Magazine - Vol.XV1 No.2 - Pages 3-11 & 30

CLICK ON THE PAGES TO ENLARGE

SHIPS THAT RUANO SAILED ON

SS Majestic

Departed England  on the 5th December 1934 and arrived New York  12th Decamber 1934.

Ruano travelled with Nonny & Rano.

SS  STRATHAIRD

Departed from Europe 20th December 1936 and arrived in Bombay 2nd January 1937.

Household: 1888 Census

Hugh Martin ( Ricardo Martin )

Riccardo Martin as Dick Johnson in Puccini's opera Girl of the Golden West.

Riccardo Martin (November 18, 1874 – August 11, 1952) was an American tenor.

Born Hugh Whitfield Martin in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, Martin was granted an endowment which allowed him, in 1901, to go to Paris to study with Giovanni Sbriglia and Jean de Reszke; he later completed his studies with Vincenzo Lombardi in Florence and Beniamino Carelli in Naples. He debuted as Faust in Nantes in 1904. Two years later he made his American debut in New Orleans, singing with the visiting San Carlo Opera. Martin bowed at the Metropolitan Opera on November 20, 1907 in Mefistofele; the performance also marked the American debut of Fyodor Chaliapin.

Martin remained with the Metropolitan through the 1914-15 season, appearing in numerous leading tenor roles; he was among the first American-born leading men the company employed. He returned for the 1917-18 season. During his tenure at the Met, he created the lead tenor roles in three American operas: Walter Damrosch's Cyrano de Bergerac, Horatio Parker's Mona, and Frederick Shepherd Converse's The Pipe of Desire. After leaving the company he appeared with numerous companies throughout America and Europe, and spent three seasons with the Chicago Civic Opera. Martin died in New York City in 1952.

References

• David Ewen, Encyclopedia of the Opera: New Enlarged Edition. New York; Hill and Wang, 1963.