Background to the Zebra-Project

I am Janis Haynes an amateur historian, writer & genealogist.  I commenced this Project contained within the Adelaide Hills LocalWiki in late 2020. 

My attention focus's on any & all things to do with the Germanic passengers of the ship 'Zebra', Captained by Dirk Meinetz Hahn, which arrived in South Australia on the 29 December 1838, & established the township of Hahndorf, South Australia.  I write on their marriages, homes, farm lands, movements, interactions and stories, and where possible I base it around the many photographs and records that are still available today in descendants homes.  It is for the purpose of displaying and recording these photographic collections & archival material  which have been held and preserved for years by descendants of the 'Zebra' passengers as well as illustrated articles revealing the lives and stories of their Germanic ancestors.

Although this Project primarily focuses on early Hahndorf, additional information is also included where considered relevant.

Ship 'Zebra' - water colour painting by John Coord 2004.The aim of this Project is to:

  • Allow the public to easily find if their ancestors were on the 'Zebra', including the women whose names are often lost in the Hahndorf pioneer story.
  • Allow the public to recognise the geographical locations of where our ancestors originated.
  • Promote inquiry into the pioneers of the town Hahndorf and surrounding areas.
  • Record and display relevant information and details that otherwise might become lost to public view.

Please click on the following to obtain a List of All Tagged Pages contained within the overall Project.

I also have a website for my non-Germanic ancestors - 'https://rosecottagefamilyhistory.com'.

If you are exploring your history while visiting Hahndorf and you have stories or collections that you wish to share on this website please contact me.  Comments/Suggestions/ are always welcome.  Please contact me Janis Haynes  -  [email protected]

Navigating the Zebra Project

As this project involves a considerable number of individual pages with content although being related and connected to some extent but without direct connections being obvious in a lot of cases, it was necessary to provide a reasonable degree of Navigation.  To do this relevant Header Pages  were created with further links (underlined blue) to the associated sub-pages.  This method of Navigation together with a brief outline of the contents is described as follows:

Please note that this page 'Zebra-Project' is the main entry to the entire Project as follows:

1.   Ship Zebra - Passengers

2.  Zebra-Project Photographic Collections & Other Archival Material

2.1  John MUELLER Archival Collection summary   [Mueller-Header]

John's 'Collection' was stored in his home at Paechtown where 4 generations of his family lived. Link onto the above for a table of contents of all of John's  photographs or link below for specific families.

  • One of the prolific photographers in John's 'Collection' was his great, great Uncle Edmund DIEDERICH b1854, who married Anna Elisabeth KUCHEL in 1891.  The Art Gallery of SA identifies DIEDERICH's photography as being between 1890 & the year 1923 when he died.  However from 1881-1882 he was a photographer for W.H. HAMMER & Co and then from 1882-1884 worked with Carl HAEHNEL 'Australian Photographic Company, Portraits taken in any Weather' from 1882-1884.  
  • It contains over 300  photographs of some of the descendants of Daniel KUCHEL, Anna Dorothea SEIFFERT & George KUCHEL, Anne Elizabeth STEINBORN & Johann Christian LIEBELT, Anna Dorothea GREISER & Johann Gottfried LUBASCH,  also Philippine PIETSCH & Johann Joseph BRAENDLER, also PAECH's of Paechtown, Johanne Eleonore LIEBELT & Johann Carl Friedrich FAEHRMANN & several of their children, Hahndorf Churches as well as a number of unidentified photographs.
  • Having researched & identified some of John's unique 'Collection' during Covid I was able to add detail to the  lives of some of the pioneers using TROVE, SAILIS, Family History books, Hahndorf Allotment Database, Genealogy SA Library & Database's, & other sources. 
  • One of the most rewarding pieces of research was completed in early 2024.  It was regarding the life of the LUBASCH family in Hahndorf, which included an 1857 Supreme Court Trial brought by Gottfried LUBASCH's three sons-in-law in when they contested the validity of his will.  This led me to the ownership transactions of Section 3812, Hd Kuitpo & connect the evidence of what Lothar BRASSE has always known regarding the master carpenter responsible for constructing not only 'Beerenberg  Barn', but fachwerk buildings in Paechtown, off Darby Rd and in the Main Street of Hahndorf.  
  • ​John MUELLER is related to most of the families photographed in his 'Collection',

John is

2.2   Glenn Liebelt Archival Collection     [Steinborn-Liebelt Header]

Parts of Glenn's 'Collection' [Newspapers, photographs, books, articles] were in recents years discovered/brought down from the enormous roof space, in his home, the roof structure being made without nails, and using 6" by 6" red gum timber beams held with hand chiseled joints. 

