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Joint project with Alan REDDY, Lothar BRASSE & Author Johann Carl Friedrich FÄHRMANNbuilt all the German houses with half hipped roofs in & around Hahndorf including the Paechtown & Friedrichstadt Fachwerk houses & barnsand the unique barn on the property of Beerenberg built [1850ca] for Gottlieb LUBASCH, Waterloo veteran & Hahndorf's first publicanthat used a standard measurement of 6" x 5" Red Gum timbers
Carl Faehrmann is the author's GG grandfather Gottlieb LUBASCH is the author's GGGG grandfather |
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Photograph above: Oswald Friedrich FAEHRMANN August b1883 pointing to himself as a small baby, being held by his mother, in a framed photograph of his grandparents fachwerk house, 106 Main Street, Hahndorf. The same original photograph in the middle was conserved by Art Lab, Adelaide, in 2022 and all of the adults have been identified. Carl FÄHRMANN & Eleonore LIEBELT on the far right can be identified in the same photographs, with two German Waggons in the foreground with Ossie's young uncles perched on it.
Summary
In May 1975 as a young architect student, Lothar Brasse, was encouraged by Walter WOTZKE, Alan WITTWER & Annie LUUR FOX to visit with local resident of Hahndorf with significant pioneer heritage, Mr Oswald Friedrich FAEHRMANN of .... Main Rd, Hahndorf. Lothar arrived unannounced at his front door having no knowledge of the significance of Paechtown & Friedrichstadt, or the genealogy of the FAEHRMANN or LIEBELT families. Lothar had never done an oral history interview but on this day he carried a small cassette player
Since those early days Lothar has measured & drawn almost every fachwerk house in Australia, he was a co author in the Hahndorf Survey 1 & 2, and he visited the home of Johann Friedrich Carl FÄHRMANN at Tangermünde in Germany. Here Lothar wandered this small Hanseatic walled city on the Elbe River in Germany looking for similarities in the building frames of the hundred of fachwerk homes built in the 17 &18th century looking for the 'Zimmerer-Werkzeichen' or Carpenter's markings / symbols.
On my third and most recent [2023] visit to stay with FAHRMANN cousins in Tangermünde I started this 'markings/symbols' article comparing those found on fachwerk timbers in the immediate area of Tangermünde & surrounding small villages, some across the other side of the Elbe River, including Jerichow, Fishbeck, Gross Ellingen, Werben & Rhorhbeck, comparing them with the roof space red gum timbers or wall timbers that Lothar & I have photographed in Blakiston, Friedrichstradt, Paechtown & Hahndorf.
The cassette tape taken on this day in 1975 was left untranslated, untranscribed & unedited until 17 November 2023 when the two of us gathered about his old cassette player and pressed 'PLAY'. Within a few minutes it had stopped & wound itself completely off the spool & we presumed was damaged badly. The good news is that it was successfully rewound using the pencil method & then taken to 'Digiflex' & made into digital tape which we then listened to on the 29th November.
Below is the entire 31 minutes of the interview broken into 10 sections, followed by a section focussed on exact words used by Ossie FAEHRMANN to describe his grandfathers carpentry. Then there is a genealogy to explain the family relationships.
I am very grateful that Lothar BRASSE has encouraged the sharing of this information on this Adelaide Hills Local Wiki site.
Family names mentioned in this article:
BOTH, BLÜCHER, DAHL, DANKER, FAEHRMANN, FISHER, GLADIGAU, KAESLER, LIEBELT, MUELLER, NAPOLEON, STORCH, WITTER,
Lothar BRASSE 2019 : 'What is particular about Carl FAEHRMANN's work is the symmetry. I believe these buildings are of international importance because they represent the best collection of its genre - not just within Australia but also outside Europe. Carl was one of many carpenters in the Australian context that built these half timbered structures - but Carls were without doubt the most substantive and artistic.'
Wikipedia 'Symmetry : a sense of harmonious and beautiful proportion and balance'.
Table of Contents
1. Author's Note:
Johann Carl Friedrich FAEHRMANN was born & did his time to the trade of carpentry in the Hanseatic city of Tangermünde on the River Elbe in Brandenburg, Prussia. Tangermünde, where his relatives still live and work is a special walled city home to hundreds of old Fachwerk buildings 1760c.
- 1854 he built all the red gum timber work in WITTWER's Mill, Hahndorf, which was 2 stories high.
- 1858 Tender from Carl & his friend from Tangermünde, Friedrich GLADIGAU successfully tendered to supply and fix the timber & slates for the roof of St Michael's Church, Hahndorf.
- 1879 Carl teaches his 21 year old son in law Franz DAHL carpentry.
- 1885 Carl provides the timber work on St Paul's Church of England, Hahndorf.
2. Oswald FAEHRMANN interview May 1975
2 August 1883 – 16 April 1981, 97 yrs.
'1975 Faehrmann Transcription'
German to English translation
Interview of Oswald (Ossie) Faehrmann,
Hahndorf May 1975 by Lothar Brasse.
Original cassette tape digitized November 2023 and first listened to in December 2023.
