Since retirement, I have focussed on tracking my ancestry and what has made me what I am. Please contact me on the email below if you think we can help each other track our ancestors or provide more information about the villages they came from.
My ancestors arrived in South Australia from 1838 to 1877 from the Prussian provinces of Silesia, Brandenburg and Posen and from Bohemia. The early arrivals came to escape religious persecution following these “Old Lutherans”‘ refusal to become part of the Union Church. Economic conditions were a major factor for many; in South Australia, they could work hard and buy land, something which was virtually impossible in their homeland. There was no national service for their sons.
Villages and towns they came from were:
- Bentschen, Kreis Meseritz, Posen;
- Cicha Gora, Kreis Neutomischel, Posen;
- Hirschfeldau, Kreis Sagan, Silesia;
- Kay, Kreis Züllichau-Schwiebus, Brandenburg;
- Klein Dammer, Kreis Züllichau-Schwiebus, Brandenburg;
- Kuttel, Kreis Crossen, Brandenburg;
- Langmeil, Kreis Züllichau-Schwiebus, Brandenburg;
- Morchenstern, Gablonz an der Neisse, Bohemia;
- Niebusch, Kreis Freystadt, Silesia;
Surnames of ancestors discovered so far include:
- Fiedler;
- Fleischmann;
- Förster;
- Gallasch;
- Gierke;
- Heinrich;
- Hirte;
- Janotte;
- Kegel;
- Klenke;
- Kuchel;
- Mahn;
- Mann;
- Nicksch;
- Pfeifer;
- Pflaum;
- Riedel;
- Rößler/Roessler/Roesler;
- Schlinke;
- Schulz;
- Seiffert;
- Stephan;
- Swarowsky;
- Wolf;
- Wotke/Wuttke; and
- Zappe.