Joachim Matthias Wendt (1830-1917): Difference between revisions

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

Author: '''Rita Bogna'''

(originally published 2019 [https://www.facebook.com/burialcremationsa/posts/1094474201035524 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 the Duchy of Brunswick. 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 printing works and resumed printing the Kirchenbote in 1878. In the following year he began editing and publishing the Australischer Volks Kalendar (Australian Peoples 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, [[Robert Homburg (1848-1912)|Robert Homburg]], Alexander Kauffmann, [[Wilhelm Gustav Kindermann (1855-1901)|William Gustav Kindermann]], Christian Ludwig Meyer, Wilhelm Nitschke, [[Heinrich Noltenius (1820-1884)|Henry Noltenius]], Ernst Wilhelm Theodor Pustkuchen, Carl Puttmann, Heinrich Schmidt, [[Moritz Richard Schomburgk (1811-1891)|Dr. Richard Schomburgk]], Franz Heinrich Sonnemann, Julius Wilhelm Sudholz, Alexander Tilemann, the German Consul [[Adolph von Treuer (1822–1894)|Adolph von Treuer]], [[Wilhelm Hartwig Edward (1840-1883)|Wilhelm Vosz]] and [[Joachim Matthias Wendt (1830-1917)|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).<p>

Eggers married Henriette Roennfeldt at Scottish Church (Flinders Street), Adelaide, on 2 March 1850. At the time, the Scottish Church was being used by Pastor [[Andreas Kappler (1802-1877)|Andreas Kappler]], an independent Lutheran Minister, for services. They had the following children:

* Jane (Johanna Dorothea Juliane) (26 September 1851 – )

* Charles Augustus Louis (26 September 1852 – )

Johanna married Karl Emil Johannes (John) Loessel at her father's residence in Kent Town 8 Feb 1868 at the age of 17. They had two children: Clara Henriette Minna (1868) and Marie Wilhelmine Rhea (1872). Johanna died 31 March 1902.

Eggers younger brother Julius Friedrich Carl also migrated to South Australia, arriving in December 1850 aboard the 'Australia'. He farmed at Cockatoo Valley and on the Kingsford estate.