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Interview was in the kitchen of his house located next to (south of) St Pauls Lutheran church, Hahndorf. His house seemed non-descript but the surrounding gardens showed imagination and attention with an abundance of raised flower beds, exotic plants and use of cementitious ornaments and colourful ceramic tiles. The interview was in the kitchen, with a ‘miner’s’ couch, above which hung a photo of Ossie and his wife. Ossie jumped onto the couch to give me a closer look, wiping the dust off the glass with his shirt sleeve.
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Our interview starts with some small talk and reminiscences as he was making a cup of tea. Only one tea leaf made it into the tea pot because in his excitement, Ossie held the spoon upside-down. I didn’t say anything so as not to interrupt his train of thought.
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Ossie was 92 at the time of the interview. He died in 1981 at Mt Barker Hospital aged 97.
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Not all facts were verified and there is some confusion in his retelling.
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OF - Ossie Faehrmann,
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LB - Lothar Brasse.
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3:23 - Digital tape time which occasionally also appears in the text body.
Transcript
PART 1
OF ...never mind, ich habe gute Zeiten gehabt- by god wir haben gute Zeiten
I had many good times with my wife. Oh my, with the German ships - by god.
Again, we always went down, always. The ship was in Port Adelaide. We didn’t have to go out on the water. They weren’t big ships. I can’t remember the names.
The last time we went down there, we were all from Hahndorf and no one else. By god they were angry.
LB What other people?
OF Only people from Hahndorf. I forget heaps now.
LB What’s the name of your….
OF Oswald...
LB .... Your grandfather
OF My grandfather? he was an old man who came from Germany and my god he was clever. Only a short man, stout and short who built a lot here, all the house that you can see.
LB What did he do?
OF Kleiner Mann dick und kurtz - alle die Haeuser die man sieht mit dem Holz ungefaehr 6 und 5 Zoll - die Haeuser hat der alle hier gebaut - das eine hier unten – wenn du nach Hause gehst, gegenueber das Hotel, das Wirtshaus, gerade gegenueber ein bischen weiter unten, alles neugemacht. Die hat der alle hier gebaut. Oh mensch! Die had der gemacht. Der hat was gemacht.
Short man, stout and short. All the houses you can see with 6- and 5-inch timbers. He built all those houses. That hotel down here, when you go home, opposite that Hotel, right opposite but a bit further down, all new (now). He built all that here. Oh man, He made all of that. Amazing what he built.
PART 2
LB Was he a carpenter?
OF (Gestures) No, Faehrmann. Carl Faehrmann. He came from Germany, but his wife, she came from Poland. By God she was nasty but strong like a man. Well, the old man died and she still lived but she had the key(?) and her son gave her a young bull and said, when he turns two, be careful, because they get nasty.
Oooh, that didn’t worry her. So, the bull was two years and she brings him home every night, at night into the stable. One Sunday, she went to the paddock and didn’t return home. Had a key(?) so the young son
he lived there in (close, by?) the house, went and searched, found her and everything was out. The bull killed her, yes, and she was nearly 90. My god, she was as strong as a man.
LB Your grandpa was a builder, yes? a carpenter?
OF Yes, a carpenter, very clever.
LB did he build all the Paechtown houses?
OF What?
LB In Paechtown?
OF Yes, all those big timbers. He did all that. Now all plastered over. And the mill. The big mill down here below, all those big timbers, really high. Fromm the ground, all made by hand.
LB Why did the people plaster all that beauty? Plaster over it?
OF No, they are still standing. Pardon? Because back then it was all different to what it is today. Was all made by hand. All big pieces. Really high. All that he did.
PART 3
LB Why did people plaster them?
OF Well, … but now you can eat there. I don’t go any more. I was there once. I don’t go any more.
LB What was it like during the war?
OF Pardon?
LB The war. The first World War? What was it like then?
OF Well, in the war it was all not like it is today. It was all different. Yes, totally different
LB The people had....
OF I know, when the war was (thumps table) I heard it only yesterday.
5:37
LB The first world war?
OF Oh god, I just can’t remember it now, Churchill. That’s him. Churchill. The Englishman, he wanted to get Churchill. In the war [LB did he mean Wellington to get Napoleon?]
I can remember exactly how that all went. They were there. The English, they wanted to get him. They were there the whole day and lost 14,000 soldiers and Bluecher came and got Napoleon. Heard it only yesterday [LB on the air?].
But they never said a word what the Germans had contributed. Not one word.
LB What was it like during the First World War? Hahndorf was known as Ambleside then. Why was that?
OF Ambleside?
LB Why did they change the name?
OF No, I think it’s still called Ambleside.
I had thousands. For Storch, bark. I went everywhere [LB for it?]. I did all of that. Always three carts in a day. I did all that. All that by hand.
LB Were the people angry towards the Germans in the war?
OS What? They were Germans. Storch. They were real Germans
8:01
I carted everything for them. With horses. For years. They’re all gone now. All dead. Man, I’ve seen a lot.
8:18
LB Did…, in the war, did people put a lot of pressure on you?
OF Well no
LB Changing names.
OF But what they wanted to do in the South African war, they wanted that all the Germans to change their names. Not German. I thought to my self they can go to hell. I’m not changing my name. I am German and I shall remain German.
9:02
PART 4
LB Were there many in Hahndorf that changed their name?
OF Yes.
LB Do you know any?