  •  This half hipped roof space is over an old German farm house with a wide central passageway and a large German cooking space, at 156 Junction Road in Blakiston.
  • Glenn's great Grandmother, Auguste Sophie Louise MEYER was the daughter of Encounter Bay early Lutheran missionary, translator & author Heinrich August Eduard MEYER & Friedericke Wilhelmine STERNICKE.  Their original photographs hang in the old house along with 'pre arrival in SA' religious books, memorabilia from the palace in Potsdam 'Schlossgarten Glienicke,' where Friedericke worked prior to her marriage in 1861.   
  • includes over ....... historic photographs.

Glenn is:

2.3  Lorraine KRAMM Archival Collection     [Steinborn-Liebelt Header]

​​Lorraine's 'Collection' is related to her husband Trevor [Trevor Donald KRAMM b1930] being the grandson of Anna Bertha LIEBELT [the youngest LUBASCH/LIEBELT child who inherited her parents farm off Echunga Road, the property known as  'Balgara']  who married 1895 to Carl Reinhold KRAMM.   Along with old photographs there is the LIEBELT/LUBASCH family Bible that was kept on the table in the original fachwerk & brick infilled cottage which still survives today.

  • A collection of over ....... historic photographs dated from {to be advised] along with ......  Records from 

Trevor is:

  • 2C1R to John MUELLER above & 4C1R to Glenn LIEBELT above.
  • 3x great Grandson of Anna Elisabeth STEINBORN & Johann Christoph LIEBELT.
  • 2x great Grandson of Anna GREISER & [2nd wife of] Johann Gottfried LUBASCH.
  • unrelated to Johanna Karaline KLENKE & [2nd wife of] Johann Georg PAECH Snr of Paechtown.  
  • 2x great Grandnephew to Johanne Dorothea Elisabeth KUCHEL & [1st cousin] Gottfried Erdmann KUCHEL
  • unrelated to Philippine PIETSCH & Johann Joseph BRAENDLER

2.4  Kathryn SCHMEISS Archival Collection   [Steinborn-Liebelt Header]

Kathryn 's 'Collection' is related to her grandparents living nearby by during her child hood & a natural affinity to collecting all items / photographs / autograph books / memorabilia from her relatives past.  Kathryn's grandparents are Alfrida Elsa KRAMM & Berthold Otto SCHMEISS.  

While Trevor KRAMM [above] has descended  from Anna Bertha LIEBELT & Carl Reinhold KRAMM's 4th and last child Hermann Bernhardt KRAMM b1903, Kathryn is descended from their 2nd child Alfrida Elsa b1898.   Anna Bertha LIEBELT's parents were children on the Ship Zebra arriving in 1839.  Many of the articles & photographs in her collection are related to or come directly from the old farmstead 'Balgara' in Friedrichstad built by LUBASCH/ LIEBELT in the 1850's.

Kathryn is:

  • 1C1R to Trevor KRAMM above, 5th cousin to Glenn LIEBELT above & 3rd cousin to John MUELLER above.
  • 4x great Granddaughter of Anna Elisabeth STEINBORN & Johann Christoph LIEBELT.
  • 3x great Granddaughter of Anna GREISER & [2nd wife of] Johann Gottfried LUBASCH.
  • unrelated to Johanna Karaline KLENKE & [2nd wife of] Johann Georg PAECH Snr of Paechtown.  
  • 3x great Grandniece to Johanne Dorothea Elisabeth KUCHEL & [1st cousin] Gottfried Erdmann KUCHEL
  • unrelated to Philippine PIETSCH & Johann Joseph BRAENDLER

