He wrote patriotically about his native country and promoted Heimatkunst (regionalism) in literature.

Frenssen was born in the village of Barlt, in the Duchy of Holstein, then under the control of the Kingdom of Denmark.

He took orders and from 1892 to 1902 was pastor at Hemme, taking his degree as doctor of theology at Heidelberg in 1903.

Instead, he turned to a form of Germanic Neopaganism which also suited his liberal views on sexuality.

While the Nazis were coming to power, and afterwards, Frenssen showed great loyalty to the party.