OF Well, I can remember when the blacks came through. Down here, along the creek. There were thorns. Well, they came here and stayed overnight and next day, went to the army [LB?] and they got their money and then came back. Mother and I, - my wife, we always went down to the blacks whenever they were there, and they were always good to us and we were good to them. Yes, I will never forget that. Those poor devils couldn’t help being black. They took everything away from them from the blacks - the Australians.
10:09
LB What trees did they use to build the houses in Hahndorf?
OF What trees? Ooh you mean the trees? Stringy Bark and gum trees
LB River Red Gums?
0F [Yes] River Red Gums. I had carted millions of tonnes
LB what did they use the River Red Gums for?
OF They were very good. They made the sleepers out of them. Sleepers for the railways. I think they still do that.
LB A lot of red gum used for house building?
OF There were heaps of them. All gone now
LB Lots of Red gum used for house construction?
OF Yes
LB Paechstadt?
11:06
OF In the times of my grandfather. He built heaps of them.
LB Did your grandfather build in Paechtown and Friedrichstadt?
OF Yes
LB Do you know Friedrichstadt?
OF Yes
LB So you know it yes?
OF Oh yes, I’ve seen many things in my time. By God yes.
LB Friedrichstadt was first, yes?
OF I’ve been all over Australia, but not to Western Australia, never. But I have good friends there that always write to me, a woman. Her husband (Nick?) Is dead. He always came here. I send her money.
LB What was first, Friedrichstadt or Paechtown?
OF I know what you mean but I forget it.
LB Was Friedrichstadt before Paechtown?
OF Oh now I’ve got it. Out there, I knew the whole lot there – the Millers, Mueller’s, here where Jeff lives, there was a woman she was a Mrs Miller, but it belongs to her. Well, I had purchased that, Where Jeff now lives. I bought that. I gave it to Jeff. Mrs Miller.
LB Miller or Mueller?
OF Mueller. True German. When he was dead, a man came from England somewhere. The poor devil had no money. He had 5 to 6 kids that were little and I had the old house. But I didn’t want anything. He was to live in there. But now he is well off and lives in Mt Barker.
14:06
OF Oh yes, I did a lot for the poor devils.
PART 5
LB Did your grandpa plaster the houses here in Hahndorf?
OF Yes
LB Your grandpa did?
OF Yes
LB Was it Before the war?
OF Yes
OF I‘ve seen a lot.
14:41
LB First World War?
OF Yes
LB A lot of people plastered their houses. Do you know why?
OF No. No I don’t know.
Yes, I remember the war, by God yes. They were only talking here I think it was yesterday or the day before. The day when they captured Napoleon. The dirty buggers. Yes, I know all about it. They never mentioned Bluecher. It was Bluecher that captured Napoleon for them. I know that. They don’t put that sort of stuff all in there my dear boy, because I know what I’m talking about. Yes, I know they don’t like the Germans. If it wasn’t for the Germans, it would have been different today. The Englishmen, but when the Russians came in, what could the Germans do, they could
15:47
do nothing. Couldn’t do a thing. They fixed him up. It’s the Russians I’m frightened of. That’s the man I’m frightened of. Very powerful is the Russian. No use the Americans saying do this do that. He won’t touch Russia make no mistake about it. Yes they’re tough.
LB Do you know pastor Fischer?
OF Pastor Fischer? I would think so. He was here. You see him in the church here.
LB Is he still alive?
OF Oh yes, he going away from here very soon in a month’s time. I belong to the church. I pay five dollars every year. I don’t go. I’m very seldom that I go. I tell him and say, pastor Fischer, don’t take any notice that I don’t come to church. I know what’s right and wrong, and that’s all you want to know.
6:44
OF I see what other ones do but it’s got nothing to do with me, and I said I don’t go too often and I won’t either but I’m very good with them and she’s a wonderful wife and they go away in about a month’s time. They finishing, finishing up. They been here a very long time. I remember the first man that was here for 51 years. My word he was a good one. Ach, I can’t remember his name. By God he had a hard time, he used to go with a small pony to Lobethal, every weekend, he would go to Lobethal to his church.
LB Who built this church?
OF Well, now you’re on the subject. I can tell you a lot about building the church. Aah Mr – my father carted all the stone and them stones. Do you know where the Verdun pub is? Gruenthal? Well, up on that hill at the back of there, that’s where them stones come from.
I never forget it because I was only eight years old then when they were carted and a man by the name of Mr Both komm from Eudunda - he built that church. He was a mason. He was a wonderful old man.
LB Was he German?
OF German, my god he was a thorough German.
LB What’s his name?
OF Both, BOTH. Very nice man. I can see him working there now, I was only eight years old. That’s a long time ago and there were some people over here, three of them they were looking around the church they were looking around the church and they came to me and said that the church was that age and I said my dear boy you’re making a big mistake. I said I was only eight years old when that church was built and I know what I’m talking about and you tell me its that age. I said I’ll show you what age, what age that is you looking at the wrong place. They looked very
19:12
shocked when I showed them. They didn’t know what to say. Yes, I was eight years old when that place was built by Mr Both. He came from Eudunda. He built the place. I know that. Beautiful church. I often take people there and show them, yes.
LB What was Mr Both’s first name, his Christian name?.
OF I beg your pardon?
LB What was Both’s first name, his Christian name?
OF Who’s that?
LB Mr Both.
OF Ooh aahm, Mr Both? Well, that’s more than I can tell you my dear friend. I used to know it as well as I know my own my own family.
