the history of the german honorary consul in...

Brisbane German Week: German History Day10 October 2018

The History of theGerman Honorary Consul in Brisbane

Michael Rosemann


1855-1871


Georg AppelHamburg (1855-1871)

• *1823, Hesse-Kassel• Worked for Goldsmith Bank, London• Arrived in Australia in 1851• Sheep broker (Highgate Hill)

The very first Honorary Consulin Brisbane, across all nations.


George FrancksenOldenburg (1860-1863)

• *1837, Hollwarden• Arrived in Australia in 1839• Business partner with Heussler

Purchased one of the two blocksthat today make up the Fernberg property


Daniel WienholtHannover (1864-1865)

• *1822, Bayonne, France• Arrived in 1854• Wienholt family became a powerful

pastoral dynasty

“An honorable men of businessand a Christian gentleman” who served for

less than a year as the Honorary Consul.


Julius BrabantBremen (1864-1868)

• *1825, Neuenkirchen• Started as a sailor when he was 16• Attracted by the gold rush to the US• Arrived in Brisbane in 1850• Wool and tobacco merchant


1871-1914


Armand Ranniger1872-1880

• *1835, Altenburg• Previous HC for Prussia and Oldenburg• Act HC 1874: Siegmund Berens• Author of Religion: Past and Present

Rannigers father foundedGermany’s biggest glove factory


Johann Heussler1880-1900

• *1820, Bockenheim• Wine merchant in Frankfurt• Arrived in Australian in 1852• 1862: HC for The Netherlands• Immigrant agent for Qld in 1865

With 60 years, Heussler was the oldestHC (60) at the day of his appointment


Johann Heussler1880-1900

Founding MemberQueensland Club

Built and lived in Fernberg1865-1872

German Club


Heinrich Ruethning1885-1886

• Farmer, miner, lawyer and bankaccountant

• Created his own company, which stillexists (Eagle Street)

• Founding member of theDeutscher Turn-Verein

Ruething was passionate about improving theconditions on migration ships and helped

with the financial affairs of the German Cub


Friedrich von Ploennies1900-1906

• *1860, Darmstadt• Career in mining• Former secretary of Heussler and

interim HC (1897-1899)• Passionate about German New Guinea• HC Office: 173 Eagle Street

When von Ploennis travelled to Europe in 1902,Heussler, aged 82, became HC again


Dr med Eugen Hirschfeld1906-1914

• *1866, Militisch, Silesia, Prussia• Arrived in Brisbane in 1890• Medical practice in Wickham Tce• Inaugural President of Deutsche

Vereinigung (1894)• Founding Senator, UQ, 1910• HC office: 62-64 Creek Street

The position of the Consul was terminatedin August 1914 with the beginning of the war


1931-


Josiah Beiers1931-1936

• *1897, Queensland• Manager at Brisbane Machinery• Born to Danish parents, Beiers

had a good understanding of German

From 1937-39, Brisbane was abranch of the Consulate-General in Sydney


Sir John Rowell1960-1986

• *1916, Toowong• Captain in the Aus army• PoW (Malaysia) 1942-45• Partner at Neil O’Sullivan & Rowell• President of Qld Law

Society• HC office: 289 Queen St

Rowell served for 26 years, making himthe longest serving German HC in Brisbane


Christopher Featherstone1986-1996

• Manager of Munich Reinsurance• HC Office initially 26 Wharf St,

since 1989 at 10 Eagle Street

Rowell served for 26 years, making himthe longest serving German HC in Brisbane


Eric Finger, AO1996-2002

• *1938, Boonah• Started as an engineer in the Department

for Main Roads, Commissioner 82-88• DG Dep Premier, Economic and Trade, 88-94• Director Thiess, 1996-2004• A first German Week took place in 1998

Finger met Chancellor Kohlduring his visit in Cairns in May 1997


Detlef Sulzer2002-2012

• Started as civil engineer in Kent, UK• From 1971: Hochtief Nuclear Divison• 1983 seconded to Thiess, Brisbane• Founded QACCQ in 2005• German Week 2006

Sulzer led the production of the bookQueensland’s German Connections


Prof Michael Schuetz2012-2016

• Arrived in Australia in 2004 as orthopedic• Trauma surgeon, QUT Professor and Chair

of Trauma, PA Hospital • 2016-18: Charité Berlin • Director Jamieson Trauma Institute• Founded German

language roundtable

A Qantas Boing 737-800 was named in honourOf Ludwig Leichhardt in October 2014


Head of Consular Services

Elsa Armstrong1960-83

Ursula Sterf1983-2010

Claudia Luettringhaus2010-


The German Honorary Consuls in Brisbane

the history of the german honorary consul in...

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