Karl Friedrich Wilhelm Eggers (1815-1882)

Karl Friedrich Wilhelm Eggers, born in the Duchy of Brunswick, was was an early printer and journalist for German language newspapers in South Australia.

Karl Friedrich Wilhelm Eggers
Karl Friedrich Wilhelm Eggers
Born	Karl Friedrich Wilhelm Eggers 1815 Rebensburg, South Australia
Died	19 Mar 1932 Norwood, South Australia
Resting place	West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide, South Australia
Nationality	British
Occupation	Musician, Music Teacher
Spouse(s)	1.Johanna Maria Lührs (1862–1945) (married 1884 Adelaide, South Australia

Biography

Author: Rita Bogna

(originally published 2019 Burial and Cremation in South Australia. Used by permission of the author. All text and images are copyright unless otherwise indicated)

Carl Friedrich Wilhelm Eggers was born in 1815 in Braunschweig, Germany. His father was a medical practitioner of some repute and ensured that his son had a university education. Eggers went to London in 1843 and was employed by the printing firm of Clowes, Gilbert & Rivington. On 4 December 1848 he arrived in South Australia on the ship 'Thomas Lowry'. Initially he worked in George Dehane's printing office in King William Street, Adelaide, but later moved to the mechanical department of the Register and Observer newspapers. By February 1850 he was acting as the German reporter for the Register. On 2 March 1850 Eggers married Henriette Roenfeld (1830–1919). The couple had three children, Jane (1851), Charles Augustus Louis (1852–), and Johanna (Mrs. John Loessel) (1853–1902). A year later he became the German-language interpreter for the courts at a salary of £100. In September 1851 Eggers purchased the Australische-Deutsche Zeitung (the Australian-German Newspaper) from Rudolph Reimer (c. 1819–1860) who had founded the newspaper in April 1851 and had bought the Süd-Australische Zeitung (the South Australian Newspaper) and merged the two newspapers. The Australische-Deutsche Zeitung was the first German-language newspaper to publish an entertainment supplement, Blätter für Ernst und Scherz. Eggers also purchased the German printing press and type used by Reimer and established his printery in the Register Building in Grenfell Street. A few years later Eggers took George Valentin Eimer (1825–1901) into the business as a partner. Eggers retired from the partnership (Eggers & Eimer) in 1874 after printing the first issue of Der Lutherische Kirchenbote für Australien (the Lutheran Church Messenger for Australia). Eimer then went into partnership with Martin Basedow. Eggers continued his own printery and resumed printing the Kirchenbote in 1878. In the following year he began editing and publishing the Australischer Volks Kalendar (Australian Folk Calendar), a German-language book almanac, but due to ill health in 1880 he had to arrange for it to be typeset by Basedow & Eimer. The Adelaide Observer wrote that after Eggers "associated himself with others in all matters connected with his German fellow-colonists, by, as well as by all who knew him, he was greatly respected for his honourable and genuine character. He was a thorough German at heart, and often defended his fatherland against attacks appearing in the press". Eggers died on 30 January 1882 at the age of 66 after suffering a series of strokes. He was buried in the West Terrace Cemetery (Road 4 Path 20 Site 31 West) on the following day. His funeral was attended by a large number of people, including many of South Australia's leading German colonists. The funeral was conducted in German by Lutheran Pastor Carl Friedrich Adolph Strempel. Those present included Franz Gaetjens, Henry Heuzenroeder, Richard Homburg, Alexander Kauffmann, William Gustav Kindermann, Christian Ludwig Meyer J.P., Wilhelm Nitschke, Henry Noltenius, Ernst Wilhelm Theodor Pustkuchen, Carl Puttmann, Heinrich Schmidt, Dr. Richard Schomburgk, Franz Heinrich Sonnemann, Julius Wilhelm Sudholz, Alexander Tilemann, the German Consul Adolph von Treuer J.P., Wilhelm Vosz and Joachim Matthias Wendt.

Henriette Eggers died on 10 January 1919 at the age of 89 and was buried in the West Terrace Cemetery (Road 4 Path 29 Site 12 West).

Family

Reimann married Johanna Maria Lührs (1862–1945) at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Adelaide, on 20 December 1884. They had the following children:

• Leontine Meta (20 June 1884 – 5 April 1885)
• Carsten Edward (15 May 1887 – 23 May 1974)
• Valesca Leonore Olive (20 December 1888 – 6 June 1964)
• Leona Marie (20 June 1890 – 24 March 1891)
• Hilda Marie (9 January 1892 – 20 October 1977)
• Arnold Lührs (3 July 1898 – 1 December 1991)

The Reimann's eldest daughter Leontine Meta died in 1885 at the age of 9 months.

Eldest son Carsten, known as Karey, was born with an intellectual disability and lived in supported accommodation until his death in 1974.

Their second daughter, Valesca Leonore Olive, taught at Trinity College in Kandy, Sri Lanka, for 30 years. She never married.

Hilda Marie also remained single and became a violinist, playing in the South Australian (now Adelaide) Symphony Orchestra.

Arnold Lührs Reimann studied science and was awarded the degree of Doctor of Science from the University of Adelaide and Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Berlin. He became a lecturer in physics in the University College of Hull (University of London), and later a lecturer in physics in the University of Queensland and a researcher with the CSIRO. He was known as a physicist of high distinction and a fine cellist.

Residences in the City

Dates	Place	Current Address	Co-ordinates

Work in the City

Dates	Place	Current Address	Co-ordinates

Published Obituary

From The Advertiser Friday 3 February 1882:

News of the Fortnight

It is with regret we announce the death of Mr. William Eggers, who was for some years editor and proprietor of the South Australian Deutsche Zeitung, and was since then a contributor up to the time of his death to the English press of Adelaide. He was a colonist of thirty-two years' standing, and during almost his whole career in South Australia was connected with newspaper work, having been employed on the Register for some years before be started the Zeitung. The deceased gentleman was a man of considerable attainments, and was held in great esteem by his countrymen and by all who knew him.

He leaves a widow, a widowed daughter, and a grandchild. His death was caused by a paralytic stroke, which was not the first from which he had suffered.

External links

1. Eggers, Karl Friedrich Wilhelm (1815–1882), Australian Dictionary of Biography