LB Did you speak German with him?
OF Me?
LB Does he speak German?
OF Well, I speak German but not so very good. I’m not ashamed that I speak German. I’m proud and I wouldn’t change my name for nobody. But a lot of people here they changed their name, yes.
LB do you know any of them?
OF They were damn mongrels.
LB Do you know any of them?
OF Some of them yes. There was one minister, he changed his name.
LB What to?
OF Ooh I forget the name now but they changed their name. Ooh there’s plenty that changed their name here. School teacher. But Strempel that teached me, he never changed his name. He never changed his name. No.
LB Did you learn German at school?
OF Yes, I learnt German at school. I was confirmed in German but ehem, I very seldom talk in German you know.
LB Why did people change their names.
PART 7
OF Well, I don’t know. That’s what the English man wanted, change their name. But I said I’m buggered if I change my name my name for nobody, and I wouldn’t either. I wouldn’t care what they do, I wouldn’t change my name.
(1:29)
I’m as good as the rest. I helped to make this country. And my father and grandfather-my god they had hard times. Different what it is today my dear boy, they don’t know what work is, they done everything to this [LB ?] many times. Many times, twice, twenty ton a day. You might think I’m telling you lies, but it’s the honest truth. I went- you remember the Bridgewater Mill working?
LB No I don’t remember it working.
OF Well, there used to be a man there – I can’t remember
22:03
his name - I knew him as well as, he was a wonderful man and he had worked the Bridgewater mill for years, and he said to me, I would like you to come, cart fifty ton of stuff to the Balhannah Station. Well, I had three horses and I go the lend of a truck from Wittwer’s down here and they lent it to me and I carted in one day but I had a man to help me [LB uploading?] so I could carry, so I was very active and quick and we carted fifty ton in one day and you say (23:04) I’m a liar, but I tell you the honest truth. Fifty ton I handled and the man loading for me lived down
23:22
here. I was very active in my time and I’m active still at 80-92 yes, and I’ve seen a lot and I’m still seeing something.
LB Do you know who built these houses here?
OF Pardon?
LB Who else built these houses?
OF Well, there’s different ones that built them, but who did building my dear boy I forget - I forget– but old Faehrmann he built some of the first ones and he Mill, he did all the wood work in the mill and I carted different boilers.
LB Where did Faehrmann live?
OF Pardon?
PART 8
LB Where did Faehrmann live?
OF On the right side, further down there’s a house there where my cousin lived. Well, there’s a house this side, and there’s a tree in front, that’s where the old people used to live.
LB Did he build all the frames and cart them to the houses?
OF Oh yes, use to do a lot of that.
LB What, he made the roofs and everything?
OF Everything, EVERYTHING.
LB How did he know which parts to matchup when he got there?
OF I beg your pardon?
LB How did he know which timbers…
OF Oh I don’t know. You wouldn’t believe what that man (24:54) done in the mill. You can’t believe it. Up here, Gethings, that used to belong to Gethings up here, and if you go around the bend, there’s a great turn, runs into your right. Well, that place and I love you to see that shed that he built there. All that thick wood like that and it’s still there good as gold.
OF I beg yours?
LB Who put the bricks in?
OF Well, I guess they put them in. They must have. But the wood work, he done all that. All of them places, the old places, down here, he built all them.
25:31)
The place down here, I only went in there the other day, yesterday, and I went and had a cup of tea there. There are some different people in there, Pfennig used to live there. But there was no go in them people you know - if I don’t come today, I come tomorrow - see?
So, I’m none of that sort. So I went to this place, all done up but that’s the house what he built.
LB Which one’s this?
OF Down there – aahm.
LB On the Main Street?
OF Yeah, I went there yesterday for the first time and Pfennig used to live there, for years, but I thought to myself, oh well, the place been done up and it looks beautiful and that’s the place what my old grandfather built. My god its beautiful.
LB If I take you in my car, could you show me where?
OF I beg your pardon?
LB If I take you in my car, can you show me which ones he built?
OF Yeees, of course I would go down with you.
26:39
PART 9
LB Now, what about the roofs? Did he make the roof timbers?
OF I beg your pardon?
LB Did your grandfather make the shingles for the roofs?
OF He done all sorts. He done all sorts, all the mill up here, that big place, he done all that work up there, but they won’t tell you that he done it, he done it. Yes, that big high mill, you know, now Mt Barkers claiming it. That belongs to Hahndorf. All my uncles and grandfathers done that.
LB Do you have any books?
OF No, I have no books my dear boy.
Do you know who else has any books?
OF I haven’t got any
LB maybe at a museum?
OF God knows where they are But I haven’t got any, no. I’ve got a fairly good memory, but I haven’t got any books. What did your father ever build?