2.5  Beryl BEHNAM Archival Collection      [Liebelt-Faehrmann Header]          

Beryl 's collection is related to growing up in Hahndorf [108 Main Street] alongside land allocated to her family in 1839.  Beryl's grandparents Mary Jane JONES & Nickolaus Friederich Carl FAEHRMANN passed their blacksmith business records [1872-1906] down to Beryl via their 3rd child, a daughter Catherine Eleonore who was Beryls grandmother.  Catherine recounted her grandmother Johanne Eleonore FAEHRMANN [b1833, Brandenburg, Germany], plaiting her hair as well as stories of a spear being thrown at her pioneer grandmother and her tragic death caused by her pet bull.

A popular etching by Sir Hans HEYSEN, of Beryl's great uncle, Johann Wilhelm Friedrich FAEHRMANN [an older brother to Nickolaus Friederich Carl FAEHRMAN] is displayed in the 'Hans HEYSEN - The Cedars', 

  • A collection of over ....... historic photographs dated from {to be advised] along with ...... , Blacksmith Accounts 1872-1906.

Beryl is the:

  • 3C1R of Kathryn SCHMEISS above. 3rd cousin to Trevor KRAMM,  4C1R to Glenn LIEBELT above & 3C1R to John MUELLER above.
  • 3x great Granddaughter of Anna Elisabeth STEINBORN & Johann Christoph LIEBELT.
  • unrelated to Anna GREISER & [2nd wife of] Johann Gottfried LUBASCH.
  • unrelated to Johanna Karaline KLENKE & [2nd wife of] Johann Georg PAECH Snr of Paechtown.  
  • 2x great Grandniece to Johanne Dorothea Elisabeth KUCHEL & [1st cousin] Gottfried Erdmann KUCHEL
  • unrelated to Philippine PIETSCH & Johann Joseph BRAENDLER

2.6  Gwenda LUCAS Archival Collection   [Liebelt-Faehrmann Header]

Gwenda 's 'Collection" is related to growing up in Murray Bridge where 2 sons of Johann Eleonore LIEBELT &  Johann Carl Friedrich FAEHRMANN were tradesmen, 1 a carpenter [author's great grandfather] & Gwenda's great grandfather a blacksmith.  Many of her photographs are related to her grandmother Eleanor Theresa Arabella FAEHRMANN b1891 & known as 'Ellie' & her siblings.  The 'Collection'  includes school books belonging to older brother Lorenzo Otto FAEHRMANN b1886.

Gwenda is the:

  • 4th cousin to Kathryn SCHMEISS, 3C1R to Trevor KRAMM, 2C1R to Beryl BENHAM, 5th cousin to Glenn LIEBELT, 4th cousin to John MUELLER.
  • 4x great Granddaughter of Anna Elisabeth STEINBORN & Johann Christoph LIEBELT.
  • unrelated to Anna GREISER & [2nd wife of] Johann Gottfried LUBASCH.
  • unrelated to Johanna Karaline KLENKE & [2nd wife of] Johann Georg PAECH Snr of Paechtown.
  • 3x great Grandniece to Johanne Dorothea Elisabeth KUCHEL & [1st cousin] Gottfried Erdmann KUCHEL
  • unrelated to Philippine PIETSCH & Johann Joseph BRAENDLER​

2.7  Alan Reddy Archival Collection     [Liebelt-Faehrmann Header]

Alan's 'Collection' is related to:growing up in Littlehampton but also living with his grandparents Margaret Alice FLEMING & Carl Albrecht FAEHRMANN in the same house [106 Main St Hahndorf] that his mother grew up in, on the original KUCHEL/LIEBELT land allocated in 1839.  Beryl BENHAM above, Alan's 2C1R, and 4 years older than Alan, lived in house no 108 Main Street, Hahndorf. 

