hɪz fˈɑːðɚ wʌzɐ lˈuːθɜːɹən mˈɪnɪstɚɹ ʌvðɪ ˌiːvɐndʒˈɛlɪkəllˈuːθɜːɹən stˈeɪt tʃˈɜːtʃ ʌv hˈænoʊvɚ, sˈɜːvɪŋ ɪn hˈænoʊvɚ, ʃmˈɛdənstˌɛt ænd ɡɹˈɑːnaʊ əpˌɑːn lˈeɪn.
His father was a Lutheran minister of the Evangelical-Lutheran State Church of Hanover, serving in Hanover, Schmedenstedt and Gronau upon Leine.