OF Well, my father was a very hard man. He was the oldest in the family, they were a big family. He was the oldest in the family and my god he was a tough one. I learnt to work with him I can tell you that, my dear boy, and when he died I never got a cent from him. Few might say I’m telling you lies, but it’s the honest truth, but when I left him, that was the end of it. You couldn’t get no work with horses. I HAD to leave him. Well, then I bought a truck. Cost me two thousand pounds. A Leyland. This Leyland truck was a beautiful truck. I used to load eight ton of sand right from the other side of Strathalbyn. I use to cart a lot of sand to round about here to all over the place. Well, I never had any sideboards on. I used to load eight ton EIGHT TON. I’m telling you no lies. Beautiful truck and they said to me when I bought it – it cost me two thousand pounds – they said to me that if anything 28:59 goes wrong, he said you come back to us. Well, I only had the truck for twelve months no, bot twelve months, one month,, and young Jeff was out here what were land outside here, we had 180 [LB ?] acres and it was all cleared and everything and Jeff was going for a load of sand to the other side of Strathalbyn and Mr Braendler , one of my best friends, he come along in the car and Jeff couldn’t get off the road any further for the trees and he ran into [LB him?]. My god, what the hell to do now. He gave me fifty Pounds but it was as good as nothing. So, they said to me when I bought this truck – you never have to be frightened getting spare parts, but my god it was a different tale when I come. They had nothing.
LB It’s always like that.
OF They had nothing.
30:03
So I took the truck back to them and when I got it back they done it up. When I got to Kaeslers down here the manifold fell off. That’s how they done it up. My god but she was a wonderful truck. It wasn’t so good no more much [LB ?]
PART 10
LB Do you think that the people plastered their houses to hide the Fachwerk houses? To hide the German influence? Do you thing they plastered their houses because of the war?
OF Well, I don’t know. I know there’s been a big change. I know since the war they don’t like the Germans. I know that I know that but I’m one. I think a lot of the German nation and they helped to make England and the rotten buggers wanted that??? What have we got today?
I only listened yesterday they never mentioned Germany once and he saved the war when they went to capture Napoleon. I never forget it my dear boy.
31:17
LB When did galvanized iron come here?
OF I beg your pardon?
LB When did galvanized iron come to Hahndorf?
OF Galvanized iron - ooh that’s been coming a long time, a long time ago.
LB Do you know roughly when?
OF All that mill down there, that’s old…[end of tape]
3.
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What Oswald Friedrich FAEHRMANN said regarding carpentering & his grandfather Johann Carl Friedrich FAHRMANN
Genealogy: Ossie would have been 13 years of age when Carl FAEHRMANN died & 31 years of age, married with 4 children when Eleonore LIEBELT died.
Part 1 Short man, stout and short. All the houses you can see with 6- and 5-inch timbers. He built all those houses. That hotel down here, when you go home, opposite that Hotel, right opposite but a bit further down, all new (now). He built all that here. Oh man, He made all of that.
Part 2 He came from Germany, his wife,from Poland. His wife, she was nasty but strong like a man. The old man died & she still lived but she had the key [LB ?] and her son gave her a young bull & said, when he turns two, be careful, because they get nasty. that didn’t worry her. So, the bull was two years & she brings him home every night, at night into the stable. One Sunday, she went to the paddock and didn’t return home. Had a key [LB ?] so the young son he lived there in [LB close, by?] the house, went and searched, found her and everything was out. The bull killed her, yes, and she was nearly 90. She was as strong as a man. Yes he was a carpenter, very clever. [LB Paechtown] Yes, all those big timbers. He did all that. Now all plastered over. And the mill. The big mill down here below, all those big timbers, really high. From the ground, all made by hand. No, they are still standing. Was all made by hand. All big pieces. Really high. All that he did.
Part 3. n/a
Part 4. Stringy Bark and gum trees River Red Gums? [Yes] River Red Gums. I had carted millions of tonnes They made the sleepers out of them. Sleepers for the railways.There were heaps of them. All gone now.
Part 5. n/a Part 6. n/a
Part 7. Old Faehrmann he built some of the first ones and the Mill, he did all the wood work in the mill and I carted different boilers.
Part 8. On the right side, further down there’s a house there where my cousin lived. Well, there’s a house this side, and there’s a tree in front, that’s where the old people used to live. [LB Did he build all the frames and cart them to the houses?]. Oh yes, use to do a lot of that. [LB What, he made the roofs and everything?]. Everything, EVERYTHING. You wouldn’t believe what that man done in the mill. You can’t believe it. Up here, Gethings, that used to belong to Gethings up here, and if you go around the bend, there’s a great turn, runs into your right. Well, that place and I love you to see that shed that he built there. All that thick wood like that and it’s still there good as gold. But the wood work, he done all that. All of them places, the old places, down here, he built all them. The place down here, I only went in there the other day, yesterday, and I went and had a cup of tea there. There are some different people in there, Pfennig used to live there. But there was no go in them people you know - if I don’t come today, I come tomorrow - see? So I went to this place, all done up but that’s the house what he built. [LB On the Main Street?]. Yeah, I went there yesterday for the first time and Pfennig used to live there, for years, but I thought to myself, oh well, the place been done up and it looks beautiful and that’s the place what my old grandfather built.
Part 9. He done all sorts. He done all sorts, all the mill up here, that big place, he done all that work up there, but they won’t tell you that he done it, he done it. Yes, that big high mill, you know, now Mt Barkers claiming it. That belongs to Hahndorf. All my uncles and grandfathers done that. My father was a very hard man. He was the oldest in the family, they were a big family. He was the oldest in the family and my god he was a tough one. I learnt to work with him I can tell you that, my and when he died I never got a cent from him. When I left him, that was the end of it. You couldn’t get no work with horses. I HAD to leave him
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4. Genealogy
Part 1
OF 'Oh my, with the German ships - by god.....Again, we always went down, always. The ship was in Port Adelaide. We didn’t have to go out on the water. They weren’t big ships. I can’t remember the names. The last time we went down there, we were all from Hahndorf and no one else.'
