Germans came on the First Fleet, and by 1900 they were the fourth-largest European ethnic group on the continent, behind the English, Irish and Scots. Most settled on the land, and place names like Hahndorf, Hermannsburg and Fassifern speak eloquently of their presence. Others excelled as explorers, scientists, artists and entrepreneurs – and the names Leichhardt, von Mueller, Strehlow, von Guérard and Resch’s Brewery feature prominently in Australian history and culture.
Two world wars soured relations between Australia and Germany, halted immigration, and shadowed the lives of many German-Australians. But the wounds healed surprisingly quickly, and the postwar migrant ships brought a second wave of German speakers. These ‘invisible’ immigrants proved to be popular New Australians.
Today there are some 700 000 Australians of German descent. Notable contributors to social, economic and cultural life range from Harry Seidler, Tim Fischer and Wolf Blass to cricketers Carl Rackemann and Darren Lehmann. The interest of German Australians in family background and ancestry is flourishing.
Jürgen Tampke holds a fellowship at the School of History, University of New South Wales. His books include Czech–German Relations and the Politics of Central Europe (2002).
JÜRGEN TAMPKE
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© Jürgen Tampke 2006
First published 2006
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A catalogue record for this publication is available from the British Library
National Library of Australia Cataloguing in Publication data
Tampke, Jürgen.
The Germans in Australia.
Bibliography.
Includes index.
ISBN-13 978-0-52161-243-2 paperback
1. Germans – Australia – History. Ⅰ. Title.
305.831094
ISBN-13 978-0-52161-243-2
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To Amaya Jane, Oscar Jürgen and Tobias Peter,
who are all of German descent
| List of illustrations | ix | ||
| Acknowledgements | xi | ||
| Introduction | 1 | ||
| 1 Why Do People Migrate? | 6 | ||
| 2 The First Fifty Years | 21 | ||
| 3 Scientists and Explorers | 33 | ||
| 4 Missionaries | 57 | ||
| 5 The Golden Age | 72 | ||
| 6 The Shadow Years | 107 | ||
| 7 Willkommen Again | 134 | ||
| Epilogue | 157 | ||
| Notes | 168 | ||
| Bibliography | 178 | ||
| Index | 181 |
| Barque Eberhardt | 7 | |
| Advertisement for the German–Australian Steamship Company | 12 | |
| Imperial Mail Steamship Großer Kurfürst | 16 | |
| Pastor August Kavel | 28 | |
| Klemzic, a village of German settlers by George French Angas | 29 | |
| Ludwig Leichhardt | 40 | |
| Baron Sir Ferdinand von Mueller | 50 | |
| Georg von Neumayer’s second observatory on the Yarra | 53 | |
| Amalia Dietrich | 55 | |
| Early immigrants’ school, Langmeil, South Australia | 74 | |
| Johann Christian Heussler | 81 | |
| German settlers at Taubi, Tasmania | 83 | |
| W. Burge’s saddlery in Crows Nest, Queensland | 86 | |
| Main Road in Marburg, Queensland | 87 | |
| Berlin House, Hill End by Holtermann | 89 | |
| Shipboard life in the late 1880s by Lindt | 93 | |
| Bernard Otto Holtermann | 94 | |
| Holtermann’s Residence at St Leonard’s, New South Wales | 95 | |
| Mining at Hill End by Holtermann | 96 | |
| McMahons Point, North Sydney by Holtermann | 97 | |
| Vahland’s Mechanics Institute and School of Mining and Industries | 99 | |
| Menkens’s Middle Wood Chambers, Newcastle | 100 | |
| Resch’s Brewery at Waverley in Sydney | 102 | |
| Marburg German Club | 105 | |
| Program for Germany’s national day, Sydney, 1914 | 113 | |
| German rally at Highfield, near Toowoomba, c.1910 | 113 | |
| Bulletin cartoon, 1915 | 119 | |
| Holsworthy Internment Camp, New South Wales | 120 | |
| Villa Frieda at Berrima, New South Wales | 122 | |
| Bertram, Klausemann and rescuers | 129 | |
| Rudolf Asmis at German war graves in Sydney | 131 | |
| Arno von Skerst satirised | 132 | |
| Helmut Kohl at a wildlife sanctuary near Canberra | 140 |
Note: 1 acre equals 0.4 hectare
For kind assistance and useful suggestions I am indebted to Richard Cashman, Chris Cunneen, Richard Dreyfus, Rod Home, John Jennings, Lee Kersten, Hans-Jochen Kretzer, Bernd Marx, Alison Paech-Ujejski, John Perkins, Arnold Velden and David Walker. Kathleen Weekeley’s and Jean Dunn’s excellent editing advice greatly improved the manuscript. Rudi Karle’s help with the technical side of the production is much appreciated. I regret that despite my best efforts I am unable to provide source details for some of the illustrations, and I would welcome any information from readers.
For a last time – thank you Colin Doxford. Having worked together for so many years on the topic of the Germans in Australia, he was still able – although already very ill – to lend a helping hand with the manuscript for this book. Sadly he was not able to see the final product. Finally, thanks to Christine for everything.
All shortcomings in this work are mine.
Jürgen Tampke
Todtnau, 2006