  • Alan was the custodian of his 2x great grandparents [also author's & Gwenda LUCAS's, 2x great Grandparents], carpentry tools belonging to Johann Carl FAEHRMANN, master carpenter of Tangermünde.
  • Alan has been researching history, land ownerships & connections for some years, including all of the original land allotments for Littlehampton.

Alan ​is:

  • 3rd cousin to Gwenda LUCAS, 4th cousin to Kathryn SCHMEISS, 4th cousin to Trevor KRAMM, 2C1R to Beryl BENHAM, 5th cousin to Glenn LIEBELT, 4th cousin to John MUELLER.
  • 4x great grandson of Anna Elisabeth STEINBORN & Johann Christoph LIEBELT.
  • 3x great grandson of Caroline WOLF & [1st wife of] Johann Gottfried LUBASCH
  • unrelated to Johanna Karaline KLENKE & [2nd wife of] Johann Georg PAECH Snr of Paechtown.
  • 3x great Grandnephew to Johanne Dorothea Elisabeth KUCHEL & [1st cousin] Gottfried Erdmann KUCHEL
  • unrelated to Philippine PIETSCH & Johann Joseph BRAENDLER

2.8  Lothar BRASSE researched articles & commentary      [Lothar Brasse Header]

Lothar is a heritage architect, author, historian & sculptor & is unrelated to any of the above contributors, although he did come to South Australia as a school boy from Germany & kept a great interest in early German culture, language and architecture.

  • Index to Section 3812, Hd Kuitpo articles
  • Who built the Paechtown Fachwerk houses  In 1975 Lothar was encouraged by Walter WOTZKE, Alan WITTWER & Annie LUUR FOX to visit Mr Oswald Friedrich FAEHRMANN.  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. This is a fascinating story.
  • * Gustav Julius LISTERMANN wrote a book in German, in 1851, titled in English, "My emigration to South Australia and return to the Fatherland; a word of warning and caution for all would be emigrants."  In 2018 Lothar BRASSE transcribed & translated this book which is only available to the public via this link. Part 1 or Part 2 or Part 3 on Adelaide Hills Local Wiki Zebra-Project.
  • Fachwerk buildings 

2.9   John PAECH Photographic Collection & Other Archival Material     [Paech-Klenke]

John is a gggg grandson of Johann George PAECH Snr  [1st wife Johanna Karaline KLENKE who died in Prussia] who was on the Zebra in 1838 & subsequently took up land with his sons at Paechtown.   John's ancestors grew up in House No 2 at Paechtown, the only one that was not burnt in the Ash Wednesday bushfires of the 1983.  John MUELLER [see his Collection above] lived for in House No 3 at Paechtown.

2.10  LIEBELT Family Reunion Committee Collection.       [Steinborn-Liebelt Header]

The LIEBELT Family Reunion  Committee in 2022, when this page was written, included: Marion & Kevin Liebelt, Trudy Gogel, Glenn Liebelt & author Janis Haynes.

  • There were 7 original photographs in the possession of this committee having been left over from previous reunions or when the 1975 LIEBELT Family History book was written.  As a collective on 23 October 2022, we donated them on indefinite  loan to the Hahndorf Academy with the proviso that any descendant can borrow them for exhibitions or scanning for their own use.  
  • The committee still has a number of original LIEBELT Family History books for sale.

3.  Zebra-Project Publication Collections

Some of these publications have German handwriting that can identify who held guardianship of them over the years.