- Author: Hahndorf Germans often visited the ships arriving at Port Adelaide from Germany, in Ossie's living memory, 1883-1981.
OF 'My grandfather? he was an old man who came from Germany and my god he was clever. Only a short man, stout and short who built a lot here, all the house that you can see. Short man, stout and short. All the houses you can see with 6- and 5-inch timbers. He built all those houses. That hotel down here, when you go home, opposite that Hotel, right opposite but a bit further down, all new (now). He built all that here. Oh man, He made all of that. Amazing what he built. Yes, a carpenter, very clever.'
- Author: 26 year old Johann Carl Friedrich FÄHRMANN b1854, arrived on Princess Louise in 1849, married Johanna Eleonore LIEBELT in 1854 by Pastor Gotthard Daniel FRITZSCHE & they had 9 children.
Part 2
OF 'He came from Germany, but his wife, she came from Poland. By God she was nasty but strong like a man. Well, the old man died and she still lived but she had the key [?] and her son gave her a young bull and said, when he turns two, be careful, because they get nasty. So, the bull was two years and she brings him home every night, at night into the stable. One Sunday, she went to the paddock and didn’t return home. Had a key(?) so the young son he lived there in [close, by?] the house, went and searched, found her and everything was out. The bull killed her, yes, and she was nearly 90. My god, she was as strong as a man'. Part 8 On the right side, further down there’s a house there where my cousin lived. Well, there’s a house this side, and there’s a tree in front, that’s where the old people used to live.
- Author: Ossies grandmother in 1914, aged 81 years, Johanna Eleonore LIEBELT was gored to death by her pet bull. Carl FÄHRMANN had died 18 years before & she was living on her own at 106 Main St, Hahndorf. Their youngest son Nickolaus Friederick Carl FAEHRMANN, Hahndorf blacksmith was living with his wife Mary Jane JONES next door [108 Main St, Hahndorf, the 1st house on the left as you enter Hahndorf from Adelaide freeway] to her until 1906 when he was killed in a tragic acetylene gas explosion. His wife & 3 young children aged Charlie 8 years, Emma 6 years & Laura 3 years survived him and remained living at 108 Main St Hahndorf.
Part 3
OF 'I can remember exactly how that all went. They were there. The English, they wanted to get him. They were there the whole day and lost 14,000 soldiers and Bluecher came and got Napoleon. Heard it only yesterday. But they never said a word what the Germans had contributed. Part 5 The day when they captured Napoleon. The dirty buggers. Yes, I know all about it. They never mentioned Bluecher. It was Bluecher that captured Napoleon for them. I know that. They don’t put that sort of stuff all in there my dear boy, because I know what I’m talking about. Yes, I know they don’t like the Germans. If it wasn’t for the Germans, it would have been different today.
- Author: The Battle of Waterloo took place in Belgium on 18 June 1815. The French were under Napoleon & the British led forces of the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, & others was under the command of the Duke of Wellington. The Prussians under Field Marshal von BLÜCHER were integral to the relief of the British & decisive in the winning of the battle but many English in Hahndorf would not contemplate this interpretation. See Gottfried LUBASCH, veteran of Waterloo.
OF. 'I had thousands. For Storch, bark. I went everywhere [LB for it?]. I did all of that. Always three carts in a day. I did all that. All that by hand. They were Germans. Storch. They were real Germans I carted everything for them. With horses. For years. They’re all gone now.'
- Author: The STORCH home can be seen off Storch Lane, as you approach Hahndorf, it was always known as 'Ivy Home' & on the Onkaparinga nearby you can see the remains of the Tannery / Mill. The sons, Carl Samuel Hermann & Wilhelm Albert STORCH worked in the family tannery business established in 1871 by their father on part of section 3816, Onkaparinga Heritage Survey page 20. Due to the business polluting the Onkaparinga it was converted into a wattle bark mill with 'exports to South Africa & Germany' TROVE Obituary Wilhelm Albert STORCH. When Ossie FAEHRMANN was 12 years of age in 1895 these brothers who employed him would have been 47 & 41 years of age & according to the Mount Barker Heritage Survey page 373 'it was a significant local industry until at least 1939'. Ossie could have stripped wattle for the STORCH's for many years.
Part 4
OF. Well, I can remember when the blacks came through. Down here, along the creek. There were thorns. Well, they came here and stayed overnight and next day, went to the army [LB?] and they got their money and then came back. Mother and I, - my wife, we always went down to the blacks whenever they were there, and they were always good to us and we were good to them. Yes, I will never forget that. Those poor devils couldn’t help being black. They took everything away from them from the blacks - the Australians.
- Author: Under the Southern Cross by A. BRAUER, 1947. 'When Pastor MEYER was forced to abandon the mission, there was much weeping and wailing among the natives. Indeed, they manifested their attachment for many decades after the departure of the missionary, and called regularly to see his widow for about 26 years after her husband's death. The widow was then living with her daughters at Hahndorf and Littlehampton, where the natives never failed to call in the month of May, when on their way to Adelaide to get the blankets etc. supplied to them annually by the Government.. They would make a long detour in order to see the old lady and her daughters and grandchildren.'
