Hardwin (Hanafi) Edmund Alexander Joachim Baron von Hahn was born July 2, 1929 in Riga, Latvia to parents Joachim Baron von Hahn and Carola Baroness von Hahn (née Baroness von Koskull). His family was part of the Baltic-German nobility which had been based in Latvia for centuries. Hardwin was the eldest of seven children and for the first 10 years of his life he lived in the manor house of his family’s 3000 hectare estate of Zawierz (Zaver'ye) in what is now Belarus. Hardwin’s childhood in the country at Zawierz was among his happiest times, but everything changed with the onset of war in 1939 when the family lost everything to escape the Russian Army.
The family first resettled in Poland. He attended boarding school, and then in 1945, at age 15, Hardwin was drafted into the German army. Although he was not involved in any combat operations, he was very affected by the horrors he witnessed and experienced during the war. As the war ended, he was reunited with his family, and lived with them as refugees in Germany.
After the war, Hardwin's father had a vision for a new life in Canada. In 1948, 19-year old Hardwin together with two cousins set off to far away British Columbia where he worked in the orchards of the Okanagan, and as a logger and a mechanic. Having passed the scrutiny of Canadian authorities, he was allowed to sponsor his parents and siblings to come to Canada. The costs were largely borne through his hard labor.
At age 25 he started studies at the University of British Columbia where he ultimately completed a PhD in metallurgical engineering. During this time he met, and in 1957 married, Idrea (Larissa) von Dehn, another Baltic-German immigrant who was from Estonia. They had five children whom they raised in the big white house in Vancouver.
Throughout his life, Hardwin was always bolstered by his deep faith in God and his abiding love and loyalty for his family. Hardwin's search for spirituality led him to the spiritual practice of Subud, which he and Idrea joined in 1962. For nearly 60 years Subud was an important part of his life and community, where he was known by the name “Hanafi." After the death of Idrea in 2004, it was through Subud that he met Italian-born Rohana Filippi. They fell in love, married in 2006 and shared the last 14 years together.
In his final days Hardwin was surrounded by what mattered most to him: his wife Rohana, his children and grandchildren, and by the spiritual practice of Subud. He passed away peacefully on July 21, 2020 after a brief illness.
Hardwin is predeceased by his first wife Idrea, brother Joachim, and sister Marie. He is survived by his wife, Rohana, children Raynard (Delia), Virginia, Erik (Celia), Julia (Scott), Phenice (Paul), his grandchildren Erik, Marie, Adena, Casey, Alina, Michelle, Ryan, Alyssa; his siblings, Philipp (Matilde), Erich (Angelika), Jakoba (Hubert), Cecil (Genevieve), sister-in-law June and his many nieces, nephews and extended family.
A funeral service and interment was held in Ottawa, Ontario on August 26 and a memorial service will be held in Vancouver later this year.
I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee. (Jeremiah 31)
Bless the Lord, O my soul and all that is within me, bless his holy name (Psalm 103)