  • John MUELLER: 20 German Books out of 22 publications, 13 books were published before 1900.  Four of the oldest books are dated 1683-1826 & could have been on the 'Zebra' in 1838.  Includes several rare & unique books. 
  • Glenn LIEBELT:    22 German Books out of 24 Publications, 21 books were published before 1900.  Six of the oldest books are dated from 1709-1835 & could have been on the 'Zebra' in 1838. Includes several rare & unique books. Seven of these old  books belonged to Friedericke Wilhelmine MEYER, nee STERNICK, wife of missionary & linguist Heinrich August Eduard MEYER.  There are portraits & paintings that reflect Friedericke's previous employment with Prince Charles & Princess Marie of Prussia.
  • Lorraine KRAMM:  A German Family Bible has a handwritten name and date on the inside cover, 'Bertha LIEBELT, 1893', making it 130 years of age.  It is held in the guardianship of  Lorraine KRAMM from Mt Barker. The actual age of the book has not yet been determined. There are 15 historic small photographs embedded in the back of the book, and 8 births recorded under 'Family Records'.  Several of the photographs were taken before 1898.  There are two swatches of silk threads between the pages.  Bertha b1867, was married to Carl Reinhold KRAMM & was the last born & 10th  child of Johanne Caroline LUBASCH & Johann Gottlieb LIEBELT.  Family names mentioned in this article include: DOBSON, FÄHRMANN, GERLACH, HAEHNEL, JONES, KRAMM, KUCHEL, LIEBELT, LUBASCH, MÜLLER, MUELLER, NIESCHE, SCHUBERT, STEINBORN & THWAITES
  • Kathryn SCHMEISS: 
  • John PAECH 

4.  Construction of Relevant Pages

As the emphasis is on inputting all relevant information within the relevant pages so that the information is recorded and not lost means that the layout, formatting and content will be in continuous revision until the page is virtually completed sometime in the future.  Also, experimentation is being carried out on how to best display photographs, images and text layout. All pages should therefore be considered as being continuously 'Under Construction'.

5.  Acknowledgement of Assistance and Resources

This project is the result of people like John MÜLLER, Beryl BENHAM, Glenn LIEBELT, Lorraine KRAMM and many others who have generously allowed access to family information & to scan their photos in their homes, & then allowed me to share those images.  Feel free to copy any photographs and reference them as appropriate.

I also wish to acknowledge the technical assistance and other help with this project provided by Tony FINNIS.

6.  'What new information has being added into Zebra-Project in the last couple of months'

No 1.  You will already find here several articles that highlight the life & work of photographer Edmund  DIEDERICH. Currently I am piecing together the story behind the glass plate negatives which were discovered in the ceiling of his Tischer Road home, long after he and his wife had died in 1923 & 1932.  

No 2.  In November I began two separate articles titled 'LIEBELT & ZIMMERMANN' & 'FAEHRMANN O.A.F.'  Both families were farmers between Murray Bridge & Mypolonga & at Caloote and both include photographs of old German homesteads, the LIEBELT one being pug and pine, and the FAEHRMANN one on land held by the family for almost 150 years.  Photographic evidence was found of the 'FAEHRMANN' house in Tangermünde [which they left in 1855] & my 5th cousin in Germany has in December, identified the same house, still standing, in Tangermünde. 

No 3. In 2018 a German memoir written by Gustav LISTEMANN in 1851 was transcribed & translated by Lothar BRASSE.and the only place you will find this published is on this site.  Over the past week of January 2025 I have gone through checking and editing part 1, 2 & 3, making it more readable.   LISTEMANN & his family came to South Australia on the Princess Louise in 1849 and he returned home in 1850, very dissatisfied and determined to tell fellow Germans that it would be a big mistake to come to this Colony.  Johann Carl Friedrich FAEHRMANN was on this same ship so it makes an interesting read of their journey from Hamburg to Rio and onto Adelaide.

No 4.  I've received an opportunity to delve deeper into the history of the PAECH farm & barns off Darby Rd through meeting with a descendant of the Paechtown 'Kaysher' PAECH's whose ancestors brought the 'Rentschener' PAECH's farm on Darby Rd.  These articles will grow slowly as photographs & details become available and I am also looking at how all of these PAECH's are or are not related.

No 5.  Captain Dirk Meinetz Hahn of the Isle of Sylt.  is a collection of maps, extracts from his memoirs, photographs of his church in Westerland on the Isle of Sylt and a flag from Sylt that is now held in the Hahndorf Archives and was carried by Reg BUTLER during the 1st official Pioneer Women's Walk in 1980. 

7.  List of Some Pages Within the Adelaide Hills LocalWiki Containing Additional Relevant Information

While providing further historic research the following links are associated with many other historians & is not the work of Janis Haynes, author of 'Zebra Project'.

 

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