OF Oh now I’ve got it. Out there, I knew the whole lot there – the Millers, Mueller’s, here where Jeff lives, there was a woman she was a Mrs Miller, but it belongs to her. Well, I had purchased that, Where Jeff now lives. I bought that. I gave it to Jeff. Mrs Miller. Mueller. True German.
- Author: Probably a reference to Pauline Hulda KUCHEL [grand daughter of KUCHEL, KUCHEL, LIEBELT & LUBASCH] who in 1871 married Edward Otto MUELLER [grandson of PAECH & SCHULZ] but Ossie FAEHRMANN would also have known the parents of this couple as well as some of their grandparents. The MUELLER family lived in Paechtown House no 3. See John MUELLER Photographic Collection & Other Archival Material.
Part 5
Pastor FISCHER
OF Pastor Fischer? I would think so. He was here. You see him in the church here. Oh yes, he going away from here very soon in a month’s time. I belong to the church. I pay five dollars every year. I don’t go. I’m very seldom that I go. I tell him and say, pastor Fischer, don’t take any notice that I don’t come to church. I know what’s right and wrong, and that’s all you want to know. I see what other ones do but it’s got nothing to do with me, and I said I don’t go too often and I won’t either but I’m very good with them and she’s a wonderful wife and they go away in about a month’s time. They finishing, finishing up. They been here a very long time
.Author: Pastor E.W. FISCHER 1958-1975, St Paul's Lutheran Church, Hahndorf.
Mr BOTH & Pastor BRAUN
OF. I remember the first man that was here for 51 years. My word he was a good one. Ach, I can’t remember his name. By God he had a hard time, he used to go with a small pony to Lobethal, every weekend, he would go to Lobethal to his church. ....can tell you a lot about building the church. Aah Mr – my father carted all the stone and them stones. Do you know where the Verdun pub is? Gruenthal? Well, up on that hill at the back of there, that’s where them stones come from. I never forget it because I was only eight years old then when they were carted and a man by the name of Mr Both komm from Eudunda - he built that church. He was a mason. He was a wonderful old man. German, my god he was a thorough German.Both, BOTH. Very nice man. I can see him working there now, I was only eight years old. That’s a long time ago and there were some people over here, three of them they were looking around the church they were looking around the church and they came to me and said that the church was that age and I said my dear boy you’re making a big mistake. I said I was only eight years old when that church was built and I know what I’m talking about and you tell me it's that age. I said I’ll show you what age, what age that is you looking at the wrong place. They looked very shocked when I showed them. They didn’t know what to say. Yes, I was eight years old when that place was built by Mr Both. He came from Eudunda. He built the place. I know that. Beautiful church. I often take people there and show them, yes. Ooh aahm, Mr Both? Well, that’s more than I can tell you my dear friend. I used to know it as well as I know my own my own family.
Author: Ossie is referring to the years 1885-1937, Pastor C.F. BRAUN, 55 years, Adelaide Hills localwiki St Paul's Lutheran Church-Hahndorf, 'After 1885 when Pastor BRAUN ushered in a long period of stability, the congregation decided to erect a beautiful new church in the Main Street. Designed by F.W. DANCKER of Adelaide & built by D. BOTH of Eudunda, the new St Paul's was dedicated on 14 September 1890'. The foundation stone was laid January 8, 1890. Ossie FAEHRMANN's father was Johann Friedrich Wilhelm FÄHRMANN, who ran a carrier business. In 1890 he would have been 33 years of age, married for 7 years to Auguste Martha WIETH & they had five of their 8 children & were living at 59 Auricht Rd, Hahndorf, a property that Auguste inherited form her parents. 'A College in the Wattles' by Reg BUTLER says 'Soon his sturdy team of horses was a familiar sight at work in the district and along the mountain road between Hahndorf & Adelaide. A FAEHRMANN team brought up a replacement boiler for WITTWER's Mill ... he also carted stone for the foundations & walls of the Hon A von DOUSSA's Pine Avenue home.' From this tape we now know that he also carted the stone for St Paul's Lutheran Church, Hahndorf in 1890, & he was watched by his 8 year old son Ossie.
Part 6
Pastor STREMPEL
OF School teacher. But Strempel that teached me, he never changed his name. He never changed his name. No. Yes, I learnt German at school. I was confirmed in German but I very seldom talk in German you know.
Author: Pastor Carl Friedrich Adolph STREMPEL was pastor at St Paul's Lutheran Church Hahndorf from 1875-1880. He married Maria Charlotte Friederike MEYER, daughter of Missionary MEYER & Friedericke Wilhelmine STERNICKE, & Maria was a younger sister of Auguste Sophie Louise MEYER. STREMPEL became a director of the boarding section of Hahndorf College in 1876 [Hahndorf Academy] and he was a Latin & Greek master. As we hear on this tape he was Ossie's school teacher.
DR GETHING
OF Oh I don’t know. You wouldn’t believe what that man (24:54) done in the mill. You can’t believe it. Up here, Gethings, that used to belong to Gethings up here, and if you go around the bend, there’s a great turn, runs into your right. Well, that place and I love you to see that shed that he built there. All that thick wood like that and it’s still there good as gold.
