ʌv dʒˈɜːmən ˈɔːɹɪdʒˌɪn, hiː dʒˈɔɪnd ˈɪskkən ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti ænd wʌz ɪnˈɪʃɪˌeɪɾᵻd baɪ ðə mˈuːvmənts fˈaʊndɚ, ˈeɪ. sˈiː. bˌæktɪvɪdˈæntə swˈɑːmi pɹˌæbhjuːpˈɑːdə, ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti wˈʌn.
Of German origin, he joined ISKCON in 1970 and was initiated by the movement's founder, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, in 1971.