Author: Medical doctor Robert GETHINGS & his wife Jane Trevanion TOLL purchased 49 acres of Section 3812 in August 1882 & Robert GETHING died at 57 years of age just over a year later on 21 October 1883 [SAGHS Death Registration Database] at Hahndorf, & not at his other residence in Port Adelaide. however his wife kept the property & in 1907 sold 3 acres to Martha AUGUSTE WIETH [married J.F.W. FAEHRMANN, see SAILIS CT 761/56], this is now 69 Auricht Rd. In March 1908 Jane TOLL died at her residence in Croydon, Adelaide. Alexander George DOWNER Solicitor of Adelaide sold the remaining property to George WEATHERALD [SAILIS CT 810/60].
Ossie FAEHRMANN is referring to the old barn situated on Section 3812 that has been called a number of names over the years and in 1975 Ossie was referring to it as 'GETHING's' and he is saying that his Carl FAEHRMANN was the builder of this redwood timber fachwerk barn.
OF. The place down here, I only went in there the other day, yesterday, and I went and had a cup of tea there. There are some different people in there, Pfennig used to live there. So I went to this place, all done up but that’s the house what he built. Yeah, I went there yesterday for the first time and Pfennig used to live there, for years, but I thought to myself, oh well, the place been done up and it looks beautiful and that’s the place what my old grandfather built. My god it's beautiful.
Author: Research has yet to reveal which PFENNIG family Ossie is referring to. Lothar BRASSE
Part 9
Ossies' father & uncles.
OF He done all sorts. He done all sorts, all the mill up here, that big place, he done all that work up there, but they won’t tell you that he done it, he done it. Yes, that big high mill, you know, now Mt Barkers claiming it. That belongs to Hahndorf. All my uncles and grandfathers done that.
Author: Link on this article [here] & you will find the timeline for Carl FAEHRMANN & family & you can readily judge the years that his sons & son in-law would have been available to assist him with the fachwerk construction. In brief & in context, Carl's son's [Ossie's father & uncles] turned 12 years of age in 1869, 1871, 1875, 1878, 1880 & 1884. [Articles on school years in Hahndorf indicate that children went to school until they were 14 years of age.]
LB OF Well, my father was a very hard man. He was the oldest in the family, they were a big family. He was the oldest in the family and my god he was a tough one. I learnt to work with him I can tell you that, my dear boy, and when he died I never got a cent from him. Few might say I’m telling you lies, but it’s the honest truth, but when I left him, that was the end of it. You couldn’t get no work with horses. I HAD to leave him. Well, then I bought a truck. Cost me two thousand pounds. A Leyland. This Leyland truck was a beautiful truck. I used to load eight ton of sand right from the other side of Strathalbyn. I use to cart a lot of sand to round about here to all over the place. Well, I never had any sideboards on. I used to load eight ton EIGHT TON. I’m telling you no lies. Beautiful truck and they said to me when I bought it – it cost me two thousand pounds – they said to me that if anything 28:59 goes wrong, he said you come back to us. Well, I only had the truck for twelve months no, bot twelve months, one month,, and young Jeff was out here what were land outside here, we had 180 [LB ?] acres and it was all cleared and everything and Jeff was going for a load of sand to the other side of Strathalbyn and Mr Braendler , one of my best friends, he come along in the car and Jeff couldn’t get off the road any further for the trees and he ran into [LB him?]. My god, what the hell to do now. He gave me fifty Pounds but it was as good as nothing. So, they said to me when I bought this truck – you never have to be frightened getting spare parts, but my god it was a different tale when I come. They had nothing.
LB 30:03
So I took the truck back to them and when I got it back they done it up. When I got to Kaeslers down here the manifold fell off. That’s how they done it up. My god but she was a wonderful truck. It wasn’t so good no more much [LB ?]
PART 10
LB Do you think that the people plastered their houses to hide the Fachwerk houses? To hide the German influence? Do you thing they plastered their houses because of the war?
OF Well, I don’t know. I know there’s been a big change. I know since the war they don’t like the Germans. I know that I know that but I’m one. I think a lot of the German nation and they helped to make England and the rotten buggers wanted that??? What have we got today?
I only listened yesterday they never mentioned Germany once and he saved the war when they went to capture Napoleon. I never forget it my dear boy.
I saw the shear delight and excitement in his eyes, I knew nothing about Paechtown or the Faehrmanns but Walter and Alan and Annie all told me I should talk with Ossie Faehrmann.
HAEBICH's Cottage Hahndorf Survey Volume 2, page 291 is not specifically mentioned in the context of carting bark for STORCH, HAEBICH invented wattle bark stripping machine and a Well with wheel clenching, water below it, hot steel tyre around the edge and sink it down into the water and it contracts the steel on to the timber, behind Haebich Cottage and blacksmith shop, 75 Main Rd, Hahndorf.... Cardboard plan and all the elevations.
Geometrically beautifully, done, setting out where the windows are placed, windows are off central access, beautiful timber work, very neat, numbering on the timbers, really unusual thing is the lean too the only half timbered house with a half timbered lean too, the roof was kept small but because it only spanned one room [Liebelt roof, spans two rooms] then it is a lean too.... it was part of the plan 6" redeem. Attributred to Carl Faehrmann.... all dictated by the size of the window panes, and high light is a window.... 4 panes above the door, bit more wealthy the ceiling as as high as the door, but here they bump it up by another foot and put in a row of glass.
